Jacking up Reatta

[gkhashem]

I would like to jack up my Reatta since I really want to do my own basic maintenance like oil changes etc.

I was looking underneath at the front end there seems to be a cross member under or near the radiator that goes across the front is that strong enough to support the car?

Also for jack stands where is a good place for those??

Any diagrams or help would be appreciated.

I have jacked up older cars with frames and just want to be sure where I do this one.

[handmedownreatta]

i use car ramps for oil changes.i jack at the rear of the front subframe to remove a front wheel like just now when i changed the front hub and brake pads.

[Barney Eaton]

There are lots of places in the front.........as noted above, the front "sub-frame" or engine cradle completely wraps around the bottom of the engine and the lower suspension arm attach to it. If raising one side, put your jack under the rear corner of the cradle, if your jack has enough travel, you can get both the front and rear wheels off the ground.

You can also put a jack in the front center of the cradle and raise both front wheels off the ground.
Remember it is a wise health choice to place jack stands under the car once it is up in the air.

In the rear, place the jack under the rear suspension ..... usually on either side. I don't like to jack in the middle ever since a Regal I owned bent slightly when jacked in the center.

[gkhashem]

So Barney just to be clear that sub frame is what spans across the front of the car just behind or below the radiator. I will make sure too when I get my new wheels on. I will ask my mechanic who is going to mount the wheels and balance the tires to point it out to me.

And yes I have jack stands, not the smaller ones but the ones that have a wider base and are 6 ton which is an overkill but a friend told me to get those. Also is it a good idea once the car is resting on the jack stands to leave the jack there but backed off a bit so as to be there just in case like a back up?

[Barney Eaton]

You will get several opinions on leaving the car on Jack stands. I have a two post lift and I store a car on that, so my suspension is always "hanging". You can put the jack stands under the "A" arms, this keeps the tires off the ground but the suspension is not "hanging"