Lifting a 64 Riv with a floor jack

I have searched through the forums and checked the owners manual. I need to lift the front passenger side to remove the tire and get at the antenna box.

The manual has the jack point near the front bumper (yeesh, really??).

I see in the forums maybe I should put the jack on the x-frame? not the side rails for sure, it seems

If you have a floor jack, I'd put it under the a-arm on the side you want to lift. I usually try to get the cup of the jack centered under where the shock absorber bolts to the a-frame. All you're trying to do is get the tire off the ground. If you put it on the chassis, you have to jack everything high enough to stretch the suspension before the tire comes off the ground.

Ed

put blocks in front and rear of at least one of the rear tires. Lift on the frame directly under the engine and place a jack stand under the frame approx 2-3 feet behind each front wheel and release the jack so the car is on the stands.

DO NOT..... I repeat DO NOT work under your car with it only being held up by a jack!!! Do not place your life in the hands of a 10 cent chinese seal!

I was working on one fo my cars and I had a pair of air jacks holding the frame about 2 foot off the ground so I could crawl underneith it.

I also was lucky enough to put jackstands in a variety of places close to the frame. I was glad I did because one of the airjacks blew a seal and the car came down on the jackstands with a loud thump. I scrambled out and saw the airjack sitting on the ground.

I agree with the use of a floor jack, but there's still no need to lift the entire front end of the car to access the antenna box. To get access to the antenna box it is not necessary to get under the car. All you need to do is get the right front wheel off.

When I was a teenager, I worked at an Exxon station and learned more than a few pearls of wisdom from the head mechanic. His name was Bill. He survived being torpedoed in the Coral Sea, was wizened and bent like and old tree and could trouble shoot any problem by pressing a long screwdriver against the motor and listening. He once told me never to crawl under any car without first sliding one of the removed wheels under it first. He reasoned that jacks can fail, a jack stand can topple and even a commercial grade lift can kill you. He'd say "As long as you don't get too fat, that wheel is enough to keep you from getting completely squashed if the darn thing falls". He's long gone now, but I think about him every time I slide underneath a car. PRL

When I was a teenager, I worked at an Exxon station and learned more than a few pearls of wisdom from the head mechanic. His name was Bill. He survived being torpedoed in the Coral Sea, was wizened and bent like and old tree and could trouble shoot any problem by pressing a long screwdriver against the motor and listening. He once told me never to crawl under any car without first sliding one of the removed wheels under it first. He reasoned that jacks can fail, a jack stand can topple and even a commercial grade lift can kill you. He'd say "As long as you don't get too fat, that wheel is enough to keep you from getting completely squashed if the darn thing falls". He's long gone now, but I think about him every time I slide underneath a car. PRL

Pete, this is great advice as one needs to put the wheel somewhere out of the way anyway. I have been doing this for years. Cheap insurance,

Tom

You know, I think I might be able to get the antenna out WITHOUT removing the tire. Anyone try this? There seems to be some working space.

You can probably get the cover off, but the cover is attached to the antenna and I don't think there's room to pull the antenna out without removing the tire. It's always been my experience to just remove the tire and take the antenna out.

Ed

I have searched through the forums and checked the owners manual. I need to lift the front passenger side to remove the tire and get at the antenna box.

The manual has the jack point near the front bumper (yeesh, really??).

I see in the forums maybe I should put the jack on the x-frame? not the side rails for sure, it seems

Don't put the jack under the side rails. Actually, there are no side rails, just the boxed rocker panels which won't support the weight. The A arms where the shocks mount in the cup or the frame under the engine if you want to lift the entire front of the car are good places for a jack.

I'm happy to report the antenna comes out easily without taking the tire off! 15 minute job. I just turned the wheel away from the access panel.

But good to know for future reference where to lift it!

This is good info! I'll be removing mine sometime this spring to get Barney Eaton

to work his magic on it. On mine the motor runs, but it works just like a manual antenna.....it moves

up and down manually and stays where I put it but the motor doesn't move the mast at all.