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| Mechanical Mechanical – General Tips, Problems, and Solutions, not related to the specific systems above |
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#1 (permalink) |
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Senior Contributor
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Custom Jack Stand
Check out my jack stand, I am making 4 and they will be tied together with pipe at the holes in the legs, the pipe will have casters attached so that when I want to move the car I can roll it on the casters. Take the pipe ties off and you can work under the car. Just turn the nut at the top and the car goes up. They start at 12" up so you just jack the car up and put them in, then they go up another 7" from there, plenty of room to work.
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Jeff
'73 GT,5spd,Recaro,EDIS4 2.2 EFI by MegaSquirt,15" Wheels,Lecarra,F&R Sway Bars,Custom Exhaust,1" Sport Spring,Koni Reds,Big Brakes,3 Core Ali Radiator,Hse of Colors Kandy Pagan Gold. '64 VW Karmann Ghia '08 BMW M3 |
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#2 (permalink) |
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6,000 Post Club
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Imperial Beach, CA South of San Diego
Posts: 6,033
Classified Rating: 0% (0)
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Neat looking and functional. The only thing I can see that I would change is to make them fourlegged, that way the pipe connections would be straight and wouldn't have to have angled adapters to connect all four together. But all in all, very nice.
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Ron
72 GT 3.4L V-6/T-5/ZF posi - almost done - Just need AC installed. ![]() 75 Chevy monza 5.7L/TH350/Auburn 3.08 posi - Next |
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#3 (permalink) |
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Opel GT? Who makes that?
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i like em, i like em alot, i'm assuming its for a GT and the pegs go into those pipes by the front and back wheels? i used them when we put mine on the frame puller in the body shop, if they hold it on there, i'm sure it will work great for at home, good luck with them
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Brendan:
72 Manta Rallye 69 GT 72 GT - parts car |
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#4 (permalink) |
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former opel racer
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I only worry that they are gonna be kind of "tippy"... Could you make the next one with four legs as Ron suggested, and put a plate on the bottom? It just needs a bigger footprint, spread out a little wider. I have to work under huge machinery blocked up all the time, scary rigging just, well, scares me...
I prefer massive overkill to questionable safety! You never know what might be going on under that car on jackstands, much less what might happen topside while you're under it. Dave (nobody) can tell a story about that, it is even GT related, involved his wife (no longer related). |
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No Opels were harmed in the filming of this movie. However two Mustangs, a Pinto, and a Capri were hospitalized. One Mustang was euthanized the next morning. |
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#5 (permalink) |
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No Access
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Biggest 2 problems I see are the swivel factor in a round hole and the original jack points are prone to rust. Jeff is right it takes me a week or so to get up the courage to get under a car and it has to be more safe than just sitting on level ground. Safety first and foremost, always have a backup safety factor under a vehicle. Speaking from absolute paranoa on this I prefer two jack stands a good floor jack and a brick that is taller than I am thick. A GT on top of you is not a good thing, trust me.
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#6 (permalink) |
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opel free after 25 years
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i like to do stuff without the bother of stands
http://www.opelgt.com/forums/showpos...3&postcount=68 |
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Copyright © 2003-2009 barry williams
All Rights Reserved save praying to God for sunday today we pray to Nike and run like hell |
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#7 (permalink) |
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6,000 Post Club
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Imperial Beach, CA South of San Diego
Posts: 6,033
Classified Rating: 0% (0)
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Now that everyone has critiqued the stands and made good logical suggestions, here's a little tale that happened to me with my GT on stands. If you've seen any of the pics of my driveway you'll note it is a small incline. After I painted the rear-end and was going to install it, I jacked up the back of the car to get a little more height to roll the assembly under the car. Luckily the front still had the wheels on. As I took the weight off the jackstands the whole car started rolling back down the driveway and the jackstands tilted. I got lucky and wasn't pinned against the gate and the car never hit the ground. I ended up using a 2 ton come-along winch anchored to a fence post and the front suspension, to finish putting in the rear-end. The jackstands you have do need some mods, Jeff is right about a bigger footprint, it's less prone to tipping, Dave has a good point about a swivel action, that could be compensated for by anchoring all four jackstands together about where the screwjack is on the stands. Like I said they look really nice but can be made safer, and that is the basis for all the criticism or critiquing on this thread. There aren't really enuff Opel owners and to lose one to injury or worse working on them is not a good thing. Take all of this as it is given, in the old addage, better to be safe than sorry.
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Ron
72 GT 3.4L V-6/T-5/ZF posi - almost done - Just need AC installed. ![]() 75 Chevy monza 5.7L/TH350/Auburn 3.08 posi - Next |
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#8 (permalink) |
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Senior Contributor
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Thank you, everyone, for your comments and concerns. Here is the thought process for their design.
I chose 3 legs, and don't want a plate underneath so that they will always be steady on the ground, no matter what the surface, pebbles and uneven concrete, etc. I thought about the need for beveled connections on the connecting rods and decided to keep the 3 legs and make the connections as necessary. The diameter of the circle that the legs fit in is 8", I got that from the set of 4 stands that I presently use, although I admit that after I fabricated the stand, it looked a little small to me too. I tried the stand under the car over the weekend, and it appears to be quite stable as is, I am set up on a level concrete garage floor. The interconnecting rods have two holes in them to resist rotation due to the round pins, in general I will probably have 3 of the rods installed when working on the car, leaving myself access from one side. I ALWAYS, have a hydraulic jack as a backup somewhere under the vehicle on the end or side where I am working. I too had an acquaintance through business, who DIED , because he was trapped under a car when changing the oil. I am going to be fabricating the other three this week, I will be increasing the circle for the legs to 10" and I will change to a 4 leg pattern - just to increase the anti-tip factor. Again, thanks to all for your input - I will post a pic of the modified version when it's done.
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Jeff
'73 GT,5spd,Recaro,EDIS4 2.2 EFI by MegaSquirt,15" Wheels,Lecarra,F&R Sway Bars,Custom Exhaust,1" Sport Spring,Koni Reds,Big Brakes,3 Core Ali Radiator,Hse of Colors Kandy Pagan Gold. '64 VW Karmann Ghia '08 BMW M3 |
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#9 (permalink) |
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Senior Contributor
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Second Jackstand Design
OK, here it is, (still needs paint) with many of the useful comments incorporated.
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Jeff
'73 GT,5spd,Recaro,EDIS4 2.2 EFI by MegaSquirt,15" Wheels,Lecarra,F&R Sway Bars,Custom Exhaust,1" Sport Spring,Koni Reds,Big Brakes,3 Core Ali Radiator,Hse of Colors Kandy Pagan Gold. '64 VW Karmann Ghia '08 BMW M3 |
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#10 (permalink) |
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Senior Contributor
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Jack Stand In Use With Caster Ass'y Attached
Here are a couple of Pics of the Jack Stand In Use with the "Jackable" casters that I built. The near side tie bar is left off for now so that I have access with a creeper. When the car needs to be moved I will attach the fourth tie bar, crank up the four caster assemblies, and wheel is out.
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Jeff
'73 GT,5spd,Recaro,EDIS4 2.2 EFI by MegaSquirt,15" Wheels,Lecarra,F&R Sway Bars,Custom Exhaust,1" Sport Spring,Koni Reds,Big Brakes,3 Core Ali Radiator,Hse of Colors Kandy Pagan Gold. '64 VW Karmann Ghia '08 BMW M3 |
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#12 (permalink) |
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1000 Post Club
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jack stand un custom
question 1- will a pair of these work on the back end? or are they just for the front?
markandson- dam are you good at metal fabrication. 2-Are you bringing the gt to carlisle?3- this is off topic...how did you fit in sportwagon springs to your gt?4- how many loops did you cut? arent they too short after you cut them? 5-are you bringing your gt to carlisle?..i guess you can answer in the carlisle thread or tell me at the cave place...
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Thank you members of opelgt.com for helping me on a 5 year reconstruction of the most beautiful car in the world
Celeste: 1917,cc ,getrag resealed, 2liter Intake valves,ported,ISKY cam on solids,Opel forged rods,9.52 compression,total seal gapless,oil dam,RB gasket mod., DCOE side drafts,sprint,2in straight exhaust,pertronix,OMNI paint,SACHS clutch,OGTS & Kadette sway bars,Manta finned pan,3 V clock,Ball joints and Poly all... SAA-WEET! |
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#14 (permalink) |
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1000 Post Club
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I agree with Jordan. I damaged my bellypan on both sides using ramps. The nose was too low and long before the wheels went up the ramp. End results, 2 ugly dents below the bumper.
It has been repaired, but be careful using ramps.
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1972 Opel GT, Owner since 1983
2001 Saab 9-5 SE 3.0 Turbo V6 Weeeeeeeeeee!!! 1973 GT, Parted out, R.I.P. 1968 Kadette, Owner since 2006, Sold, 28 June 2008 |
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#15 (permalink) |
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Senior Contributor
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I have the car sitting on 4 of the stands, they are tied with 3 of the interconnecting pipe tie bars. I can't bring the opel to Carlisle, there is nothing in it, and I mean NOTHING, I will be lucky to have it ready for next year. The wagon springs are not in yet, they will not be cut, they will be fitted by creating adjustable buckets so that I can tune the suspension to them. Sorry for the jumble of topics in this one post, I wanted to answer all the questions.
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Jeff
'73 GT,5spd,Recaro,EDIS4 2.2 EFI by MegaSquirt,15" Wheels,Lecarra,F&R Sway Bars,Custom Exhaust,1" Sport Spring,Koni Reds,Big Brakes,3 Core Ali Radiator,Hse of Colors Kandy Pagan Gold. '64 VW Karmann Ghia '08 BMW M3 |
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#17 (permalink) |
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Senior Contributor
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But you can't get the tranny or the drive shaft out with all that stuff in the way. I can see how for regular maint. and brake work that it would be great.
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Jeff
'73 GT,5spd,Recaro,EDIS4 2.2 EFI by MegaSquirt,15" Wheels,Lecarra,F&R Sway Bars,Custom Exhaust,1" Sport Spring,Koni Reds,Big Brakes,3 Core Ali Radiator,Hse of Colors Kandy Pagan Gold. '64 VW Karmann Ghia '08 BMW M3 |
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#18 (permalink) |
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Opeler
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I slide the unit from the side if I what to work on the exhaust, rear end, front end and stuff.. I was going to make stands for the wheels and then remove it.. but I have had to make them as of yet... and the nice part of it is that i can lower or rase the car at any point of my work... it was great when i panted the car ..did under dash work ... when i work under the GT I use a office seat that rises up and down.
no more standing on my feet or on my back.. I will never work on a car with out one.. and if you have to sell the idea to your wife ,, tell her you need it for her cars oil changes... and gee the opel fits on it too.. ![]() also when I had it on the left ,, I had 3 guy come in at diffent times and go home and ordered one for them selfs Last edited by Turbo X; 08-03-2005 at 09:01 PM.. |
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#20 (permalink) |
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Über OpelGT.com Moderator
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Body Dolly with lift
In a few days, I should have my GT (and SportWagon compatible) body dolly finished. It has side rails that sit outboard of the body and a bit below, and attaches via the jack points. The castors are trailer-jacks, positioned just inside the wheel wells, that raise up to 11 inches. Pictures at 11....
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Keith Wilford
working on my '71 GT and '75 SportWagon |
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#21 (permalink) |
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Opeler
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Here some pictures using my lift, as you can see I put the lift in from the side so as not to interfere with my engine work.. I also though in my lawn mower pic. , it so nice not having to work on your belly to change the belt..
the lift cost around 1400.00 and I purchased it online from. Bend-pak in calf. 805-933-9970 |
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