Bad for front wheels to hang down for a month???
01-08-2002, 02:26 AM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Bad for front wheels to hang down for a month???
Is it bad for the front suspension to leave wheels hanging down for extended period of time with car on jackstands???
I started to remove my rear suspension today. When I jacked up the car right in front of the rear wheel well the front wheel came off of the ground first. This is probably because there is no motor in there right now. So I decided to put the car on 4 jackstands instead of resting on the front wheels as originally planned. But now the front wheels are hanging down and realistically the rear won't be installed for 3-4 weeks. Am I doing damage up front to my freshly installed springs and shocks?
Do I remove the front wheels and tires to take some of the load off of the front suspension?
Do I get the front of the car down ASAP regardless of whether the rear is done or not?
I did have another car in the past that spent at least 2 months on a lift with the front hanging down and it damaged the shocks. Ever since then the car had a hopped up front end. But those shocks are about double their instaled length when out of the car and they were old.
I have new Bilsteins in my car and I don't want to damage them before I even get to drive on them.
Thanks and long live the forum!!!
B-L88
I started to remove my rear suspension today. When I jacked up the car right in front of the rear wheel well the front wheel came off of the ground first. This is probably because there is no motor in there right now. So I decided to put the car on 4 jackstands instead of resting on the front wheels as originally planned. But now the front wheels are hanging down and realistically the rear won't be installed for 3-4 weeks. Am I doing damage up front to my freshly installed springs and shocks?
Do I remove the front wheels and tires to take some of the load off of the front suspension?
Do I get the front of the car down ASAP regardless of whether the rear is done or not?
I did have another car in the past that spent at least 2 months on a lift with the front hanging down and it damaged the shocks. Ever since then the car had a hopped up front end. But those shocks are about double their instaled length when out of the car and they were old.
I have new Bilsteins in my car and I don't want to damage them before I even get to drive on them.
Thanks and long live the forum!!!
B-L88
01-08-2002, 09:33 AM
#2
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Aug 2000
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Re: Bad for front wheels to hang down for a month??? (BAD-L88)
"Is it bad for the front suspension to leave wheels hanging down for extended period of time with car on jackstands???"
I hope not. I had my car on jack stands for 5 months. I did have my front tires off though.
Do you have ramps? You could drive the front onto ramps and jack up the rear.
I hope not. I had my car on jack stands for 5 months. I did have my front tires off though.
Do you have ramps? You could drive the front onto ramps and jack up the rear.
01-08-2002, 10:00 AM
#3
Le Mans Master
Re: Bad for front wheels to hang down for a month??? (jerryp58)
The shocks can be damaged... as you found out.
If the shocks are extended, the shafts are exposed, and they will eventually form rust. This depends a lot on the climate/humidity/salt exposure where you live. As soon as the car is let back down, the rust rips up the seals and the shocks will leak.
Don't know if it affects the shocks in other ways... this is not my area of expertise. But I have witnessed the rust problem.
If the shocks are extended, the shafts are exposed, and they will eventually form rust. This depends a lot on the climate/humidity/salt exposure where you live. As soon as the car is let back down, the rust rips up the seals and the shocks will leak.
Don't know if it affects the shocks in other ways... this is not my area of expertise. But I have witnessed the rust problem.
01-08-2002, 11:47 AM
#4
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Aug 2000
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Re: Bad for front wheels to hang down for a month??? (Tom454)
@Tom454: You are right with your opinion, BUT: Bilsteins have hard industrial chromed shafts, so they won´t rust except when in pure salt or aggressive media.
I have my car on a hoist for 15 months now (OK, shame on me but for my defense: I own a second Vette to drive!) and there is no damage visible, but I had the wheels off most of the time.
Some years ago I had the 77 on jackstands also for months and the car handled fantastic afterwards.
I won´t worry about this.
Just my .02 ct :yesnod:
I have my car on a hoist for 15 months now (OK, shame on me but for my defense: I own a second Vette to drive!) and there is no damage visible, but I had the wheels off most of the time.
Some years ago I had the 77 on jackstands also for months and the car handled fantastic afterwards.
I won´t worry about this.
Just my .02 ct :yesnod:
01-08-2002, 01:09 PM
#5
Le Mans Master
Re: Bad for front wheels to hang down for a month??? (BAD-L88)
I was wondering the same thing as I put my car up on stands for winter rehab a few weeks ago. To ease my mind, I went to the local home improvement store and bought a 6x6 landscape timber for $9.00 and cut a few 11' blocks to hold up the suspension a bit. The timber is soft, and when placed on end...fits right under the rotor hub with the tires off. I cut em just long enough to raise the suspension a few inches from bottoming out. If this does any good or not I don't know... but it can't hurt and it helps me sleep at night :D :D :D
