Blocking Points

[Melbo]

In the owners manual it shows using a bumper jack on the front of the coach and a combination of chain and jack on the rear of the coach. It seems to
me there are better options. What is the best place for jacking up the coach and then setting it on blocks so a person can safely work under the
coach. I am asking because I want to be sure that it is stable and the tanks etc underneath are accessible so a person can work on them.

Thanks

Melbo
--
Albuquerque NM Bus Conversion 1978 MCI 1973 GMC

 

[powwerjon]

Melba,
IMHO the chain and jack assembly is NOT really safe to use. I carry a low profile 6ton bottle jack such as these.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200641775_200641775?cm_mmc=Bing-pla&utm_source=Bing_PLA&utm_medium=Automotive%20%3E%20Jacks%20%3E%20Bottle%20Jacks&utm_campaign=Strongway&utm_content=46237&msclkid=45da4626a3fb12c6f5c21df5d5e3411e>
or
http://tinyurl.com/yd8qstro

You should also get some jack hooks such as these for the rear.

http://www.appliedgmc.com/prod.itml/icOid/1885
or the one that works on the front and rear
http://www.appliedgmc.com/prod.itml/icOid/1080
and you can find several version from the GMC Vendors.

JR Wright
78 Buskirk
Michigan

>
> In the owners manual it shows using a bumper jack on the front of the coach and a combination of chain and jack on the rear of the coach. It seems to
> me there are better options. What is the best place for jacking up the coach and then setting it on blocks so a person can safely work under the
> coach. I am asking because I want to be sure that it is stable and the tanks etc underneath are accessible so a person can work on them.
>
> Thanks
>
> Melbo
> --
> Albuquerque NM Bus Conversion 1978 MCI 1973 GMC
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

 

[sgltrac]

When lifting the front the best location is the center of the engine cradle
portion of the frame. You will see a little saddle or glide plate at the
center of the lowest visible cross member of the cradle when looking from
the front. I have lifted several multiple times from this location and the
coach comes up nice and even. To support after lifting there, use the area
under the joint between the front frame section and the parallel frame
rails. This is the junction where the front of the frame turns to straight
C channel.

The rear is best picked from the bogey box between the rear wheels. Easily
accessible with a floor jack if the bags are inflated to “travel”. Bring
the rear up gradually side to side to eliminate excessive twisting. Problem
is that the best place to lift the rear is also the best place to block it
for doing any work on the coach other than removing the bogey box. If you
desire to block at the bogey box you will need to lift from the frame rail
either ahead of or behind that section. I’ve found it fairly easy to
maneuver a floor jack in from the rear to lift from the area of the frame
which is reinforced for support of the bogey boxes. If you look in good
light you will see what I’m talking about. To support from the rear after
lifting, a stack of short (2-3’) lumber rems of 4x6, 2x4, can be stacked to
desired height directly under the REINFORCED area of the frame rails. If
you are lifting from the reinforced area of the rail and blocking under the
bogeys use similar method and cut the blocking to suit your repair access
needs. As you are lifting the rear and thus unloading the airbag it is a
good idea to bleed pressure out of the bag so it is unloaded in order to
not damage the shock absorbers.

Sully
Bellevue wa

> In the owners manual it shows using a bumper jack on the front of the
> coach and a combination of chain and jack on the rear of the coach. It
> seems to
> me there are better options. What is the best place for jacking up the
> coach and then setting it on blocks so a person can safely work under the
> coach. I am asking because I want to be sure that it is stable and the
> tanks etc underneath are accessible so a person can work on them.
>
> Thanks
>
> Melbo
> --
> Albuquerque NM Bus Conversion 1978 MCI 1973 GMC
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[Melbo]

Thank You Sully

That is the information that I was looking for. I have worked under my MCI when it is blocked up and I ALWAYS block things to make sure I am safe but
I was unsure of the best place to place jacks and blocking. I am going to use 4 by 6 treated lumber and misc scraps for blocking and your note about
the best place to block on the rear is also the best place to jack is kind of what I was thinking. Where you place the jack to raise the coach has
got to be the best place to put the blocks to hold the coach and just how to do that can be a mystery. Thanks for the tip on the front end and the
information on not to twist the back of the coach. A little bit at a time blocking as you go will get me what I need. I am looking forward to this
adventure to see what's underneath and what needs attention.

Thanks

Melbo
--
Albuquerque NM Bus Conversion 1978 MCI 1973 GMC

 

[johnny]

I lift the front using the crossmember, and crib at the frame junction. I've a couple dozen 2 foot treated 4x4s I use for cribbing. You can also
build ramps which work well, a search will find pictures of them. I have an old borrowed set I need to replace, they weren't made of treated lumber
and have therefore died. Six feet long with a roughly 10 " lift which is enough to get to everything under the coach. They're tall enough to take
the tanks out the back and the transmission out the front, the trans takes a bit of maneuvering but comes out. The positive side of ramps - if you
aren't working on brakes/suspension - is they keep the coach weight on the wheels and thus are stable. I see several coaches up on jackstands, I
wouldn't personally get under one supported this way, but on my parking slab I can support one this way to swap wheels and such. I'd never put weight
on a jackstand except on a level slab of concrete.

YMMV

--johnny
--
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
"I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased

 

[Gene Fisher]

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/jack-pad-front/p33075-jack-pad-for-front-of-gmc.html

On Sat, Oct 27, 2018 at 6:32 AM Johnny Bridges via Gmclist <

> I lift the front using the crossmember, and crib at the frame junction.
> I've a couple dozen 2 foot treated 4x4s I use for cribbing. You can also
> build ramps which work well, a search will find pictures of them. I have
> an old borrowed set I need to replace, they weren't made of treated lumber
> and have therefore died. Six feet long with a roughly 10 " lift which is
> enough to get to everything under the coach. They're tall enough to take
> the tanks out the back and the transmission out the front, the trans takes
> a bit of maneuvering but comes out. The positive side of ramps - if you
> aren't working on brakes/suspension - is they keep the coach weight on the
> wheels and thus are stable. I see several coaches up on jackstands, I
> wouldn't personally get under one supported this way, but on my parking
> slab I can support one this way to swap wheels and such. I'd never put
> weight
> on a jackstand except on a level slab of concrete.
>
> YMMV
>
> --johnny
> --
> Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
> Braselton, Ga.
> "I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me
> in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
--
Gene Fisher -- 74-23,77PB/ore/ca
“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today --- give him a URL and
-------
http://bdub.net/gmcmotorhome.info/
Alternator Protection Cable
http://bdub.net/gmcmotorhome.info/APC.html

 

[richard h staples]

Just wanted to throw in a related suggestion for safety's sake. Many (~50+) years ago I came within about a second of being crushed by a straight-8
Pontiac I was working on. The seemingly stable sections of tree trunk supporting it while I swapped out the rear end sank slightly in soft ground and
rolled over. Only a quick grab of the frame and slide out as it shifted kept me on the green side of the grass.
Since then, I make it a practice, whenever removing wheels and getting under a vehicle supported by jack stands or blocking, to place one of the
wheels I remove flat on the ground under the frame rail as near as practical to where I'm working. Just in case.....

HTH
Rick Staples
--
Rick Staples, '75 Eleganza, Johnstown, CO

"Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the Wise to the Wise, and all paths may run ill." -Tolkien

 

[jim kanomata1]

Also keep in mind that the air bag can blow anytime so do not crawl under
without a jack stand

On Sat, Oct 27, 2018 at 8:46 PM Richard H Staples
wrote:

> Just wanted to throw in a related suggestion for safety's sake. Many
> (~50+) years ago I came within about a second of being crushed by a
> straight-8
> Pontiac I was working on. The seemingly stable sections of tree trunk
> supporting it while I swapped out the rear end sank slightly in soft ground
> and
> rolled over. Only a quick grab of the frame and slide out as it shifted
> kept me on the green side of the grass.
> Since then, I make it a practice, whenever removing wheels and getting
> under a vehicle supported by jack stands or blocking, to place one of the
> wheels I remove flat on the ground under the frame rail as near as
> practical to where I'm working. Just in case.....
>
> HTH
> Rick Staples
> --
> Rick Staples, '75 Eleganza, Johnstown, CO
>
> "Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the Wise to the Wise, and all paths
> may run ill." -Tolkien
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502

 

[Gene Fisher]

We always say
A gmc drops lower than a snakes belly

Jim
Your check is in the mail
Gene

> Also keep in mind that the air bag can blow anytime so do not crawl under
> without a jack stand
>
> On Sat, Oct 27, 2018 at 8:46 PM Richard H Staples

>
> > Just wanted to throw in a related suggestion for safety's sake. Many
> > (~50+) years ago I came within about a second of being crushed by a
> > straight-8
> > Pontiac I was working on. The seemingly stable sections of tree trunk
> > supporting it while I swapped out the rear end sank slightly in soft
> ground
> > and
> > rolled over. Only a quick grab of the frame and slide out as it shifted
> > kept me on the green side of the grass.
> > Since then, I make it a practice, whenever removing wheels and getting
> > under a vehicle supported by jack stands or blocking, to place one of the
> > wheels I remove flat on the ground under the frame rail as near as
> > practical to where I'm working. Just in case.....
> >
> > HTH
> > Rick Staples
> > --
> > Rick Staples, '75 Eleganza, Johnstown, CO
> >
> > "Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the Wise to the Wise, and all
> paths
> > may run ill." -Tolkien
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> >
> --
> Jim Kanomata
> Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
> jimk
> http://www.appliedgmc.com
> 1-800-752-7502
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
--
Gene Fisher -- 74-23,77PB/ore/ca
“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today --- give him a URL and
-------
http://bdub.net/gmcmotorhome.info/
Alternator Protection Cable
http://bdub.net/gmcmotorhome.info/APC.html