Jacking points on Alfas

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

       If you want the whole Alfa spider up in the air, drive the front up on 
ramps.  Then lift the rear under the sump of the rear axle and place jack 
stands under the axle tubes.
       I have lifted a number of spiders with the floor jack under the rear 
axle sump.  I have never cracked one yet.
      If you want to work on the front suspension, then lift the front off 
the ramps with the floor jack under the crossmember right behind the oil pan 
and replace the ramps with jack stands.  The four square tube jacking points 
are excellent places to put jack stands.
         Check to make sure the square tube jacking points on early Alfas are 
in good shape.  I have pushed a floor jack through the floor boards by 
failing to inspect the condition of the jacking point.  
       The later spiders have a round hole for jacking points.  Alfa changed 
the design some time in the late 1980's.  Getting a floor jack or jack stand 
under these is harder, but can be done.

       To just change one tire, I put a floor jack under the lower A arm 
spring pan to lift the front.  However, with a lowered spider, that is not 
possible.  I have also driven up onto a tubba four and then used a floor 
jack.  That works for changing a tire.
       If you want the whole Alfa up in the air, you have to jack one side 
and then the other, blocking each tire until you get the front high enough to 
get the floor jack under the front crossmember behind the oil pan.  That is 
why I switched to ramps.
       To keep the ramps from sliding when you drive up onto them, I drilled 
holes through the lip of the ramp and into the garage floor.  I drop a bolt 
into the hole and the ramps do not slide.

       On my 84 Spider race car, I just put the floor jack under the rocker 
panel.  The center of gravity of the spider is about 1/3 of the way back on 
the door.  Lift one side, put the jack stands under the square tube jacking 
points and repeat for the other side.
       The paint on the bottom of the rocker panel is getting a bit chewed 
up, but this is the fastest way to get the car up in the air.  Or it is if 
you have room on both sides of the car to operate the jack.

       The transaxle Alfas like the Alfetta, GTV-6 and Milano all have a 
jacking point on the front sheet metal in front of the radiator.  However, I 
still like to use ramps to get the front up.  Then jack the rear end using 
the DiDion tube.
       I know nothing about the wrong wheel drive 164 Alfas.

Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City



In a message dated 11/28/2002 3:59:55 PM Central Standard Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:




> 
> Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 02:55:01 -0800
> From: Jon Pike <jhpike@domain.elided>
> Subject: Jacking points on Alfas
> 
> Here's a pretty basic question one might think I'd have asked earlier... 
> where should you/shouldn't you jack up your Alfa?
> 
> I'm coming from the Spider perspective..
> 
> Been using the jack points, (for the tire jack) the center member under 
> the transmission (told not a good one) and the rails members under the 
> floorboard area for the front..  the axle tubes or the center of the 
> diff housing (not it's sump) for the rear.
> 
> How am I doing so far?
> 
> Jon and Marcia
> 77 Spider - 16" in the air with 4 wheels off at the moment
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