Is it permissible to jack under the bottom spring clamp? (Its the only place I can get the jack on). I started to jack it up but the springs hung down (alarming)with the increasing downward weight of the wheels etc. so I quickly lowered it again. The springs were being bent the wrong way but can they take it? Thanks for any thoughts.
The clamp that clamps the leaves to the axle ? Yes. You can jack it up under the banjo(long time ago, wrong word) but you have to watch the leaves to make sure that they won't go far enough to pop out of the intermediate spring clips. Handyandy - really
can you not get the cradle of the jack under one of the spring hangers pete? they sit higher than the bottom of the springs...
Handyandy - Yes thats what I tried. Although I just got the wheel off the ground I made a stupid mistake. I want to put axle stands under and I had the jack cradle in the only place I could place the stand! Also to go up to the next notch on the axle stand (even though I couldn't actually place it) would mean jacking higher and those spring clips you mentioned looked as though they might allow the leaves to pop out. I then tried jacking the chassis but the springs hung down even more alarmingly and the wheeel wasn't even off the ground. I need somewhere to jack that takes the suspension up at the same time as the wheel! Thanks for your thoughts though - sorry I'm a bit muddled - been a hard day.
I think this may be the best bet. but I will be watcing those spring shackles.. Thanks for answering PTP
Don't try and put it on just one axle stand. You need to jack it up under the plate under the end of the axle that clamps the leaves. You need an axle stand put next to the jack on the axle. you will probably need to do it in stages and you need to do the other side the same. Then you do the first side up a bit higher and up your axle stand. Then second side again. Two axle stands. One near the end of each side of the axle. Handyandy - really
Cheers handy. Sounds a good idea to jack up incrementally each side and place the axle stands under notch by notch. Will give it a go. PTP