Best place to jack up the front end

I used to work for a public school system and could use the auto shop when every I wanted. But those days are gone now. I now stuck in my garage at home with a floor jack and jack stands. Where the best spot to put the floor jack on the front end of a vert and where the best spot for the jack stands once it in the air. I don't want to mess any thing up and I don't want the car falling on me! Need to change out the starter.

John J

Ramps would be better if can get some. Then you will have more room to work with and it would be safer. You can pick up some pretty cheap from harbor freight or make some out of 2x4’s like I did.

I jack mine up by the crossmember under the engine. Jackstands can go under the torque boxes or front frame rails.

This subject comes up often and there are many bad suggestions. Ford is very specific on where you should lift these cars. To use your scissor jack there are notches in the rocker box where you place the jack, this is just for emergency tire replace for flats. if you are using a floor jack you should go under the torque box in the front on each side. In the rear the safest place is to go under the center of the rear end and lift up both sides at same time. If just one side where the front of the leaf spring mounts to the frame is the strongest area there.

Ford also cautions on the front page of their manual not to lift the car and allow the front wheels to hang in the air. This will damage the rubber washer on the upper shock mount and can also split the rubber bushing on the radius rods. There is a special tool to put in the front end but you can also just put a block of wood under the upper control arm on top of the frame rail to stop the coil spring from crushing the rubber bushings.

If you do not want to put spacer in then you should jack under the lower control arm to keep the spring compressed.

You should never lift the front end by putting jack under the front cross member or the front radiator support. They are not load bearing members in that direction.

Even using a 2 post lift you will destroy the rubber bushings unless you block the control arms from going to their limits. Ford cautions of doing this also.

You should insert a wood block about 1 1/2" to 2" thick between the upper control arm and the frame in the area with the red rectangle. A piece of oak will be strongest or a piece of box tubing will be stronger, SEE PIC.

Many say this is not needed but Ford put it in the manual the very first thing so they thought important.

David