Bumper/farm jack

[on the fritz]

I can find them, but they have a different grabbing/holding part than what I need.  My son has a 71 Duster.  The bumper has little slots for the bumper jack to fit in.  The ones I have found have a wide, flat foot that goes under the bumper, not in the slot.

Will the wider foot be OK to lift the car?  Is there some kind of adapter?

If you have one for sale, I would be interested......

[SemperFiGuy]

In operation, Bumper Jacks are dicey tools at best.   The basic design concept is just really weak.  Often, as the car is jacked up higher and higher and the emergency brake holds the wheels stationary, the load location shifts further away, relative to the jack's very narrow baseplate. 

Sometimes they are used to raise a car so high that the jack shafts actually bend.   Not a great whole lot, but enough to make a reasonable person leery.    Every so often the news carries a story about one failing, resulting in injury/death.

Seems like you should obtain either a jack specifically made for the '71 Duster or, at minimum, a bumper jack with a very definite underhook that will closely match the Duster's bumper contour.

Maybe a trip to the auto boneyard or perhaps an ad on Craigslist will help you in this situation.

Good Luck.

sfg

[on the fritz]

Oh, I completely understand.  I plan on putting wheel chocks and Jack stands underneath as it goes up slowly.  That way, if it does fall, it won't fall to the ground.

Not sure if I could find a Duster specific jack for it, hence the hi-lift jack thread.

[m morton]

Oh, I completely understand.  I plan on putting wheel chocks and Jack stands underneath as it goes up slowly.  That way, if it does fall, it won't fall to the ground.

Not sure if I could find a Duster specific jack for it, hence the hi-lift jack thread.

no need to look for a Duster specific jack just get any scissor jack out of any car at U pullit or a junk yard or hydraulic floor jack and place it under the axil or frame . i had a 69 chevet with a bumper jack and it about killed me and i was using it on a all most flat driveway . i ended up having to call a tow truck to lift my car as the jack was bent and stuck under the car. it want in the trash and i got a 1 ton floor jack for my trunk later on o got a 3 ton floor for my garage. a scissor or hydraulic floor jack is way better that a bumper jack hands down ... 

[newfalguy101]

2nd the floor jack suggestion, or even a simple hydraulic bottle jack.

[Les]

High-Lift jacks work well (I have 2) but don't think I'd use it on a bumper.  Hydraulic floor jacks are fairly cheap and safer. 

[on the fritz]

I'm sensing a trend here. LOL.  My only concern is getting the front end high enough.  The highest floor jack I found went 23".  Would that be high enough to drop the trans?

[shooter]

having done some mechanic work, most jacks wont lift a car that high. usually you have to jack it up as high as possible then put on stands,
  then put a block on the floor  jack and lift it higher,,, always be careful of a car that high.  use only good quality jack stands

[newfalguy101]

Jack it up and block it, then add a block to the jack and jack it higher and block again.

[on the fritz]

Jack it up and block it, then add a block to the jack and jack it higher and block again.

That was my plan.  Jack it up a little at a time and keep the jack stands moving up.

I come here and always get good advice or confirmation on my plans.  All the suggestions here have really helped solidify my plans.

Now, if I could just get someone to volunteer a nice lift for awhile,... LOL.

[JAK]

I don't have a lift, but I do have a 3 ton floor jack you could borrow. 

You would need to pick it up and return it to Bellevue,

John K

[on the fritz]

I don't have a lift, but I do have a 3 ton floor jack you could borrow. 

You would need to pick it up and return it to Bellevue,

John K

Thank you, but I have a floor jack and jack stands already.  The floor jack just won't go up very high.  My son wants to buy a better floor jack anyway.  Kind of looking to potentially save him some money and hassle.

[shooter]

from one of your other posts, you are going to pull a tranny? have you ever done this before? Ive done them on my back many years ago,, but they are heavy, not balanced, and leak all over the place,  your gonna need a tranny jack!

[on the fritz]

Correct.  I have access to a trans jack, or my son may buy one.  Future plans for this car (& others later in life) would make owning all this equipment a "necessity".

[kozball]

Floor jack is the way to go.

One concern that nobody is talking about is rust and the absorber mounts found on cars of the 70's. I have seen those mounts actually pull apart from trying to use the bumper jack.

Be smart, be safe.

[on the fritz]

Floor jack is the way to go.

One concern that nobody is talking about is rust and the absorber mounts found on cars of the 70's. I have seen those mounts actually pull apart from trying to use the bumper jack.

Be smart, be safe.

  Great point.  I will look closely at those.  It may be just a floor jack.  This is why I came here....