I usually just jack up from the cross member to do engine work but I need to change my tranny pan. The only way I see I can do it is to sneak in from the side of the car (95 Z28 Vert). I know you can jack the 4th gens up from the side but where do you place the jack on the body? Is their a spot where the body opens up to reveal a piece of frame?

 

Look behind the front fenderwells. See the black plastic looking pad? That's where you put the jack.

 

What if one of those plastic pads fell off the car.

 

You will ruin your fender if you jack on the black plastic pads, jack on the frame behind the plastic pads. If you look closely it says "do not jack here" on the black plastic pads.

 

I also jack mine up by the frame rails behind the plastic pads. Just make sure the dish of the jack is fully under the frame and nothing else because your brake and fuel line all run around that area.

 

Actually it is ok to jack on the black pads. Thats what they are made for. Just don't touch the pinch weld, which is the thing that says "don't jack here."

 

Yes, the pads are the correct places to jack. Lots of people see that warning and think it refers to the pads, but it doesn't.

 

The "here" means the fender lip, not the black pad, lol. The pads were specifically put there as lift points.

 

It's nice to know that.

 

I have jacked on the black pads before, but I didn't hear very good things when I did it. Then I saw the "do not jack here".

 

What if one is missing? If I'm not mistaken the only thng above the pad should be the frame right?

 

The area above the pad is strong due to the angles stamped in the metal. The pad was put there to give a level access point. If the pad is not there, look for the most "thick" looking metal channels. You should be able to jack there.

 

Wish I could find it, I would glue the dang thing back together, it fell off in the drive way.

 

Keep an eye on these points when you take your car in for service. I'd go out on a limb and say 50% of all 4th gens have had these scissor jack tabs bent over by some pgland in a shop at one point or another.

I just went through this, shop ended up paying for it after many levels of denial.

Even if the guy is paying attention and puts the lift pads on the blocks or frame rail - if they aren't raised enough the lift arms can still fold over the fender mounts.

Sad to say, but these cars are getting less and less common to daily shopfolk... so keep your eyes on it.

It'll be obvious if it happened because your fenders will jut out and no longer match the door / sill corners.

You need to catch it quick while the bends and splits in the fenders are fresh enough to go after the shop. Otherwise, new fenders and paint on your dime.