When a table is unavailable, what kind of stands do you use for chassis building?

I've searched all over for automotive style screw jacks/stands and cant find any. I've searched the HAMB as much as I have had time for and only ran across a couple examples of light adjustable leveling "jacks" for use on light bare frames on table tops, only lifting a few inches. For full size car/truck frames I've used 12 ton jack stands (large footprint) and wooden shims, but I know there's a better way. I'm dreaming up a modified or homemade set of stands with an adjustable height using the biggest nuts and bolt I can find (at tractor supply). Keeping in mind I would be working on top of a concrete shop floor can someone show me some examples of such a stand that I can buy or make?

 

Big stands with wooden shims works for me, along with a long spirit level, but I'm a helpless hack.

Mart.

 

I'm extremely particular when I do ch***is work. I'll wear out a few plumb bob strings in a matter of 2-3 days due to the amount of double checking for placement above my referance lines on the floor. Jack stands have shifted on me one too many times. I've thought about some heavy steel "saw horses" but the matter of shims comes up. Maybe adjustable screw foot pads on the horses?

 

I liked the wooden shims, usually door frame shims, because the ch***is seems to bite or grip it well. But I've had them settle a couple times wihich usually means jacking that corner up and shim, re shim, check, double check, check referances, re position, and on and on. Simple turning a collar for a quick adjustment would be sweet.

I have the means to build a real ch***is table but I dont have the room to store it after I'm done with it. Not yet at least.

 

have you given any thought to leveling stands that are used under campers and trailers? they have swivel tops and screw adjustments.

 

Get 4 camper screw jacks from a camper supply, they work great.

 

I've considered them for modification, I think bone stock they would be pretty unstable when using them at the working height I would like (2'+-). I was thinking about making a larger base for them.

 

I got 4 jacks for 1ton ford trucks, they are none hydraulic so they don't move on ya. About 20in. Of lift. Weld on a nice base. They work well. Find them all day at the junk yard

 

That sounds pretty good, I'll look into that. I just happen to work near a junk yard, too.

 

I used 2" square tubing, welded a flat plate to the bottom. Then bolted the plates to a concrete floor. then built an angle iron shelf 3" from the floor. Made the shelf perfectly level and used that to reference level.(floor was not level enough). Weld or bolt your frame rails to the 2" tubing. I think you got the idea I'm trying to convey.



Ago

 

I like to keep my stuff closer to the floor. I made my adjusters from 1" all thread and welded nuts for feet. When i get it level, square and true i paint around the floor at each 'foot' so i can tell if the jig moves.
I keep mine low so that it replicates the ground. When a start to build i'll weld pieces that hold the axles and spindles etc. that way i can take things apart and re***emble back to where i was - like if you want to weld the backside of a crossmember i can take everything off the jig, flip the frame over, weld, re***emble and if something don't fall back into place i knowthe weld has tweaked something and i need to fix it.
When it is low you can stand on it and see progress at its' ride height.

Heres the basic one i use, i tackweld whatever i need for a particular project and have saved pieces to support a banjo rear, hold the spindles, frame supports etc all at ride height. It has to be a simple as possible because you use it on different types of projects.

 

Wow. Wearing out plumb bob strings. You rule! Have you thought about buyong a few more plumb bob's?


As for the one frame table I've built, I used trailer jacks to level it. Table was about 2 1/2 feet tall. Worked well but there was no easy place to store it. Became a rolling work bench when not needed as a frame table.

I want to say ElPolacko had a thread on this subject awhile ago.

 

Have you considered the adjustable pole with the wheel at the base that is used on campers and trailers at the front,get 4 of those and you can move it and adjust the level quite easy.

Gaz!

 

I use 2 metal saw horses made out of pipe that have adjustable legs. Welcome to use them. Last frame I built was the '32. Your dad has a couple of old 4 post lifts, if I remember right. Haven't seen them but might could build a take-apart frame table from one?

 

We back-halfed a 41 Willys g***er to narrow the track width. Used mobile home screw jacks and a machinist level/straight edge. Worked just fine.

 

My absolutely favorite always go to gizmo are my "wallboard" benches.
They are perfect for any job you can imagine even taking a nap, even the best session of doing the nasty on one.

They fold up, adjust in height, hold 475 Lbs each, weight about 20 lbs.

 

When I did the ch***is on my '35 I built a bolted-together stand of 4X4s and big angle plates and reinforcements. It weighed a ton but was very square and level as well as sturdy. After the car was on the street I finally took the thing apart and used the lumber for other projects. I still have a bucket full of 1/2" x 6" bolts & nuts.

 

I use a random collection of junkyard screw jacks and scissor jacks set on wooden blocks, leftover offcuts of 4X4 6X6 and 8X8 from construction sites. I've got about a dozen jacks but will save more if I get them, I never seem to have too many.

Before you laugh or barf I can true a ch***is or unibody to 1/16" to 1/8" which is closer than the factory got it.

Max Balchowsky built several sports cars that beat the Ferarris, Maseratis and Jaguars using chalk marks on a concrete floor.

 

buy some tubing and make a square frame right quick. take your time and make that square, then you have a point of reference... cheap. And you can tack your rails to it to keep it from moving and such.

 

Even easier, I built some 6 ft wide sawhorses 2 feet tall, heavily braced on the ends with 3/4 inch plywood gussets on each leg, plywood shelves halfway up, 2X6 top rails, they wont twist. These have been my frame table for many years, use lots of c clamps, draw your centerline on each one, go to town. Wood shims work, for leveling, I'm doing my 29 chrysler right now, I've never used anything else for framework, just build them solid, all 2X4, all screwed, low buck and effective.

 

Make a table with folding legs (think card table) or removable legs, then you can store it flat against a wall.

 

My invention following the KISS (Keep it simple stupid) principle. Some thick walled RHS bolted to body mounts at front and rear, and up on good quality jack stands. Lumber is not satisfactory due to body weight. Very stable as long you have a decent broad footprint on the stands. Ch***is jig is similar, 2 x horizontal RHS with vertical flanges that bolt to front and rear hubs. When I mate suspension it is just a matter of centering in frame, checking all lengths and diagonals, ensuring wheels are centred in wheel arches with wheelbase correct. Add diagonal bracing before welding and it's done. I made a trammel bar with 3 x different lengths of aluminium so I can measure almost anything.

 

My late buddy Dale used the rear frame from an F-3 that he bought to get the engine. 32 repo rails and everything else home grown. Tack welded to the rails and then cut loose when completed.



It turned out right nice.

I've built a T type frame on the concrete floor. I know... blasphemy. I did not use a micrometer either!

 

Theyre old body shop storage lifts, not in the best shape. I'll call you about the horses next week.

 

This got me thinking. I could build something similar to this with detachable rv jacks so it will be as light as possible and could be stored on its side taking up a minimal amount of space. With the table pictured here, built with similar size tubing, set up perfectly level and square with the cross rails on top of the side rails, as pictured, and welded on all four sides of the joint, I dont see any reason why it would flex at all, do you?

 

We use a "universal" fixture made from 2" square tube. Basically looks like a large carpenter's square with a plate welded on the bottom of the short leg. Make some "shelves" out of angle iron with small tabs that will just fit around the sides of the tubing upright. This allows you to pre-set the height and width of the fixtures to your frame dimensions. Then you can just drop the tubing in place, clamp it on, and start tacking.

 

Ditto on the camper jacks and window shims.My floor is not level or flat.I built my first ch***is on a frame made out of 2x8s and two 1"layers of dense counter board.Put it all together on a very flat concrete pad at the end of my driveway.Shimed and leveled her up which took some time,but was very happy with results.Before finish welding it up I checked it a million different ways and had about a 1/32 corner to corner measurement.No wobble either.After ,stayed the same
I used what I had to for that one and had all kinds of braces top side to keep parts in place.The wood seems to stay stable even through the winter as I tried to keep the garage at a contant temp

The key was the jacks.Even if your platform may not be where you like it the jacks help fix that.I also used straight edges to measure from that have levels on them.My next one will have the same jacks and a bunch of threaded rod jack bolts to help me .Any small parts are made up on the bench or surface plate bench

 

Steel scaffolding, and particularly props used when casting reinforced concrete slabs, have threaded adjusters for exactly this purpose. It should be possible to shorten some props and furnish them with appropriate bases. This is the sort of thing: