Ripping and stand up a Jetta, (any car)

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
In a nut shell, what is everyone's 2 cents on the cheapest and safest way to put a car up on blocks high enough to scoot under to take things off but not to tall to still be able to pull the engine and trans from the top. Mk3 Jetta here.
As some may know, she is getting stripped and scrapped and parted out.
I'm thinking 8x masonry block 2 on each corner staked on to each other with a few bits of 2x4 wood to keep her more stable than on the stone for 17.5" total hight front he floor to the rocker panels.
Any suggestions. I dont want to be pulling on her and have it come down. Also will need to have a flat bed haul it away in a while after she is stripped.
 

miningman

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Location
alberta
TDI
2003 Golf
One of my colleagues, who should have known a lot better, managed to kill himself while under his vehicle with sub standard supports.No way would I trust stacked masonary blocks with some 2x4s. The mere fact that you ask the question how to do this shows you have zero knowledge of structural engineering or stability as related to anything with a raised centre of gravity.

Any TDIers who chose to make suggestions are putting themselves at risk of a lawsuit initiated by your widow
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Wow. Ok. So have you been to a junk yard. They stack them up on rusty wheels. Instead of putting some useful input, you just spew filth and judgment. Thanks. NOT.
many have died from a car falling of a lift, yet we still do it. Mansonry block can handle 10x the divided weight of the car, wood would be used as a padding to distribute the weight. I would of course have my Jack stands in place but there not high enough to do it on it's own and I would need to move them around as I work. I downgraded my shop to a smaller garage with no lift.
I'm well aware of the risks and would not put myself in a position of injury or death. The suspention is coming off this next week as it's being sold, with the brakes and wheels.

And your right, I'm not an engineer, are you?
 

miningman

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Location
alberta
TDI
2003 Golf
Yes , actually I am an engineer ( retired ) so with over 40 years heavy industrial experience , if you want to discuss the compressive or tensile strength of concrete blocks feel free to initiate another query.

And yes I have time in scrap yards and am very familiar with welded wheels as supports. But I'm guessing you dont have welding gear , otherwise you would have already obtained eight scrap wheels
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
You dont know jack about me, I've been welding for the last 8 years installing fall safe anchor points and davit arms on high rise buildings for summit anchor to comply with the new OSHA requirements for 6 stories or higher. I'm OSHA 10 and 30 cert for all of those 8 years. I have blocks and wood, I'm not carrying on hand heeps of scrap like some scrapper trash.
Moving on, I guess maybe somone else can chime in on this subject with some constructive methods.
 

JDSwan87

Black Swamp Thing
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
Location
Michigan near Toledo
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI, 5 speed Lagoon Blue Metallic(sold); 2005 Jetta TDI Wagon auto
Well this turned into a d!ck measuring contest rather quickly... in before the lock
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
You guys are so clueless. CMU block is good on it's own in the correct orientation for 2,000 psi. That's well more than what I'm going to out on it. All mobile homes are put up on this stuff on 2x2 stacks on concrete footers with wood shims for leveling, no rebar, no fill, just cmu block. As expected, come to a car forum asking non car things, everyone is a expert but no one can agree on it.
Go watch some boat building and restoration videos, these massive 50 ton boats are held up by nothing but the same darn stuff, lots of wood and block, usually wood, just stacks of 4x4 wood.

Once again, even a veteran member, looking for advice, gets reamed for asking.
I dont strip cars like a Harlem street mechanic here ok. This would be the first time I have parted out a car this far where it cant roll on it's own. And the first time I dont have a lift to work with so, EXCUUUUUSE MEEEEE!
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
You guys are so clueless.
... and yet you came here asking a question. :rolleyes:


Your question is not even worth asking. And you clearly already had in your head you were not going to like any answer you got. So my answer will also be worthless: float the car up in the air with hot air balloons enough to get the underside exposed. There. Done. Lock this silly thread.
 

Growler

Got Soot Vendor
Joined
Nov 24, 2003
Location
Millersport, Ohio
TDI
Schmutz, 2015 Golf Sportwagen DSG & Schnurren, 2001 Golf GL 2 door 5M
The biggest thing is to make sure whatever you do is safe to push and pull and lean against before you get under it. The rest is on you.
 

eddieleephd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2012
Location
Battle Ground, Wa
TDI
2002 jetta Wagon
Hey Mongler,
When I swapped my TDI in I used cement blocks with wood on them. They were sitting in dirt as well. I don't recommend just cement blocks, sure you know why.

If I were to do it on concrete I would put some boards under them to cushion and always use them in their structural form vertical, as I believe you know. Wider is better so if I was doing it two blocks high I would use three blocks for stability. Two on bottom and one on top with a wood block on top.

I've also used wood blocks for the same thing. Honestly, they're more trustworthy and can be held together with nails and screws. If I had a few railroad ties I would have chosen them. As it was I had some 4x4's and 2x4's along with cinder blocks.

I'm also the one who made a wooden crane to lift his engine using a 4x4 and a couple 2x4's which I chose not to get under.

I would use jack stands as a secondary support either way.

It is your life, so triple engineer everything for safe measure.
As we always say, these things are done at your own risk so be smart and over engineer everything!

Sent from my Armor_2 using Tapatalk
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
I'll take anyone constructive suggestions seriously. What I dont do is take criticism well, like most. I'd prefer something better but balloons and thoughts and prayers ain't going to cut it for me. I have 6 jack stands but there not nearly tall enough and not nearly stable enough to prop up a car in all 4s.
 

JETaah

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 18, 2001
Location
mi 48836
TDI
96 B4V, 1999.5 jettaIV,2005 BEW Beetle
Why do you need it higher than jack stands? Doesn't the engine and trans come out the front with the core support swung over to one side? That is how I remember doing one.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Yea, but I'm a big fat guy and need room to pull the 3" exhaust and fuel tank, rear end, subframe, shifter, lines, and so forth. whatever is left under the car plus the creeper. Also this is on a concrete pad. Jack stands are a bit wobbly once on all 4 corners.
I'll keep them on for added safty though.
 

flee

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2011
Location
Chatsworth, CA
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS wagon
Get the 3-ton HF jackstands. Plenty strong and tall enough.
They don't wobble any more than anything else.
The problem with anything made from masonry is that it isn't made to support a point load.
 
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jmodge

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
Pull every off you want in the sitting position, including fuel, and roll it over on it’s top to pull everything from underneath. It will easily slide on a flatbed. I thought you were a hillbilly, very disappointing.
 

eddieleephd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2012
Location
Battle Ground, Wa
TDI
2002 jetta Wagon
What am I? The hulk?
It really only takes a few buddies to roll one over. Difficult part is getting the fuel out and the exhaust apart to remove the engine. Reality is that only one side needs to be up far enough to access the exhaust and the engine is much easier to pull in it's natural position.
You should consider raising the side with the muffler, and removing the exhaust, or lifting one end at a time. That way you get more lift for your jack stands

Sent from my Armor_2 using Tapatalk
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Good one. Made me laugh. Hard to tell when you guys are trolling me. I'm not flipping the car, not enough room in the garage to do it and I've seen those car rollers and I've seen birdmans diy plywood rig for flipping his car on his restoration, seems like something I'm not willing to spend the money or time on. I cant really just set up one side at a time as I'm taking the sull suspention system off it.
How much room do I need to drop the fuel tank and get it out from under the car? I'm assuming the neck does not need to clear underneath as it comes out the wheel well right?
 
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VincenzaV

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2015
Location
New Hampshire
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon
Jmodge-I laughed so hard litteraly sh*t myself .. luckily...I was on the toilet at the time...lol

I'm sorry for laughing at your expense Mongler98. I'll put a twenty in the swear jar. The "laugh at others expense" jar is obviously full...
 

fouillard13

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Location
Pincher Creek, AB
TDI
03 Jetta TDI Standard
why not just make some 2x4 cribbing blocks? we used them in the oilfield all the time and set ridiculously heavy things on them... theyre solid. the wood hardly compresses and with short lengths like that are almost impossible to have snap on you. I personally wouldnt trust masonry blocks but thats just me. railway ties or wood would be a way safer option IMO.


the main problem is sinking into soft ground but sounds like you got that covered.

when my gf was 10 years old she was walking home from school and heard a guy screaming.. he had his car up in the air and just his legs under the car, it fell and crushed his legs and he was stranded there until she ran for help. its made me paranoid ever since.



 
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eddieleephd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2012
Location
Battle Ground, Wa
TDI
2002 jetta Wagon
If you get the back wheels off the ground with the axle extended you're high enough. It's only about 14 inches thick. Not sure on the mk3 necks, mk4 is definitely two pieces, top is plastic.

The cribbing blocks are a good option, I would stop at an even height as to the width for stability.

Sent from my Armor_2 using Tapatalk
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
The cribbing under that rustang is not suitable/safe to work under. But cribbing is a good idea when it's constructed properly.
 

jmodge

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
Well mongler, here’s hoping you don’t make National News due to the event of injuries . Unusual phenomenon, maybe
 

251

TDI Owner/Operator
Joined
May 11, 2002
Location
NW IN
TDI
2015 Passat TDI SEL
The biggest thing is to make sure whatever you do is safe to push and pull and lean against before you get under it. The rest is on you.
Listen to this man - he literally had a TDI resting on him once - for real, no joking here! :eek:
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
I've always shaken the death from every thing I have put on a lift
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
If you're scrapping the car, why take the engine out the top? Take the core support off, unbolt the subframe, and take it out the front.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
nearly 1600 bucks? NO THANKS, i have plenty of room for a lift in there, 22 foot high ceiling, its a 25x25 garage floor foot print, only 18 of that wide and 20 long is working floor space for a lift, like i said before, if i can source one for cheep, under $800, i will be installing it. there was one in the shop before, you can see the bolts. i dont trust the concrete though, its probably only 3 inches thick of 1920's crappy sand mix over dirt!

ill probably end up just buying some 6 ton jack stands as ill need them for the 944 build. not that i need 6 ton, just that i can get it propped up higher. im still going to have some cribbing under it as added insurance, my shop is like 10 minutes from my house and no one would hear my screams! heck the darn place dont even have running water. i have to bring it in a cooler!
 
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