engine support bar recommendations

[enotslim]

And where to place primary jack stands and secondary supports when, as in accessing the steering rack, the usual subframe support fittings cannot be used? Using the jacking sites along both sides of the vehicle to lower the subframe has been said to produce a "teeter-totter", something I never want to experience with a multi-ton vehicle. Somewhere between these jacking points and the subframe fittings along each side of the vehicle would make sense but exactly where and how? I've seen some illustrations, often using wood blocks between the support and vehicle itself, but I can't figure out exactly what they are trying to show.

[justanotherhumanoid]

This is by no means gospel, or even recommended, but it is what I did when I replaced the front subframe on my '06 S60 (it had a large dent). I used the HF engine support bar, and for jacking points, I was able to use a spot just barely aft of the the subframe support brackets (the brackets are where I, and I think most people normally support the car on jacks). I gave it a thorough tip-test and had multiple backups in place (jacks, wheels, ramps, additional jackstands, etc.) before I got under it, and kept them in place until I was ready to actually drop the subframe, which didn't require me to be under the car (I lowered it on two jacks and then wheeled it out). It probably made it take a lot longer but better safe than squished. If in doubt, just don't go under the car.

A better method might be to remove those rear brackets first and use the standard locations. I don't recall exactly why I didn't do that, but it probably had to do with not wanting to relocate the jacks - this way I just left them in place, removed the brackets, dropped the frame, and reinstalled the brackets while keeping the jacks in place static. But it's probably better to remove them and just use the standard support points.

I think I have some pics of the setup, including the jack stand locations when I dropped the subframe... let me check... yep, here:

I'm sure this could be improved upon in other ways, as well, so if anyone wants to weigh in or point out anything they think is unsafe, go right ahead. Better to have the discussion and use the pics to point things out so we can more safely (and maybe more efficiently) wrench on these cars.

[enotslim]

I managed to get my engine crane on the household budget by re-boxing it as a shrub puller....

I used our VW bug for this long ago.

[abscate]

Good thread timing. I literally had to go get mine out and use it to lift my engine 2cm to get the oil pan off this week. Without an oil pan to jack, the bar took 3 minutes to install and lift, painlessly.

On the safety question, when I did my clutch I used the bar for the engine and transmission drop, and ran a 4x4 under the car on wooden blocks for safety, with extra jack stands placed around the pinch welds

Seems like years ago……