Lifting a car with air bags

[creekbend]

As you previously stated "to each his own". I could understand if the vehicle was a Muscle Car that the owners wanted to restore. It truly seems a costly project for a Fiero. Perhaps the vehicle has some sentimental value to the owner? BTW, best wishes. I sincerely hope that everything works out.

 

[scott_vt]

Check with local fire departments to see if they have lift bags. They might do it as a training opportunity or for a small donation.

Good Afternoon Guys,
I agree with Randy, we have air bags in our VFD, they are a great tool, that can be used at a remote site, just using a air pack bottle, the air bags, and hook up airlines and valves. It might make for a fun drill, volunteers love to practice using their rescue equipment !

Good Luck on whatever route you choose !

 

[Aging TOO Fast]

Gee, TOO FUNNY!, by the title of the post I thought collision "air bags" in which case no power from the battery "No Poof" of the "air bag.

What make and model is the car? If you ( they) wanted to to get some ground clearance, (because the car would be dragging floorboards) dig a spot under rocker panels to get a floor jack under a solid suspension mounting area or frame (or factory jack in stock location) jack up the car, fill holes under tires with dirt or place some boards under each tire where needed. then move the car.
Just be careful lifting with the forks, there can be
an assortment of lines, hoses other things that can be destroyed or damaged using the forks blindly.

 

[Aging TOO Fast]

some good feedback, thanks. the car is a fiero, i left that out somehow in my original post.

the thing is sitting right down on the frame all around. I will take a pic next time I am over there.
he's in no hurry to move it, which is how it ended up in this condition anyway.

airing up the tires will not do it. i was worried that digging around it to try to get ramps in place might wake it worse.
i have no idea whaundersideersode of a fiero looks like and what could be damaganythingnthing. anyonemorew moer about
them or have some photos of the underside.

don't know that we are overly cautious, i have just been bouncing some ideas around in my head of what might work. i think I could pull it out with the tractor or my pickup if it came to that, but there are limited attachmenaccessibleccessable and sturdy enough for that kind of rigging.

i think my idea with the forks is the easiest. just pick up one side and put a plank under both wheels, then go to the other side and do it again. the car is now up on its wheels and can be rolled away and on to the trailer. I think my little Bobcat can lift one side at a time, anyone know what a fiero weighs?

never mind i just found it online.


Wheelbase 2,373 mm (93.4 in)

Length
1984?986: 4,072 mm (160.3 in)
1987?988: 4,144 mm (163.1 in)
1987?988 GT: 4,193 mm (165.1 in)

Width
1984?986: 1,750 mm (68.9 in)
1987?988: 1,753 mm (69.0 in)

Height
1,191 mm (46.9 in)

Curb weight
1,176 to 1,265 kg (2,590 to 2,790 lb)


I also found there can be an issue with the cooling lines if the car is improperly lifted (below from wikipedia)

A second problem has become common since more Fieros are being serviced by auto repair shops that do not know their design very well. The underbody coolant tubes are positioned in a manner that a casual glance underneath the car may not suggest their fragility. As a result, many of them have been crushed by shop lifts, resulting in a near complete lack of engine cooling. The age of the car suggests that even General Motors dealerships may now be unaware of the proper jacking methods.

REGARDLESS of how you help, make sure you don't get burned if something -breaks..... i.e.
No guarantees, not responsible for damage ( you do seem to be being conscientious) but that
you are helping a friend, ect..... ect....

if you can slide your forks tight (narrow) enough to gently cradle (just the bottoms) of each tire and wheel
with just enough of the forks passing to backside of wheel/tire, carefully lift each corner
( one at a time) then fill in the hole with dirt or support with boards.

 

[Depmandog]

I have a Hi-Lift jack, and would use this.



Dig a hole at the jack point, and use the lift. Available at most farm stores (in the Midwest at least). Last one I bought was $70 or so - several years ago. The most handiest jack you can have on a farm or around equipment...IMHO.

 

[woodsmith]

Alloy or steel wheels with holes in?
How about a lifting strop or a stout rope through each wheel and then then lift each wheel in turn with the forks through the rope, then fill the hole in the ground. Minimal chance of damage to the body, wheel or suspension and no need to get forks under the frame.

 

[Egon]

Fiero eh.

If you use the forks under the rocker panel remember there are some stainless steel cooling lines along the side.

To jack there is a spot right in the middle of the rocker panel as the jack point. The whole side lifts up. There are also rear and front cross members as well as the bottom of the A frames on the suspension.

Really intriguing would be to lift the back end using the pull hooks on the engine. Might be able to lift the front using the spare tire mount.

Dig a hole at the jack point and use the jack!

 

[bcp]

From:
Hi-Lift Jack and Accessories

View attachment 275144

View attachment 275145

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Another version:

View attachment 275146

 

[Bob77064]

If they are anything like the UK fire department they'd be wanting to cut the roof off while they are at it!

And cut the battery cables too.

 

[sparc]

Here are a couple pics. I will inquire with the local Fire Dept and the County Heavy Rescue to see if they are interested in doing it as a training exercise, that's a good idea.

 

[woodsmith]

From:
Hi-Lift Jack and Accessories

View attachment 275147

That's sort of what I was suggesting.

Looking at the wheels, rope could be passed through a few turns, more easily then the hooks on the straps I think.

 

[sparc]

From:
Hi-Lift Jack and Accessories

View attachment 275144

View attachment 275145

View attachment 275147
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Another version:

View attachment 275146

i have a hi-lift jack but none of those accessories and looking to do this w/o spending a lot of money.
those do look like they would work though.

 

[sparc]

That's sort of what I was suggesting.

Looking at the wheels, rope could be passed through a few turns, more easily then the hooks on the straps I think.

That's an idea, rope or even a synthetic sling but I don't think I have one small enough in diameter. I could certaintly get some 1/2 or 5/8 rope through there. I might look at trying that out today if I have time.

 

[woodsmith]

That's an idea, rope or even a synthetic sling but I don't think I have one small enough in diameter. I could certaintly get some 1/2 or 5/8 rope through there. I might look at trying that out today if I have time.

You could lay a wide sling on the side wall of the tyre at the top and bind it on with the 1/2" rope, round and round the tyre through three or four of the 'spoke' holes. That would spread the load on the 1/2" rope and allow you to use a decent sling to lift with.

There won't be that much weight maybe just over 1/4 of the car.

A stout board laid under the lifted wheel to bridge the hole would be easiest and saves needing to lift too high.

 

[Aging TOO Fast]

i have a hi-lift jack but none of those accessories and looking to do this w/o spending a lot of money.
those do look like they would work though.

find an owners manual ( or check where spare tire and jack is) CONFIRM where the EXACT jacking locations are on the side of the car or rocker panels, make sure you won't bend/ collapse anything ( some cars factory jack straddled the pinch weld on the rocker panel, A piece of 2x4/ 2x6 with a groove cut in it should compensate if needed to keep from smashing pinch weld with forks) slip front few inches of fork (single fork or both if moved tight together) under jacking point and/or 2x? on jacking point, watch closely, lift a bit at a time, ( if wanted to- lift a bit one side - SUPPORT under tires, then the other side, back and forth a few times just to pick the car up as as evenly as possible, (as someone previously noted fieros will apparently lift whole side of the car from the jacking point) then fill or plank under tires as you go or needed,
roll it away...... or hoist up on a trailer .....

 

[Renze]

just tie it to a tractor and pull it out... A car should be able to withstand all four wheels to be locking when braking on dry asphalt, so it can withstand being pulled out of soft dirt too... And if you only get a piece of the car out when pulling, its not worth the rebuild anyways....

 

[case245]

digg around each wheel throw stones under the car where the wheels will contact the ground then hook a chain to both A ARMS and slowly lift a little and dragg the car out of the hole

 

[Alien]

Timster2. Be careful where you attach your tow cable/chain etc. This tow strap was attached to the factory tow point! Here is a quick video of how not to tow a vehicle out of snow. And this was on pavement with inflated tires. How to tow a car out of Snow - YouTube Very funny to watch unless you owned the car


Some people regard those as towpoints, whereas in actual fact they are tie-down points for transporting. Big difference. Funny video though.

 

[PhysAssist]

Timster2. Be careful where you attach your tow cable/chain etc. This tow strap was attached to the factory tow point! Here is a quick video of how not to tow a vehicle out of snow. And this was on pavement with inflated tires. How to tow a car out of Snow - YouTube Very funny to watch unless you owned the car

Some people regard those as towpoints, whereas in actual fact they are tie-down points for transporting. Big difference. Funny video though.

...And BTW, that wasn't pavement the car was on, it was thick ice crusted snow piled up by the plow, that the car's frame was high-centered on....

 

[timster2]

...And BTW, that wasn't pavement the car was on, it was thick ice crusted snow piled up by the plow, that the car's frame was high-centered on....

When the video starts the left front wheel is on pavement and the left rear is on packed snow the right side is however in a snow bank. They were just too lazy to dig it out. I know the convenient loops under the car are tie down points but are widely regarded as tow points and do function as tow points for the most part, however, you cant use them as the guys in the video did.

My point in posting this was to warn just where you attach a chain or cable is important and significant damage can result in trying to drag a vehicle, as the OP mentioned, that is down on the chassis in the dirt. Don't remember if the Fiero has tie down points that could be mistaken for tow points. It is way to easy to do damage while attempting to recover a vehicle that is stuck in mud, snow, dirt, sand etc. Towing on flat ground requires a whole lot less force than trying to yank a vehicle that is stuck. Towing and recovery are two different tasks requiring different methods and equipment.

I made this video required viewing when my son wanted to borrow my jeep to get his friends car out of a snow bank.