Re: Which is the drive wheel?

Posted by ScottG On 2010/4/8 21:21:30

Could you call a local wrecker to winch the car out? Those guys usually know how to retrieve cars from all sorts of ugly situations. It'd cost a few bucks but would save your back, your house, your marriage and maybe even the car, too!

If you're committed to jacking the car up, I would suggest the following method:

1) Grab a shovel and dig a shallow trench (the trench creates clearance under the car) under the spot on the frame where you want to lift with a floor jack;
2) Stack a few solid concrete blocks (1" thick or more) in the trench to create a "foundation" for the jack. You'll need at least two layers of blocks stacked in alternating directions. (Using plywood under the jack will not support the weight of the car and the jack...you'll just punch a hole in the plywood.)
3) Put your jack on the blocks in the trench and lift her up. Then place your plywood under the car to slide her out.

I used this method to lift a large shed up off the ground and slide it a few feet to another spot in the yard. It's a hernia in the making to be sure, but it worked.

Also, I wouldn't attempt to pull (or push) a stuck car with a front drive vehicle. Maybe I'm old fashioned, but FWD cars have too many (expensive) parts to break to be of much use for pulling or pushing.

Good luck!