CT5-V Best Way to Lift Entire Vehicle without QuickJack?

[Chipless]

I'm looking for a more efficient, but yet maximally safe and mechanically sympathetic way to lift my entire Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing using a floor jack and adjustable jack stands.

My first attempt involved driving the car forward onto two-piece RaceRamps, which lifted the front by 10 inches. My first (of many) lifts was done using the forward lifting point just rear of the front driver-side tire (I have the ZL1 Addon Stealth Lift Pads installed on all 4 "perimeter" lift points). I would lift the car just high enough to be able to place one of my ESCO jack stands (set to lowest setting) under the driver-side's rear lift point (just forward of the rear tire). I would then lower the car back down onto the ramp and recently placed jack-stand, and move to the opposite side, and repeat the process but setting that next jack stand one hole/peg higher than the first one. I would alternate sides until the car was at the desired height.

This resulted in many movements and it took a while and felt awkward the whole time.

Cost aside, my garage is already quite tight, so I'd prefer not to buy QuickJacks. Is there a better way to lift the entire vehicle than what I did? A central lifting point on the chassis would likely solve my issues, but I don't think my Daytona Long-Reach floor jack reaches the points I've seen mentioned before, but I could be wrong. It's also possible that finding a jack stand that allows me to lift in the same area (like a RennStand) would be more efficient. Open to ideas!

 

[sonny200]

In racing circles, we've had people custom fab lifting pieces (lift bar) using a large metal bar that spans the side of the car from the front lift point to the rear lift point. Have channels made to accommodate the lift points that you have the ZL1 mounted to. With a stout enough piece of metal, you can use your floor jack & lift the vehicle from the center. Once in the air, put your floor jacks on the front & backs with the metal bar in place. Do the same on the other side. I'm guessing a few hundred $ in parts & then getting someone to weld up/fab custom pieces for the lift points.

 

[sonny200]

This is one of the versions they use on Porsche's

 

[Z28]

Nice how they have the positive engagement points at each end of the bars.

 

[sonny200]

Nice how they have the positive engagement points at each end of the bars.

One could make V-shapaed channels at the ends to have the pinch welds lie in similar to those engagement points.

 

[BW56M]

2 Floor jacks
2 Jack rods (AGM products)
2 Rennstands or 2 Myliftstands

 

[babyzilla]

I didn't want anything to be lifted by the wheels, so this was my solution:

B

Post in thread 'Jacking up your Blackwing'

Apr 8, 2026

I have another option for you all, especially if you don't want to go the quickjack route like me (it just doesn't seem as universal as I'd like, it takes up a lot of space, and still seems like a pain to set up each time). It's by far the least expensive option, but still very safe. The only thing is you will need a second floor jack or scissor jack.

So, using these pinch weld adapters, I had the idea of bolting them on to each end of a bar and using a floor jack to lift the center of the bar. You will want two bars to be safe so you can lift each side relatively. I worked with a local...

• babyzilla

• 

I feel like I've thought about every option and tried various methods, but getting some custom bars is the way to go if quickjacks are out. The only thing I'll say is the more floor jacks the better. Jack rods are nice, but are expensive, and if you just use jack stands you wont need the rods. The rennstands are great, but if you need to do anything with the wheel or suspension it's obviously not going to work. Hope this helps.

 

[Slick Blackwings]

 

[Chipless]

Thank you all for the responses! Very helpful ideas and suggestions.

@babyzilla and @sonny200 With these bars, I assume you have to lift the vehicle one side at a time?

 

[shbox]

I didn't want anything to be lifted by the wheels, so this was my solution:

B

Post in thread 'Jacking up your Blackwing'

Apr 8, 2026

I have another option for you all, especially if you don't want to go the quickjack route like me (it just doesn't seem as universal as I'd like, it takes up a lot of space, and still seems like a pain to set up each time). It's by far the least expensive option, but still very safe. The only thing is you will need a second floor jack or scissor jack.

So, using these pinch weld adapters, I had the idea of bolting them on to each end of a bar and using a floor jack to lift the center of the bar. You will want two bars to be safe so you can lift each side relatively. I worked with a local...

• babyzilla

• 

I feel like I've thought about every option and tried various methods, but getting some custom bars is the way to go if quickjacks are out. The only thing I'll say is the more floor jacks the better. Jack rods are nice, but are expensive, and if you just use jack stands you wont need the rods. The rennstands are great, but if you need to do anything with the wheel or suspension it's obviously not going to work. Hope this helps.

Rennstands don't go under the wheel, they go where you jack with the pinch weld. So, wheel and suspension are free to work on. I use a pair, plus my floor jack to do tire rotations.

 

[babyzilla]

Rennstands don't go under the wheel, they go where you jack with the pinch weld. So, wheel and suspension are free to work on. I use a pair, plus my floor jack to do tire rotations.

You're right - my bad - I got mixed up with the liftstands that were pictured in the post. I actually did like the idea of rennstands, but I found them to be pretty expensive per unit and you still had to do each corner individually.

 

[1Evil55]

View attachment 35282

That barely fits. I just recently started parking my 5 on my four post. Previously was always parked under with my hot rod up top. Sold the rod and now the 5 lives on it until I find a replacement. What is funny about your picture is that my outside edge of tires are basically on the outside edge of the lifts runners. Looks like you have the same problem just on the inside. Those must be 20,000 lb lifts?

 

[babyzilla]

Thank you all for the responses! Very helpful ideas and suggestions.

@babyzilla and @sonny200 With these bars, I assume you have to lift the vehicle one side at a time?

You can, but I prefer doing a couple pumps each side. With a rapid pump floor jack, you're up in very little time and possibly going back and forth only 2, 3 times. You should be good to go with two of the harbor freight rapid pump floor jacks prepped on each side. Or, if you're like me, I only have one of the rapid pump floor jacks on one side, and a basic smaller floor jack holding up the other side slightly, and once I got one side up on stands I would just pass the main floor jack under and get the other side up on stands. The main idea is to limit one side from leaning over too much.

 

[babyzilla]

I really wanted something like this, but they have terrible reviews and no one seems to manufacture something similar. It's basically half a quickjack. If a reputable company made this and they were reliable, it would be perfect. They're around $700, modular enough to work on pretty much all vehicles, easy and light to store away, and the idea would be to lift one side up, slide jack stands under, and then repeat on the other side. Someone build it!

 

[Chipless]

You can, but I prefer doing a couple pumps each side. With a rapid pump floor jack, you're up in very little time and possibly going back and forth only 2, 3 times. You should be good to go with two of the harbor freight rapid pump floor jacks prepped on each side. Or, if you're like me, I only have one of the rapid pump floor jacks on one side, and a basic smaller floor jack holding up the other side slightly, and once I got one side up on stands I would just pass the main floor jack under and get the other side up on stands. The main idea is to limit one side from leaning over too much.

Thanks for the quick response: Sorry if I am a bit dense, but are you essentially balancing the car from the middle until the jack stands are placed? I don't think I trust myself to do this....

 

[babyzilla]

Thanks for the quick response: Sorry if I am a bit dense, but are you essentially balancing the car from the middle until the jack stands are placed? I don't think I trust myself to do this....

No problem at all. That's what these forums are for...they're supposed to be a safe space lol

It may sound like the car is being balanced, but, remember, you have that long bar providing support for a large surface area. There's no wobbling, at least there wasn't in my case. Those bars are doing all the work. The floor jack is simply lifting them. Does that make sense? I see your concern, but it's really a non-issue.

 

[sonny200]

You lift a little on one side & then a little on the other with the purpose of not having one side too high before lifting one side completely off the ground. You basically unload the suspension on one side (the tires are still on the ground) & then completely lift the other side to put the jackstands underneath that side. Then completely lift the other side to put the jackstands underneath on that side.

I understand what you mean by balancing but that is not what you're supposed to be doing.

 

[BigShark]

Just alternate sides a few pumps at a time and you'll never have more than an inch or two of height difference between sides, so the car stays pretty stable throughout the whole process. I picked up a pair at CARiD and never had an issue.

 

[Slick Blackwings]

That barely fits. I just recently started parking my 5 on my four post. Previously was always parked under with my hot rod up top. Sold the rod and now the 5 lives on it until I find a replacement. What is funny about your picture is that my outside edge of tires are basically on the outside edge of the lifts runners. Looks like you have the same problem just on the inside. Those must be 20,000 lb lifts?

30,000 lb Rotary lift.

 

[jbawden]

If someone made CT5 lift bars I'd be all over it. QJ seems like a lot of resources tied up in something I can almost do with the tools I have now.