Frame Flexing Too Much???

[kingclutch]

Hey guys, crazy thing happened to me last time I put the e30 up in the air. I jacked the car up by the frame rails and had jackstands there as well, rear on the ground still. I was re-wiring the reverse light and my buddy tried to open the door to check out the harness and said the door wouldn't open. When I looked at it the door was quite hard to open, doable but obviously the car was bending in the frame. I am wondering if that's normal or if something is seriously wrong? When I put the front end on ramps theres no issue, only when I try to lift the front end by the frame rails (which is the recommended jack point based on everything online) does the door get stiff. If anyone has any insight or could test lifting their car the way I described I would appreciate it. Thanks

[Zambuzan]

Hmm, I've never experienced this. I remember doing my rack swap and putting the car almost at a 45 degree angle with the front up, and 2 jack stands on the frame rails. Driver's door opened fine when I was bleeding the PS fluid.
Are there concave indentations on your frame rails? Could possibly be from lifting the front and letting it fall abruptly on a jack stand.
Check your door hinges, I guess...

[treff-7]

The chassis does flex when you do that. Normally the weight of the engine is on the 2 front wheels and it doesn't affect the rest of the chassis that much. When you put the car on stands the weight of the engine is trying to fold the chassis in half. Depending on clearance at the door locks it is possible that the doors become harder to open. On the other hand I can open the doors on my convertible when jacked up. They are a bit weird and sound a bit different when I open and close them but they don't stick.

[E30SPDFRK]

That's normal, I put e30's on racks every day.

[kingclutch]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I have a pretty clean body for being in michigan but was slightly worried something might have been covered up. The doors open perfectly on the ground or on ramps, and after i set the car down it was back to opening normal. Just got my blood pressure up for a minute

[ForcedFirebird]

Just be glad you don't have an f-body without sub-frame connectors! They are impossible to open the doors when jacked up. I find a light stick is pretty normal in e30's.

That's normal, I put e30's on racks every day.

You too, huh? :)

[TobyB]

Yup- if you lift it on 3 points, and the rear point is on one side or the other, 2 doors can stick the door pretty much shut.
The 4 doors bind less- less flex, or shorter doors? Yes.

Caged race car doesn't do it so much, but the creaks from the cage rubbing the shell (can't connect in more than 8 places) are impressive.

t

[e30sh]

The early cars with a 6 seem to be a little worse than a 91 318iS. Do you have an early car? They are lighter with less metal in the floor.so they do flex a little more.

[Victell]

Just be glad you don't have an f-body without sub-frame connectors! They are impossible to open the doors when jacked up.

No kidding. I dreaded the creaks and groans my 3rd gen did when turning into driveways. My buddy's t-top IROC cracked the windshield one time turning into a steep driveway.

OP... do you have a convertible?