I have a total of two 4-ton jacks currently, so I never carry four. Wouldn't be safe to use on the Vanagon that way. As far your diagonals... I'm going to digest that while looking at my vanagon. 

Oh, and look, Snap-on's into it too

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=74211&group_ID=1725&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

Which is the better color? Pepboys has the best price. I still need to jack my vanagon up and measure the distance I actually use. 

BTW, I've used my jacks a lot while taking of a wheel while on the road, et. They've been very helpful, though sometimes distressing to store (like they sure don't fit under the front seats). 

Getting a smaller set, I mean more packable, like the links, is going to allow me to pack them in very nicely. 

From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Jack Stands

> foldable jack stands sound great for carrying on major trips, if that's what
> you're thinking.
> Though 4 sounds quite heavy to take along.............I carry two light
> weight ones..........I believe in being very prepared, but not 'over
> prepared' and will fudge just a bit toward 'not quite as prepared for just
> anything' to save weight and room.  If I just have to, I can find something
> to support the van.
> 
> 3 tons for each jackstand is much more than you need. That's 6,000 lbs.
> Even stuffed, a vanagon is in the 5,000 and something range. That means ONE
> of the 3 ton jack stands could support the entire van balanced on it.
> Since you only hold up one corner of the van at a time with a jack stand, a
> 2,000 lb rated jack stand would work adequately.
> In my shop I have major bomber 4 ton or whatever jackstands, but if you're
> thinking 'folding' and fitting them in the van......
> I personally sure wouldn't be carrying anything that heavy on board, since
> it's not likely to be needed anyway, if you've done your work on the van
> properly.
> 
> Can't think of what you're talking about with the 2 X 4.
> on the rear, I 'hook' my jackstands into the outer forward 'crook'
> almost......of the trailing arms. I don't use the jacking point there. And
> the jack stands hook into the front corner of the trialing arm nicely at an
> angle..........like the stand is not straight in line with, or straight
> across, relative to the van........set diagonally like this they are more
> stable, on a flat hard surface of course.
> On the front, I do use the jacking point.
> I also find that the 4 support points like this are not exactly in
> plane.............one front needs a small wooden pad, like 5/16ths inch
> thick.....
> for the van to side dead evenly on identical jackstands, on a flat hard
> surface.
> 
> hope some of that made sense !
> Scott
> www.turbovans.com
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "M'obeechi" <obeechi@RUNBOX.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 9:53 PM
> Subject: Jack Stands
> 
> 
> Big URL but nice product:
> 
> http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100594518&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=100594518&cm_mmc=1hd.com2froogle-_-product_feed-_-D25X-_-100594518
> 
> These jack stands look to be the bomb for packability. I have standard four
> ton jack stands, and they are a complete pain in the ass to fit into the
> vanagon, and no matter what you do, they're wasting a lot of space, but
> these... wow... they pack real well.. which opens up the number of places
> they can be stashed without banging into something.
> 
> Anyone know if a 3 ton jacks are okay for fully loaded vanagons, lets assume
> the heaviest for now.
> 
> Also, has anyone used those bottle jack hydraulic types. I wonder if they
> could be used with the extension meant for the HiLift (as far as HiLift,
> putting that thing in the vanagon is an even bigger nightmare). I was
> thinking also that the end (front or back I forget) where you have to use a
> piece of two by four wood because of the metal gap (when resting on a jack
> stand) that you (I) could have someone weld a metal plate to this area. Any
> thoughts on this?
> 
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