How to safely jack car?

atomiclord · 21-08-2010, 12:10 AM

Don't laugh, but I've actually never jacked a car by anything but the light of my mobile phone at 3AM in pitch darkness with the emergency jack for blowouts. Nobody to show me how to do it properly so I figured I'd ask the aufalcon gurus

So today I bought two 1T car ramps for general servicing, a 2T floor jack and two 3T stands for getting the rear up.

Is this setup alright? I should be able to:
- drive up the ramps general servicing
- jack up the front and place stands under the front to change front wheels
- jack up the rear and place stands under the rear to change rear wheels
- drive up the ramps, jack up the rear and place stands under the rear to have the whole car up for servicing

Anything I've missed or done wrong?

Also, where do I jack the car up? Obviously not the alloy crossmember at the front, and probably not the live-axle dif? Where do I place the stands at the front and the rear? The car manual doesn't really help.

Does anyone have a picture this could really help. I'm a visual learner.

KR1STO · 21-08-2010, 12:17 AM

Ok, before we get onto jacking the car up for maintenance...
No offence, but, have you ever done routine maintenance, servicing etc before..?
If not, I strongly recommend not touching the car by yourself..

Even jacking the car up by yourself...

You really need to be shown in person, not by a typed description over the net..
Sometimes the written word is misinterpreted and problems can arise..
Just my opinion...

BTW.. You've purchased the right stuff!!

Cheers
Kris

atomiclord · 21-08-2010, 12:33 AM

None taken, thank you very much for your concern.

I've done the basic service my last couple of 4cly nissans and the girlfriend's car just fine, my long lanky arms could just reach in for the oil filter, sump plug, dif drain plug etc

After reading through the great guides by people like GK I'm planning to change the auto box filter and dif fluid on sunday, if I'm feeling ready.

I'm really just confused because I searched for 'jacking points' to double check and found threads filled with conflicting information.

Here's the illustration in the gregory's manual. Is there any problem with these jacking and stand points?

KR1STO · 21-08-2010, 12:38 AM

Good to hear mate!!!
Yep that looks about right...!
Yours will be live axle i presume so using the trolley jack on the two spots marked will be fine...

Just double check that its seated properley before jacking up the whole way and before reaching under to put the stands..

There's plenty of info in the AU guides to follow such as GK's one.. I think you'll be surprised how easy it all can be..

If you do run into any trouble there's always here....

Good luck with it mate!!

Road_Warrior · 21-08-2010, 12:47 AM

Chock the diagonally opposing wheel before you start jacking the car mmk. Housebricks or a big bit of wood will do.

atomiclord · 21-08-2010, 12:59 AM

Thanks! Yep basic live axle forte.

Yeah, the couple of recommendations I found to jack the car from under the sills seemed a bit shonky.

Is a grooved wooden spacer required for jacking the front crossmember?

Day-mow · 21-08-2010, 01:51 AM

i dont believe so. depending on how big your jack ahhh holder thing (the part that actually is in contact with the car) might fit over both of it. or might fit inside of it.

i think also something else that needs to be commented on is make sure the surface your jacking up on is solid and not going to move. dirt is a no no. concrete is best. and becarful of paving

mik · 21-08-2010, 02:57 AM

and just to add, watch that the wheels of the jack don`t get caught on anything , a crack i n the cement ,a tool etc or you might have some thing fall , ie the car off the jack or off the stands at the other end, use caution many people have died from being crushed by cars doing exactly what you are about to do.

atomiclord · 21-08-2010, 04:15 AM

Check. Should I stack bricks or something under the rear axle for safety? Or is that more of a long-term jacking solution?

There should probably be a 'useful post' link for jacking safely.

Day-mow · 21-08-2010, 04:46 AM

tyres are generally used to under the car. bricks i think you'll find will crack

JC · 21-08-2010, 05:34 AM

Live axle - jack under the diff. At the front, jack under the cross member.

blownv8au · 21-08-2010, 01:49 PM

on the back i use the diff housing or diff center. Front i use lower control arms, i never use the front crossmember but i will not use the sill points as per manufacture description as i've had them cave in on my first xd and have seen other people do it even after telling the what happened to me. But at the end of the day each to their own.

T3man · 21-08-2010, 04:30 PM

The diagram is basically correct except for the front alloy cross member. Do not jack by the cross member as I have seen them crack. I jack the front of mine one side at a time using the re-inforced plate behind the front wheel arch.

atomiclord · 23-08-2010, 12:58 AM

Well, I didn't die, and the car is doing just fine

Thanks guys.

KR1STO · 23-08-2010, 12:59 AM

hahaha
Good to hear mate!!

T3man · 23-08-2010, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atomiclord

Well, I didn't die, and the car is doing just fine

Thanks guys.

Well don't give up - there's always next time.

galaxy xr8 · 23-08-2010, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T3man

The diagram is basically correct except for the front alloy cross member. Do not jack by the cross member as I have seen them crack. I jack the front of mine one side at a time using the re-inforced plate behind the front wheel arch.

I also use this same point for mine at the front.