124Spider

Hi,

I just put my car on four jackstands to change brake pads. It looks to me like there is a place just aft of the front wheel for both a jack and a jackstand, but in the back, it looks like there is a place only for a jack or a jackstand, but not both.

The car is so stiff I solved the problem by jacking high enough from the fron point that I could put both jackstands in on the side, but I am wondering if my observation is correct.

Thanks. BTW, mine's a MY04.

--Mark

Squeezer

you are correct. use the rear differential for the rear jackpoint.

alexf20c

If you're just pulling off the wheels, jack up the control arm. The suspension is still loaded so it only takes a few inches to get the tire to clear the pavement. Jack them up one at a time and slap those pads on there; forget the jackstands.

Hockey

Use this diagram to help you place the jackstands. Go ahead and jack up the car from the perimeter locations, but use the frame rails to place the stands.

Forget the jackstands if you don't mind getting squished to death by your car. Big no-no.

Hockey

Rio S2K

I think I know what you're talking about. Behind the front wheels it looks as if there is two subsequent jack points on each side of the car whereas there appears to be only one infront of the rear wheels on each side. This observation is incorrect. The first assumed jack point behind the front wheels can not be used as a jack point because it is a much more fragile piece of steel. Only the second jack point behind the front wheel can be used. This is the real jack point. Get underneath the car and check it out. The first assumed jack point is a very thin strip of metal whereas the second real jack point is a much thicker gauge steel. I hope you didn't use the first of these two jack points to either lift the car with or to support the car with using the jack stands because if you have then I can almost gaurantee you that these points are now bent. I almost made the mistake but caught myself when I accidentally noted how thin the first perceived jack point was. It looks like there is a point in the front where you can apply a jack and then as soon as it is up to a desirable height to place the jack stand in right next to it. This is wrong!

alexf20c

You can't get squished by your car if you only have ONE wheel jacked up, and you're not under the car in the first place.

124Spider

Wow; I was just confused when I made my original post, but now I'm totally bewildered.

It appears that there are only four jack points, making it impossible to jack up the car from these points _and_ place jackstands there. I note and appreciate the suggestion by Hockey to jack up using the jack points, and then support by putting the jack stands under the frame rails, but then I look at the jackstands, which clearly are designed to have a relatively thin strip of metal go neatly into the vertex of the stand, so that there is no wiggle room, and I get very concerned about how secure a car would be with the jackstands, with no piece to wedge into the vertex on top of the jackstand, supporting the car that way.

When in doubt, read the directions, so I looked in the shop manual. It clearly sets out the jack points, as the "second" one aft of the front wheels, as RioS2k said, and the only obvious place forward of the rear wheels. It also says to use the differential for jacking up the rear of the car, and a place which I don't know enough to identify to jack up the front.

I can get my very low profile jack far enough under the car to jack it up under the differential, but there is no way to do that on the front jack point.

Does this mean, practically, that I am left to the following: From each side in turn, jack up the car from the rear jack point far enough to place jackstands under the front jack points; then, after the front jackstands are in place, jace up the rear from the differential to place the rear jackstands?

Thanks.

--Mark

Rio S2K

[QUOTE=124Spider,Sep 6 2004, 10:00 AM]

Does this mean, practically, that I am left to the following:

124Spider

Thanks, Rio.

I wasn't clear. What I am planning is to use the two rear, _side_ jack points to jack the car up enough to place the two front jack stands in place. This is easy; I've done that before. Then, when the two front jack stands are in place, I will jack up the rear from the differential and place the rear jack stands in place.

It would be nice if it were more user-friendly, but this should work.

--Mark

mikey k

IIRC it is all in the hand book - but I am sure there are six jacking points

Two on either sill, one on the bottom of the rear diff (as already pointed out) and one just in front of my x brace on the subframe in the pic below



One trick I have heard used is to raise the car height by driving it on to some planks of wood. This allows more access to get the trolly jack under it! Just make sure it comes back down on to the planks