Jacking a car up

[TheArchitect]

Hi Guys

Purchased a low profile jack and 4 not stands from SGS a while ago and when lifting the car to put it on stands I often find the jack doesn't want to roll and it pulls the opposite stand as I jack the car. I have tried putting 18mm ply under the jack to stop is digging into the tarmac but this still happens and I am concerned one day it roll over/off the stand.

Any ideas what I can do to help this? The wheels are well lubed on the jack and the jack isnt sinking too much into the ply.

Or do I need to man up and just continue using common sense?

Thanks

[littleredrooster]

I generally try to avoid the situation where the jack is pulling against an axle stand; you're right to be concerned. The geometry of hydraulic jacks is such that they are reluctant to move themselves when being pumped up.

If I need both front wheels (for example) off the ground together, I try to put the jack in a central position and do it in one hit rather than one wheel at a time; not always easy to find a suitable jacking point, though. Lifting the rear is generally easier.

[Dannbodge]

littleredrooster said:

I generally try to avoid the situation where the jack is pulling against an axle stand; you're right to be concerned. The geometry of hydraulic jacks is such that they are reluctant to move themselves when being pumped up.

If I need both front wheels (for example) off the ground together, I try to put the jack in a central position and do it in one hit rather than one wheel at a time; not always easy to find a suitable jacking point, though. Lifting the rear is generally easier.

This.

I also try pushing the jack towards the car if it feels like it's pulling the car towards me.

[Luigi123]

I line my jack up "north south" so for the fronts it goes under the control arm.

[Sensibleboy]

I don't know what car you have but front control arms/wishbones should never be used to lift a car. They aren't designed to take a load that way. Ball joints aren't meant to be loaded like that either.

A fair few Vauxhalls crashed a few years ago because of people jacking them up that way!

[jamieduff1981]

I have a concrete floor now but I used to have to jack on chuckie stones and the jack simply would not roll.

Most interesting cars need to be jacked near the sills. To avoid pull the car off an axle stand I'd alternate from side to side notching the pin up one hole each go, reseating the axle stands each time. I have no plans on dying under a car, and although this method takes longer it doesn't damage the car and is very safe and secure.

[mybrainhurts]

jamieduff1981 said:

I have no plans on dying under a car,

RAC man spent half an hour under my car supported only by a trolley jack.

I held my breath.

[Luigi123]

Sensibleboy said:

I don't know what car you have but front control arms/wishbones should never be used to lift a car. They aren't designed to take a load that way. Ball joints aren't meant to be loaded like that either.

A fair few Vauxhalls crashed a few years ago because of people jacking them up that way!

Merc SL R129. The jack goes right under the road spring. I'm not sure how that loads the ball joints?
The trouble is if I use the jacking points I have nowhere to put the axle stds.

[motco]

Luigi123 said:

The trouble is if I use the jacking points I have nowhere to put the axle stds.

This is the perennial problem where a car has only four approved jacking points: one each side at each end of the door sills.

[Claudia Skies]

If you have a set of car ramps, put the car up on the ramps BEFORE you use the jack. The jack arm will then be more vertical before it starts to lift the car and will have less need to "roll". Also, you will only need a slight lift to insert the axle stands so the jack has less to do in any event so again, less need to roll. Try it; it works!

[Claudia Skies]

jamieduff1981 said:

I have no plans on dying under a car,

Quite right. It's incredible how many severe injuries occur through cars falling off jacks or stands. Whenever my car is raised off the ground I try to make sure there's something large underneath to catch it - just in case. Typically this will be the wheel(s) I've removed and/or the spare wheel.

[The Turbonator]

Claudia Skies said:

jamieduff1981 said:

I have no plans on dying under a car,

Quite right. It's incredible how many severe injuries occur through cars falling off jacks or stands. Whenever my car is raised off the ground I try to make sure there's something large underneath to catch it - just in case. Typically this will be the wheel(s) I've removed and/or the spare wheel.

Putting the spare wheel underneath a raised car saved my life.

[Luigi123]

motco said:

Luigi123 said:

The trouble is if I use the jacking points I have nowhere to put the axle stds.

This is the perennial problem where a car has only four approved jacking points: one each side at each end of the door sills.

I'd love to find a way around this.

[Mephistofleas]

Dig a trench. Much safer.

[Luigi123]

Mephistofleas said:

Dig a trench. Much safer.

It'll fill with water and I'll drown.

[mybrainhurts]

Luigi123 said:

Mephistofleas said:

Dig a trench. Much safer.

It'll fill with water and I'll drown.

Haven't you got a bloody snorkel, FFS...?

[996TT02]

Luigi123 said:

motco said:

Luigi123 said:

The trouble is if I use the jacking points I have nowhere to put the axle stds.

This is the perennial problem where a car has only four approved jacking points: one each side at each end of the door sills.

I'd love to find a way around this.

Generally if you lift from one point the entire side will eventually lift, so you can lift from the rear to prop up the front.

There exists a proper solution, but it's not cheap. It involves placing a large "puck" between the jack and the jacking point, then placing an axle stand that is designed to wrap around the jack and which will eventually allow the "puck" to seat on it when the jack is removed. Hey presto, car on axle stand at jacking point.

[-Pete-]

There's also the simple option of using the jack supplied with the car...

[Luigi123]

996TT02 said:

Luigi123 said:

motco said:

Luigi123 said:

The trouble is if I use the jacking points I have nowhere to put the axle stds.

This is the perennial problem where a car has only four approved jacking points: one each side at each end of the door sills.

I'd love to find a way around this.

Generally if you lift from one point the entire side will eventually lift, so you can lift from the rear to prop up the front.

There exists a proper solution, but it's not cheap. It involves placing a large "puck" between the jack and the jacking point, then placing an axle stand that is designed to wrap around the jack and which will eventually allow the "puck" to seat on it when the jack is removed. Hey presto, car on axle stand at jacking point.

Thanks I'll try this and see if my jack goes high enough.

[tannhauser]

-Pete- said:

There's also the simple option of using the jack supplied with the car...

So patronising!

Jacks supplied are usually ste! And most use the area on the sill you may wish to place the axle stands.