Can axle stands go under sill jacking points?

[HazzaCrawf]

Hi all,

As above really. For the front I've always used the front wishbone bushing for an axle stand but that's obviously not helpful for suspension work. Will the sill jacking points work to place the axle stands under, front or rear, or should they be avoided?

Car is a Renault Clio, mk2.

Ta

[Evoluzione]

Yes, that's what they are for.

[PaulKemp]

Block of wood to stop you crushing the sill lip or outer sill is also a good tip

[BenLowden]

I've got a Mk2 Clio and personally I'd avoid the jacking sills, they're very weak. Best place to use an axle stand is the chassis rails underneath, just use a bit of wood/thick cardboard or something to protect them.



Edit: Just realised this is probably too late now, but maybe useful for next time!

[HazzaCrawf]

BenLowden said:

I've got a Mk2 Clio and personally I'd avoid the jacking sills, they're very weak. Best place to use an axle stand is the chassis rails underneath, just use a bit of wood/thick cardboard or something to protect them.



Edit: Just realised this is probably too late now, but maybe useful for next time!

I haven't had much time to break out the jack and stands recently, but I'd been putting the stands on the wishbone bushing on each side. For suspension stuff though, that really wasn't going to work!

What about in the rear? Where do the jack/stands go in the rear? Heard horror stories of the Clio being hard to jack up so its made me wary. Ta

[VAGslag]

If you're going to use axle stands on sill's, you'd be best off using ones contoured to fit the sill like the ones in the link below... Especially if you have a french car made of papier mâché!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Draper-Axle-Stands-3-Ton...

[BenLowden]

HazzaCrawf said:

I haven't had much time to break out the jack and stands recently, but I'd been putting the stands on the wishbone bushing on each side. For suspension stuff though, that really wasn't going to work!

What about in the rear? Where do the jack/stands go in the rear? Heard horror stories of the Clio being hard to jack up so its made me wary. Ta

Hopefully my advice above should help for front suspension then, that's what I did a few weeks ago for changing brakes/coolant and it was fine. I haven't jacked the rear myself other than for changing wheels, but it would seem like the rear beam is a good place for jacking and axle stands.

When I jacked the front, I used two trolley jacks on the jacking points on the sills and just pumped them up a few times either side so the car lifted fairly equally. A bit of a faff, but I didn't want to go really high on one side first and fold the jacking point. Worked fine for me.

[PaulKemp]

I'm jacking the back of a Firsta ST at the moment and have to leave the rear suspension free
So 2 blocks of wood either side of the sill lip and 1 across the 2, stand under that
Works well but you have to be in good contact with the sill

[one eyed mick]

DO NOT jack on a rear suspension beam on any modern car you will bend/distort it and put rear suspension settings out!