Do I need rubber pads to jack up my car?
Discussion
I have just bought my first trolley jack, stands, and chocks. i thought this was everything I need but saw a comment online saying to never use the trolley jack on its own without also buying a rubber pad to prevent damage to the jacking point from the hard metal surface of the jack. Is this correct?
A block of wood (or rubber) cut to the correct profile will be better than a generic flat rubber pad.thebraketester said:
If you buy that style of jack then you don’t need anything else.
If you bought one with a metal cup then you bought the wrong jack. :-(
Yes you do. You'll fold the seam at the jacking point on the sill over if you use that jack without some sort of block with a slot.If you bought one with a metal cup then you bought the wrong jack. :-(
frisbee said:
thebraketester said:
If you buy that style of jack then you don’t need anything else.
If you bought one with a metal cup then you bought the wrong jack. :-(
Yes you do. You'll fold the seam at the jacking point on the sill over if you use that jack without some sort of block with a slot.If you bought one with a metal cup then you bought the wrong jack. :-(
selym said:
The rim around the cup is steel (or whatever) and will flatten the seams on the sill which will damage the surface and rust will be next on the list.
I've used hockey pucks, wood etc to good effect, but it's easier/safer to jack under the car on the recommended points of the chassis.
It's paint film damage and consequent rust that worries me too. It's all very well to say use chassis members but no mass produced modern car has a chassis as such, and none of my cars of the last two decades have more than four recommended jacking points and these are commonly the welded seams on the cills as previously discussed. One of our family's cars, and I cannot now find out which, specifically forbade jacking on the diff casing. A block of wood is a good idea if rubber blocks aren't available. On cills, though, they can tilt and render the whole procedure risky. A groove is ideal.I've used hockey pucks, wood etc to good effect, but it's easier/safer to jack under the car on the recommended points of the chassis.
I have ramps that can be raised and I can lift the car to where it's required and then lower it on to cushioned axle stands under the recommended jacking points. It is a faff though.
anything between the jack pad and metal helps , i cut up an old rubber car matt and use that , or a bit of wood or carpet would work too
once its jacked up and wheels off...store the wheels under the car near where you are working , that way if the stands fail or it tips over the wheels stop it killing you
once its jacked up and wheels off...store the wheels under the car near where you are working , that way if the stands fail or it tips over the wheels stop it killing you
I would say yes based on the state of my Jacking points with using Aluminium blocks to jack
Now use rubber ones:
Got some from this guy:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/trolleyjackingpads
Hope that helps
Now use rubber ones:
Got some from this guy:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/trolleyjackingpads
Hope that helps
I use a hockey put on my jack and stands. Perfect groove pre-cut for the sill and very cheap too.
Love the setup on the Jag above, I hate jacking each side separately to get it up in the air and would never get it that high on the stands with a trolley jack alone. I would love a lift that gets the whole car up one day.
Love the setup on the Jag above, I hate jacking each side separately to get it up in the air and would never get it that high on the stands with a trolley jack alone. I would love a lift that gets the whole car up one day.
pfnsht said:
I use a hockey put on my jack and stands. Perfect groove pre-cut for the sill and very cheap too.
Love the setup on the Jag above, I hate jacking each side separately to get it up in the air and would never get it that high on the stands with a trolley jack alone. I would love a lift that gets the whole car up one day.
Yep have to get me some of those ramps they look greatLove the setup on the Jag above, I hate jacking each side separately to get it up in the air and would never get it that high on the stands with a trolley jack alone. I would love a lift that gets the whole car up one day.
Edited by Moviestar on Sunday 6th January 15:48
I use wood with the grain at right angles to the line of the sill, or a pad folded from the thick card that comes around slabs of cans or bottles of beer. Anything which keeps the metal of the jack away from the paint on the sill is good.
Beware with blocks of wood on top of trolley jacks. As the trolley jack has to move as the car is lifted, the car can topple off the block. If you have the height, use a bottle jack.
Also if the grain of the wood is in line with the sill, or its is an easily split soft wood used end grain on, the sill can split a block.
Beware with blocks of wood on top of trolley jacks. As the trolley jack has to move as the car is lifted, the car can topple off the block. If you have the height, use a bottle jack.
Also if the grain of the wood is in line with the sill, or its is an easily split soft wood used end grain on, the sill can split a block.
GliderRider said:
I use wood with the grain at right angles to the line of the sill, or a pad folded from the thick card that comes around slabs of cans or bottles of beer. Anything which keeps the metal of the jack away from the paint on the sill is good.
Beware with blocks of wood on top of trolley jacks. As the trolley jack has to move as the car is lifted, the car can topple off the block. If you have the height, use a bottle jack.
Also if the grain of the wood is in line with the sill, or its is an easily split soft wood used end grain on, the sill can split a block.
Trouble is that if you use beer cartons you have to drink the beer and after that you don't give a toss! Beware with blocks of wood on top of trolley jacks. As the trolley jack has to move as the car is lifted, the car can topple off the block. If you have the height, use a bottle jack.
Also if the grain of the wood is in line with the sill, or its is an easily split soft wood used end grain on, the sill can split a block.
GliderRider said:
motco said:
Trouble is that if you use beer cartons you have to drink the beer and after that you don't give a toss!
...and the problem with that is??? 
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