jacking up....... a car!!!!!

[steviet]

Hey, i know edde posted a guide to jacking mk2 clios in the guide section, but from what i can see, to jack a front corner up using a trolley jack, id be putting the cup of the jack under the body of the car, i tried this on my old (mk1) clio and wound up buckling the floor. on the rear, id have no qualms about jacking the beam up, but for the front, id probably use the base of the wishbone, where it meets the subframe. Is this correct. or can the floor take the weight of the car?? :S

 

[TheCake]

Stevie,

If you look under a Mk2 clio you will see a pair of thick 2-3inch beams running in parallel down the middle of the clio floor. They run pretty much beneath the driver and passenger seat. These are more than suitable for jacking on.

 

[fUbAr]

here:

 

[fUbAr]

 

[TheCake]

Yup. That'd do ^

 

[steviet]

Sweet, until recently, id been using the scissor jack to get the car up, before putting it on axle stands (on the beams) however, the scissor jack doesnt give enough lift to get the axle stands above their lowest setting, so ive got hold of a trolley jack to get the car higher on the stands. cheers fellas

 

[fUbAr]

thats as high as i trust my trolley jack for tbh... ^^ although its only a cheapy jack.

 

[steviet]

hmm... well the plan is to get it up on 4 axle stands so i can re-fit the exhaust with some new mounts, so i need a fair bit of lift to get under the centre section. could probably do with borrowing a garages pit or lift for an afternoon really, but its not gonna happen!!!

 

[bigmonmulgrew]

If your putting it on 4 axle stands put bricks under the wheels too. Set it us so there is some weight taken us in the suspension when its sitting on the axle stands. Will feel more stable as its 8 points of contact not 4

 

[donsrno1]

Personally I would never feel comfortable under a car on 4 axle stands. It might be perfectly OK but I never like to be under the car even just on two axle stands and I always have wheels under the sills etc just incase.

I personally just jack the rear up pretty high when doing the exhaust. If you wanted more height at the front, but to avoid axle stands all round you could drive the front onto some paving blocks or something if you have them.