Best positioning of floor jack

[Perry]

Query: To aid in (greatly) reducing time it takes me to swap out wheels in spring and fall, I'm looking to get a floor jack. As I look under the vehicle, and in checking the manual, I realize that it's not clear where one should best position the small lifting platform present on most floor jacks. [The manual only references the stock jack that sits over a small protruding lip on the undercarriage at the designated lift points on each side.] Since I'd like to avoid the tedium of using the stock jack to do my wheel swaps, etc., in future (and trust me, it gets more than a little tedious moving through all four wheels with the stock on-vehicle jack), I'd love some good advice to avoid causing myself or the car any problems. Don't mean to make something easy hard, but do wanna avoid stupid mistakes!

 

[MKVIIST]

I'll see if I can snap a picture for today or tomorrow. I've been using the jack point behind the front tires with my Craftsman 2 Ton jack. It's large enough to lift both wheels off the ground at once.

 

[scottiemac]

I have a couple of floor jacks - one of those smaller aluminum racing jacks and a bigger 3 ton one. When I put on my winter wheels I used the small one and positioned the jack pad (about 4" in diameter with a heavy rubber pad in the centre) on the seam where the stock jack is supposed to fit. It worked well but it took me a while to figure out where to put it. The car is so low I was crawling around with my inspection mirror and a trouble light trying to sort it out. In the spring when I put on the summers I'll likely mark the jack position with a Sharpie to eliminate the guess work.

 

[Perry]

I'll see if I can snap a picture for today or tomorrow. I've been using the jack point behind the front tires with my Craftsman 2 Ton jack. It's large enough to lift both wheels off the ground at once.

Sounds great MKVIIST. I wondered if that might be doable, but wasn't sure--partly because I was worried that I'd have to lift (in this case the front wheel) way up off the ground to get the rear wheel up, too.

And I assume you place jack stands under each of the two lift points?

And then, to get under the front end, say for an oil change or summat, do you put the front end up on ramps?

 

[Perry]

. . . . The car is so low I was crawling around with my inspection mirror and a trouble light trying to sort it out. In the spring when I put on the summers I'll likely mark the jack position with a Sharpie to eliminate the guess work.

I did some of the same, just prospecting for the spring job. If this keeps up, FiST owners might eventually be identifiable by their aptitude at crawling around like cockroaches! I love the idea of marking the spot with a Sharpie--I'll probably do the same.

 

[mYsTiCfAc3]

I have been able to lift both wheels of the ground using a regular jack by jacking in the front

 

[scottiemac]

I did some of the same, just prospecting for the spring job. If this keeps up, FiST owners might eventually be identifiable by their aptitude at crawling around like cockroaches! I love the idea of marking the spot with a Sharpie--I'll probably do the same.

My next task is trying to figure how I'm going to get under it to change my oil. I've got some simple ramps that I made out of 2x8's. I'll have to see if I can get the clearance I need with those. Sounds like more crawling around like a cockroach!

 

[MKVIIST]

I have been able to lift both wheels of the ground using a regular jack by jacking in the front

That's where I have mine jacked up as well. I would only recommend this for swapping out tires and not jacking the car up too high (exactly like the way mYsTiCfAc3 did it).

Perry, yup! I have ramps that I used for oil changes.

 

[Perry]

Dunno about you guys, but I think I'd like to place a couple of jack stands under there as well while I swap wheels; while the jack is strong and capable of supporting the load, I want a bit more assurance the car isn't going to come crashing down (perhaps on me). And looks like I'll probably go the ramp route for the oil changes and other under-car bits, unless I can feel confident about jacking up each side and placing jack stands where they need to be.

BTW, important safety tip: Don't cross the streams. Er, wait, wrong safety tip. Here it is: whether working on ramps or stands or whatever, I would strongly recommend the placement of chocks behind the wheels still on the ground. Don't let the car roll! Even just when putting on the spare alongside the road, I block the wheels.

 

[mYsTiCfAc3]

Fyi i had stands right next to me on that shot ... I was simply surprised that both wheels lifted so i got a shot

 

[scottiemac]

Fyi i had stands right next to me on that shot ... I was simply surprised that both wheels lifted so i got a shot

Both wheels lifting off from one jack point is the sign of a stiff chassis - one of the reasons the car handles so well.

 

[STooge]

If you have a small enough jack, skinny and long, you can get to the subframe. If you imagine looking under the car straight passed the pedals, thats about where it is. could lift there as well and not need to worry about the side skirts/rollers.

 

[rcl4668]

Great post and responses. So I assume that the metal seam where the factory jack attaches does not get damages by using a conventional, "flat pad" jack in that same location?

 

[chinchillin]

^^^^ can some one answer this

 

[CanadianGuy]

Great post and responses. So I assume that the metal seam where the factory jack attaches does not get damages by using a conventional, "flat pad" jack in that same location?

Yes it will get damaged. Used something to craddle the seem and transfer the pressure to the flat on each side like the emergency jack idea. I used hockey pucks cut in half or with a groove, 2x4 again with a deep groove.

 

[ManOnFire]

I use one of these with a floor jack on the pinch weld. Never causes any damage.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-Volkswag...bug-/231109903332?hash=item35cf3943e4&vxp=mtr

or something like this works also.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Solid-Vulca...hash=item35db3a1e9a&item=231311285914&vxp=mtr

 

[CanadianGuy]

I use one of these with a floor jack on the pinch weld. Never causes any damage.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-Volkswag...bug-/231109903332?hash=item35cf3943e4&vxp=mtr

or something like this works also.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Solid-Vulca...hash=item35db3a1e9a&item=231311285914&vxp=mtr

that my friend is a hockey puck @ $17usd.