Noob question: Jacking points

[T3rminator]

Hi,

For people with body kits and side skirts, how do you get your car up onto jack stands?

My XT has a body kit and the side skirt only allows two jacking points on each side (front and back). This means if I jack up the car using the jacking points, it won't allow me to put a jack stand unless I place it on the side skirt, which would crack it. For the time being I'm using a piece of wood to distribute the load and jacking it up in the middle section (actually against the side skirt) but I feel uncomfortable with this as the side skirt might crack.

I see another frame further underneath. Is it safe to jack up the car along the point marked red? Any suggestions?

[Falcon Coupe]

I'm surprised it didn't crack the first time you did that. The jack goes on the red, not under any plastic period.
Oh and get a decent jack that's wider than the chassis rail so it doesn't slip off.

[Shonky.]

be careful OP, plenty of smarter people than you have been killed by cars falling on them

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by Shonky.

be careful OP, plenty of smarter people than you have been killed by cars falling on them

Sure.... Hence why I always use jack stands, at least 2.

Sent from my SM-N9005

[FPV GTHO]

I never use factory jack points with a trolley jack. My first car I almost folded the seam flat doing that.

On the front I either use the radiator crossmember or further to the front where you marked.

On the rear either the IRS frame under the diff or there's a few points near the control blade mount.

[Shonky.]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Sure.... Hence why I always use jack stands, at least 2.

Sent from my SM-N9005

you can have the worlds strongest axle stands, but if you don't know where to put them it makes me nervous

(not trying to give you a hard time - genuinely concerned)

[T3rminator]

All good shonky. I previously had the stands under the front cross member. Whilst it is strong enough, it didnt feel right as it was making marks on it, hence why I was looking at another jack stand point. When jacking up on the thin side rails i would usually use the scissors jack...but it takes forever to do multiple sides.

To get the whole car up, do people usually do front and rear, or side and side?

[Shonky.]

I have a big low profile, long reach 3000kg jack

I jack the entire side up from the chassis rail on the join near the b pillar, put stands under, then go do the other side

A good jack makes it easy, safe, and difficult to do damage

[Full_Monty]

With that jack I would jack from the factory locations, behind the front wheel and infront of the rear. rotate the cup in the jack so it mates to the tabs on the jacking point.
chock front tyre opposite side, with the handbrake on, and place 2 jack stands on chassis rails front and rear.

About to buy a low profile 2000kg race jack to reach the chassis rail mid point as Shonky has said, makes life much easier (especially with a lowered car).

[aussiblue]

These are useful if you want to jack at the designated jacking point on the pinch weld http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Car-Jacki...4AAOSwmmxW3q0w

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

These are useful if you want to jack at the designated jacking point on the pinch weld http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Car-Jacki...4AAOSwmmxW3q0w

image

I was just looking at that. But with side skirts it's no use. Best spot is the inner rail. Will be going to Clarke rubbers tomorrow to see if I can knock something up.

Sent from my SM-N9005

[XR Martin]

Dont like jacking at the side (or corner) of a car, puts alot of strain on the chassis which it doesnt normally see. Had a door unlatch once when doing this (not a Falcon), was even using a metre length of hardwood to spead the load and you could still tell the car was flexing.

Jack the whole front or back only.

[Shonky.]

Yeah, my mechanical sympathy gland aches when I do a corner; I try to avoid

[sexyxe]

Don't forget once the car gets up onto the jack stands to give your car a really solid shake. If it is going to come off you want it to happen then with the wheels still on it and you not under it pulling on a bolt.

[NTF6]

Originally Posted by Shonky.

I have a big low profile, long reach 3000kg jack

I jack the entire side up from the chassis rail on the join near the b pillar, put stands under, then go do the other side

A good jack makes it easy, safe, and difficult to do damage

Same here as Shonky, I jack up the front and rear at the same time by jacking near the join on the chassis rail using a low profile 3 ton jack.

[CoupeKing]

Never trust a jack on it's own. - Jacks are Hydraulic, hydraulics can fail, more so than a jack stand. Use both. In a tight situation and havn't got a jack stand?...use a spare tyre, mother inlaw, massive chunk of wood etc.

[aussiblue]

Also see http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11432185 and http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11438957

[Macht]

Has any one got some photos with marks where to jack and where to use stands on a BF falcon sedan?
Each time I go looking for the older threads, their diagrams have been removed.

[Struggo]

[T3rminator]

Unfortunately the user manual (for the B series) is useless for those that want to get the car up on to all 4 stands. It only tells you the jacking point on the side pinch weld area i.e. the place where it is suitable for scissors jacks, and is usually done for tyre change only.

If you are going side to side, then the chassis rail (see picture below where I have red line) is probably the best.

If doing front to back, this is a good video for jacking up the rear:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucVYl3fbKYQ

For the front, there are some people who believe cross member is not a good idea and some who do it without any issues.

Me, i'll probably go side to side as I can use hard wood F17 to distribute the load underneath.

My next home, I'm going to install a hoist

[T3rminator]

Struggo...good photos, but is that a B series falcon? Looks very different to mine. My cross member is a massive silver looking thing...

[Struggo]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Struggo...good photos, but is that a B series falcon? Looks very different to mine. My cross member is a massive silver looking thing...

FG mate, sorry.

However the same rules apply.

[Macht]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Me, i'll probably go side to side as I can use hard wood F17 to distribute the load underneath.

And where would you jack from? The chassis rails?

[olfella]

Wasn't there an issue with the aluminium cross member on the AU and BA being used as a jacking point?

[aussiblue]

Wasn't there an issue with the aluminium cross member on the AU and BA being used as a jacking point?

Yes they can bend slightly and stuff the camber and caster; I would jack from the points marked "2" one side at a time.

[Macht]

Originally Posted by aussiblue

Yes they can bend slightly and stuff the camber and caster; I would jack from the points marked "2" one side at a time.

Just to be clear, you would then put the stands in roughly the same place as were you jacked it up from?

[aussiblue]

Just to be clear, you would then put the stands in roughly the same place as were you jacked it up from?

Yes; that is correct. That's also why buying a car lift is an even better option.

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by Macht

And where would you jack from? The chassis rails?

Yes, in the first post there is a photo, I would jack where the red line is, in the middle so I can put stands on the front and back.

[Struggo]

Vehicle Jack – Changing a Wheel

[T3rminator]

This would cover most points?