Member Since: 02 Nov 2023
Location: Leics
Posts: 19
Jacking the car up
So I’ve got axel stands. Apparently I can’t lift onto one and then on the other. Obviously I understand why, now that I’ve thought about it. But I am now wondering how I’m supposed to lift both sides at the same time with one jack? Is there a centre lift point or something so I can lift one whole end.
Also… hear me out. Is it an awful idea to raise the suspension, put the axel stands in, lift tyres into access height, put some wood under the tyres, lift it again… rinse repeat until it’s high enough. I mean, is there an upper limit here? Can I just keep doing this until I reach the roof of the house?
Air suspension will NOT lift the wheels. It can only push against the ground, the amount of push being determined by the height setting..
Dean
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28th Dec 2023 11:52 pm
Cypher
Member Since: 02 Nov 2023
Location: Leics
Posts: 19
Oh yeah. That makes sense 🤦♂️ I feel a bit silly for even asking it now.
Is there a jacking point in the centre of the car on each end?
29th Dec 2023 12:34 am
garrycol
Member Since: 06 Dec 2010
Location: Canberra
Posts: 1115
Why cannot you lift the car from one side only then the other side - in over 10 years of ownership I have always done that and never had an issue - lift both on the chassis lift points and on the lower suspension wishbones.
29th Dec 2023 4:54 am
KevinD3
Member Since: 05 Aug 2020
Location: Sutton Coldfield
Posts: 1207
No reason I can think of as to why anyone would tell you not to lift one side then the other. Normal way of doing it. You can Jack from a single point (both front and rear) but your then lifting twice the weight on the Jack.2008 HSE Stornoway Grey
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29th Dec 2023 10:17 am
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4400
If I want mine on axle stands, doing suspension work for example, I drive up ramps, lift one lower suspension arm on the trolley jack, remove one ramp, and put an axle stand under the chassis. When I lower the jack, it sits on the axle stand, and drops the suspension down. Repeat for the other side.Richard
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29th Dec 2023 10:38 am
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10365
The issue with jacking these tall cars, is that the first stand you place, won't be perfectly straight or ballanced or centered.
You can work around this if you wish by going back to the first stand you placed and jacking the car up to take the weight off the stand, move the stand slightly if required and let the jack down
29th Dec 2023 11:19 am
DIY Ace
Member Since: 06 Feb 2019
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 882
I've just lubed up my gear lever linkage this morning as the lever is a bit notchy. I raised the suspension, put axle stands under the chassis rails and went to work. I left the driver's door open to avoid the suspension lowering. That practice is not ideal, but if it did lower for any reason it would hit the axle stands and raise to Extended mode anyway.
I wouldn't normally do that, but needs must as I'm 130 miles from home and don't have a decent jack on me. I borrowed the axle stands from my Dad, it's all he has left from his old Cortina days...!2022 BMW i4 M50. Bought Oct 2022. 10,200 miles and counting...
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Member Since: 31 Aug 2010
Location: retford'ish
Posts: 2210
Hi,
there are a number of ways of using Jacks, axle stands, ramps etc that work very well and can be used safely, as long as the USER knows the limitations and understands the risks
"oh S##T" moments normally happen when the laws of physics are Bent a bit or peeps just don't know what they are doing,
you can safely lift 1 side or the front or the rear in one go, Most of the time
Member Since: 02 Nov 2023
Location: Leics
Posts: 19
Pete K wrote:
The issue with jacking these tall cars, is that the first stand you place, won't be perfectly straight or ballanced or centered.
You can work around this if you wish by going back to the first stand you placed and jacking the car up to take the weight off the stand, move the stand slightly if required and let the jack down
That's what I thought of doing. Lift both sides, and then redo the first one to make sure there's no lateral forces going through the axel stand. Maybe reseat the second one just to be sure. This will be my first time digging around under a car... and I really really don't want to get crushed to death...
30th Dec 2023 2:10 am
flydive
Member Since: 21 Aug 2007
Location: Lugano
Posts: 1533
Hardware wrote:
Air suspension will NOT lift the wheels. It can only push against the ground, the amount of push being determined by the height setting.
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... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
or peeps just don't know what they are doing,
