1st Gen Jack Points
 

Could someone please tell me or take a picture of the underside of the safest points. It looks like the previous owner used the thin rails that line the sides, and of course it buckled. The places Ive tried under the car, all seem to give out slightly and makes me a little nervous. Mainly curious about the frontend.

Thanks

If you have the Haynes manual it gives you the safest jack points. I usually jack my FB from the rear diff and in the front I jack from the lower control arm where they bolt to the cross member. Hopefully this helps you out.

If you have access to a floor jack, the differential in the rear and the subframe cross member in the front. Jack stands can be placed just inside the rear shock mounts on the axle or the lower control arm brackets attached to the body. On the front they can be placed on the subframe cross member, just inside the lower control arms.

If you have to use the factory jack, the pinch welds under the rocker arms sit in the slot on the top of the jack. Place the jack as close to the wheel arches, front ot rear, as possible. I have seen the stock jack go through the sheet metal on the rockers on badly rusrted cars.

I find that most of the damage to the rockers is caused by incompetent shop people using a floor jack under the rockers or not properly placing the pads on the 4 arm lift hoists.

I use the diff in the rear, and the cross member in the front. in the front I put stands under the "frame rails" in the rear I put them under the Axle houseing.

on a side note, where do you put hoist arms?

i use the front cross member, then put the jack stands under the front control arms then take the jack off so it rests on the control arms. on the rear i jack up on the diferential and put jack stands on the rear axle as close to the tires as possible.

Your mazda manual that came with the car might be in the glovebox somewhere, it's only useful for two things:

The oil viscosity chart and the jacking points.

Jon

you have got to be kidding me...take a look its pretty obvious

Well, no, not really. I've wondered this myself. I know where the stock jack is supposed to be placed, and as others have said, I jack under the cross member in front and the pumpkin in rear. But what if I want to drop the rear suspension...where can I put jack stands?

Rich

^^^ for dropping the rear suspension I put 2 floor jacks under the 2 supports that travel under the length of the body of the car (from front to rear). Then I use a floor jack under the differential works like a charm... I have swapped out the suspension a couple times now using this method and a pry bar and a dead blow hammer...

I tried putting jack stands under the supports that travel under the length of the body of the car, and they started crushing so I stopped.

Rich

Placing anything under the frame rails is a bad idea IMHO as I've seen those buckle as well. The best place when dropping the rear axle is under the brackets that connect the lower control arms to the body.

Another great place at the front of the car that hasn't been mentioned is under the tension rod brackets.

Per the manual(s), rear jack stands location...
 

Here's the recommended point-of-contact for jack stands at the rear

Nice Car!

Is your rod bent? hahaha... is your rod bent, no really?

Also as all of us are aware there comes plenty of times where the be point can not be used because it's in the way. My suggestion (all of the above mentioned point are one's that I use too so I have nothing to add as far as "where") is that always have lenghts of cut 2x4 and other sized wood to place in between the jack and the "frame rails" of the car... less likly to deform the rail. Also I like to have rubber hose around too, to place inbetween a jackstand and what ever the is going to rest on the jack stand, this helps more in the not scratching stuff area.

hehe...yeah, that's my old bent rod!
I'll need to get that thing straightened out when I remove it.

when you guys jack it up from the rail the run the length of the car ... make sure you place a small block of 2 x4 inbetween the jack and the rail. Like this the pressure is sprear more evenly across a larger area.

^^^ yes I forgot to mention thats what I do... when I am jacking it up from the supports.

As others have said, always put a piece of 2 x 4 between the jack and the bottom of the car or jackstands. This is a normal precaution for any unibody car, especially old one.

I just wish the previous owner of mine had known that!

I know what you mean. I also wish people did jak my car up fromteh poinch welds

From what I've heard

Front:

Floor jack undernearth front crossmember
(Between the wheels, consider using a piece of wood to cushion the jack and be careful of the oilpan)

Jackstands underneath the tension rod brackets


Rear:

Floor jack underneath the differential

Jackstands underneath the axle OR underneath the lower control arm brackets (If you need the axle unsprung)


Not too sure about a lift, rear lower control arm brackets + firewall/c channel intersection. Someone else can chime in on this one. And just for clarification isn't it a bad idea to use jackstands on the front control arms? I mean, stamped metal and all.

when i jack up the front, I place the jack stand on that same piece that I jack it up, I'm not sure what its called (maybe its the cross member) but if you look underneath its about 3 inches wide and 3 foot long or so. I jack it from the middle, and stick the jack stands at either side of it. See the only problem that I've been having lately is fitting the jack under the car with my new lowered suspension, I first have to use our stock jack to lift the car up a bit to fit my hydraulic jack (even though its one of the smallest in height that i've found for a good price). Its mostly the back end thats lower

I always put a cloth on my stands, so they don't scatch the car. Also I don't ever use the factory jack. I have a jacket with a wide contact area so I don't damage anything.

I jacket the car up by the diff or by the frame rails. But with the rear skirt I can't get to the diff anymore.