So I just bought a new floor jack to lift my car with, and I was looking at the archives for the thread about how to properly jack your car. So then I refer to this picture:



The problem is my jack cannot reach the crossmember therefore I cannot lift.. I've heard of some people jacking one side at a time but is that seriously safe? Would someone please be kind enough to again, circle where I can get to an easier lift point to properly lift without causing any damage. Also I have some kind of tough "plate" under the radiator (I have a 91 N/A) that extends all the way to the crossmember to the bottom of my radiator and I'm afraid to use that as a lift point.

 

Ive have the same prb. I just put a couple of blocks of wood down and parked my front tires on them. I know it sounds ghetto but it works for me.

 

Nothing ghetto about it. I do that too. Some of my buddies insist on buying an expensive floor jack for lowered vehicles. I save my money and bought some pieces of wood

 

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Thanks haha

 

So I can use my jack to lift using those points?

 

Yeah, pinch seams are safe, as you can see. They might bend when you jack it up, so don't use them unless you don't care about them bending.

 

I also use 2x4's to make room for the jack. Most of the time though when i jack up my car the jack slips on the crossbar. This one time i was jacking it up and the car slipped of the jack completely and the jacks bar went straight through the plastic casing luckly not damaging anything.

 

Sounds crazy.. have you found out a way to prevent that? (other then the obvious find a better place)

 

Well there isnt any more jack points up front so....What i do is get high enough to put the jack stands under on the first notch. Put both jack stands under, let it down. Re position and repeat, while jacking up i keep a close eye on slipping....It might be just that i got the cheapest jack money can buy im not to sure. Anyone else have same problem?

 

I used some square tube and welded together a piece that fits into my floor jack. It cradles the pinch seams and doesn't bend them. But, I lost those about 5 years back... not sure what the hell happened to them. I need to make another set.. if I do, I'll post a write-up.

 

What kind of jack do you have? You think putting like a rough rag of maybe some sandpaper would help ? lol

 

You got to make sure the jack wheels can roll even a pebble can stop them and the will slip. Its like when your on a skateboard and hit a small rock . I alway sweep the floor before I jack up my car also you dont get as dirty.

 

A rag would make it worse, and sandpaper wouldnt do that either.

This is the same setup i got for 60 bucks.

 

I got the same one from Wallmart for 30 bucks its black and it comes with a pleather bag like case.