oil change jacking point/ramps
 

Hello,

Please do not jump all over me for making a new thread. I searched for an hour last night and consulted the factory service manuel but did not really find a general consensus answer for my question. I am going to change my 93 RX7's oil for the first time and I am trying to find the best way to get under it. I have a R1 front underspoiler so am I correct in assuming ramps would not work? I am thinking of buying a cheap 2 ton jack to get the job done but I am not sure how it would exactly work. I looked in the factory service manual and it said that the correct jacking point for the front is at the center of the crossmember. While searching however, people seemed to indicate they could not get a jack that far under the car. Any advice on how to get the front of the car in the air for an oil change would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Drew

Ramps always worked fine on mine and it's slightly lower than stock. IIRC they're Rhino ramps rated well beyond the car's weight. I'd run it up on the ramps then use a floor jack to go higher if needed. Always with stands at the pinch rail points...which are set out in the owners manual.

Jim,

Thank you for the response. Your R1 front air dam cleared the rhino ramps? Do you know what model of Rhino ramps you have. Sounds like a good plan of attack!

Thanks,
Drew

For my oil change I used a normal hydraulic jack (which doesnt fit under the front bumper) on the rails on the side, and then just placed a 2ton stand there, and did the same on the other side.

No, not off-hand. The lip may touch it a little going up or down, but it's flexible. But if they don't clear enough a 12" piece of old 2 X 4 or 2 X 6 in front of the ramps would also work. As they say, it's not rocket science.

If you end up getting a floor jack that is too tall to slide under the frame, drive the front tires onto a couple pieces of 2x6 or 2x8 to raise the front up enough for the jack.

I'd done this before, but never really crossed my mind, then my brother showed up a few days ago and did this... my only reply was "Oh yeah... oops."

I'd still like to buy a low pro jack, but simple and cheap wood that's always around makes it hard to justify buying one.

If your car is not lowered too much, then a low profile aluminum small jack will fit under the car to the cross member.

All you needed to do was:
(1) measure your ground clearance
(2) visit a few places were they sell jacks
(3) measure them.

Was that too difficult for you do on your own that you had to ask?
DAPDAS!

Why don't you try fitting the jack under your car first? Harbor Freight carries some low profile jacks. My car was too low to fit a low profile jack, so I picked up some 2x4s and drove onto them to fit my jack under the crossmember.

FYI - There is a "New Member RX-7 Technical" section here on the forums where you could ask all your "basic" questions without getting flamed.

I quit trying to get jacks under the front if the car years ago. Just jack from each side using the frame rails. I kept some 2x2s around to keep from mangling the pinch weld until I had jack point reinforcements welded in.

If you are lazy like me, ramps are the way to go.

And if it's your first oil change, don't spend 10 minutes under the car looking for the oil filer like I did.

(It's on top.)

Jim

I did this the first time as well haha.

67" Race Ramps with extenders is what I use. Car Service Ramps Race Ramps Category This company also makes jack assist ramps.

Just be carefull with ramps. Dont use them on a smooth shiney floor. They can slide out as you drive up and wreck the front lip or worse. In fact they are a pain in the arse lining them up, and then driving up, you cant see where the front wheels are, its less work and less stressfull just to park the front wheels on 2x4s and slide a trolly jack under the cross-member

also, not to be condescending, but it sounds like you're new at this. dont get under the car on a jack. put it on stands before you get undr there.

I can get a regular jack under mine just fine, but my car is still on stock height :)

I just use my stock jack to lift one side of the car a little bit, then slide one arm under the car to unscrew the drain plug. takes little to no time, but it probably isn't the safest way :lol:

Instead of messing with the front crossmember, would it work to just jack up the car from the lift point behind the left front wheel and put a stand there for safety. Would that give me enough clearance to get to the oil plug? The jack I was looking at lifts 14 inches so hopefully that will be enough.

Take it to a post lift :). I'm a little spoiler but the frame would work just as well.

I'm a bit confused what do you you mean? The frame would work just as well?

Off topic but I think he's talking about a two post lift. I have one too. With those you just swing a couple arms under the pinch-welds on each side.

I always use the aluminium jack that comes standard with the car to get it started- so its high enough to put an bigger jack under there.
i had to grind the tabs on my stock jack off where you put the handle bit into it so you can turn it to get it started though :D

Post #18 has a great picture and instructions of a cheap solution:

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...1/#post5461843

These are what I use and they work perfectly and allow me to get a normal or race jack under the center of the car.

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati...-ramps-937124/