Best way to jack up car

[bfi2906]

Over the break, I want to get the wheels off the car and clean and wax them thoroughly. I've had a look at the jacking points, and I'm concerned that the floor jack and / or stands will destroy them.

Has anyone worked out a safe way to get the car in the air, and keep it there, without doing any damage?

[bobbynoway]

Best way to do this is to get a jackpad that suits your car.

Otherwise you can try to make your own to fit in the slot, which I did the first time.
It was made using abit of hardwood to fit in the jacking point and long enough to extend beyond the plastic bits. Then just use a regular jack as normal to lift car.

[BrokenVert]

I cut blocks out of a piece of Oak I had lying around. There are some made out Aluminium floating around, but they are expensive, upwards of $40 USD for 1

[mattssi]

http://www.reverselogic.us/ReverseLo...ited/Home.html

[AussieRacer]

If I'm removing more than one wheel, I only jack the car at two points - under engine, and under diff, and just insert stands (with rubber pads) under the jack points. A lot quicker, and puts no strain on the jack points. Of course you do need a fairly low jack, or drive the up onto bricks/timber to lift it up higher.

Anyway have read here:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214304

[qship]

Use lots of helium!

[minijet]

Does anyone have any opinions on what jack would be best for our car?
was considering the kincrome K12064 - its low profile for lowered cars


http://www.kincrome.com.au/web/catal...tnumber=K12064

Its about $329

[123D-M]

Try to avoid this...

[oldman]

Originally Posted by minijet

Does anyone have any opinions on what jack would be best for our car?
was considering the kincrome K12064 - its low profile for lowered cars


http://www.kincrome.com.au/web/catal...tnumber=K12064

Its about $329

Boy, that's a big jack @ 3500Kg. I have been considering getting this one from Autobarn



http://www.autobarn.com.au/products/15/203/4213913

I believe the 135i totals out at about 1560Kg, so it should handle the car and it's also alloy, so it's light weight.

[BrokenVert]

I have an 8 ton motorhome jack that I use in my driveway along with 5 ton motorhome stands...now thats overkill haha

[TimMc]

Originally Posted by oldman

Boy, that's a big jack @ 3500Kg. I have been considering getting this one from Autobarn

http://www.autobarn.com.au/products/15/203/4213913

I believe the 135i totals out at about 1560Kg, so it should handle the car and it's also alloy, so it's light weight.

Looks good. Is it long enough to reach the jacking points under the engine & diff do you think? How much?

I've been sizing up these floor jacks, but just using a $29 scissor jack that fits perfectly into the plastic jacking pads in the meantime.

[AussieRacer]

I use one like the Autobarn one posted above

[bfi2906]

Originally Posted by AussieRacer

If I'm removing more than one wheel, I only jack the car at two points - under engine, and under diff, and just insert stands (with rubber pads) under the jack points. A lot quicker, and puts no strain on the jack points. Of course you do need a fairly low jack, or drive the up onto bricks/timber to lift it up higher.

Anyway have read here:
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214304

Sorry - being a bit thick here.

That sounds like a simple approach - which is good for me. Just so I'm clear, a couple of questions.

Is there a jack point on the underside of the engine, or is it a cross-member? I thought it was largely enclosed under there.

Do you put the jack straight on the diff housing?

And finally, where'd you get the rubber pads that you use with the stands?

Thanks,
B.

[AussieRacer]

Originally Posted by bfi2906

Sorry - being a bit thick here.

That sounds like a simple approach - which is good for me. Just so I'm clear, a couple of questions.

Is there a jack point on the underside of the engine, or is it a cross-member? I thought it was largely enclosed under there.

Check out the link I posted, I think on the second page of the thread I've posted a BMW TIS image of the jack points.

That said, there is a dedicated jack point in the middle of the front sub-frame directly below the engine. It is a plastic pad visible inside a circular cutout section of the undertray. Again if you drive the car onto bricks/timber, you'll be able to slide pretty much any jack under there and lift from there.

Originally Posted by bfi2906

Do you put the jack straight on the diff housing?

Again check the link. You need to lift from the middle of the diff, which is a point actually higher than the first part of the diff visible from the rear.

Originally Posted by bfi2906

And finally, where'd you get the rubber pads that you use with the stands?

Thanks,
B.

Visit Clark Rubber (think they are national), and just buy a short length of 3-4mm think rubber (eg neoprene). Cut up with shears to fit the stands. I've glued the rubber permanently on my stands with liquid nails.

If you lift this car or other cars more than once, you'll thank yourself for putting rubber on the stands.

NB. don't get under the unless it is perfectly stable. If you can open the drivers door and slam it shut without the car barely moving, then it's probably securely lifted. If you're too worried about slamming the door shut cause the car will fall, then no part of your body should be under the car -wheels on or off!

[AussieRacer]

Pics here:

front

rear
Jack instructions here:

[bfi2906]

That's fantastic -- thanks guys.

[jlee]

i have the reverse logic jack pad and I love it !!

its a must for all 1 and 3 series owners.

Jeff

[mattssi]

Ditto on the reverse logic - the piece looks nicer than the web site shows. Jack pads are a little duller in the finish, but it really doesn't matter.



Make sure to get Ice Cube tickets too - adds a few HP.

[mattssi]

F a resize

[Ruffan]

I also use the Reverse Logic pad adapter for jacking up the car, and it's very useful, but this adapter still doesn't solve the problem of sitting the car on jack stands while working under it.

[mattssi]

That's why you use the jack stand adapter which is also in my picture.

[Ruffan]

Originally Posted by mattssi

That's why you use the jack stand adapter which is also in my picture.

Ahh, he did not sell those when I got the jack pad adapter. How convenient.