How do you put a car up on jack stands?

[tranquility]

Just a silly question as I'm always puzzled, a car has 4 jack-up points, so how does the process go to put jack stands on all 4 points? If I only have a reg jack, what's the logistics involved? Maybe there are some 'hidden' points in the front or rear of the car but I don't think a reg jack is long enough to reach them? Anyway, haha, if you guys could shed some light here.

[chassis]

With a floor jack.

@tranquility what is your new thread per week count up to? Are you a Social Engineer? No I didn’t report you to the mods.

[diirk]

Originally Posted by tranquility

Just a silly question as I'm always puzzled, a car has 4 jack-up points, so how does the process go to put jack stands on all 4 points? If I only have a reg jack, what's the logistics involved? Maybe there are some 'hidden' points in the front or rear of the car but I don't think a reg jack is long enough to reach them? Anyway, haha, if you guys could shed some light here.

There's a center point in the rear just behind the diff and if you pull the undertray off the front, there's a cross bar

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by chassis

With a floor jack.

@tranquility what is your new thread per week count up to? Are you a Social Engineer? No I didn’t report you to the mods.

What's a floor jack, is that different from a reg jack? If not, what are the steps given there are supposedly only 4 jack points...you know what I mean?

Haha, you saw that too? I didn't know there was a penalty for starting many threads, esp when it's just some fun content and obviously not some weird attempt at something. I'm STILL puzzled by that.

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by diirk

There's a center point in the rear just behind the diff and if you pull the undertray off the front, there's a cross bar

It wasn't in the reg manual, so I guess I need a 'special' manual...I forgot the term, but a reg jack can reach them?

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Most cars have more than that although it's true some cars don't have more like most modern Ferraris IIRC from seeing a video. Made to just be on a car lift. For example on my E92, ISTA will show that the ffront middle point is a plate on the brace bar attached to the subframe and for the rear it's the rear diff itself. Then I use the jack stands on those 4 side jack points. But in most cases without an official jack point, you can always use a jack on structural parts like the subframe for example.

But yeah, even tough I have very low profile jack, I can't reach the front one with my lowered car with a lip. I need to drive on low ramps, then jack one of the front side points with a smaller jack and then I can fit my big low profile jack to the front point. Then the rear I can start it off the ground with the front on the lowest jack stand height.

[kyriian]

Depends on the car

My F15 manual shows a spot specific underneath both front and rear on where to place the Jack

In general, any car I have owned that does not explicitly state where it should be jacked up from the center. I use the engine mount or a subframe

My tC and Z4 are both way too low to do it in one motion
So either I drive the car on ramps and Jack up from there, or Jack up from a Jack point until I can get to the middle and use a second Jack to go up in the middle.

[RM7]

Less and less cars have “jacking points” where you can safely jack the car up to insert the stands at the siderails where they intended to be used (or more correctly, a lift is intended to be used). Sometimes you get lucky with points that people have found…but sometimes you are taking a risk too. There are a few innovative solutions to put in a jack stand at the lift point without lifting the with a chassis part. Depends on your car and situation which is best.

For some reason everyone thinks you can just jack a car onto jack stands using the 4 corner jack locations whenever this question is asked. That and a lot of jackstands dont really have the right insert to properly support the car with that center seam…there are adapters tho.

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by RM7

Less and less cars have “jacking points” where you can safely jack the car up to insert the stands at the siderails where they intended to be used (or more correctly, a lift is intended to be used). Sometimes you get lucky with points that people have found…but sometimes you are taking a risk too. There are a few innovative solutions to put in a jack stand at the lift point without lifting the with a chassis part. Depends on your car and situation which is best.

For some reason everyone thinks you can just jack a car onto jack stands using the 4 corner jack locations whenever this question is asked. That and a lot of jackstands dont really have the right insert to properly support the car with that center seam…there are adapters tho.

Re bold, for sure I don't and that's why I'm asking. Logistically, it isn't possible, right?

Exactly, we all saw those cringey photos where someone jacked it wrongly and it went through the body.

I'm not worried about adaptors though, my jack has a flat surface and you know the typical BMW jack points are rectangular, but that's more for looks/keeping the jack cosmetically unscuffed as I can still jack the car up w/o any problems, so I assume that any jack stand w a flat surface should also be no prb.

[Gossypiboma]

The car has 6 jack points. 2 on each side, 1 in the rear in front of the diff on the subframe and 1 on the front belly pan. Others use the diff too.

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

What BMW chassis are you trying to lift? They all are slightly different, but the same general procedure is used. The 4 points on the side sills (rocker panels) are lift points. These are used to lift the car with a commercial chassis lift, or set down and support the chassis on 4 jackstands. The chassis has a front-center jack point and a rear-center jack point. The front and rear center jack points are used with a common floor jack (google "trolly jack"). Generally BMWs require a low-profile long-saddle floor jack to reach the front-center jack point.

The procedure is set the car in neutral without the parking brake on, on a flat and level concrete surface. Yes, this is correct, you want the car to roll over the jack and the jack to roll under the car as it lifts; leaving it in gear or with locked rear wheels prevents the car from properly rolling over the jack. Raise the front first, then place the stands under the front lift points and lower the car onto the stands. If you do not have flat-top jackstands, then use a block of wood between the jackstand head and the plastic lifting pad.

Once the front is set in place, jack the rear up using the rear-center jack point. The rear jack point on most BMWs is the cast iron differential housing. Lift the rear, then place it on jackstands on the rear lift pads as you did for the front.

If you do not have 4 jackstands of the same model, either get 4 new stands or buy a second set exactly like the stands you already have. It takes the proper equipment to safely lift your BMW.

My own car, E89.

Thanks, that process makes complete sense. I just need to confirm the front and rear jack points.

EDIT: when the car settles onto the first 2 jack stands, are there any concerns they may slip off since it will be at an angle?

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by Piper1

Plug quickjack commercial…anyone?

That may be a good/more efficient idea instead of fumbling around with the centre jack points, jacks and jack stands; it has a locking mechanism in case the hydraulics fail, right?

[Tommysalami]

What Efthreeoh said. Feels sketchy at first but you get used to it. With my E92 I had to drive the front wheels on to wood blocks to reach the front point, jack up the front, and then could do the rear. Couldn't start with the rear since the angle of the car would reduce the clearance to the front jack point. Used two hockey pucks from amazon as jack pads between the jack and diff.

I use a quickjack now though, way better.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by tranquility

That may be a good/more efficient idea instead of fumbling around with the centre jack points, jacks and jack stands; it has a locking mechanism in case the hydraulics fail, right?

If you don't mind spending 1500-2000$ for that I'd say it's a great choice. Yeah hydraulic lift then locks. Great little thing. I'm to cheap to get one though when compared to a jack and stands lol. Wish it would go under 1000$ then maybe I'd look at getting one.

But yeah it's sketchy at first but after raising my cars over 50 times now I get the hang of it and feel safe. I also like to use additional stands as a backups to, like a just in case "failsafe", you can use wheels to.

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by Tommysalami

What Efthreeoh said. Feels sketchy at first but you get used to it. With my E92 I had to drive the front wheels on to wood blocks to reach the front point, jack up the front, and then could do the rear. Couldn't start with the rear since the angle of the car would reduce the clearance to the front jack point. Used two hockey pucks from amazon as jack pads between the jack and diff.

I use a quickjack now though, way better.

Ya, Quickjack may be the way to go, I'm not feeling so confident doing it the old school way haha.

[Tommysalami]

They tend to be on sale around black friday if you care to wait. I got mine on sale through costco at that time.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

I see you're not to far from me if you ever need help I could do a road trip

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by Tommysalami

They tend to be on sale around black friday if you care to wait. I got mine on sale through costco at that time.

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

I see you're not to far from me if you ever need help I could do a road trip

Tx guys, so kind. I'm just kicking the tires right now, planning ahead if I ever need to have all 4 tires changed. I hate taking the car in to have others do it as invariably if you don't remind them, they will torque the crap outta my lugbolts and I'll be @#$@#@#% come seasonal tire changing time lol. So, I'm trying to just give them the wheel so they won't screw that up.

[Tommysalami]

Originally Posted by tranquility

Tx guys, so kind. I'm just kicking the tires right now, planning ahead if I ever need to have all 4 tires changed. I hate taking the car in to have others do it as invariably if you don't remind them, they will torque the crap outta my lugbolts and I'll be @#$@#@#% come seasonal tire changing time lol. So, I'm trying to just give them the wheel so they won't screw that up.

If that's all you're worried about then just get a nice long breaker bar and non-marring socket sized for your lug bolts, and a torque wrench for you to re-torque them when you get home. Quickjack is only good if you'll be changing wheels often, doing fluid changes, brakes, other maintenance, etc

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by Tommysalami

If that's all you're worried about then just get a nice long breaker bar and non-marring socket sized for your lug bolts, and a torque wrench for you to re-torque them when you get home. Quickjack is only good if you'll be changing wheels often, doing fluid changes, brakes, other maintenance, etc

True, but the old school way seems a bit cumbersome to me to put the car in the air so a Quickjack would be great. I already have an electric impact wrench but the shop guys sometimes go to town w their airguns so it's no match. Otherwise, I usually breeeze through tire changes.

There's no way I'm getting underneath my car, that's just not for me. Tire changes is the most I'll do in terms of messing around w the car.

[bosstones]

Depends on which car (1st world problem that I'm thankful to have)...

E84
Depends on if I need the front, rear, or both raised up. Using both ends as an example:

• Chock wheels
• Lift from the front, center jack point to raise the front end to heart's content
• Position the jack stands
• Lower the front onto the jack stands
• Repeat for the rear
• Stability check the car before getting under it

E86

• Chock wheels
• Use small jack to raise front end enough to get my other jack access to the front, center jack point
• Lift from the front, center jack point to raise the front end just enough to get jack stands underneath at their lowest setting
• Position the jack stands
• Lower the front onto the jack stands
• Repeat for the rear
• Go back to the front, center jack point and raise car to heart's content
• Adjust jack stand height
• Go back to the rear, center jack point and raise car to heart's content
• Adjust jack stand height
• Stability check the car before getting under it

Now, for either car, it's just:

• Position QuickJack under each side of car
• Raise slowly and adjust lift blocks as needed
• Raise car to heart's content
• Stability check the car before getting under it