jacking ford edge onto stands: best way?

[homec]

Hi,
So I'm just getting started on my own car repairs. I went to change the serpentine belt and check tie rods yesterday and I ran into unexpected difficulty related to jacking and jack stands. I wasn't comfortable with how car sitting on the stands so I dropped the car and figured it would be best to ask here before getting under it.

The car is a 2010 Ford Edge. Being a unibody, it wasn't completely obvious the best place to jack it for placement on jack stands. After I settled on a spot to jack it, I got on my side and watched closely for any signs that it couldn't support the weight while jacking and got it onto the stands.

The photos below show how I jacked it. It's obviously strong being part of frame where control arm attaches and there's a vertical column right above jack point.

The first is a photo shot from front of car:

And this is from side facing front of car:

The problem as I see it is that the groove at the base of the jack stand's saddle is too deep for the ford-recommended jack points and so they don't fully seat into the saddle. The high points of the saddle contact to the sides of the jack point instead of being properly seated on the pinch weld. Not sure I'm comfortable getting under car with this arrangement... If anything slipped it could drop a centimeter, and I'd be worried about the ends of the jack stand pushing through or deforming the metal it is in contact with on either side of the pinch weld.

This photo shows the car resting on jack stand at the front left lift point:

Could there be better spots to place the jack stands where I don't have to worry about this?

This photo is from the Haynes manual showing underside of my car:

FYI I should have used letters instead of numbers, but when I refer to numbers on diagram, I'm always referring to the numbers in yellow that I added.

#1 looks like part of the structure of the car and the metal is doubled-up in that area. That said I don't know what the overlap of the two metal pieces is. Might only be an inch. I watched a video that said these are typically ok places to jack at or put stands #2 is where I jacked from. The jack has a big circular surface but #2 isn't flat, it's slightly curved, so the jack wasn't in complete contact there but jacking it was ok. Given the saddle shape of jack stand ends, I'm not super comfortable about using jack stands there... Also wondering if I can jack entire front of car at point 3 (in yellow) of pic below? Would mostly be for convenience vs the point I chose that's more difficult access and to lift from.

Here's a close-up of area 1 and 3 (both in yellow)
area 1:

area 3:

What's your advice? Thanks in advance.

 

[dave89iroc]

I would have no worries placing your stands at the red circled #1 location

 

[ItsNemo]

Get different jack stands that don't have that stupid notch in them and use on the pinch welds like you were planning to. Jacking from the front subframe is absolutely fine.

 

[ItsNemo]

I would have no worries placing your stands at the red circled #1 location

I wouldn't put them there, it's not reinforced in any way for a point load like a jack stand.

 

[bczygan]

Try these:
https://www.google.com/search?q=ford+edge+jack+points&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

 

[theoldwizard1]

Don't feel bad ! It takes a few minutes for me on a new car to find the best jack points as well as 2 on one side, one for the jack and one for the jack stand.

Pretty much any point on the front sub frame is fine. Directly under the places where the bolt attach it to the body or where the control arms attach are usually best.

Get your self a piece of PT 4x6 about 8"-10" long. (If you cant find one, buy a PT 2x6, cut it to length and then nail the 2 piece flat to each other.) Then cut a 1/2" grove about 1" deep down the center of the long face. Now you can put that on a pinch weld and jack there while you put you jack stands under the front sub frame.


PS Keep your old serpentine belt with your spare tire. It is nice to have a spare if you break one on the road.

Also, if you have to change the tie rod end, besides the proper size wrench(es) you will need a BFH (HF Engineer's Hammer). Loosen the lock nut first and then remove the castle nut on top. Now, use you BFH and "hit what the stud goes through", hard. That is usually cast or forged so it can handle you banging on it.

 

[dave89iroc]

I wouldn't put them there, it's not reinforced in any way for a point load like a jack stand.

it has taken the load for 30 years on cars around the world, how much weight you think its going to hold?

that said, If the pinch weld is rusty, I usually jack there with the floor jack, and place the stand at one of the subframe bolt locations

 

[homec]

Get different jack stands that don't have that stupid notch in them and use on the pinch welds like you were planning to. Jacking from the front subframe is absolutely fine.

I assumed they were all pretty similar in terms of basic shape but I just looked at a bunch of jack stands on amazons and mine are not the norm. The saddles of my jack stands are quite deep and they're the only ones I looked at that had the notch in the center.

Having said that, reading another thread about putting a car on jack stands by the pinch welds, someone said that read that the welds often get deformed (bent over and then rusted) because they're not meant to be loaded directly...

Which part of the lift point is meant to be loaded, edge of the pinch weld itself or are the ends of the fork of the jack stand on each side of the pinch weld supposed to bear the load? Or are there supposed to be 3 points of contact? (points of fork, and center)

I wouldn't put them there, it's not reinforced in any way for a point load like a jack stand.

Ya, I saw some guy say you can do it where it's doubled-up and someone else say he's seen those spots crumple up as they're mainly just floor support so I was very apprehensive and eventually jacked it up where I did in the pictures.

 

[ItsNemo]

No matter what you do lifting pinch welds short of some of the fancier pinch weld adapters (that don't always work due to depth) you'll end up bending them. They are typically reinforced a bit (depending on vehicle) in a couple spots front/rear and that's where you should put the jack stand. It should go perpendicular to the vehicle just like in your picture, sitting centered in the cup of the jack stand.

it has taken the load for 30 years on cars around the world, how much weight you think its going to hold?

that said, If the pinch weld is rusty, I usually jack there with the floor jack, and place the stand at one of the subframe bolt locations

The location circled "1" is the floor pan, in some cases yes it might be boxed as a psuedo "frame rail" but it's not where I'd want to be putting my jack stand. It's also not the manufacturer approved lifting point.

 

[d.mcfarland]

What's your location? Seems like a lot of rust for a car that's only 6 years old.

 

[mike528]

On my wife's 2010 edge I jack at point #3 and put the stands at #2. Haven't had any issues.

 

[homec]

What's your location? Seems like a lot of rust for a car that's only 6 years old.

Canada. =/

 

[homec]

On my wife's 2010 edge I jack at point #3 and put the stands at #2. Haven't had any issues.

What way do you orient the jack stands? Fork facing sideways or forward? It's not exactly a flat surface...

 

[Bryanthegreat]

I usually use the front sub frame for lifting and support. Orientation of the stand doesn't really matter if the car will be sturdy on them. I believe I typically have them sideways. My 2007 Edge had a stretch belt on it that needed to be installed with a special tool. I am not sure if the 2010 model is that way.

 

[mknunley]

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[CJM8515]

Front subframe or pinch welds is fine. You are over thinking it. Every time they put that car on a lift they use the pinch welds, really any unibody vehicle they do it that way.

 

[homec]

Front subframe or pinch welds is fine. You are over thinking it. Every time they put that car on a lift they use the pinch welds, really any unibody vehicle they do it that way.

Maybe, but of all the things to overthink, this is probably the one that's worth it.

FWIW, came across this doing an image search earlier today.

 

[homec]

I usually use the front sub frame for lifting and support. Orientation of the stand doesn't really matter if the car will be sturdy on them. I believe I typically have them sideways. My 2007 Edge had a stretch belt on it that needed to be installed with a special tool. I am not sure if the 2010 model is that way.

Hmm that's an interesting, you put your jack stands on the front subframe? Meaning each side of what I labeled #3?

 

[bubinga]

I would have no worries placing your stands at the red circled #1 location

That is where I put mine all the time.
Lost O times, I jack it up from there too.

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[Bryanthegreat]

On #2 is where I place the stands

 

[theoldwizard1]

Having said that, reading another thread about putting a car on jack stands by the pinch welds, someone said that read that the welds often get deformed (bent over and then rusted) because they're not meant to be loaded directly...

No matter what you do lifting pinch welds short of some of the fancier pinch weld adapters (that don't always work due to depth) you'll end up bending them.

Hence my comment about make you own by slicing a 1/2" wide groove down a 4x6.

 

[bubinga]

Hence my comment about make you own by slicing a 1/2" wide groove down a 4x6.

Split across the grain, so it's less likely to split.

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[RWorth]

first off, I have never seen a jack stand with the wierd U shaped top, all mine are flat.

Second even though they have the jack points on the unibody I have always put stands on the sub frame whenever possible, it just makes sense.

The only thing to watch out for is the angle of the metal versus the stand. If you place the stand on a slope it can slip, blocking the wheels will help.

Also if you are not comfortable with stands, a good set of ramps might make you feel safer, and it's nice to put the drive wheel end of the car on the ramps and then put the other end on stands, gives you a lot more room to work.

 

[homec]

So I feel pretty good about this stuff now. I jacked it up yesterday to replace the accessory drive belt. I jacked both sides at once from the center of front subframe with no issues. I put stands at lift points. The car doesn't sit that well on the stands at one level and so I've ordered some Hein-Werner stands that look better, but I left jack under subframe as well and gave car a good shake and it didn't budge so I'm feeling more comfortable about it now.

Thanks for all the recs/advice guys.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Almost all unibody vehicles are built with a front subframe. Jack/stand point are always

• Pretty much anywhere on the front subframe (including in the middle). Near where the subframe bolts into the body is probaly best.
• Either of the lower control arms close to each end (ball joint or close to it, or the pivot point at the subframe)