2 post lift, typical lift points ??
- Thread starter DonnyT
- Start date
Years ago I bartered with a guy to CNC me a couple pincheld adapters for my jack, and later I used them with my lift. Of course, I needed 2 more with the lift, so I found these. I think some folks just lift against the pinch welds when using a lift. I like the adapters standing proud of the pad, as the pinch welds on some cars are very close to the lower side skirts. They are unfortunately kind of a pain to get aligned right prior to lifting.
shampoop
Well-known member
It's hard on unibody cars with large sideskirts, but if you can set the pads flat along the pinch weld with a large contact area nothing will be crushed. When you flip the pads up and just have that tiny contact area it will crush a pinch weld. For every car I've come across there is always at least one way to lift it without crushing anything. Just might be different from one car to another.
Goobzilla
Well-known member
My Direct Lift came with a book that shows lifting points for different makes and years. I can get the info off the book tomorrow if you'd like it.
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Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk HD
admranger
Well-known member
Yep. This is what I do.
bobj49f2
Banned
I bought the lifting point book from Automotive Lift Institute, #ALI-LP Guide for $10 from their web site:
http://www.autolift.org/store.php#ALILPGUIDE
I try to lift from whatever point looks solid like a sub-frame. The guide is very helpful for the iffy ones.
http://www.autolift.org/store.php#ALILPGUIDE
I try to lift from whatever point looks solid like a sub-frame. The guide is very helpful for the iffy ones.
Kennybill
Well-known member
I am big on using wood 2x4's & 2x6's for both redistributing the weight over a larger area and being able to level the vehicle better/faster. I like this better than using more than one adapter/spacers. JMO. Ken
saabman
Well-known member
Often the pinch well will have detents indicating the jacking point. On cars with skirts, I often resort to taking the pad off the arm, and swining the arm just behind the front tire to get it under the car. Then I reinstall the pad and continue to rotate/retract the arm to interface with the pinch well
I service my own cars, and they are a mix of fwd, rwd, and awd.
I service my own cars, and they are a mix of fwd, rwd, and awd.
aka Larry
Well-known member
On cars with a definitive 'frame' I use that as the lift points. On some cars (like my '89 Prelude) the 'frame' of the unibody doesn't extend the entire length. On that car I use the 'frame' on the front and the pinch welds on the rear.
Lotek
Well-known member
Really bad idea, wood can split or shift. Good way to lose a car off the rack.
A little lift safety review...
7. Never use blocks (wood
or other materials)
between the adapters and
the vehicle lift points, even
if the vehicle manufacturer
recommends them. The
use of blocks can only
lead to instability.
Last edited:
shampoop
Well-known member
I feel safe using 4x4's
Lotek
Well-known member
cyamaha2007
Well-known member
On a lift? Or with a floor jack? If you had a 4x4 between a 2 post lifts arm and frame that no good. They make plenty of adapters to achieve the correct height.
KPSquared
Well-known member
Holy ****. . .NEVER USE WOOD. It can or will split. Nothing like the whole car shifting because a dry 4x4 cracked in half from the axe-like edge of a pinch weld and dropped a corner.
Car falling off hoist *****. . .and can sting a little.
Car falling off hoist *****. . .and can sting a little.
davedriveschevys
Well-known member
Many rusty rockers here in the northeast. Lifting by the pinch welds, no bueno. I always put the front two lift pads on the subframe mounts,and the rear two on suspension mount. For vehicles with a frame i go to the book.
+1 on no wood when lifting. I tried it once with 4x4 pieces and they broke the very first time.
Maybe this is rare, but the mfg-specified lift points on my sedan ARE the pinch seams. They don't allow for lifting by the frame. There are factory adapter part numbers listed in the service manual, and they state any adapter use must have a groove to sandwich the sill.
Maybe this is rare, but the mfg-specified lift points on my sedan ARE the pinch seams. They don't allow for lifting by the frame. There are factory adapter part numbers listed in the service manual, and they state any adapter use must have a groove to sandwich the sill.
I found this pinchweld adapter.
http://www.eastwood.com/floor-jack-adapter-for-late-model-cars.html
Looks like for a floor jack though.
I missed it LOL. Good to know they work with the bendpak. They should work with the MJ as well. Thx.
shampoop
Well-known member
lol, now that I think about it, I don't think I ever did use 4x4's with 2 post lifts. It was always with 4 post lifts or a floor jack.
I think there's always a spot on a factory car where a 2 post lift will work without crushing anything. With the special 8" or so adapters that I forgot about earlier
boosteddsm92
Well-known member
I bought that too, what a joke. All the lifting points are the same, behind front wheels, in front of rear wheels. Looking at that thing is comical, it's the same diagram repeated on a bunch of pages. I'd offer to send mine to someone but I'm pretty sure I took one look at it and tossed it.
shampoop
Well-known member
What year chevy you talking about? In my experience chevys (80's+) are easy because of exactly the opposite of what you said, and fords are difficult because of the frame shape like you mentioned.
yuk
Well-known member
i got ripped for the $10 plus inflated shipping ALI book also (as reviewed in one of my first ever posts).
when i called and complained about book there was no way they were gonna give me my money back. instead the jerk tried to sell me a lift class for another 75 bucks. he didnt understand i wasnt gonna let him screw me twice.
personally i think the ALI is a bunch of hype with luck on their side.
it still shocks me that they dont even have a catagory for the KIA brand. i mean they brag about the book being 18 years of compilation, BULL!!.
It is a lame result considering how well it could have been done. they put extreme minimal effort possible into the book. makes me question all the other stuff they brag about doing. "half-azzed" must be their company motto.
when i called and complained about book there was no way they were gonna give me my money back. instead the jerk tried to sell me a lift class for another 75 bucks. he didnt understand i wasnt gonna let him screw me twice.
personally i think the ALI is a bunch of hype with luck on their side.
it still shocks me that they dont even have a catagory for the KIA brand. i mean they brag about the book being 18 years of compilation, BULL!!.
It is a lame result considering how well it could have been done. they put extreme minimal effort possible into the book. makes me question all the other stuff they brag about doing. "half-azzed" must be their company motto.
Yeah, I finally received the book. All I can say is "What do ya want for ten bucks" ? lol
aka Larry
Well-known member
After reading this thread I ordered the ALI book last week too. According to that book I had only lifted one vehicle by the correct lift points, '08 Silverado. I was very comfortable lifting by the frame rails on my other vehicles before the book so I think I will continue to do so.
I'd rather have a book that would show the approx. C-O-G rather than lifting points myself. Is there such a thing? Yes, I know depending on how the vehicle is loaded that can vary, but just as a guide.
NewShockerGuy
Well-known member
So is this not a good book to get?
I've been using my maxjax at the pinch welds because on my suby and my wife's solara that's where the factory jack/lift points are.. the maxjax pads are rubber and I can see that they are getting sliced/cut a little bit because of this.
The first picture shows what looks like the pads on the pinch weld.
The others looks like they are on there too and one slightly further or back?
-Nigel
I've been using my maxjax at the pinch welds because on my suby and my wife's solara that's where the factory jack/lift points are.. the maxjax pads are rubber and I can see that they are getting sliced/cut a little bit because of this.
The first picture shows what looks like the pads on the pinch weld.
The others looks like they are on there too and one slightly further or back?
-Nigel
