Anyone else like the widowmaker jack?

[visionguru]

During the memorial day weekend, I changed brake fluids on my Audi. Because it only has 4 pinch welds as jack points, I had to use the factory supplied jack, so that I can put jack stand right next to it. Regular floor jack would have left no room for jack stands.

View media item 93008The jack has a nickname "widowmaker".

I was impressed by its stability and ease-of-use. So much better than scissor jacks. How come these are not on store shelves?

 

[Jazz1]

Because a 3 ton jack is easier. I have a slot cut in hockey puck for jacking at pinch welds.
Those widow makers are fine for road side as long as you are on pavement. Without pavement or block of wood its a sketchy situation changing a tire.

 

[matt_i]

I never liked the damage that gets done to a pinch weld lifting the car there. Maybe I never had the right tools but I've always looked for other structure to lift & support the car...there's usually plenty of it in a FWD car. If your car has a "powertrain cradle" or subframe that entire thing is laden with places to jack and support. Always use blocks of wood between steel & steel to spread loads and promote greater friction and anytime the wood crushes its sort of a "custom fitted grip".

 

[visionguru]

Because a 3 ton jack is easier. I have a slot cut in hockey puck for jacking at pinch welds.
Those widow makers are fine for road side as long as you are on pavement. Without pavement or block of wood its a sketchy situation changing a tire.

The pinch weld has limited length. If I jack up with floor jack, there is no room for the jack stand.

I never liked the damage that gets done to a pinch weld lifting the car there. Maybe I never had the right tools but I've always looked for other structure to lift & support the car...there's usually plenty of it in a FWD car. If your car has a "powertrain cradle" or subframe that entire thing is laden with places to jack and support. Always use blocks of wood between steel & steel to spread loads and promote greater friction and anytime the wood crushes its sort of a "custom fitted grip".

The windowmaker has a slot to mate with the pinch weld, will not cause damages.

I always jack up my Honda at front and rear jack points, and then place jackstands at the pinch welds.

Unfortunately, my Audi doesn't have front/rear jack points. Also the underside is covered with panels, only the muffler and exhaust pipes are exposed. Even if there are places I can jack it up, I have to remove the panels first. Jacking up at pinch welds and supporting the car at pinch welds seems the only option.

 

[Mustang415]

I had to use one in a snowstorm on my Q7. I thought the whole tire changing process of the Audi was pretty clever.


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[paulsomlo]

Unfortunately, my Audi doesn't have front/rear jack points. Also the underside is covered with panels, only the muffler and exhaust pipes are exposed. Even if there are places I can jack it up, I have to remove the panels first. Jacking up at pinch welds and supporting the car at pinch welds seems the only option.

Auto manufacturers, assuming that nobody works on their own car anymore - probably true for 95% of the populace. Or an effort to discourage. Those panels must keep the underside clean, but how do you know when you've got a leak?

Here's what E36 series BMW uses, although I'm not sure why - there's good access to both front and rear subframes. Puts the jack away from where the jack stand will sit and a cap covers the hole when not in use:

 

[Qualitytools]

Clever design!

 

[59apachegail]

I put a thick rag on top of my 3ton and haven’t had any issues crushing the pinch-weld. On VW there is a hole in each of the 4 corners where you can install a neat jacking pad. My widow maker is brand new. My last car fell off a widow maker I have kept a 2ton in the car ever since.

 

[joey1320]

MINI used the same jack design, it works.

 

[VocaTexas]

Years ago I stopped to help a lady change a tire on the roadside. I can't remember the make, but it was a German car, Audi or BMW maybe. The jack resembled a trailer jack, but had a small hinged tube sticking out from the side. The tube went into a hole under the rocker panel. Then you just cranked the handle and the entire side of the car raised up. Once I figured out how it worked, it was the simplest, easiest jacking system I've ever seen.

 

[Hermann-the-german]

The BMW (E46) factory jack is almost of the same design, but the mount at the car is far better. Never needed anything else to lift up the car. To allow higher lifts, I used to put a concrete brick under the jack. But of course I always used a rigid support when needed to work under the car.

 

[CrazyTools]

During the memorial day weekend, I changed brake fluids on my Audi. Because it only has 4 pinch welds as jack points, I had to use the factory supplied jack, so that I can put jack stand right next to it. Regular floor jack would have left no room for jack stands.

View media item 93008The jack has a nickname "widowmaker".

I was impressed by its stability and ease-of-use. So much better than scissor jacks. How come these are not on store shelves?

This is a standard style German jack they put in all their vehicles. The major issue with them is if the car shifts while it's being jacked up, any minor roll, the jack can tilt over and the car falls down on the ground. Have to use wheel chocks when you use them as the emergency brake might not even hold. Of course, chocks aren't included as emergency spare items.

Regular jacks prevent this, obviously, by moving with the vehicle as it shifts.

 

[minke]

IIRC my '91 Audi 80 had that jack. Also, IIRC, it worked well.

 

[mr.lemons]

Also found in Fords and Vauxhalls here in the UK. I had one fail on a Vauxhall Astra. The thread on the rod sheared off so the car dropped. I think they are only designed to be used a very limited number of times.

 

[visionguru]

This is a standard style German jack they put in all their vehicles. The major issue with them is if the car shifts while it's being jacked up, any minor roll, the jack can tilt over and the car falls down on the ground. Have to use wheel chocks when you use them as the emergency brake might not even hold. Of course, chocks aren't included as emergency spare items.

Regular jacks prevent this, obviously, by moving with the vehicle as it shifts.

My Audi's emergency kit actually includes wheel chocks, wheel hanger (alignment pin), lug nut wrench, and a plastic nut driver for the lug nuts.

Yeah, it's just a emergency jack, can't compare with regular floor jacks. I'm comparing it with scissor jacks, which I found very frustrating to use to change spare tires.