Jacking points on vehicle

[klassenl]

Am I the only one that gets a little nervous when jacking up the minivan on the suggested jacking points. The ones on the welded metal seam just fore and aft of the wheel wells. Since you're lifting on the body and not the suspension you end up lifting it up twice as high as you fell you should need.

I realize the manufacturers know what they are doing. It still makes me nervous every time.

 

[Alienbaby17]

I lift cars everyday. I don’t worry for a second about lifting a car on the pinch weld- especially if it’s clearly the manufacturer’s preferred jack location.

 

[SGKent]

I read the owner's manual which usually has the preferred jacking points mentioned. On some cars the cutouts are for the factory jack only to change a tire, not for lifting the whole front or back. Also you may need an accessory for a floor jack due to it concentrating force on two small areas.

 

[matt_i]

I always go for some kind of structure...powertrain cradle, suspension, frame rail if you have that kind of vehicle.

Jacking on the pinch weld is an easy way to promote more rust in a place that's very close to the spray of the rusting agent. Not saying they won't work as I know it will. But not my choice.

 

[Chevy-SS]

Am I the only one that gets a little nervous when jacking up the minivan on the suggested jacking points. The ones on the welded metal seam just fore and aft of the wheel wells. Since you're lifting on the body and not the suspension you end up lifting it up twice as high as you fell you should need.

I realize the manufacturers know what they are doing. It still makes me nervous every time.

LOL, yeah man. I've been working on cars for 50 years and I absolutely detest having to jack a car up (to change a tire) if I only have the OEM jack.

Give me a good old floor jack instead, but the manufacturers are kinda limited so they have to do it that way.

 

[laser3kw]

use a good jack block when you have to use a pinch weld point.
pinch-weld-blocks link

 

[Bert_]

I've never used the pinch welds. But then I live in Iowa. If you use them on any car that's 10 or so years old you're jack is going right on through.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Am I the only one that gets a little nervous when jacking up the minivan on the suggested jacking points. The ones on the welded metal seam just fore and aft of the wheel wells. Since you're lifting on the body and not the suspension you end up lifting it up twice as high as you fell you should need.

I realize the manufacturers know what they are doing. It still makes me nervous every time.

Never had a problem lifting at the recommended lift points. As others said, use (or make) a pinch weld adapter for a regular car jack.

 

[ambenz]

I never jack on the pinch welds either. My pony has beefy brackets in the front for the steering system and in the rear, where the rigid convertible bracing starts is also a good point to jack.... I've seen too many smashed pinch welds to keep the car suspended for any period of time....
View media item 99924

 

[klassenl]

use a good jack block when you have to use a pinch weld point.
pinch-weld-blocks link

I just bought a new jack and I'm going to make a jacking support out of a big piece if wood.

 

[CraigStu]

I just bought a new jack and I'm going to make a jacking support out of a big piece if wood.

Remember the pinch weld starts out vertical, but gains angle as the car goes up. So you want a slot maybe twice as wide as the metal is thick and the slot should be across the wood grain. Otherwise the pinch weld splits your block in two right along the grain.

 

[QwikKotaTx]

I just take a section of 2x4 or a hockey puck and cut a slot in it for the pinch weld to go in. All of the weight goes on the unibody same as factory jack with cutout.

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[Randy in Maine]

I have a couple of these that I use with my floor jack....

https://www.amazon.com/2-Pack-Rubber-Jack-Pads-Slotted/dp/B06WRMSHP2/ref=asc_df_B06WRMSHP2/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312142020868&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=340110773158639193&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002909&hvtargid=pla-568805582093&psc=1

 

[mark#3]

I use a piece of wood

 

[nh_yota]

Wood can split - use a hockey puck instead.

 

[97tj-neil]

I bought these for my Camaro.

https://zl1addons.com/products/camaro-10-15-lift-pads


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[ScottsGT]

2015 and up Mustang was a real issue. If you wanted to lift the entire back of car, you could not jack up under the rearend. IRS center section. Brackets can't hold the weight of the car.
Steeda made jacking rails so now I can simply place the jack anywhere along the rocker panel. Still a PITA to get the entire back end up in the air though.

 

[bwringer]

I've never used the pinch welds. But then I live in Iowa. If you use them on any car that's 10 or so years old you're jack is going right on through.

Yep. I've seen lots of vehicles pretty mangled under there, even ones that otherwise look great until you look underneath.

With the slotted blocks or adapters it can work OK on newer cars, but lifting at these points is definitely not worth the risk on anything that might have the remotest possibility of having the slightest whiff of corrosion.

Never had a problem lifting at the recommended lift points. As others said, use (or make) a pinch weld adapter for a regular car jack.

What magical corrosion-free land do you work in?

 

[Bert_]

I'll let one of the experts on here explain to me how I should position my jack on this pinch weld.

 

[nadogail]

IMHO, I think the lack of structurally sound jacking points can be attributed to several factors.
These might be the desire to keep the vehicle weight down to better meet the Fuel Economy Requirements.
A desire to save on the cost of producing the vehicle in order to increase profits & still sell at a lower price point.
Planned obsolescence, if cars last too long they won't require replacement. I remember Tail Finns in the 50's; does that date me?

 

[ChaseDE]

the bimmer has a central jack point front and rear so i jack it up on that then place my jack stands on the side lift points. I tend to still leave the jack under there somewhere, just in case lol