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09-19-2010, 09:12 PM | #1 |
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Putting car on jackstands
So I was wondering what the easiest way is to put the M3 up on four jackstands with only one jack. I've jacked up one side at a time, as the front jack point is placed to lift both the fron and rear off the ground, but that also leaves me with one jack and one jack stand. I gues what I need to know is if there is a safe place to jack up the car in order to place stands under the two jack points. Thanks.
I think I'm going to buy a lift soon
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09-20-2010, 02:43 AM | #3 |
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09-20-2010, 06:45 AM | #4 |
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There is a post here saying to jack the car at the rear by the differential cooler. The BMW recommended jacking point is the black differential casing in front of the cooling vanes. There is a small "ridge" which helps identify it. It can be a PITA to get to with a dropped car and after market exhaust. I use a hockey puck as a pad
I use this method: http://m3.madrussian.net/diy_jacking.shtml |
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09-20-2010, 08:03 AM | #5 |
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Unfortunately, that jacking plate does not exist on the 90 series M3. There is a section of subframe just to the rear of the diff cooling vents, but it's hard to access, and it's not perfectly flat. A piece of 6X6 lumber cut to fit would probably work. If you drive the car on some small ramps, or jack it up enough to place about 4" of planks under it, I believe you can find a suitable jacking point either at a point near where the lower control arm attaches to the frame, or the center portion of the differential, then placing the stands at the rear side jacking points.
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09-20-2010, 09:48 PM | #6 |
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Well, here's how I ended up doing it:
1. Jack up one side by front jacking point, place jack stand under rear jacking point. Lower car. 2. Jack up other side of car by front jacking point, place jack stand under rear jacking point. Lower car. Now rear is up. 3. Was able to get jack under front central jack point to jack up front. Placed jack stands under both front jacking points. Note 1: Did not need ramps or boards. Note 2: This is NOT an ideal method, as it introduces twisting force on the chassis. Safe to do once or twice, but not all the time. Note 3: Ordering this lift now (http://www.harborfreight.com/6000-lb...ump-46604.html) It's amazing how nice and easy it is to change wheels/tires and brake pads with all four corners int he air at once. It's also fun when you have air tools. I think with the combination of the lift, air tools, and power bleeder, it will be possible to service all four corners in under 30 minutes.
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09-21-2010, 08:21 AM | #8 | |
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09-21-2010, 08:26 AM | #9 | |
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I'm also getting a giggle out of putting a "twisting force" on the chassis with a jackstand being a concern, this isn't the first place I've heard this so I'm not surprised to find it here. There's a reason our cars are fat heavy pigs and most of that is the incredible stiffness of the unibody relative to cars made just 15 years ago, and I haven't heard of any E36's falling apart because somebody put one corner on a jackstand...
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09-21-2010, 10:05 AM | #10 |
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Can't get a jack under front or back with car on the ground, and I have a low-profile jack.
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09-21-2010, 10:15 AM | #12 | |
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09-21-2010, 10:25 AM | #13 | |
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I don't know why I open these "how do I pick my nose?!" threads anyway.
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09-21-2010, 10:27 AM | #14 |
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How about for an extra 300, you can get one of these!
http://www.bestbuyautoequipment.com/.../al2-9k-ac.htm |
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09-21-2010, 10:34 AM | #15 | |
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Saying that, I hate corner jacking, even if it is doing minimal damage. |
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09-21-2010, 11:36 AM | #16 |
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09-21-2010, 11:40 AM | #17 | |
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Last edited by elh0102; 09-21-2010 at 02:47 PM.. |
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09-21-2010, 12:10 PM | #18 |
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If you plan to own your car for long after its warranty is up, why risk it? I work on my own cars enough to worry about it. Cars just aren't made to withstand it in the long run, otherwise they'd all be seam welded.
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09-21-2010, 12:10 PM | #19 | |
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09-21-2010, 12:12 PM | #20 | |
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09-21-2010, 12:15 PM | #21 |
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While the wooden ramp solution is doable, it is a PIA IMHO. It takes up storage space and takes time to setup. The scissors lift will live under the car year-'round
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09-21-2010, 02:25 PM | #22 | |
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Like I said, you are free to imagine whatever boogeymen you want to, but try not to spread it around so BMW owners can feel free to work on and enjoy their cars without blowing money on useless things like a scissor lift that precludes access to the transmission. There's already enough fear and intimidation related to working on an expensive and complicated car without throwing things like "metal fatique" (that's spelled with a "g" by the way) from jacking the car up, in the same fashion that people have raised cars off the ground since the beginning of cars, in to muddy the waters.
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