Jacks

greyhair · Postby **greyhair** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 7:40 pm

Guys, can u tell me of it is safe to use a trolley jack to lift the rear of an MX5 by placing the lifting cup under the diff.
Have read somewhere in the dim past that you have to be careful jacking up convertibles because their body is not as rigid as a sedan.

fattima · Postby **fattima** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:17 pm

No problems at all that is how I do it.

Postby **mx52nv** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 9:48 pm

That is fine especially if the car is too low and you can't get to the jack points.

However, make sure you use stands after that if you plan to do any work underneath.

I have seen a jack accidentally let go and it was just pure luck that a milk crate stopped what would have been a serious and possibly fatal accident :shock:

Postby **Okibi** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 11:09 pm

Speakin of Jacks, there are 2 in the latest Supercrap catalogue 26/11 - 7/12

1400kg $26.99 35% off (I bent my last one, dunno if the new ones are stronger)
1200kg $224.25 25% off Lightweight steel and alloy. lowered 95mm raised 470mm

Damo · Postby **Damo** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 11:50 pm

Though I haven't tried those particular ones, you will probably have to drive onto planks with the cheaper ones every time you want to lift the front. Even with the steel/aluminium one I've got I have to go from the wheel well. The higher raised height is more comfortable when you're under the car too.

Veloce · Postby **Veloce** » Mon Nov 24, 2008 7:09 am

mx52nv wrote:That is fine especially if the car is too low and you can't get to the jack points.

However, make sure you use stands after that if you plan to do any work underneath.

I have seen a jack accidentally let go and it was just pure luck that a milk crate stopped what would have been a serious and possibly fatal accident

Just to add to this. We have friends of the family whose son was killed under a jacked car (no stands). Hadn't been married long either.

Always use stands if under!

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Mon Nov 24, 2008 4:23 pm

I did some research on garage jacks fairly recently and many on the market are of poor quality and not repairable. I ended up buying a 2 tonne garage jack which gives an extra measure of safety and has a low start height. However this is strictly one for the garage as it very heavy. An old trick when you are removing wheels is to slide them under the car as an added safety measure. Even stands can be dangerous if not carefully located.

wun911 · Postby **wun911** » Mon Nov 24, 2008 4:57 pm

Its probably better to jack from the diff I have bent my side rails a bit...

Yeah the MIC stuff is cheap and nasty, quality tools are hard to find and you have to pay an arm and a leg to get them.

greyhair · Postby **greyhair** » Mon Nov 24, 2008 8:35 pm

Thanks Guy's

marcusus · Postby **marcusus** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:21 pm

wun911 wrote:Its probably better to jack from the diff I have bent my side rails a bit...

Mine have done that too. I don't know why either, because when I use Sasso's trolley jack it doesn't seem to deform the rails any more.

I wonder if you can bend them back...

wun911 · Postby **wun911** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:57 pm

I have thought of bending it back and reinforcing them, and painting it black agian (people on the big forum have done this)....

but the thought of added weight disturbs me deeply....

blue_na · Postby **blue_na** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 9:45 am

wun911 wrote:I have thought of bending it back and reinforcing them, and painting it black agian (people on the big forum have done this)....

but the thought of added weight disturbs me deeply....

The weight of the paint or reinforcements? :lol:

sliq · Postby **sliq** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:40 am

lol wun "prince of liteness" 911.

my phobia of getting crushed by the car by crappy jack stands is still there.

just for extra measure, i leave the jack in place - a very flimsy back up but better than nothing.

and always REMEMBER to choc the rear wheels or the front wheels if you are only jacking up one side of the car.

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:42 pm

You will deform rails simply by jacking in an area which is not strong enough. The rocker panels are designed for the scissor jack in a specific location.

PUR157 · Postby **PUR157** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:28 pm

It's possible to bend back a deformed part of the the jacking point (with pliers might i add)... but do so with care
The more you do it the softer it will get

Make sure you shield the jacking point with some tough cardboard or rubber while you do the bending or you'll make a mess of the paint!