I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __Jacking Car
I thought I would save money on oil changes, long term, by buying a Halford’s lifting kit - trolley jack, stands, chocks and creeper. I’m now embarrassed to say I can’t fathom out how to get the jack under the front cross member as there’s precious little clearance. I was looking for the jacking guide in members downloads but the file seems to be missing. Rather than buy a low profile “professional “ jack at great expense, is there an obvious work-around? Thanks.
My method for the NC oil change on the driveway. Jack on the front drivers side sill (at the jacking point there) and when high enough place an axle stand under the car at the front, where the cross member bolts to underside, near the rear of the wheel. Go under the car and loosen the oil drain plug, drain oil, I use just a wash up bowl. Let the car down off the stand wheel back on ground it leaves the bowl under for any further oil to drain.
Now repeat the operation on the passenger side front, support again with the stand but this side gets the car a little higher as you need to get at the oil filter for removal. Once this has been swapped for a new filter you can drag the bowl out and just have enough room to get under and replace the drain plug.
Must add if the car is lowered you may need to run the wheel whichever side on to helper ramps, a couple of planks of wood, to aide getting the jack under the sill. Likewise you may need to re jack the driver’s side too to replace the drain plug, certainly I did to torque it back up again, car very low and I’m not as slim as I use to be
Above all be safe and chock wheels, handbrake on, in gear and always use an axle stand to support the car.
I use to support the rear of the car too as the rear wheel use to lift also when jacked at the front sill, shouldn’t be a problem on non lowered cars.
Having driven the front wheels onto (preferably very short) planks to ensure the lowered jack has enough room to slide under the cross member as CBRDEANO suggests, you will probably find you still haven’t enough room to operate the extension jacking handle from a position in front of the car. To overcome this on my ND, and probably works on an NC, with the wheels already on the (short) planks I turn the steering to full lock. This makes room to wheel the jack through the gap between the front of the turned wheel and wheel arch to align it beneath the cross member. With the jacking lever attached, there is ample room to operate it in an up and down motion in the wheel arch void to raise the car. Again, as posted above, chock the rear wheels and ensure support stands are placed under front sill jacking points or other solid area for safety.
I place this rubber block from Amazon under the sill jacking point and use the trolley jack. It would be best to have an axle stand for safety, don’t rely on the trolley, or put the wheel under the car.
Thanks. These look a lot safer and more practical than using blocks of wood on top of the jack. I’ve just ordered together with a pair of square, slotted ones for the axle stands.
I have some thick industrial rubber matting which I have cut small pieces off. I use these on the trolley jack head and axle stand cradles, prevents metal on metal slippage
Wonderful stuff, its pong does eventually dissipate…
I bought a sheet of it to “improve” the heel pad on our Mazda3 driver’s mat with the help of some excellent Stormsure glue. It’s still good, with no signs of wear.
However a vast amount was left over, and ever since bits of it have been used in all sorts of applications including building up custom jacking pucks and mini ramps, sometimes incorporating scrap 2x4 timber as load spreading.
I always use these low lift plastic ramps, 2.5 inch , even though I have a low entry Jack. Very easy to drive car on, they cradle the tyre. I got them off eBay.
Hi Mick AP, can I quickly check a few things with you? I’ve had my new NC2 just on a week and managed to have a look at a few things for an hour or so this afternoon. I was advised that there is no spare wheel of any sort and so assumed (wrongly!) that there would be no jack. Guess what - opened the little door on right-hand side of boot and there sits a jack! Have just invested in the Halfords 5 piece lifting kit, which includes a 2te trolley jack and two axles stands etc. Never used a trolley jack, but can I ask, on your photos, is the trolley jack positioned on the sill where the standard jack would go? What’s the axle stand placed under? Typically, are trolley jacks on four small castor wheels. Are they braked in some way?
I would avoid placing anywhere on the sills under all circumstances. You can use the point where the front wishbone is connected to the chassis or look underneath for where a bracing strut is connected to the chassis. Either of those will be a better bet than the sills. Ideally sit a folded rag or scrap of old carpet on the jack cup to act as a cushion. Make sure you chock the diagonally opposite wheel, you don’t want the car moving when lifted!
In that picture the axle stand is placed at the rear of the NS chassis rail. They are the two rails running the length of the cars floor. At the rear of the rails they are double skinned, extra strength so I placed the axle stand there. Always done this on previous MK1/Mk2’s so long as there isn’t any rust/rot issues there, check👍
It’s also ok to jack on the sill jacking point with a trolley jack, again make sure it is solid.
Usually the trolley jacks used on level ground creep into the car when you start to jack the car up, they need to do that so are not braked. As long as you chock the opposite side wheels when jacking you should be fine.
