Car is 2008 Mk3 NC.
Had an advisory on the MOT this morning for light surface rust in front of the rear wheel arches. The Mazda under seal stops and leaves an area which has got very slight surface rust.
So rather than pay a garage to sort it I’m planning on doing it myself. Any tips or advice very welcome.
My main question is where is the best and safest place to put the axle stands. I have good adjustable stands so would like to get the car as high as is safe.
Also where is the best place to Jack it up ?
I’m no stranger to doing stuff like brakes servicing etc but I never have to get the car any distance off the ground. So I thought it worth asking before I get started 
Many thanks
If you look along the sill (behind the plastic sill cover) towards the rear of the car you will see two raised pieces on the pinch weld, this is where you place your jack. Behind that lip it’s reinforced to take the jack (supplied car jack) or of course your trolley Jack head. I used a piece of timber on the trolley jack head and place it behind that lip to jack on. When high enough I get my axle stands under the rear part of the chassis rail just before the curve up, that part is reinforced so takes the weight. Then lower the car on to the stand, repeat for the other side if you want to get both sides up at the rear. Of course there is an easier way, jack on the diff, on the flat part of it, using a piece of timber again on the jack head. Caution though this method is not advised by some as it could crack the diff mounting brackets, I refrain from doing it by this method now after years of doing so previously with no mishaps.
Those round puck type objects are good for the jack heads, they have a slot in them for the sill lip to drop into, I’m still on the pieces of timber way.
Jacking the front up, there are the same points marked along the sill nearer the front of course for the jack head.
The supplied side jack will obviously get you high enough to change a wheel but not high enough to get an axle stand under there. I hate using anything other than a trolley jack when working on the car, definitely get an axle stand under there too for safety.
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I have pinch weld adaptors which are just round chunks of thick rubber with a slot cut in them.
I was a bit worried about lifting the car to high under that area ??
I don’t think I would trust the diff casing either . That could end up in tears
Yes you’ll get it high enough with a trolley jack to get the stand under the rear, my front wheel lifts clear too when I do that due to having coilovers fitted.
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Yeh the front on my car also lifts off the ground. Not on coilovers just the standard Bilstiens fitted to the 2.0 sport.
The lift of the front is/was my concern when jacking under the sill as that point is carrying more weight as the car gets higher.
In my Clio 182 days when you jacked that up at the front,both front and back went up at the exact same rate at the same time
Mick when you say place the stand under the chassis before it turns up do you mean in front of or behind the wheel ?
In the picture the two axle stands are placed just forward of the part that turn up at the rear, forward of the rear wheel.
It’s stronger there.
I’ve jacked on the diff in that picture, I don’t use that method now, jack on the sill.
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Thanks Mick appreciate your help.
I found your picture above on a thread here that Google brought up
As above I’m pretty capable with the spanner’s but I think when it comes to safety it’s worth asking even if it’s a daft or self answering question.
I like to study form a bit before starting work.
The MOT tester had the car supported on all 4 points on the sill pinch welds when the car was up on the ramp. To me they seem not that strong but of course I / We can’t see what’s behind the sill skin.
I tend to either have a 2.5T Jack or a great lump of hardwood sleeper under the car in case an axle stand moves though I can’t see how one could. Cat be to safe though
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You can get the car quite high you know!
As Mick says you can jack under the sill jacking point and support the car on axle stands under the chassis rails.
However I would advise against the rubber hockey pucks with the slot cut in. The puck rubber is quite hard and smooth and as I was jacking my mk3 the puck slipped off the trolley jack rather than the jack moving on its wheels as the car was raised, luckily I still had the wheel on or I hate to think what could have happened. I am now going back to the piece of timber on the inside of the sill seam.
If you look closely under the car that’s actually my Mk1 (now sold) same position though for the axle stands.
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I recently replaced the rear discs, and put my axle stand (one side at a time) under the rear suspension unit - after all, that is what the car sits on all the time. I didn’t know if I could trust the area round the jacking points, partly because I can’t tell how large the reinforced area is, and because the jack was in the way!
If you read the manual it says use the front cross member and the diff as jacking points
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