Jack Point Jack Stands

Status
Not open for further replies.

JHZR2

Staff member
Joined
Dec 14, 2002
Messages
52,636
Location
New Jersey
For a while now I've contemplated buying either a Kwik Lift or an EZ car lift.

The Kwik lift is sturdy, you can park on it, easy to get up on, etc. However, one of the greatest benefits to a lift is getting a car up in the air and taking the wheels off. The Kwik lift fails in that department because to do so, you still need to use a jack stand and hydraulic jack to lift it up, via the centerline bridge. Then you may have to support your vehicle at non-OE lifting points and even if not, you'll have to be doing all the same work as if you just used a jack and stands. It is a nicer height and seems pretty trustworthy, but it's also heavy and not very portable, if you want to do work in one place or another (like outside on the driveway as opposed to in your garage).

The ez car lift looked good but I'm not a big fan of stuff that will roll along under the mass of the car, because it could damage pavers or blacktop, and likely requires very smooth concrete, which I have in the garage but not the driveway. The deal breaker for it though was that it's rated at 4400 lbs, which isn't enough for a modern minivan or bigger SUV.

I'd love to jack the whole car up at once for stuff like snow tire changes, but it just doesn't seem practical (don't have the height or desire for a real lift), and I'm ok with using jack stands for other stuff when the wheels need to be up and off, like suspension or brake work.

Enter the jack point jack stand. I've never liked using the boxed floor stiffeners or suspension parts for jacking/supporting cars. And it can be really tough to lift the car up on its oe jack point and then get a jack stand underneath at the appropriate spot. Lets not also forget that jackstand tech hasnt changed from the days of solid axles and body on frame vehicles. Lots of damaged jackpoints and pinch welds as a result.

This stand appears different... jackable and then the stand slides around the jack and uses the OE lift point. Adapters are used to protect the points and they also add stability to the open side of the stand.

ill_one.jpg


Seems optimal to me, and even if I go with a kwiklift in the future, they still would be useful. I feel more comfortable with something like this, because old fashioned stands, even if placed properly, can eat undercoating and OE rustproofing from the undersides of vehicles. Especially so if it is rubberized from the factory.

But does anyone have these or have experience with these stands? They are a bit $$$ so Im trying to research before pulling the trigger on 2-4 of them.

Thanks!
 
I saw the you tube video on these and am definitely interested. I don't see any drawbacks to these either.
HF must be chomping at the bit waiting to bring out their $29.99 version complete with red neck bottle opener on the side.
 
I am in the same situation, i will need something in the next year or two for a project car. As i see it, the jack point stands are 12 inches tall. 4 of them will be $600 bucks. Thats 1/2 the price of the kwik lift. I'm not sure its worth it for only tire changes, since 12 inches is not a lot of lift to really get under the car. I really like the kwik lift as you get a lot of height and you can use jack stands with it or the center lift bridges.
 
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Seems pretty height limited no?


Not sure that bothers me. Any time Ive put a car up on jack stands, Ive only ever used the lowest notch. Im not replacing engines or transmissions with a car on jackstands...
 
Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Seems pretty height limited no?

They say you can extra pads to increase the height but I figure a couple of short 2x12 under each one would be just as good.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3
I am in the same situation, i will need something in the next year or two for a project car. As i see it, the jack point stands are 12 inches tall. 4 of them will be $600 bucks. Thats 1/2 the price of the kwik lift. I'm not sure its worth it for only tire changes, since 12 inches is not a lot of lift to really get under the car. I really like the kwik lift as you get a lot of height and you can use jack stands with it or the center lift bridges.


My issue with the kwik lift is just that. I still need jack stands and a jack even after the car is on the device. Sure, the car will be at a higher overall height, but that may or may not be necessary. So for anything where the wheels need to be off, the kwik lift is a $1200 riser, and I still need an investment in a jack and stands (all of which I have) but doesnt get me away from the issue of standard traditional jack stands and their effect on the underside of a car, especially one with an OE rubberized coating on it.

I have ramps and try to avoid jackstands as much as possible, but when you need to do something with tires off, what other choice do you have?
 
It's funny, when this question is asked on other forums, people chime in and say "if you don't know how to jack up your car, you probably should not be doing this kind of work".

But I agree with the OP, on many of today's cars it is difficult to use both a jack and jackstand safely and without damaging the vehicle.

The price and height limitations bother me about the unit shown above.

There is a Chinese variation already available. But, it's Chinese and all that implies: http://www.alltradetools.com/catalog/549-640912-3-ton-all-in-one-bottle-jack-jack-stand.html ....About $55 at Amazon.

640912-3-ton-all-in-one-bottle-jack-jack-stand.jpg
 
So maybe I am living on the edge, but if I am not going to get myself under the vehicle, like just changing a tire, I often do not use a jackstand.

I have the issue that if I get the jack at a lift point, how can I get the jackstand at the same lift point.
 
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
It's funny, when this question is asked on other forums, people chime in and say "if you don't know how to jack up your car, you probably should not be doing this kind of work".

But I agree with the OP, on many of today's cars it is difficult to use both a jack and jackstand safely and without damaging the vehicle.


Yeah its not as much about knowing as it is trusting the integrity of coatings/welds, and avoiding damage to suspension.

Ive put cars up plenty of times, and most manuals identify a vehicle's specific jacking points.

Im just looking for something better/safer/less potential to damage.

I also see lots of folks doing it "right" but putting jacks and stands on floor stiffener box areas and suspension components not meant for it.
 
Originally Posted By: doitmyself

The price and height limitations bother me about the unit shown above.

There is a Chinese variation already available. But, it's Chinese and all that implies: http://www.alltradetools.com/catalog/549-640912-3-ton-all-in-one-bottle-jack-jack-stand.html ....About $55 at Amazon.

640912-3-ton-all-in-one-bottle-jack-jack-stand.jpg



But how do you get this thing under a modern sedan? Not exactly huge ground clearance... Perhaps for a big truck with boxed frame, but at that point jacking is easer anyway...

The whole issue is that on low cars, you already need a low profile jack, and maybe an adapter to the jack point. Something so high would need yet another jack or way to get the car up higher...
 
I just use a hard wood log when I work on any car. IMHO safer and does less (no) damage to the car's metal than the jack stands.

It also doesn't cost an arm and a leg
wink.gif
 
I've taken to using a hockey puck on a jackstand or, most recently, the foam blocks used for transporting canoes on the roof of a car. It's soft enough not to cause any damage an strong enough that no metal on metal contact occurs.
 
Originally Posted By: Andy636
I just use a hard wood log when I work on any car. IMHO safer and does less (no) damage to the car's metal than the jack stands.

It also doesn't cost an arm and a leg
wink.gif

This is a great idea. You could easily cut a groove on the top of the round to match the pinch weld. Or put an elastomeric pad for the bearing location. And have a different set for the pickup, etc. Oak in compression is ~ 6,000 psi max. Shear parallel to grain ~ 1-2,000 psi. A 10 inch round could easily put 20 inch^2 contact on the vehicle.
 
Originally Posted By: cchase
I've taken to using a hockey puck on a jackstand or, most recently, the foam blocks used for transporting canoes on the roof of a car. It's soft enough not to cause any damage an strong enough that no metal on metal contact occurs.


Well if one was a real idiot, then flammability would be an issue.
 
If the trolley jack doesn't smoothly roll forward I'd bet this system will beat up your pinch welds.

The absolute best thing to do is to just get used to finding the factory jack points on the cross member and in the back in the center of the car to lift 2 wheels at a time.

If I can use a Canadian Tire Garage Jack to lift the front of a Honda Fit, that has a very deep front jack point, anybody can get good at jacking up the front of the car.

When you slowly build up your confidence, getting the car up on 4 jack stands is very satisfying, as now you can spray undercoat, change pan seals, inspect, etc.

To change over tires I lift the front up, change 2 tires, change oil and ATF, then lift the back and do the rears.

Patience in practicing and you'll get really good and quick at it, gimmicks end up damaging your car or you are never fully satisfied until you can get your car up on stands "old school" with a trolley jack and stands.

Just my opinion, maybe these stand jacks work very well, but on a VERY SMOOTH SURFACE, pinch welds don't take much to fold over.

And as a car ages and the rockers start to rot out, this system looses it's appeal to me...
 
Originally Posted By: Falken
The absolute best thing to do is to just get used to finding the factory jack points on the cross member and in the back in the center of the car to lift 2 wheels at a time.

Many of today's cars (mine) do not have jack points at the front and back center. Our problem is that if you use your jack at the factory lift point, there is no room or nowhere to position the stand.

No one seems to address this simple concept.

And, people with very low cars have different challenges than those with higher cars (CUVS).
 
Originally Posted By: doitmyself

640912-3-ton-all-in-one-bottle-jack-jack-stand.jpg



That looks cool! Though I can see the side loads being a little hard on the thing that comes out.

I've been lucky to find other jack points for lifting so I can use the official pinch welds for jack stands. Figure, if nothing else, my widow could get huge $$$ for a collapse if the proper points were used while someone was under the car.

On my stuff, the subframe bolts to the unibody at the firewall with a huge bolt. Sometimes this is an official point, sometimes not. But I haven't had one fold up yet.

Though I admit I prefer a traditional RWD setup with huge K-frame center lift spot in front and differential pumpkin in the back. The car flexes less when a whole axle is lifted all at once.
 
Originally Posted By: doitmyself

Many of today's cars (mine) do not have jack points at the front and back center. Our problem is that if you use your jack at the factory lift point, there is no room or nowhere to position the stand.

No one seems to address this simple concept.

And, people with very low cars have different challenges than those with higher cars (CUVS).




^exactly. It's not a comfort or skill thing. I've put my cars up on stands plenty of times. But I've been more and more careful with the vehicle undercoat and other things, and the a-r side of me doesn't want to have any chance. On top of that, many cars. Is have square jack points surrounded by a plastic device. No pinch weld to lift off of, or rest on to. Jack off of it without a block in there, and you'll bust the jack point. I care to be careful about stuff like that.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top