Jacked up car by unibody frame rail

[Carsareapain]

2018 Honda CR-V 2.4L. I jacked it up underneath the frame rail under left bolt to change the oil. Can anyone tell me if that's the unibody frame rail? I got paranoid so i went back and checked and it wasn't bent and the bolt wasn't cracked or anything. Is the frame rail a safe jacking point?

Does anyone know what the bolts are for on the rail? I won't be jacking it up from there again regardless as i found the recommended spot.

 

[PontiacHO]

What’s above the bolts. Seat tracks?

 

[KrisZ]

I use these all the time or the control arm mounting points. If you manage to bend one of these with your jack, the whole thing was structurally compromised, likely by rust, for a long time.
There is nothing to worry about. And in actuality, the designated jacking spots are quite easy to bend/damage.

 

[dnewton3]

Generally, unibody vehicles are intended to be lifted by the pinch weld joints in specific locations where they are reinforced. Your owner's manual will indicate where those are. The "frame rail" you indicate is a commonly used support point, but it's technically not the proper lift point. I doubt you've damaged anything, but just avoid it in the future.

As a side note ... unibody vehicles don't have "frame rails", because there's no frame. But you're not alone in calling them that.

 

[RBT]

Fine to lift there. Use a block of wood to avoid damaging the coating.

 

[KrisZ]

Fine to lift there. Use a block of wood to avoid damaging the coating.

I use a hockey puck. Fits perfectly on my floor jack.

 

[RBT]

I use a hockey puck. Fits perfectly on my floor jack.

Yes I have used those too - fit perfect!

 

[4WD]

2018 Honda CR-V 2.4L. I jacked it up underneath the frame rail under left bolt to change the oil. Can anyone tell me if that's the unibody frame rail? I got paranoid so i went back and checked and it wasn't bent and the bolt wasn't cracked or anything. Is the frame rail a safe jacking point?

Does anyone know what the bolts are for on the rail? I won't be jacking it up from there again regardless as i found the recommended spot.

View attachment 296098

Do you have ramps? Seems safer than using a jack to change oil.

 

[KrisZ]

Do you have ramps? Seems safer than using a jack to change oil.

Ramps aren’t safer, especially the plastic ones that are known to crack out of nowhere.

 

[4WD]

Ramps aren’t safer, especially the plastic ones that are known to crack out of nowhere.

We can agree to disagree …
(Failure mode and frequency etc) …

 

[Rand]

Ramps aren’t safer, especially the plastic ones that are known to crack out of nowhere.

Not buying that. Ramps all the way. If you are scared of the plastic ones make your own out of wood.

 

[PF52]

Never mind, link broken.

 

[Woody71]

The pinch welds are for the emergency jack in the trunk. On my CR-V are the towhook on the rear and a spot near front center of the engine compartment are the lift points I use for floor jacks. . You absolutely can put your jack stands under the pinch welds, just don't use a floor jack to lift on said welds.

 

[Nessism1]

I cracked a set of plastic ramps earlier this year with my 3000 lb Civic. Drove up a little too far, so the weight wasn't centered and crack.

 

[Nessism1]

The pinch welds are for the emergency jack in the trunk. On my CR-V are the towhook on the rear and a spot near front center of the engine compartment are the lift points I use for floor jacks. . You absolutely can put your jack stands under the pinch welds, just don't use a floor jack to lift on said welds.

Got a pair of these coming from Amazon today, so it's easier to use the pinch weld and a floor jack.

 

[4WD]

Not buying that. Ramps all the way. If you are scared of the plastic ones make your own out of wood.

I only use wood and only indoor 2x10’s - glued and screwed …
Top plate is 90° from others …

 

[4WD]

Never mind, link broken.

Did you own those ?

 

[I<3oil]

 

[4WD]

I cracked a set of plastic ramps earlier this year with my 3000 lb Civic. Drove up a little too far, so the weight wasn't centered and crack.

Things fail - I realize my Pine-o-Ramps are not engineered - but have made and used them for many years without worry …

 

[rszappa1]

Same for the HRV....