Jacking the Zed

[Nico]

Hey all,

 

Planning on doing my first DIY oil and oil filter change and just wanted to get some ideas on the best way to jack the zed.

 

I have wheel chocks, 2 jack stands, a 2 tonne trolley jack (with hockey puck "attachment" for the sills) and some pieces of wood to get the zed lifted. Should I be jacking one side of the car and securing with a stand and then doing the same for the other side?

 

or should I use the trolley jack on the front end "Garage Jack point" (see image link below) to jack the front up and the place both jack stands at the same time?

 

Jacking points: http://img31.imagesh...14977123981.jpg

 

I have a sloped driveway so doing it in the garage which means no real space to approach from the side so the front end method makes sense (only if it is viable with a trolley jack though)

 

Nico

[Watshot]

You're unlikely to get enough angle to use a trolley jack that far under the front. Back's okay, but go in from the sides at the front. I use the subframe rather than go anywhere near the sills.

Edited November 13, 2012 by Watshot

[jables]

I jack from the front, much easier and quicker but you'll need to drive onto a couple of blocks of wood to get enough clearance for the jack.

[Nico]

I jack from the front, much easier and quicker but you'll need to drive onto a couple of blocks of wood to get enough clearance for the jack.

 

How many inches, give or take, should should the wood planks raise it? at the moment my blocks are about an inch and a half thick, could double up to give an extra 3 inches of space to slide the jack under.

Edited November 13, 2012 by Nico

[Keyser]

How low is your Zed?

 

Buster's runs about 30mm lowerd and we have to put it on a 4" block to get the jack under the front

 

Use as much as you need to get the jack in - make sure the car is supported if your going underneath and try and keep it fairly level when you drain the oil

[jables]

Use as much as you need to get the jack in - make sure the car is supported if your going underneath and try and keep it fairly level when you drain the oil

 

This . I'm lowered about 40mm and need 2" blocks, but that's with a low clearance jack. It'll depend on the jack you've got and your drop.

Edited November 13, 2012 by jables

[ddcboyle]

I jacked mine up but it is a big of a squeeze

[scubapics]

For an oil change I use ramps and a scaffolding plank or similar sawn in half and used as a long ramp to the ramps to change the incline.

 

If you are going to use axle stands, do not jack up one side then the other. It's far too dangerous as the car tilts around one of the stands plus at one point it will be perched on just one wheel as you jack the other side up.

 

Ramps are safer if you are just raising one end up.

 

Jim

[Watshot]

 

 

Ramps are safer if you are just raising one end up.

 

Unless you need the wheels off obviously.

 

That's what stands are for, but if you don't know how to do it safely, then best left to someone who does.

 

I've had no problems in 30 years and don't have to go from planks to ramps to jack to stands, just to lift the front. I can just crack on without having to start and move the car or even open the garage door.

 

I'm not knocking it, at the end of the day you should go with what works for you as long as it's safe. The worst one's are the guy's who post pictures up clearly working under an arch with the sissor jack supporting the car. They'll spend hundreds on new bits and pieces but won't spend another £30 on a basic trolley jack and a couple of stands.

[Dblock]

For an oil change I use ramps and a scaffolding plank or similar sawn in half and used as a long ramp to the ramps to change the incline.

 

If you are going to use axle stands, do not jack up one side then the other. It's far too dangerous as the car tilts around one of the stands plus at one point it will be perched on just one wheel as you jack the other side up.

 

Ramps are safer if you are just raising one end up.

 

Jim

 

 

For an oil change I use ramps and a scaffolding plank or similar sawn in half and used as a long ramp to the ramps to change the incline.

 

If you are going to use axle stands, do not jack up one side then the other. It's far too dangerous as the car tilts around one of the stands plus at one point it will be perched on just one wheel as you jack the other side up.

 

Ramps are safer if you are just raising one end up.

 

Jim

 

You doing it wrong then. My car is lowered yet I can still get the trolley jack in the back to jack up both rears at the same time. Front wheels are chocked and I have never had any problems.

[scubapics]

Ramps are safer if you are just raising one end up.

 

Unless you need the wheels off obviously.

 

That's what stands are for, but if you don't know how to do it safely, then best left to someone who does.

 

I've had no problems in 30 years and don't have to go from planks to ramps to jack to stands, just to lift the front. I can just crack on without having to start and move the car or even open the garage door.

 

I'm not knocking it, at the end of the day you should go with what works for you as long as it's safe. The worst one's are the guy's who post pictures up clearly working under an arch with the sissor jack supporting the car. They'll spend hundreds on new bits and pieces but won't spend another £30 on a basic trolley jack and a couple of stands.

 

I agree. If you need the wheels off then use axel stands. I do too. Daft to do it otherwise.

[scubapics]

For an oil change I use ramps and a scaffolding plank or similar sawn in half and used as a long ramp to the ramps to change the incline.

 

If you are going to use axle stands, do not jack up one side then the other. It's far too dangerous as the car tilts around one of the stands plus at one point it will be perched on just one wheel as you jack the other side up.

 

Ramps are safer if you are just raising one end up.

 

Jim

 

 

For an oil change I use ramps and a scaffolding plank or similar sawn in half and used as a long ramp to the ramps to change the incline.

 

If you are going to use axle stands, do not jack up one side then the other. It's far too dangerous as the car tilts around one of the stands plus at one point it will be perched on just one wheel as you jack the other side up.

 

Ramps are safer if you are just raising one end up.

 

Jim

 

You doing it wrong then. My car is lowered yet I can still get the trolley jack in the back to jack up both rears at the same time. Front wheels are chocked and I have never had any problems.

 

You didn't read the first line of my post correctly or the first post in the thread.

 

Unless your Z has a rear mounted engine or oil filter repositioned in the back of the car, go directly to jail, do not pass go and do not collect £200.

[scubapics]

I have also just re-read the OP.

 

Sloping drive! Yikes. Not sure I would like to mess about raising a car up on a slope and then work under it. So in the garage it is for you with axle stands and jack in from the front with car on planks.

Edited November 14, 2012 by scubapics

[Dblock]

But then why would there only be one wheel on the floor?

 

You seem like a friendly chap

[scubapics]

But then why would there only be one wheel on the floor?

 

You seem like a friendly chap

 

 

OP said : "Should I be jacking one side of the car and securing with a stand and then doing the same for the other side?"

 

Jack up one side and put an axle stand under car. This raises the car to quite a high angle already on one side.

 

Then you go to the other side and start jacking up. This raise the front wheel with the opposite rear wheel already in the air. Now you have one wheel on the ground (rear one opposite to axle stand) and the car pivoting in the axle stand. Recipe for disaster. Hence either use ramps or raise front or rear in one go, not one side at a time.

[Watshot]

^{It's easy to make something sound difficult or dangerous if you want to. Like most things, if you know what you're doing it's easy, if you're not sure how to do it properly then go from the front or get someone else to do it.}

[Dblock]

Doesn't happen to my car. When I jack at the side the rear wheels stay on the ground.