So I was going to jack up the G today to do some work on it, and I decided to go out and buy a jack from the store instead of using the ****y one that comes with the car. So I got a 2.5 ton jack and I read in the service manual where to put the jack under the car. If you've ever jacked a G before, it says to do it on a small ridge behind the front wheel between two little cut out notches (that are there to show you where to put the jack).

However, it struck me as odd that they want you to place the jack on this thin metal ridge, but I jack there anyway. After I let the car down, I notice that it's distorted the metal where the jack had been. Since it's such a small ridge of metal, it started to bend over around the edges.

Does anyone know the right way to jack this car without causing this? Am I doing something wrong? I don't want the bottom of my car getting all bent everytime I want to jack it up.

 

It's normal. I also used the bigger jack on all my previous cars, and not the supplied one, and it always bends the metal.

 

You need a jack adapter because the jacking points are proned to getting bent.

 

so whenever you jack up the car, you will bend the metal?!
i've never jack up my car before so...

 

You could try making an adapter similar to what is on the top of the factory jack, that being a small pc of hard wood, with a little cut or notch in the middle so it will fit against the underbody, and not bend the metal ridge.

I made one out of oak, but it wasn't cut correctly and split in half.

I now just jack the car right behind the front wheel, it lifts the car fine, and causes no damage at all.......see the pic below for the position

You might be able to use This product I couldn't because my lift base does not come off to slip the adapter on ......check it out, it might be worth your while.

 

I've seen hockey pucks work well...around $4.

 

The rail is only there to guide the factory jack.

you are suppose to put the weight of the car not on the rail, but the bulge that
is inside and outside of the rail. you can feel for it with your hands if you
reach under there.

As mentioned above, you need to either buy an adapter or put a piece of wood
under the bulge. i just use a piece of wood.

 

Yeah the bending is normal.

 

As Kenchan said, the thin rail (probably a joint of two pieces of sheet metal) is a guide for the factory jack to seat. Haven't jacked up my coupe yet, but on my other car, I jack up on other tried and true points - the differential for the rear and the front crossmember - I avoide using the trunk jack and the side jack points altogether. Then there are other good points to set it down on Jack stands. I imagine the G is similar - avoid using the sides to jack up the car, use ramps, etc. to get it high enough to set a real jack underneath at strong points and yes a hockey puck makes a good buffer.

 

Yes, this adapter from Eastman works well. They're kind of long, so I had to cut it to make it shorter. But, once done, it worked fine with my 2.5 ton floor jack...now I can jack it up from the side without using the OEM scissor jack (which is weak).

 

What were the original dimensions and what did you cut it down to? They were too long to fit what? The car itself?