I am just a bit confused. Attached is a bigger picture of the jack points. I've color coded it. Green is what they call the garage points. I've also colored in "orange" because when I had my tires installed last time they jack up the rear using the "orange area". So which one do you guys use? Seems like everyone have their own little preference.

 

I use the green area. If you get a low enough jack (like G35_TX and myself have) you will not have to drive it up on anything. The orange part is just the lower control arm and it is just as strong as the green area but will only jack up one side at a time. So you need to ask yourself, do you want both wheels in the air or just one??? Actually I prefer both in the air and put the jack stands under the orange area.

 

Mr Big,

Thanks for the advice. When you jack it up in the rear and then lower it down on both orange area, did you modify your hdryalic jack saddle or the jack stand saddle? The saddle shapes is so weird that I am afraid it would bent something.

Also, where's the lower control arm in the front if I only want to jack up one side of the front?

Primarily I'll probably just use it to do tire rotation. Not sure if I trust going under the car to do oil change and end up killing myself.

Sorry for another question. Example, when you jack up passenger rear, you should put wheel chocks on driver front (front and back) right? What about if you jack up both rears, do you chock both front wheels?

 

The jack I have has a flat saddle, all I did was cut a square piece of plywood to use on the saddle. I know some other jacks use a small cup type of saddle, I don't use these because I think the saddle is to small. As for the jack stands, I usually put half of the stand saddle in the hole where the spring is and the other half points toward the back of the car and supports the back half of the control arm.

The lower control arm in the front is the round bar that connects to the car frame and the ball joint. It might be difficult to jack at this point because it's really tucked under there. But it makes a good place to put a jack stand. If your worried about the car falling or something, I would just jack in the center then stick the jack stands there and lower the jack just a little, this way the car's weight is support by three things (same in the back).

I've been under 100's of cars and trucks with just jack stands and never had a problem, I would save some $$$ and change your own oil. The hardest part of the whole process is removing the plastic shield under the front part of the car, but a cordless screwdriver makes quick work of that.

If I jack both rears I put one chock in front of the front tire and one in the rear of the front, of the other wheel. Technically you should chock both the front and back of each tire, but again 100's of times doing this and never a problem even the wife's SUV doesn't move.

Hope this helps.

 

So you chock both sides of one wheel instead of both the fronts of 2 wheels?

 

No, one side of each tire.

 

ahh i misunderstood, one per side but one front and one rear

 

Mr. Big, that was very informative stuff. Thanks dude. I never thought about the 3 stands (lift jack + 2 jack stands) on one end for safety. Hopefully I can figure it out and change my oil one day (God knows when that will be) So is the front lower control arm at similar area as the rear? Next to the tires? But is it round shape like the rear or it looks totally different?

Please see below link. I believe he uses the lower control arm "orange area" in the back but which part of the front is the car jacked up on?

http://www.sah2o.com/russ/stillenexh...exhaustdiy.htm

Sorry...last thing. See attached picture. What I've circled in "green color". Is that the garage point?

 

Nice garage Russ (G35_TX), I'm sure he'll be impressed were using his car as an example.

Anyway is looks like he has the jack stand under the frame which is a good place as well, but I've seen the floor of the car give at this point, but that could be because that car was a POS. If you look at the attached pic I have circuled the point where I put the jack stand. Yes the green point is the rear differential, a very good place to jack up the back end or the car.

 

Yeah...I know it's G35_TX's car. Oh...so that's the front. I was looking for a similar "circle shape" lower control arm. The front jack point is definitely skinnier. I guess it's stable enough if Mr. Big said so.

You mind circling the front garage point also if it's present on G35_TX's pics?

Thanks a bunch...

 

Hmm, you can't really see it. But, if you look at the diagram on your post #76 that whole area is a cross member frame, so even if you don't his the exact green spot you'll still be on the frame. If you look under the front of the car at that area you can see round bolt or something round in the center of the frame, aim for that and you'll be fine.

 

Thanks Mr. Big, you've been a great help. One last stupid question. Can you see that round bolt or you have to remove the cover underneath the front to see it or use it?

 

You can see it without removing anything, just look in the center area just beyond the cover.

 

You can also jack it up without removing the cover right? Thanks and I promise I won't keep questioning you again. At least not on this topic until I have time to check out the jack points myself.

 

Yep, you can jack it up without removing anything.