Are jack stands under the jack pad points that safe?

tan_rich

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Feb 6, 2018
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ECS started selling the Quickjack.
Too bad my E90 335xi AT at 3800 lbs is slightly overweight for the 3500 lb model.
https://www.ecstuning.com/News/Quickjack_25731/

I believe BL-5000SLX would fit for our needs. Thought im wonder if the BL-500EXT will work since it would be great to fit a sedan on it as well.


I use jack stands that have a flat, round top, they also happen to be very stable, “tripod vs square base, I combined them with the plastic/ urethane jack pad adaptors. I took the stock rubber pad off the top of the stands, and the jack pad adaptor fits nicely in the cup of the stand. It’s the most stable way I’ve found to get the car up and it will go much higher than average stands. I spent around $180 on amazon for everything, worth every penny!

Great idea, should have looked to get those jackstands rather than the U head variants.
 

tan_rich

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Feb 6, 2018
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I've seen this issue talked about on all forums with no clear solution. Mine are mangled after a handful of jacking attempts. I'm on stock height with M359 19s and can just fit my jack between the front skirt and wheel to jack by the middle point. The jack up location isn't a problem, however when I use to jack up by permanent jack stand points, the pad is now mangled (typical costco/arcan low profile steel version).
The ONLY solution I have seen is a billet block with a thin piece extended from it to properly jack from in order to mimic a proper pinch weld.
OR the ESCO jacks with an adapter that a specific company makes to fit our BMWs.

It's really a joke on European cars. They're absolute shit in this regard. I keep saying this, but working on friend's Toyota 86/BRZ/FR-S/whatever you call it there is a BREEZE. The jack point is just a simple sturdy metal pinch rail and it holds and doesn't bend. Really don't understand why the Euros can't get this right and put shitty pinch welds that bend and flop over or crappy plastic adapters that deform after one jacking attempt.

I agree, i've been looking around on many forums and no real good solution. One of my jacking points fell off the other day and i need to get a new one... I'm fairly low myself with the jack stand barely able to get under the with me pushing up on the side-skirt a bit. I also use a jack pad adapter but i guess repeated use at the tire shop, dealer, myself, jack stands on it have put its toll on them, Thankfully a new set of 4 isn't too terrible expensive. Haven't head of the ESCO jacks, i would have to look that up.
 

ajpagosa

Specialist
Feb 10, 2017
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I cut up an old hockey puck into segments that fill the plastic jack point things under the car, then set the car onto jack stands. The rubber is very stout, virtually imcompressible, and using the curved edges fit right into curve on the jack stand top. Very stable and the jack point plastic stuff is not destroyed at all, 8 years doing it this way with a lot of time under the car.

Car is lowered so I have shallow wood ramps to drive the front wheels onto, then use hydraulic jack under the center front subframe tab (which made for this) to lift the car prior to setting it on jacks. In back use several wood blocks under the subframe around the diff to get extra height for the floor jack then do same thing with hockey puck pieces in the rear jack points.

I almost never jack one side of the car up for any reason, would rather jack the center up and have it safely on jack stands both sides.
 
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R.G.

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Nov 17, 2016
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Yep, I jack one side up from rear side point. Throw a JS under the front one, then jack up from center point.
Tires under the side I’m working on and try to keep the jack on center jack point whenever it’s not too in the way as well. I F’ng dread working under the F02 regardless, makes working under e92 feel very, very safe. Next home purchase will have recessed in ground lift installed in 3rd bay before house has furniture
 
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dyezak

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I do a poor man's quick jack. 2x6 on top of a low-pro floor jack emulates the quick jack. I then jack up one side and throw in my stands. Go to the other side and repeat. Takes about 2min to put my car on jack stands. Easy peasy.
 

doublespaces

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I do a poor man's quick jack. 2x6 on top of a low-pro floor jack emulates the quick jack. I then jack up one side and throw in my stands. Go to the other side and repeat. Takes about 2min to put my car on jack stands. Easy peasy.

That is a pretty good idea for jacking up an entire side at once.
 

doublespaces

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Thanks for the website. Of course, anything both inexpensive and easy can’t also be safe. The website says, “ALWAYS USE JACK STANDS IN PAIRS. DO NOT SUPPORT YOUR CAR WITH ONE, THREE, OR FOUR JACK STANDS. USE WHEEL CHOCKS IN FRONT AND BEHIND THE WHEELS ON THE GROUND.”

I saw that too, did you see how unstable the base looks? Maybe its just the angle, but I wouldn't jack my car up on just two of those toothpicks either
 

Jeffman

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Actually the biggest one (on the right I think) doesn’t look too bad. One of them alone weighs 13 lbs and has a 12” base width (stance). That’s probably the width of the quick jack. And the table says it’ll go has high as 21” which I think is the same height as the quick jack. So I could imagine my car sitting safely on four of them. I already have ramps and a jack so four of these big jack stands would be tons cheaper than a quick jack.

31A8182E-056C-4B22-AB36-3CFE8913D5F6.jpeg
 

Cornfed54

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Feb 6, 2018
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I have 4 of the ESCO 10499 stands, they are amazing, I feel like I should have bought them 10 years ago. The tripod design actually seems MORE stable than traditional 4 leg stands. Combining these with 4 jack pad adaptors, I have my car about 19” off the ground on all 4 corners and the car can’t be budged when I try to shake it. Nothing beats a lift but I feel like this is as safe as it gets for me working under the car in my garage.
 

houtan

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Nov 2, 2017
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I do a poor man's quick jack. 2x6 on top of a low-pro floor jack emulates the quick jack. I then jack up one side and throw in my stands. Go to the other side and repeat. Takes about 2min to put my car on jack stands. Easy peasy.

Are you placing the 2x6 between the two jack pads? I thought the quick jack still reached both jack pads and picked the car up from the pads. Is it safe to support the weight of the car using the area between the pads? I guess I always assumed the area the pad snaps into was reinforced versus the rest of the area between the pads. If the entire bottom side is capable of supporting the weight of one side, I am totally borrowing using this technique!

In terms of protecting the pads from getting damaged. I just cut 1" x 3" (I think that was the size) rectangular pieces out of 3/4" plywood I had laying around. I use a small piece of masking tape to secure them into the pad when I am putting the car on stands. With my craftsman 4 ton stands, the plywood is just thick enough to protect the pads from being damaged.
 
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dyezak

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Are you placing the 2x6 between the two jack pads? I thought the quick jack still reached both jack pads and picked the car up from the pads. Is it safe to support the weight of the car using the area between the pads? I guess I always assumed the area the pad snaps into was reinforced versus the rest of the area between the pads. If the entire bottom side is capable of supporting the weight of one side, I am totally borrowing using this technique!

In terms of protecting the pads from getting damaged. I just cut 1" x 3" (I think that was the size) rectangular pieces out of 3/4" plywood I had laying around. I use a small piece of masking tape to secure them into the pad when I am putting the car on stands. With my craftsman 4 ton stands, the plywood is just thick enough to protect the pads from being damaged.

Look for pics of an e9x series without rocker panel covers. There is a giant frame rail that spans that entire area.
 
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houtan

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Will do. If you have time to take a picture of where you place the wood the next time you jack up your car I would appreciate it. Your way is much faster than what I do now.
 

doublespaces

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I have 4 of the ESCO 10499 stands, they are amazing, I feel like I should have bought them 10 years ago. The tripod design actually seems MORE stable than traditional 4 leg stands. Combining these with 4 jack pad adaptors, I have my car about 19” off the ground on all 4 corners and the car can’t be budged when I try to shake it. Nothing beats a lift but I feel like this is as safe as it gets for me working under the car in my garage.

This one looks pretty solid. I was moreso referring to the one on the far left.
 

houtan

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Thanks for the picture. I need to look under the 1er and find those rails.
 

MoreBoost

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Jul 27, 2017
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The one time I had to be under mine I used 6 Jack stands. 4 in the normal 4 locations. Then 2 under each axle. Then I left the Jack under the central jacking point at the front. You can of course place it under the diff if working near the rear.
Covered as many bases as possible.
 
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tan_rich

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Feb 6, 2018
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Hmm, what i recently learned from a friend is that if you look past the plastic jack points and above the felt liners, there are the slotted frame rails. If you dont mind crushing the felt liner you can lower the car onto the frame rails. I had to jack up from this point recent because one of my jack pads were damaged and waiting for a new one.

Edit:
I see dyzeak posted it before as well. All credits to him!
Look for pics of an e9x series without rocker panel covers. There is a giant frame rail that spans that entire area.
 
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