Jacking car

[GT88]

I drive an AUII Forte and I just bought a trolley jack and jack stands because I want to start doing minor services myself. I'm learning about cars, so bear with me.

When jacking with the trolley jack where abouts do you raise it from? Will it work on the jack point rails on the side of the car. Or will the trolley jack bend the rail? Or is there a point where you can jack it from the front of the car?

Also where is it safe to place the jack stands?

Cheers

[poolkeeper]

On the sides in the usaul spots is fine, as long as your catching the double metal bit.

Front you can use the crossmember, and place the jack stands in the little grooves that are there.

[GT88]

Thanks for the reply. But I am not quite sure where to exactly place the jack stands. I dont want to cause any damage. Here are a few pictures I took. If you could circle in paint where I place the stands that would be great. If the groove isnt in the pictures could someone please take a photo of the required position where to place the stands.

http://img165.imageshack.us/my.php?i...mage377jv0.jpg
http://img165.imageshack.us/my.php?i...mage378bu4.jpg

Cheers

[Windsor220]

You can jack up the front under the front crossmember and the back under the diff. I dont have a pic handy but you put the jack stands under the sides where the side skirt meets the body. Around 10 cm in from the front and rear(betwen the wheel arches) there will be raised sections(or have 2 grooves cut out) thats where you put the stands. Tough to explain without a pic.

[T3man]

Yep, you can jack under the front alloy cross-member and under the diff on an XR8 with IRS. And with the money you save by doing your own services you can buy a new front cross-member when yours cracks, and new diff mounts when yours breaks, and get your tailshaft re-aligned and re-balanced because once the diff mount breaks the tailshaft will eventually bend due to misalignment and harmonic imbalance. You will probably have to do you own servicing for only about 3 years to save the money required for the above repairs.

Just jack under the car's correct jacking points and nothing will get harmed. You can place stands under the chassis rails at the front just near the jack points and same at the rear. At the rear you also can safely put stands under the lower trailing arms (as far to the rear as you can manage is best) if you have IRS. Naturally if you have a solid rear end you can jack under the diff and set your stands under the axle housings.