So I've done a search on jack stands and am aware of the front cross member, rear differential points, and seen the pics-
I've set aside a good amount of money and just want to get all the right tools and set up a safe working environment.

I have some very basic questions. For those with more experience they may seem stupid, but for someone who's just getting under the car for the first time i just want to triple check:

-i bought a low profile floor jack. On the jack it says "for raising car only, not intended to "hold" car. I understand that would be the case, for extended periods, but for oil changes etc, wheel swap, I'm assuming it'd be okay to just use the floor jack?


- if i were to put a jack stand on the edge frame (as stated in the manual, along the rail), does a jack stand exist with the indentations to accomodate the "slit" in the rail? (i.e., the same 'dip' that the oem scissor jack has to fit snug with the frame). I know some have used wood blocks, and created an indentation. Just curious if a jack stand exists with such indentation already built in. Some stands I have seen seem to have a 'dip' of sorts, but not a pefect fit for the car like the scissor jack that comes with it.

-if im using my floor jack to raise the car on the side frame, how do I then get a jack stand at that same point? If I recall there are 2 dots on the side where you should lift the car- if the floor jack is there, how/where would you reccomend putting then a stand there once the car is lifted.

-thanks and any other tips/suggestions I'd appreciate. I read thru 5 or 6 threads on this already, but any extra thoughts I'll take in.

 

I use the floor jack on the sides (with just the thin rubber pad it has on the ram), then put stands just ahead of the jack, where the black suspension mount meets the body - a nice solid spot.

Same at the back, where the arm meets the body.

I wouldn't put any part of my body under without at least one stand in place.

S

 

thanks-
so just to make sure i have it correcly-for putting stands on the side- floor jack on side rail, just behind the point on the same side rail where the manual states to put the stock scissor jack right? lift, then put jack stand on rail next to it where stated in manual ?

so your jackstand on the side rail works okay even w/o the 'slit' or identation of same said rail?

thanks- yeah, my paranoia about getting under the car has me asking these questions

 

I only use the OEM jack on the siderail. other jacks bend it. I use the rear diff, the front cross member or other solid areas that i don't know names for.

 

the bending is what i was afraid of.

for the front cross member- do you just use one jack stand then to hold up the front end? (as opposed to two, spread wider to cover the front end (like left front, right front)...


thanks

 

depends on what i am doing. if i am doing say...a wheel swap or a sway bar swap where i need access to both sides i use 2 spread wide. if i am doing say an oil change i just use one (on the drivers side in this case)

 

even for simple oil changes, make sure you're using stands. No sense in risking serious injury.

 

^^ +1 you have to get well under the car to get to the oil pan drain plug bolt.

 

when you so 2 spread wide- (front left, front right) where do you put the jack stands? (the cross member area seems to only accomodate 1 jack stand and is more in the middle front right?)

also, seeing that you can bend the rails if you dont have the jack stands with the 'indentations' for the rail, how do you address that?

thanks again...just want to be super safe like ya'll said

 

yeah the first day i had my jack i was trying it out to see how it worked, i jacked the car thought i had everything tight and 20 seconds after the car was stably lifted the jack gave way since the bar wasnt as tight as it could be. Glad im never gonna make the mistake of getting under the car without the stands.

When i use the stands i just put them on the rail, i end up putting them in the same spot every time so i have 4 little bent areas...m'eh no biggie.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dinhx8

thanks-

Whoa! No, never use jacks OR stands ANYWHERE on that siderail, other than between the two dimples. Bendage and crushage are sure to happen.....

For front lifting, there is a jackpoint in the middle, between the front of the oil pan and the back of the plastic 'undertray' thing. It is quite low, you need a low profile jack to get to it, then you have to be careful not to go in too far and jack on the oil pan! (DON'T jack the oil pan!)

Stands are an essential, I've seen cars roll just a couple of inches and twist a floor jack sideways into a pretzel. My own beautiful polished alloy low profile floorjack will slowly let the car down. It takes an hour or so, but maybe you don't notice until the brake disc is touching the concrete - ouch!

S

 

I don't want to be a pain, but safety is a concern...Can someone take some pics of their jack stands in place the next time they have their car up? It would really help. Thanks.

 

Okay cool- I'm defintely buying stands as originially intended...the rail thing was confusing me though.

So, I dont think its been answered, but using jack stands, and NOT the side rails, am I correct in assuming to raise the front you just need one in "that spot" noted in other threads/pics and that you have mentioned between the oil pan and plastic undertay thing?

the only thing I bought was a low profile stand, i was waiting on the jack stands to see if there was one that worked on the rails.

lastly, using the 2 "spots" (rear diff, front crossmember), am I correct in assuming 2 jackstands can hold the entire car at those spots? I always had this impression of using 4 as opposed to just 2.

 

okay, i think my mechanically clueless self finally got it...

the below link helped a lot

raise car at jack points, insert 2 jack stands between dots on rails (left and right side, where scissor oem jack goes) ...indentation doesnt seem to matter for jackstands on the rails, as the pics in the below link (of a miata) has the same thin rails the rx8 does on the side.

http://www.techguys.ca/howto/floor_jack.html

this link came from another member in the DIY (how to change diff fluid thread.

 

Ok, reviving this thread to make this clear for me. Can you use stands for rotating the wheels/tires?

 

Time to revive this thread I guess.

I am hesitant on putting jack stands on the places indicated in the manual cause it can damage the rail....

can someone tell me if these jackstands from Sears, which have a "slit" will eliminate this issue..

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...e%7CJack+stand

Thanks in advance!

 

Yeah, its fine, if in doubt use a towel or something

 

Thanks for the qucik reply.

I was more concened about the weight bending or damaging the rail than the paid rubbing the stand.

I hope it will work out

Thanks!

 

never ever ever go under a go that does not have jack stands propping it up.

my friends father has had 2 friends killed this way.

 

If you have jack stand that do not have a slit, does it mean it is unusable?

I have something similar to this (without slit) with little dip, not from Craftsman though... http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...0182000P?mv=rr

Did a few searches of the forum, most posts suggested to put place the jack stand between the two dimple on the rail(service manual show the same points), but that assumes the jack stand has a way to place there without crashing the rail.

 

my rail is all crashed up ... oh well