Was having a discussion recently, and besides the thin factory rails for jacking the car, where else does everybody place their jack stands? Everytime, I always think there must be better places than the ones listed in the manual. Any other suggestions or places anyone uses?

 

The positions indicated in the manual are very strong as they are integrated into the frame. However, they are not designed to be supported against a flat surface like a floor jack. This is why the jack included with the vehicle has a relief slot to contain the rail tang.

That said, you can tuck a jack stand into the "armpits" of the front control arms or, better yet, get a proper truss and put it under the front cross member.

 

read this thread https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ght=jackstands it has a good discussion

 

Thanks guys, I've actually used the "armpits" once or twice on the rear. It worked very well.

 

^ I use those "armpits" too. The factory rails looks scary when you imagine the weight of the car going to that spot.

 

Would be neat if Mazda, or anyone else for that matter, sold jack stands that fit into those rails...of course, they'd cost an arm and a leg but it would be good piece of mind.

 

Take a 3" square of 2"x4" and cut a slot into it to fit the jack point on the side rails. Works great with floor jacks and jack stands, assuming the top of your stands are compatible with the 3" squares. Works for me.

 

Will need to try that, just have to figure who's garage I'll use to fabricate those.

 

If you know a wood worker it will be a simple task for them to make the blocks. A table saw will make the job much easier--particularly for cutting in the slots. Otherwise, you can do it with a hand saw and small wood chisel if you're handy with those tools. Make sure you duplicate the width and depth of the slot on the OEM jack and you'll be in business. And make the slot across the grain of the wood.

 

Sorry to bring back an old thread, but i was just wondering why you say to make the slot across the grain of the wood and what you would see as the benifit to doing it that way?

 

If you make the slot along the grain of the wood, you will weaken the wood block and the block may split in two along the slot you've cut. The block will be stronger if the slot is cut across the grain.

 

I have fabricated Titanum blocks to be used to support the jack stands and floor jacks. I'm selling them pretty cheap - $550/pair (jack and stands not included).

 

Great advice on the positioning. But do you have to use jackstands? Will a few bricks and a wood block work just as well? It doesn't seem like you need to raise the car much to get the pressure off the tires.

 

That should work just fine as long as you use a wide enough stack of bricks or a cinder block.

 

Never use the hollow cinder blocks to hold up a car, they tend to fracture and fail into a little pile of dust. You need a solid block, so if it cracks there is still matter there to hold up the car. It is much better to use a solid chunk of wood.

 

yea because they deff. dont hold up houses.

 

lol . . . someone will buy it!