Floor jack "adapter" for newer pinch weld vehicles

[PandaBear]

Why does it need to be slotted? The bottom of the slot is flat. Flat is flat.

To me the only way a slot matters is if it's EXACTLY the right depth to weight the bottom of the pinch weld and simultaneously the body at the top of the flange

So this is the factory OEM scissor jack for the Lexus and Toyota we have. As you can see the slot is deep instead of just an indent for alignment for older vehicles with THICK plate (like 3-5mm of steel) instead of think sheet metal (like 1-2mm). The load is on the top flat surface and against the bottom of the "rail" instead of the vertical pinch together thin sheet metal.

Hence I'm trying to see what do people use and as mentioned here: sawed 2x4, hockey puck, slotted plastic or rubber, TT shape metal alloy, don't bother and just let the pinch weld deal with the bending etc. I would rather spend a few bucks than bending it, and in the worst case replace it once very few years.

About how to spread the load around, seems like so far I haven't seen any ultra long adapter that expand more than 2-3 inches. I guess the "best" would be some 6" long TT shape metal adapter but having it balanced on the jack / jack stand would be a concern.

The other concern is how do you keep it stable on a jack stand that is U / C / V shape on top with a flat metal or plastic puck? It has to stay balance while you lower the car on the jack stand from a hydraulic jack and not tip over.

 

[The Critic]

So this is the factory OEM scissor jack for the Lexus and Toyota we have. As you can see the slot is deep instead of just an indent for alignment for older vehicles with THICK plate (like 3-5mm of steel) instead of think sheet metal (like 1-2mm). The load is on the top flat surface and against the bottom of the "rail" instead of the vertical pinch together thin sheet metal.

Hence I'm trying to see what do people use and as mentioned here: sawed 2x4, hockey puck, slotted plastic or rubber, TT shape metal alloy, don't bother and just let the pinch weld deal with the bending etc. I would rather spend a few bucks than bending it, and in the worst case replace it once very few years.

About how to spread the load around, seems like so far I haven't seen any ultra long adapter that expand more than 2-3 inches. I guess the "best" would be some 6" long TT shape metal adapter but having it balanced on the jack / jack stand would be a concern.

The other concern is how do you keep it stable on a jack stand that is U / C / V shape on top with a flat metal or plastic puck? It has to stay balance while you lower the car on the jack stand from a hydraulic jack and not tip over.

These areas are fairly well reinforced. They generally do not bend.

Have you seen how a 4-post lift is setup?

 

[jkasch]

I literally bought this one for my jack last week.

BOTH of my used vehicles, the pinch welds are bent way out of shape.

So I decided to buy this adapter AND jack stand pads to help prevent this problem on my future cars.

View attachment 298666

Also, if your vehicle has some plastic cladding along the rockers, like my Challenger has, these get between the cladding and the metal without anything getting deformed.

 

[jws926]

I made one from a piece of hardwood, cut a vee groove in it making sure it was across the grain and glued in some hard rubber sheet which will be replaceable if necessary.

Ohh I like that, didnt even think about putting some rubber sheet in the groove, nice idea!

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

I never jacked the vehicle there either until I got the Tiguan and apparently there are no other appropriate places.

I also don’t understand why anyone would want to flatten over the pinch weld. Good luck getting the emergency jack to work later on.

No one wants to, just don't care

 

[jws926]

I did that but they tend to crack. The ones that look like a hockey puck with a slit cut into it also tend to split in time. I find the urethane ones are the best, but not all are the same, some are too deep imo. I’d rather it sitting on the pinch weld with the urethane supporting against the body. If it’s too deep it just touches the body for better or worse.

Its not something I am going to use all the time, just if I need to jack from the center jack point if I want to set the rear on a jack stand, my rocker panel goes under the car and has cut outs at the jack points but the middle is not big enough for a floor jack .

At some point I will get a proper one.

 

[D60]

Also, if your vehicle has some plastic cladding along the rockers, like my Challenger has, these get between the cladding and the metal without anything getting deformed.

I've never touched a Challenger but the worst I've personally encountered are KL Cherokees. Was virtually impossible to lift on my Bendpak until I built some adapters. Challenger might be even worse for all I know.

In hindsight I don't think the slot was necessary and it's a major PITA to line up all four. I may just start turning the slot 90*
Post in thread 'What are you working on today?' https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/what-are-you-working-on-today.331303/post-6562893

 

[dubber09]

Hockey pucks hacked up a bit work well too.

 

[HighHy21]

Hockey puck with a socket head cap screw to help with positioning.

 

[PandaBear]

These areas are fairly well reinforced. They generally do not bend.

Have you seen how a 4-post lift is setup?

I bent mine on the first lift midway, maybe not teared but definitely bent a bit. I stopped and went back to using the scissor jack.

 

[crashz]

I have them on my jack stands. I lift the car at a subframe point, then support using the jack stands. I feel like they protect the paint and center the stand pretty well. Been pretty durable as well.

 

[Patrick0525]

Our Lexus has alternate lift points in front of the wheels and a hidden spot for a pad eye in the grill - amazing what can be found in those 500 pages

Which Lexus model and year?

 

[4wd]

Wonder if poly-e is not tougher ?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/146121032245?_skw=floor+jack+pinch+weld+adapter&itmmeta=01K46PQ7PP4HAGDJ90K0FGQPJ4&hash=item22057e0235:g:GdwAAOSwZq5m2VYW&itmprp=enc:AQAKAAABAFkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1fj7AWGV1zezeyC0jfkudT7GyR9uvRATMSkjOJ832bNmGDpzv2N6xBzzmlEEfshrJtI/9c/ct5ATIMWLIRoeR7NzHR12fUlKzPzkX05dw9V+yrAmXZm1PErNXTQ7xZlPyny8ESggGgSPywkeEesUo0QgnqCt9FbKntKNgyxY8fCAHtxNzbODMDakF8gGC53utcolALNAd4LSDmN08TqU0ymPL5UO+tF1XYaVyxG6s9WGiH+B9USUQ7GDdBGkM9AxIiJPE08o1D8tfIEg5IV45XgAJxAxu3FvzEeSDfHDhQNxe6FULZ3vegWhFx7AfdmUdE=|tkp:BFBMtvzc1qFm

Which Lexus ?

 

[Sumboodie]

I made some from plywood almost 20 years ago. Still holding up fine.

 

[Patrick0525]

For my 30yr Hein-Werner floor jack, I asked a local welding shop to create a 4”X4” steel pad for the pinch weld adapters. It sits on a 1.1” diameter and 1.5” long shaft. It was $40.

 

[AJB0009]

Changed oil yesterday on my Mother’s 22 Civic Touring.
You have to watch the steel belts sticking out though, they will poke your bare hands a little bit.

 

[GRjdm]

Harbor Freight teased a pinch weld adaptor more than a year ago and I still haven't seen it at their store

 

[VWRand]

Been using a urethane round "puck" with a slot that I bought from PowerFlex (they make a lot of urethane suspension bushings), but I used this steel one for about 20 years prior. Has a post on the bottom that fit my old floor jack, but not my newer Hein Warner.

 

[John105]

Hockey puck

I’ve purchased what the OP has shown and they are not as hard as hockey pucks. I would say they are softer than a 2x4. Just me I’m reluctant to use hockey pucks on pinch welds even if a slit is cut. Have tons of them on hand, no offense I’d use the made in China pucks and keep the Czech Republic ones, if I started using them for cars

 

[Sprintcar26]

Bought a set on Amazon a few years ago. Work great in theory, but with my inexpensive and short floor jack, the increased height of the jack with the adaptor together, causes the weight to come down on the jack before the jack lifting arm can get over the center point of the jack body-it's too front loaded, and starts to cause the jack to lift in the back (the rear wheels come off the ground). Dangerous, unless used with a good, and long floor jack.