Got my first jack and stands, how bad did I do?

You did well.. having the jack stands can save your life.. so good move. Just be aware jacks can and do rarely fail. But if you are careful you have chosen wisely.
I was a broke college student and purchased a 40 dollar small jack in 1978 and got many years out of it. I have upgraded to a large sears jack and top of the line harb freight jack.. plus I have a couple small harb freight jacks that I bought my daughter to keep in her car for a tire change.
 
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I'm sure this jack is more than to your task. Just a hint
however:
Get a couple of ice-hockey pucks to place onto your jack
please. VWs want anything than rubber beneath their sills.
And don't forget to place some old carpet or similar bet-
ween your Jetta's stands and sills or subframe.
Personally I don't stands are even mandatory for rotating
fronts to rears and vice versa. I don't use them. However
I won't get beneath the car of course.
I use to operate higher torque the wheel bolts with the
wheels sitting before and back on the ground only anyway.
That said, hope you own a torque wrench btw..
.
Rubber between the sills? This jack has a rubber pad on it and I put a cloth between it and the frame. How could that damage if using the designated lift points?
 
Rubber between the sills? This jack has a rubber pad on it and I put a cloth between it and the frame. How could that damage if using the designated lift points?

None of my jack stands have rubber pads and I’ve not hurt a single thing on any car that I’ve set down on them. Just place them at designated lift points or a sturdy place on the cradle/crossmember and it’ll be fine.
This is one of those situations where too much advice will have you overthinking something simple. Just use your common sense and you’ll know “where” and “where not” to put the jack stands. 😉🍻
 
Rubber between the sills? This jack has a rubber pad on it and I put a cloth between it and the frame. How could that damage if using the designated lift points?
he was referring to this

IMG_1221.jpeg



that's why I use a piece of wood
 
couple commenters wrked from the jack. I'd say never do this, body prts can (unfortunately) go under & get injured from
accidents - ie an unplanned, unforeseen future catastrophic event of any cause. I like my fingers &/or life.

I say this & do 80-90% of the wrk on a 10 or 12Klb 2 post Mohawk. Even w/that I like the "shake it 1st" comments.
Even w/these lifts (4 contact points) some trucks or rusty framed sedans R "shaken (& stirred) 1st" aahahaha

In a decade I had one w/a crunchy frame go thru so the tire rested on the ground (I shake the 10% at only 4, 6 inches off the ground in a case just like this one - unforeseen inside-frame rust of unibody sedan). I usually do this not for the chrunch-thru (U can hear that B4 the tires even lift - as the equipment lifts thru the vehicle's suspension range) but due to need to 'uncenter the lift' ona load. A p/u may have enuff in the bed as to move lift points back for a better balance 6 ft over head. A vehicle may have frnt engine transaxle transmis, and points need moved forward. So the frnt/back balance (not left/right). I may shake to assure I'm placing correct (done a good initial estimate).
 
Jack and stands look good. When used correctly you have nothing to worry about. People who have cars fall on them usually do something really stupid.
I started driving in 1960 so I've been around a long time. I've been under cars on a bumper jack. No one thought much about it back in the day.
 
None of my jack stands have rubber pads and I’ve not hurt a single thing on any car that I’ve set down on them. Just place them at designated lift points or a sturdy place on the cradle/crossmember and it’ll be fine.
This is one of those situations where too much advice will have you overthinking something simple. Just use your common sense and you’ll know “where” and “where not” to put the jack stands. 😉🍻

Obviously you definitely either didn't own a VW or you didn't inspect them after work.


Rubber between the sills? This jack has a rubber pad on it and I put a cloth between it and the frame. How could that damage if using the designated lift points?

Yes of course. You said you'll get this one (and will impair your Jetta's sills):

56643_W5.jpg
 
ive used the factory jack (on the side of the road) and it works fine as long as you pay attention the the standard precautions, Mrs DuckRyder has also used it to practice and again it works fine.

OP may or may not find useful info here:

 
Obviously you definitely either didn't own a VW or you didn't inspect them after work.






56643_W5.jpg
You’re correct about my not owning a VW, but every other car that I’ve owned and currently own gets inspected every time I do anything to it, and I have never damaged anything on them. I also Jack up cars day in and day out down at the car lot, all kinds, I have never damaged anything with a jack or jack stands without rubber pads.
Are you saying VW’s are made out of Aluminum foil? 🤔
 
"...I am Chad and I approve..." any walk thru (post #50) done w/"kids'n" women on 'tire change correctly'. Just too dangerous. Many men do incorrectly as well. Y? no in depth owner's manny read after purchase. Congrats Mr Ducky!
In the early '70s Cambridge, MA 'Y' allowed (paid) me - to do classes (YWCA) on tune ups, tire/oil changes, etc. Glad they did as 20, 30 yrs later it had prepped me to do so w/2 daughters. My 'ex' was never able to observe, learn. It is important due to lower body weight/lack of experience & danger, upper body strength differences us/them.
My 90 y/o dad was on way to airport. He was to catch a flight outta Tampa. We left late. He hada flat on the way. I was able to change tire (I was wearing flip flops) ina strange car in 7 min and still exchange seats at airport/C him off on time. I remember 2 things: poundin the lug wrench w/ THOSE shoes on (no damage to the foot) and triple trailers wind storms' as they flew by on I 75 I believe it was? (came in frm s. - LongBoat Key. I lived/live in WesssMAsss) buffeting the vehicle. These, thank ye gods, R not daily occurrences - but one must have the safety basics. Plez share w/ur loved ones or if needed - research urself NOW. Accident: unplanned, unforeseen catastrophic & harmful event.
 
Do you have a garage where you will keep the jack? If not, I can't imagine carrying 80+ pounds of jack to the car every time you need to use it.
+2

That is one HEAVY jack! Hopefully I won't have to move anytime soon; if I do I just might have to leave the jack for the next owner.
 
What about using the rear torsion beam as a lift point? Is that acceptable? Again I can’t find anything in the manual about this.
 
not sure what car but IRS have a 'tie in point' where the 2 meet. W/no differential, that's a good spot. The jack points (owner's manny sez where to put its jack to change a tire on either side) on either side?
 
Do you have a recommendation for the rear?

Ok here we go. I am sure i will get some negative feedback on this but this is my opinion.

Talking about the Jetta - There is no good point to raise the front both sides or rear both sides at the same time, that is particularly true in the rear. You might get away with it in the front on the subframe but i would not do it.

There are 8 good lifting spots, they have been mentioned in one of the treads already, they are the 4 factory jack points on the rocker pinch welds (or sills for our European friends) and the pivot points where the rear "trailing arms" mount for the rear and the subframe in the area of the bolts on each side in the front. I do not like using a floor jack on the pitch welds because you can tend to put sideways forces on them and bend them, if i used those i would use one of the pucks or a block of wood with a slot cut into it.

When i rotate tires i use the spare (i have a full size steelie with a full size tire on it.) I lossen all the lug nuts slightly on the ground, i then use a floor jack (a long reach blue Daytona) on the subframe near the rear most bolt (with a block of wood) on the left front to barely raise the LF off the ground , i remove the wheel and put it under the pinch weld and quickly place the spare on the car, tighten 2 lugs (i work entirely outside the car, with no part of me under it) pull the wheel out from under the pinch weld and lower the car. take the wheel to the rear, and repeat the procedure placing the formally LF on the LR. (i use a block of wood on the trailing arm mounts to raise the rear.) I then take the formally LR tire to the RF and repeat the drill, move the formally RF to the RR and finally the formally RR to the LF and replace the spare in the trunk. I never have more than one wheel off the ground and I never have any part of my anatomy under the car. it goes without saying i hope that i do this on level ground. also that when mounting i torque the wheels to half torque in a star pattern before lowering and then to final torque on the ground, again in a star pattern. I also endeavor to just raise the car enough to remove the tire and place the new one at each point.

Instead of putting a wheel under the pinch weld you could put the jack stand there, that'll require you getting it a little higher, which makes it a little harder..

If i were to do a brake job on the rear like you are contemplating i would do essentially the same thing and do one side at a time, id definitely place a jack stand under the pinch weld and probably a tire under the suspension and i would still stay out from under it. I don't think it is necessary or even desirable to to loosen bleeder to do the brake job, but if you do you're going to need to evenly raise it, which i would do one side at a time.

Now folks are going to say always a jack and a stand and i agree you need a safety, but I've seen cars fall of racks and jacks and jack stands and i'm comfortable doing it this way. The key is NEVER UNDER IT, NO PART OF YOU.

Anyway, that is my way, use it at your own risk. Others will have their way, Ultimately you will have your way.

Also i may have mentioned this: VCDS - you will get impeccable help on their forum if you need it, but only with a genuine interface. You can use it on your phone, but full functionality may require a laptop.
 
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