Jacking Unibody Cars

Status
Not open for further replies.
I usually use a hockeyear puck. For a long time it was just ,me that had a vehicle with a pinch weld jac point. Now my mother has a Focuscape ... may buy the real deal now


Originally Posted By: Pajamarama
I've been jacking my car at the pinch welds without any adapters for a while now. Is that wrong?

You can potentially ruin the pinch weld.
 
Last edited:
I have been using floor jacks at the pinch welds without adapters for, oh, 25 years. I position them carefully. I was not aware, until this thread, that there were even adapters available for doing that. I never had an issue. And, I have even had to change tires on those cars using the OEM jacks at the roadside.

That being said, I still think the adapters are a good idea.
 
I've used a thick chunk of oak with a slot for the pinch weld cut across the grain. I put that on top of the jack saddle.
 
I worked in a detail shop that did a whole lot more than detail and there were times we'd have to remove the rims so we could spray them with acid as to not potentially get it on the cars finish.
My boss had a floor jack with a hockey puck taped to it and a slit cut in the center to allow for the pinch weld to slide into.
Worked pretty well and being rubber never marred the the paint.
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy

My boss had a floor jack with a hockey puck taped to it and a slit cut in the center to allow for the pinch weld to slide into.
Worked pretty well and being rubber never marred the the paint.


That's what I use.
 
One needs to ensure their shop floor is totally clean. Even an 1/8" pebble can jam under the jack wheel and make the jack start pulling the pinch weld sideways instead of pulling itself under the car via the arc of its geometry like it's supposed to.
 
Yep and in the salt belt a lot of rocker panels are rotten and the jack will go right through. I try to jack by the sub frames when possible.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Clevy

My boss had a floor jack with a hockey puck taped to it and a slit cut in the center to allow for the pinch weld to slide into.
Worked pretty well and being rubber never marred the the paint.


That's what I use.


Yup! Just a straight cut with a hacksaw and it holds together great!
 
Can you tell me how to cut a slit in the hockey puck? Which Dremel accessory would I need?

Lifting at sub-frame means one needs to know the correct lift point for each specific car. For newbies, that might not be obvious. Of course one can ask or google it figure out the safe point to jack the vehicle.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Can you tell me how to cut a slit in the hockey puck? Which Dremel accessory would I need?

Lifting at sub-frame means one needs to know the correct lift point for each specific car. For newbies, that might not be obvious. Of course one can ask or google it figure out the safe point to jack the vehicle.


I put it in a vice and just made the cut with a hack saw.

I imagine a cutting wheel would work.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Can you tell me how to cut a slit in the hockey puck? Which Dremel accessory would I need?

Lifting at sub-frame means one needs to know the correct lift point for each specific car. For newbies, that might not be obvious. Of course one can ask or google it figure out the safe point to jack the vehicle.



I put it in a vice a cut it with a skilsaw. I don't see any problems using a Dremel with a cutting wheel maybe?
 
Yup-a good way to 'repurpose'(love you young pups for the term!)an old puck-and us 'upnorth' types tend to have these around to use as we also have the rust that starts with the paint knocked off the pinch
 
I just use a chunk of 2x4 between the jack and pinch weld. I've added a few screws to the piece of wood to prevent it from splitting, as the pinch weld is parallel with the grain.

It's worked well for me.
 
Suspension mounting points are strong, look for where the wishbone bolts to the subframe..
A piece of wood between the jack and pinchweld always works well
Or
Look for the crossmember and jack off that

Also
Many unibody vehicles have a mark on the sill, often an arrow or triangle, to indicate where the jacking point is located
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top