I dont like getting under a car on stands or jacks and I wont use plastic or frame ramps after seeing a sheet metal frame collapse. That said jacking 1 corner and supporting properly is just as safe as lifting both sides with the same support and even less likely to move side to side and fall off. I have a car that is too low to get under, a Fiesta and it has a cowl on the front. I made a set of ramps from 2x8's with the front length long enough that the tire starts to climb the first board before the cowl hits the second. It makes them a bit long but they stand on end for storage against the wall and take up less space than my floor jack.
Lifting/jacking up only ONE corner of a car
- Thread starter 97tbird
- Start date
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted by Dave9
All passenger vehicles are designed to be able to lift one corner for the obvious reason of changing a tire, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Consult the owner's manual for the designated jack points, though these are for the factory supplied jack and if you know what you're doing you can find alternate points without causing damage, which is also useful to have a redundant support point if you're not taking the wheel off to use that as your backup support, or your wheels are so skinny that they wouldn't be effective at that.
Then again, it takes maybe 30 seconds to jack up the other side of the same end and you may get that time back from ease of working under the vehicle, or less soreness the next day because you didn't have to be a contortionist to get work done. Granted an oil change is usually not that arduous a process to make as much difference as some other repairs where you don't have a lift and are working on the ground.
IME, the lifting height to get a tire off is much less than to get a jack stand, even in a low position under the car. This is the case for low-slung cars like my 135i, and high, old school ones like like my old Mercedes cars.
Its a matter of a few inches, which may not matter, but depending upon suspension configuration, and if another corner lifts to get there, might be a consideration...
All passenger vehicles are designed to be able to lift one corner for the obvious reason of changing a tire, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Consult the owner's manual for the designated jack points, though these are for the factory supplied jack and if you know what you're doing you can find alternate points without causing damage, which is also useful to have a redundant support point if you're not taking the wheel off to use that as your backup support, or your wheels are so skinny that they wouldn't be effective at that.
Then again, it takes maybe 30 seconds to jack up the other side of the same end and you may get that time back from ease of working under the vehicle, or less soreness the next day because you didn't have to be a contortionist to get work done. Granted an oil change is usually not that arduous a process to make as much difference as some other repairs where you don't have a lift and are working on the ground.
IME, the lifting height to get a tire off is much less than to get a jack stand, even in a low position under the car. This is the case for low-slung cars like my 135i, and high, old school ones like like my old Mercedes cars.
Its a matter of a few inches, which may not matter, but depending upon suspension configuration, and if another corner lifts to get there, might be a consideration...
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
Originally Posted by 97tbird
How safe is it?
If I lift the car up on ONE corner (front passenger corner, for example) and place that corner on a jack stand, and chock the rear wheel that's diagonally opposite (or both rear wheels), is it safe enough to keep the car lifted on the corner long enough do an oil change? (as opposed to lifting and placing the car on jack stands on BOTH front corners).
IF it IS safe, In addition to safety, are there any other issues by using this procedure?
I always use two lift-jack devices, whenever I get underneath a vehicle.
A chock is not a lift jack. But they sure do help keep the vehicle from moving forward or backwards while tilted.
How safe is it?
If I lift the car up on ONE corner (front passenger corner, for example) and place that corner on a jack stand, and chock the rear wheel that's diagonally opposite (or both rear wheels), is it safe enough to keep the car lifted on the corner long enough do an oil change? (as opposed to lifting and placing the car on jack stands on BOTH front corners).
IF it IS safe, In addition to safety, are there any other issues by using this procedure?
I always use two lift-jack devices, whenever I get underneath a vehicle.
A chock is not a lift jack. But they sure do help keep the vehicle from moving forward or backwards while tilted.
Ok. so from what I gather:
--One front corner on j. stands is least advisable.
--Both front corners on jack stands (and rear wheels chocked) is OK? (If THIS is ok, i will go this route, as the Mazda has good places for jack stands on both sides in the front - jack stands come in pairs anyway)
--Front of car on ramps is the best ?
And JHZR2:
Yep - I wouldn't want to crawl under or lift one corner of my 330Ci with Performance Package either - due to the factory ground effects/skirt and front spolier, it is even lower than a regular 330Ci Sports Package. Luckily I can change oil on it with the MityVac and filter is on top. Easiest thing ever.
--One front corner on j. stands is least advisable.
--Both front corners on jack stands (and rear wheels chocked) is OK? (If THIS is ok, i will go this route, as the Mazda has good places for jack stands on both sides in the front - jack stands come in pairs anyway)
--Front of car on ramps is the best ?
And JHZR2:
Yep - I wouldn't want to crawl under or lift one corner of my 330Ci with Performance Package either - due to the factory ground effects/skirt and front spolier, it is even lower than a regular 330Ci Sports Package. Luckily I can change oil on it with the MityVac and filter is on top. Easiest thing ever.
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Donald
ramps
Not even, a coupla 2x6=>12s per side gives me room, just barely, to reach drain plug and drain pan
ramps
Not even, a coupla 2x6=>12s per side gives me room, just barely, to reach drain plug and drain pan
Contrary to implications of some posters, there's no way lifting one corner enough to change a tire would lift another wheel off the ground, assuming reasonably flat terrain. However, lifting one corner to change oil seems a peculiar plan, since that might cause the oil not to drain fully due to tilting the vehicle sideways (unless there's a compensating incline in terrain, which could be dangerous).
Wood supports aren't necessarily hazardous or necessarily safe; that issue depends on the details, just as it does with steel or plastic ramps.
Wood supports aren't necessarily hazardous or necessarily safe; that issue depends on the details, just as it does with steel or plastic ramps.
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by Leo99
Originally Posted by PimTac
Dittos on the ramps and I would use wooden ramps.
I was driving home last night and saw a car supported by wood. I would have stopped to take a picture but didn't want to get assaulted. The car had all four tires on but the front two where up in the air about 2 inches off the ground. Supporting the car were two 1x6 boards with a 2x2 on top. The 1x6 boards were stacked vertically. I couldn't believe anyone would do something so stupid. Anytime someone mentions wooden ramps, I'll think of this guy and his wooden shelf jack stand.
Yea that is pretty dumb. Not the idea I was promoting My wood ramps are salvage 2x10s stacked. Ends are cut on a angle.
Yeah that's right Pimtac...
I used a solid 6 by 6 salt treated piece of wood and a 4 by 4 piece of wood and lower my car on that. Lowered on that it is extremely stable. I have the advantage of having longer arms 35 inches so I can reach quite away back without even having to really get under most vehicles.
Originally Posted by Leo99
Originally Posted by PimTac
Dittos on the ramps and I would use wooden ramps.
I was driving home last night and saw a car supported by wood. I would have stopped to take a picture but didn't want to get assaulted. The car had all four tires on but the front two where up in the air about 2 inches off the ground. Supporting the car were two 1x6 boards with a 2x2 on top. The 1x6 boards were stacked vertically. I couldn't believe anyone would do something so stupid. Anytime someone mentions wooden ramps, I'll think of this guy and his wooden shelf jack stand.
Yea that is pretty dumb. Not the idea I was promoting My wood ramps are salvage 2x10s stacked. Ends are cut on a angle.
Yeah that's right Pimtac...
I used a solid 6 by 6 salt treated piece of wood and a 4 by 4 piece of wood and lower my car on that. Lowered on that it is extremely stable. I have the advantage of having longer arms 35 inches so I can reach quite away back without even having to really get under most vehicles.
Bad idea.
The two adjacent tires will have less weight on them, and the car will be jiggly on an axis between the jack(stand) head and the diagonally opposing tire.
A car on a pair of stands under the firewall has four points of contact with those and the rear tires. Great. A car on ramps is like it's normally parked. Best.
A car on a jack under the front crossmember is a little worse, as 60% of the weight is up there, and the rear springs are softer, so more jiggle. Plus of course it's a jack, which you shouldn't be under. It's safe enough to lift with the purpose of sliding some stands in from the side, though.
The two adjacent tires will have less weight on them, and the car will be jiggly on an axis between the jack(stand) head and the diagonally opposing tire.
A car on a pair of stands under the firewall has four points of contact with those and the rear tires. Great. A car on ramps is like it's normally parked. Best.
A car on a jack under the front crossmember is a little worse, as 60% of the weight is up there, and the rear springs are softer, so more jiggle. Plus of course it's a jack, which you shouldn't be under. It's safe enough to lift with the purpose of sliding some stands in from the side, though.
Having more than one good floor jack, you can find many creative ways to lift a car. Some cars can get 2 wheels up on one side like NASCAR, but with 2 jacks you can lift the whole front, rear, or one side. With 3 jacks on car that has good lift point front/rear like Toyota's you can lift the whole car in the air. The 3 jacks are like a big tripod, and you jack each one a bit at a time going up, and down. Of course it can be risky if you are not careful. I use just 2 jacks most of the time because it is safer than even using one.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted by 97tbird
Ok. so from what I gather:
--One front corner on j. stands is least advisable.
--Both front corners on jack stands (and rear wheels chocked) is OK? (If THIS is ok, i will go this route, as the Mazda has good places for jack stands on both sides in the front - jack stands come in pairs anyway)
--Front of car on ramps is the best ?
And JHZR2:
Yep - I wouldn't want to crawl under or lift one corner of my 330Ci with Performance Package either - due to the factory ground effects/skirt and front spolier, it is even lower than a regular 330Ci Sports Package. Luckily I can change oil on it with the MityVac and filter is on top. Easiest thing ever.
Nobody should EVER be complacent with going under a vehicle that is lifted up off the ground.
That said, Id have no safety concerns with one corner on jackstands and three on the ground with tires on the ground, especially if there was a backup to the stand on that corner. I wouldnt do it because Im not a fan of unevenly stressing the suspension and unibody/subframe/frame, depending upon condition.
Ramps are better than stands, IMO, because the likelyhood of both fully failing is minimal unless terribly abused, and there is no tipover risk.
Stands are OK if you need more height. Assuming the other axle is fully prevented from rolling, IMO its OK, but in time they will do more damage than ramps, so should be reserved for when really needed.
Id go with ramps. If youre not trusting your ramps, get new ones. Ypou could put something else under as backup if you really dont trust ramps... or build some really heavy ones out of stacked 2x12s with stops for the tires that can be installed in both directions...
Your 330 must be really low! I can get my 135i up on ramps or stands...
Ok. so from what I gather:
--One front corner on j. stands is least advisable.
--Both front corners on jack stands (and rear wheels chocked) is OK? (If THIS is ok, i will go this route, as the Mazda has good places for jack stands on both sides in the front - jack stands come in pairs anyway)
--Front of car on ramps is the best ?
And JHZR2:
Yep - I wouldn't want to crawl under or lift one corner of my 330Ci with Performance Package either - due to the factory ground effects/skirt and front spolier, it is even lower than a regular 330Ci Sports Package. Luckily I can change oil on it with the MityVac and filter is on top. Easiest thing ever.
Nobody should EVER be complacent with going under a vehicle that is lifted up off the ground.
That said, Id have no safety concerns with one corner on jackstands and three on the ground with tires on the ground, especially if there was a backup to the stand on that corner. I wouldnt do it because Im not a fan of unevenly stressing the suspension and unibody/subframe/frame, depending upon condition.
Ramps are better than stands, IMO, because the likelyhood of both fully failing is minimal unless terribly abused, and there is no tipover risk.
Stands are OK if you need more height. Assuming the other axle is fully prevented from rolling, IMO its OK, but in time they will do more damage than ramps, so should be reserved for when really needed.
Id go with ramps. If youre not trusting your ramps, get new ones. Ypou could put something else under as backup if you really dont trust ramps... or build some really heavy ones out of stacked 2x12s with stops for the tires that can be installed in both directions...
Your 330 must be really low! I can get my 135i up on ramps or stands...
Originally Posted by JHZR2
Id go with ramps. If youre not trusting your ramps, get new ones. Ypou could put something else under as backup if you really dont trust ramps... or build some really heavy ones out of stacked 2x12s with stops for the tires that can be installed in both directions...
Your 330 must be really low! I can get my 135i up on ramps or stands...
Will do. Thanks for the tips and taking the time to write.
- Re: 330Ci Performance pkg ride height: yes, it is: There's the regular 3 series 4-doors, then the regular 325Ci/330Ci coupe with Sports Pkg is lower than that; then ZHP (performance pkg) lowers it even further AND adds factory front spoiler, and side skirts. It is rather low. I am sure it has no problem with stands. i just THOUGHT it *probably* scrapes a bit getting it on ramps. (I haven't tried it).
Id go with ramps. If youre not trusting your ramps, get new ones. Ypou could put something else under as backup if you really dont trust ramps... or build some really heavy ones out of stacked 2x12s with stops for the tires that can be installed in both directions...
Your 330 must be really low! I can get my 135i up on ramps or stands...
Will do. Thanks for the tips and taking the time to write.
- Re: 330Ci Performance pkg ride height: yes, it is: There's the regular 3 series 4-doors, then the regular 325Ci/330Ci coupe with Sports Pkg is lower than that; then ZHP (performance pkg) lowers it even further AND adds factory front spoiler, and side skirts. It is rather low. I am sure it has no problem with stands. i just THOUGHT it *probably* scrapes a bit getting it on ramps. (I haven't tried it).
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