Safely Jacking and Supporting Your BRZ/FR-S

[SirBrass]

Originally Posted by GrimmSpeed

No joke. It's too easy to forget that jacking and supporting your car properly is, without question, the most important part of anything you're doing under your car.

As far as recommendations, it's pretty easy to get a good set of jackstands pretty cheap. Craftsman, Harbor Freight, etc all make decent jackstands. I've used a variety of jacks and they all have pros and cons. Some of the lighter, low-profile ones seem a little bit unstable to me, but a lot of people have been using them for years. I like the big, heavy jacks. Harder to move around, but they always feel nice and solid.

Matt

Even the cheaper jackstands will work with our cars, since I think the smallest pair of jackstands I've found was for 2 tons, and ours is lighter than 1.5 tons.

[1Cor10:23]

Anyone have experience with these stands?

http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...nds-91760.html

Worried about the pinch welds since it seems that the concavity of the stand won't clear the pinch.

Thoughts? - Thanks.

[zinzan]

Originally Posted by 1Cor10:23

Anyone have experience with these stands?

http://www.harborfreight.com/automot...nds-91760.html

Worried about the pinch welds since it seems that the concavity of the stand won't clear the pinch.

Thoughts? - Thanks.

Should be fine. Get some of those prothane jack stand pads to cover them if you want.

-Z


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[DrDuquette]

Just changed my jack stands. Welded on some pieces to help support the car without bending the crimp spots.


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[DrDuquette]

1

[hello86]

I just purchased a '14 BRZ and was going to jack up the car to install the Scion splash guards, when I realized the pinch weld jack point. I have "flat head" jack stands, and I'd like to get some that accommodate the pinch weld. I see the saddle top jack stands, are there specific models that have enough depth to hit either side of the pinch weld? I'd also like to get some that have the plastic covers that go between the jacks and the car. Can anyone recommend me specific jack stands that will accommodate the pinch weld?

Thanks.

edit: I've tried to find as many pictures on the forums as I can showing the car on jack stands, but I can't quite tell how the car is supposed to rest on the head of the jack stands. Does the tip of the pinch weld rest on the jacks, or do the saddle jacks hit on either side of the pinch weld? I'm trying to avoid bending that pinch weld.

These look to have enough depth...
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Pro-Lift-T...tands/16539106

[AdamBomb518]

Originally Posted by youknow

Can anyone recommend me specific jack stands that will accommodate the pinch weld?

I bought 2 pairs of the 3 ton steel jack stands that Harbor Freight sells. They were on sale for $20 per pair so I couldn't pass it up. They sell the nice rubber pads that fit on these specific ones as to not damage the pinch welds or paint. I just used them on Saturday to keep the car held up for about 4-6 hours when I was working on the wheels and they worked perfectly.

Here's a couple links to what I'm talking about. Mind you - they have like 3 part numbers for each one (depending if it's just online only, or in store only).

Jack Stands

Rubber Pads

[hello86]

Originally Posted by AdamBomb518

I bought 2 pairs of the 3 ton steel jack stands that Harbor Freight sells. They were on sale for $20 per pair so I couldn't pass it up. They sell the nice rubber pads that fit on these specific ones as to not damage the pinch welds or paint. I just used them on Saturday to keep the car held up for about 4-6 hours when I was working on the wheels and they worked perfectly.

Here's a couple links to what I'm talking about. Mind you - they have like 3 part numbers for each one (depending if it's just online only, or in store only).

Jack Stands

Rubber Pads

Thanks man. So you put the pinch weld into the little groove of the rubber pad?

[AdamBomb518]

Originally Posted by youknow

Thanks man. So you put the pinch weld into the little groove of the rubber pad?

Yup! The stands have the little groove in the center at the bottom (see pictures). The pinch weld sits in the center of the rubber which matches up to the steel on the stand. It's well worth the price of the rubber in my opinion.

[Apex_BRZ]

Can someone post a good photo of how their jack stand looks straddling the pinch weld?


I bought a low profile jack, and the Harbor Freight 3-ton jacks stands that were mentioned earlier in this thread. Raised the car by the front center jacking point. Put the jack stand on one side and got it as square as I could, but the car was still slightly higher. Tried to lower the jack slowly, and the new jack wouldn't release smooth. Wasn't going down, then all of a sudden it just all went down at once and came down on the jack stand on the one side with the pinch weld not perfectly in the middle. It's now bent a bit, I think. You can also see the mark where it touched the inside of the car. It isn't suppose to touch the car at all right, only the pinch weld? If that's the case, whoever is recommending the Harbor Freight 3-ton stands is nuts. Anyone have a photo of their car sitting on one of those?




Trying not to make a huge deal of this, it should be simple. Would like to hear your thoughts.

[Andrew025]

Originally Posted by Apex_BRZ

words

I'll get you a picture sometime tomorrow.

Edit: Make that tomorrow. Going to check for header exhaust leak in the morning.

[Andrew025]

[1Cor10:23]

For th harbourfreight ones you want to use the rubber heads. I would t worry about the pinch welds, mine are a bit wonky from lazy shop operators as well.

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[Apex_BRZ]

Is supporting the car by the flat metal at the base of the pinch weld acceptable? I think my harbor fright jacks will be tall enough that they'll rest there. Looks like the last photo posted is resting there also.