Working on the GTV yesterday, I used the supplied "800kg" wheel change jack to raise and lower the GTV onto the axle stands. Now, because the jack doesn't go high enough and my trolly jack is too tall to fit under the sills i can only use the axle stands at the first height which is not high enough to get the wheel on or off.
Finished what i was doing so i started to raise the car on the jack again to get the wheel back on. Just as i reached the right height BANG! the car dropped (hard) onto the axle stand and the jack is now twisted. This was despite being used on firm ground with the car as level as possible.
what had happened was the gear arrangement in the jacks frame had skipped a tooth.
No one hurt but had to change my trousers. So, chuck the jack in the bin, buy a better one or ditch it with the spare wheel and keep a trolly jack in the garage and a can of tyre foam in the boot.
Even though it's aluminium, it's not light at about 22Kg which ties into my only criticism : the carrying handles are not at the centre of gravity which makes carrying it a bit awkward.
Other than that, if the price isn't an issue it is highly recommended from me. It has the reach to lift the entire rear end of my GTV off the ground by lifting at the centre of the rear transverse bar of the rear subframe*.
* This is an MOT station approved lifting point apparently. If I'd not seen it being done and asking the MOT tester about it, I wouldn't have tried it!
* This is an MOT station approved lifting point apparently. If I'd not seen it being done and asking the MOT tester about it, I wouldn't have tried it![/QUOTE]
+1
I do the same .. An Indie told me about it .. And like PKR.. I wouldn't have tried it otherwise ..
By the way.. nice jack..I'm jealous
I think the reason the jacks collapse is sometimes the front jacking point can lift up the whole side of the car so you have half the weight on it.
Lately i have been using my Trolly jack, it is a cheap nasty £20 one and i have realised it is to short and narrow to lift the car safely so i am going to invest in one of those machine mart jobbies too.
My sills have been flattened so i am going to straigten them, then I am going to construct a metal saddle out of some box section steel that will sit flat against the floorpan but go over the sill edge.
My sills have been flattened so i am going to straigten them, then I am going to construct a metal saddle out of some box section steel that will sit flat against the floorpan but go over the sill edge.[/QUOTE]
That's a good idea .. I don't like trusting my 18 year old jacking points..
Great info guys - I don't want to seem dim but I also don't want to bend anything - can you confirm the points you sling your stands under are those highlighted in green (shameless use of a pic I found through google - tis a V6 but should be the same for jacking points?...):- View attachment 276770
no here.. circled in yellow
those re-enforcing plates are thin tin.. big danger of bending..
I put my stand under the convex 'Lump' just behind the front, inner, 'wishbone securing bolt'..
never done any damage..
on the pic there appears to be a lump of metal on t'other side.. which my TS doesn't have
same as you, I Googled the pic .. notice how the cars jacked up on the sill lips .. not good IMO
also just so you don't get confused, the re-enforcing plate is swung back out of the way..
Seadart, that's helped massively thankyou! I will have a look in the light tomorrow but hopefully I wont need to bother you with this again!!
Much appreciated :thumbs:
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