Had my car up on jack stands bleeding brake lines when my father, a professional mechanic reached in the car, grabbed the steering wheel, and stepped on the brake pedal. The side-force generated by that pressure on the brake pedal tipped the car sideways, tipping the jack stands. As a precaution, I had put the spare tire under the flat floor pan of my Volkswagon, so as the car tipped, and moved sideways about 3-ft, instead of 5ft, I didn't get crushed between a fence and the side of the car. Obviously, my father would have been devastated and never forgiven himself if I'd ended up dead or FUBAR. Never trust jack stands alone. Chock and prop the tires as shown here. Trust jacks themselves even less. Safety always seems like an unnecessary PITA until you're FUBAR in a hospital and crippled for life. Then you have the rest of your life to regret your stupidity. "Be Safe" is the best advice you'll ever get.
Gravity bleeds for you. I’ve never understood the “ok push! Release! Ok push!...” method. Loosen all four bleeders, flip a bottle of brake fluid upside down into the reservoir, pull up a lawn chair and keep an eye on your fluid level. Close your bleeder screws up about five minutes later and you are good to go.
Red Phoenix lol I really do have a Smart Fortwo. I don't claim it to be the best at anything though. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone really. But I like it purely for it's size and funny look.
In all seriousness, please do not use cement blocks to hold your car up. A neighbor died when he put his car on cinder blocks and they crumbled, crushing him. After that I use jack stands but also put two hydraulic jacks just touching a jacking point and if the wheels are off slide them under the car too. Like Jason, I like to live and even if I wanted to die it would not be suffocating under a 1 1/2 ton vehicle 'cause that takes way too long.
As a teenager I was changing oil on big Bonneville we drove in the 80's outside in the street on a hot summer day using just a car jack that came with the car. The black top bellow was hot to the touch under the scorching sun. I did my best to lift the car and it looked stable. With the car raised on the car jack I was reaching in under the car to unbolt the oil plug and in the back of my eye I noticed the car was slowly moving to the side. I knew this was bad and I pulled back under the car just as it sank some more and then it slid off jack . This happened because the thin framed base of the of the car jack sank into the hot asphalt after being initially stable . Yes,I was lucky to escape being pinned under or worse. Be mindful this can happen.
I would also take into consideration that the shocks on the car here are decompressed... If the jack-stands fail and the wheels fall on the wood, the shocks would compress and the car will probably still give you a nice slap on the face as it falls down. Gotta account for that extra travel if the car were to fall on its wheels.
In England in 1970, I was taking the front suspension of a Morris Minor to pieces. They have long torsion bars for suspension instead of springs/struts. I didn't understand them. As I undid a bolt, the torsion bar released and the car collapsed and the torsion bar threw the bottle jack past my head and it landed 50 yards down the road. That made me careful for 52 years until 3 weeks ago when the 12 inch fan cover came off my John Deere lawn tractor coz I didn't have all 3 bolts fastened down... It flew like a discus and mangled the choke cable, then hit the battery and smashed a gash so the acid came out on to the concrete and reacted and it was a cloud of acid gas....Then it continued on and missed my crown jewels by 2 inches and cut a hole in my jeans a gave me a big graze on my loins... Good fun this home mechanicing !
Had to come back and like this video. I always think of it when I"m putting my car on all 4 jack stands. Literally the way I learned and it's been great
Great videos and very well made. Why only 3 boards on your rear wheels and 4 in front? Also, a caution for those who misplace the jackstands behind the front wheels. You need to get the stands about 12-13 inches back from the wheel well to get the reinforced area. (look at your vehicle to find the reinforced area). Putting the stands in the other closer area will bend the cars sheet metal underneath as that area is not reinforced.
Putting the wheels underneath the car when you take them off isn't a bad idea, also if you don't need the jack, it doesn't hurt to leave it where it is, gives you a little extra protection. Also congrats on the 1M woah!
Really like the idea of putting wood blocks under the wheels. Using the jack to provide further support is helpful too. Like to use chocks on both sides of the wheel, front and back. What do you think about using the subframe to support the car with jack stands?
audiophile man personally agree that subframe support much better with 5 mm rubber gasket pad material on stand cups to stop metal on metal rub ( rust point ). Now im in the process of about to do this...and wood squares are a top idea...i also feel i would do a double jack up method with 2 people... start back on both sides ...set it up....that way handbrake and chock holds on the wood bits ( note i would really use one big chunk of wood) the sheets could slide under tyres and stands......then do front same.... have a theory and hate stressing the chassis with that one wheel up at a time method, resulting in a twist to body...just irks me...thats why we all wish we had a scissor hoist in private garage...oh i wish... Ps the wood sheet bits could be glued together to match max wheel lift height to make one big chunk...use them as seats after..
Back in high school shop class, the substitute teacher was explaining lift points. When he finished with the unibody and walked over to a framed car he said all you have to do is shove the jack under and lift. The student assigned to rotate the tires on that car did just that. Who would have thought the oil pan was a lift point ;)
I like the wooden blocks idea. I think I'll start using it. I generally use my floor jacks as backups to the jack stands while I'm under the car. (I have two.) And I never rely on screw jacks unless I have absolutely no choice. For some damn good reasons I won't get into here, I'm super paranoid about working under cars, as well.
Don't just shake it, shake it like you mean it! Good advice I got from a guy once. As if your worried about you nocking it over and screwing up the underbody of your car, then it probably wasn't safe enough to get under anyway! Better the car than your life.
i used the rear differential on my 350z..even if i had the front wheels secured..it slid and fell.. i had put a stand on the left side, to i was lucky that i had no damage..it ended up between differential and the gas tank..i will use YOU way hare..it seems a lot more safe and secure..thank you for keeping me alive.whew..
Your life must not be worth much if you'd risk it even the smallest bit to save on some plyboard. He's setup a multi level failsafe system as any proper engineer would do, to ensure he's not the unlucky one to get crushed to death.
As a suggestion I would invest in some pinch seam adapters to prevent damaging your car and also provide a more stable base for the top of the jack stands.
Omg I wish more people would use those. Every used car I've bought had THRASHED pinch welds! My current 1990 prelude has totally flat front pinch welds its crazy
Wow, thanks for that, I was wondering the safest way to work under a car with axle stands, those wood blocks and wheel chocks are a great idea. Time for new transmission oil.
Do not use the jacking points shown if possible support the with Jack stand from the chassis rails. jacking point on sills can rust over time and collapse.
Thank you for the very informative video as always! Quick question! I am just now getting into working on my cars by myself but lack all the equipment needed. By any chance do you have any plans of making a video in regards to beginners and what tools we should buy? What are the necessities for basic maintenance or even light mods such as bolt ons. Unfortunately my father does not live with me and my mother and I'm certain the only tools we have in the house are a philips head screw driver and a hammer lol.
What kinda car? Domestic or Japanese? When I was younger a basic metric socket set, wrench, 1/2" 3 foot breaker bar, floor jack , 2 Jack stands... got me through 80% of my 3rd gen Honda Prelude . Of course having other general tools like needle nose pliers, combo box wrenches, torque wrench, crescent wrenches, JDM impact screwdriver, etc... really helps as well. Just get one of those big sets you see for like 99$ at harbor freight or home dept with all the different tools and you'll be fine for basic work
I think you are the first RUclips channel I seen not using a harbor freight jack. they are the best jacks out there for the money. especially their new 3 ton Daytona.
A great tip I've learned is putting old rims (even better if they have tires on them) and placing them under the wheels on the car. Then lifting the car up on all 4 jackstands. But only lift them so you see the suspension unload. Try to keep the cars wheels standing on the old rims. If your car has a stock suspension you probably dont even have to lift it on jackstands.
Edslittleworld carpenters put whole houses on wood blocks and I've been putting cars on rims since my early teens, no issues ever. Not saying the plastic car ramps are no good, but they're not free like old (not rusted out ones) rims.
This should begin a series playlist. "If you like cars and have a RAGING case of O.C.D., Watch this!!" :) I will say, that certainly is the most soothing way I have ever seen a car put on jack stands. The wood blocks are a nice touch!
I would highly suggest buying solid rubber wheel chocks. They're soooo much more sturdy than plastic or metal ones. They're only a little more expensive, but well worth the expense if you enjoy living. Northern Tool and Harbor Freight carry them.
I totally agree. I bought some of those hard plastic chocks and they are completely worthless. They slide way too easily on concrete and aren't worth a crap. The solid rubber chocks are a bit more expensive but they do what they're supposed to.
I always lift my Integra using the radiator support up front to lift the whole front end, then place jackstands behind both front wheels. Then lift the rear center tow hook and put stands in front of the rear wheels. On my wife's old Corolla I did the same up front but had to stick the jack way under the center subframe where the control arms attached on the rear. Very little jack handle clearance so it took forever to raise it up. When rotating tires, I simply jack up each side behind the front wheel, which will raise the rear wheel also, and swap each wheel front-to-rear.
Radiator support or front motor support beam. If you're using the radiator support you're asking for trouble because its not a strong point nor is it supported. Its basically almost a body panel. Now the beam right behind it(unless the radiator support is on this beam as well?) Is a solid piece. I have a 2002 Ep3 that's similar to integra GSR and the radiator support is only a thin part of the front bulkhead
@@blazeaglory yes the radiator support beam on the 90’s Integra and Civic chassis is load bearing and is perfectly acceptable as a Jack point. I’ve been using that point for over 20 years with no issues.
Much easier way to do this... Place the jack under the pinch weld just rearward of the mirror. When the car rises it will be roughly equal front and back as both sides rise. Place jack stands under the pinch wel at the support points. Repeat on the other side. The car is more than strong enough to do this. Had an S2000, did it this way for years.
Great video, thanks for posting... I have a 1951 Chevy truck that has some brake issues. It's got a modern brake kit system on it and unfortunately, the master cylinder is bolted under the driver's side floor pan. I may need to replace it. Safety is of course a huge issue for me as well. I was thinking yesterday about a teenager I met many years ago who was pinned under a car and somehow a fire was involved. Although he survived, he has massive scarring and a non-useable hand. Be careful!!!
When i see this video im happy that i drive a EV. Its awsome to not have to fix stuff. The only thing underneath my Tesla Model S is a flat titanium sheeld.
Good but there another quickest option is made two wood ramps then drive over the ramps with front wheels then next you only have to lift the rear wheeels :)
Id like to add that the time the car may fall on you is when you are pulling gearboxes out from underneath. I prefer to take the engine and gearbox out in one piece through the opening in the bonnet if possible.
Ive built wooden ramps, very nifty for oil changes and engine work that needs access from beneath. No need to jack anything up. And if you need to do rear-end work or exhaust, just back on the ramps. Also if you need the whole car up, drive fronts on the ramps and now only the rear needs to be jacked up. You need a good driver to use these, or make loooooong ramps so you have the room for bad clutch management.
One thing omitted from your tutorial is the need for a relatively smooth surface on which to use your jack! The only reason I say this is because I nearly shat my pants when jacking the front end of my car up on a "solid and level" concrete & pebble surface (not loose pebbles, pebbles mixed in the concrete to make it look "good" but FUCK the way a jack likes to inch forward under weight) as the car started to lurch towards me when I used the jack. Needless to say, I survived as I was able to get the car stable on the stands and sat in it shifting my weight about like a loon to make sure the stands were stable. Paranoia never killed nobody.....
Stuff like this makes me wish that contractors that build houses would make a garage with a simple work pit, similar to how they do oil changes at places like jiffy lube.(Drive it in the garage then work from the pit.)
It's a very bad idea to do it by default. If you don't align the wheel, the car may fall in, let alone a person may fall in. However, it might be a good idea if it has a good metallic cover.
I've been placing the jacks under the suspension for each wheel. This way the wheels don't sag. I jack the front of the car first then do the rear. I been storing my Integra this way for 25 years. I do like the added protection of placing wood under each wheel. I may do that this year.
Whenever I am working under my cars on jack stands, I put the wheels under the car as the added safety (usually the OEM wheels/tires). Something you can do if you don't have the wood laying around.
The front of the car was initially lifted incorrect. Should have been lifted from the front center of the vehicle as per the FSM. This way the load is balanced and jacks are placed in pairs. The way shown at first is unstable and needlessly stresses the chassis when pivoting over that single jack stand, like a teeter-totter. Furthermore, using a floor jack at those jack points puts too much weight on the pinch weld, which risks folding it. Those should only be used with 4-arm hoist or the emergency jack, which is designed to fit around the pinch weld perfectly distributing the load and prevents the pinch welds from folding over. He does it correctly later when lifting it higher up. Curious as to why he chose to do it that way at first. The car is factory ride height and has a low-profile jack. If the jack still didn't fit, should have driven the car up on the wood planks. Also, should block a wheel from the front AND back side of it.
Agreed. On my Z4, the front-center point is too deep that even a lowpro jack can't reach. So I jack the rear up first, get the rear on stands, then insert the jack from behind the front wheel to reach the front-center jack. The wood plank thing is kind of a pain in the ass TBH.
"Needlessly stressing chassis" and "risk of folding pinch welds" are two issues I still haven't been able to solve. I have a constant battle in my head each time I lift my car. I have a FWD car and I've resorted to putting a block of wood under the chassis rail and jacking one side at a time from there. I'm not sure if this is best because I still have to put the stands on the pinch welds. I've also thought about using those hockey puck style things that go between the jack and the pinch weld but I'm not sure if that actually helps, would I then put the stands on the frame rails? I don't like doing that either because then the stands are in the centre of the vehicle to its easier to make it tip over.
Alex Derus all Hondas and Acuras have a beefy built up lift point at all 4 corners. As a Honda tech I personally never seen one damaged with a floor jack. Hitting curbs and other things will bend them. As far as other manufacturers with uni body construction I agree with you 100%
Alex Derus i honestly have never seen it happen. I only hear about folded pinch welds on forums when i search for it. The oem honda jack does not have a pinch to fit on thr pinch weld, it is a flat surface scissor jack
Great vid. I've jacked my car up plenty of times but learned something new of using wood blocks if I do not need to get the wheels off. That will come in handy when I replace my clutch (someday).
2:34, I have a bunch of Ryobi tools as well. the half inch impact works well and is quick. I have to use it for my lug nuts because I do have a truck. nice video and I am glad you are NOT a lawyer, no double talk, only the truth. ha ha
I've only lifted my car once at all 4 corners to take the wheels off. I was parked on what I guess was a 2-5 degree grade and I don't know how, but after I got it jacked up on all 4 corners, the back right jack stand was no longer touching the car. I let it be since all the weight was towards the front though. I don't recommend doing that. On the opposite end I had a jack stand not fully lock and break loose when resting the car on it. Now that was a wake up call.
Not sure I like jacking the car from the front side to put a jack stand in back. That's some twisting in the chassis for a convertible. On my Eclipse I used to use the scissor jack on the side front pinch weld to lift it high enough to get a jack under the front center lower engine mount and then jack the front and then put the stands on the sides where the pinch welds are. Once I had the front up, the rear was easy.
In your case, since you don't have a front center jack point, how did you lift the car up incrementally? By the time you had all four corners up, on the first increment, you already had jack stands on all four corners. Where did you jack from, to lift up the front to the second increment? (I'm assuming you don't have a front center jack point because you're not using it, in your video.)
I'm a very paranoid person and getting underneath a car makes me anxious. I once did my CV axle on a vw gti and was extra cautious I dont do most exhaust stuff out of fear of getting underneath But with the techniques in the video like the wooden blocks underneath the wheels would make me feel allot safer
When replacing the rear leaf springs on my jeep I used a Hi-Lift jack/farm jack on the tow hitch. Being a Jeep it was too high for a traditional jack and the jack stands didn't go high enough. We had 2 people on the sides to make sure it wouldn't tip and 2 people working on the suspension. Good times. Also very sketchy times.
I would have a question. There is always a lot of creaking and scary noises when i do this. Is that normal? Is the car really wobbly wobbly only hanging on the jack it self as you are jacking it up? On quite rough pavement, can i rely on my jack to move with its casters under the car as it keeps lifting it and the angle changes? Has it ever happened to you for the car to slip of the jack whilst jacking it up?
Mikee CZ its normal i work as a mechanic and when i was just starting it used tu scare me, but now i know that its normal, since you are putting preasure in a few points
Don't really understand how four stands is unstable. I've got a safety factor of at least 7 when using 3t jacks on a car that's barely 1700kg soaking wet. I've used four jack stands numerous times, and I *shove* the thing, and it's more stable than when it's on the ground. It doesn't go anywhere. Also, the car weighs nearly 2t, wouldn't it take a hell of a lot to push it off? Would love to hear any advice here, because I'd rather be told I'm wrong now, than after I'm dead.
Jacking more than 2 wheels off the ground is really tricky, super unstable, a gust of wind and it comes crashing down. And Jason you got video run on for the last minute, it happens when YT get confused about your codec info.
I also have a set of ramps I use if I just need to work under the car and don't need to work on the suspension area. Took a little practice to get the car up the first few times (you don't want to overshoot the ramps), but I've done it plenty enough that it's almost a habit now.
Because of this video i went to home depot and custom cut alot of thick wooden boards to use as another precaution. Can you do a video on jack point pinch welds and wether a dedicated specific jack pad and jack stand pad is a good idea? I have yet to see any body have problems with their pinched weld jack points crumbling, except when i search about it on google. Even the stock s2000 oem jack for changing tires dont have a wedge to put at the jack point, it is just a flat spot
I use solid concrete blocks under each tire in addition to the jack stands because I don't have wooden blocks. If I did, I'd screw a frame to the edges as added protection against rolling. Like you, I'd never trust jack stands alone even though I know they are "safe" and I'd certainly NEVER trust the jack as sole support. Liked that shuffle, man. Great style! Who says White guys can't dance?
Had my car up on jack stands bleeding brake lines when my father, a professional mechanic reached in the car, grabbed the steering wheel, and stepped on the brake pedal. The side-force generated by that pressure on the brake pedal tipped the car sideways, tipping the jack stands. As a precaution, I had put the spare tire under the flat floor pan of my Volkswagon, so as the car tipped, and moved sideways about 3-ft, instead of 5ft, I didn't get crushed between a fence and the side of the car. Obviously, my father would have been devastated and never forgiven himself if I'd ended up dead or FUBAR.
Never trust jack stands alone. Chock and prop the tires as shown here. Trust jacks themselves even less. Safety always seems like an unnecessary PITA until you're FUBAR in a hospital and crippled for life. Then you have the rest of your life to regret your stupidity. "Be Safe" is the best advice you'll ever get.
Yikes.
@Abrahm Mondido
Exactly, they're perfectly reachable without getting underneath
H
Gravity bleeds for you. I’ve never understood the “ok push! Release! Ok push!...” method. Loosen all four bleeders, flip a bottle of brake fluid upside down into the reservoir, pull up a lawn chair and keep an eye on your fluid level. Close your bleeder screws up about five minutes later and you are good to go.
This is also a good reason why to reverse bleed brakes with a mityvac.
2:10 when you shake it you also gotta say “yup, that ain’t going anywhere”
I feel personally attacked...
Personal confirmation is the most important thing
where's the link for the high-tech wood??
I have a smart car so I can just lift it with my hands onto cement blocks, and all the parts I need i can get from Toy R Us.
That made my day. :D The worst thing about the Smart ForTwo is its name. What kinda pretentious jackass comes up with such names?
Red Phoenix
lol I really do have a Smart Fortwo. I don't claim it to be the best at anything though. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone really. But I like it purely for it's size and funny look.
In all seriousness, please do not use cement blocks to hold your car up. A neighbor died when he put his car on cinder blocks and they crumbled, crushing him. After that I use jack stands but also put two hydraulic jacks just touching a jacking point and if the wheels are off slide them under the car too. Like Jason, I like to live and even if I wanted to die it would not be suffocating under a 1 1/2 ton vehicle 'cause that takes way too long.
same here...my whoopee cushion airbags are making weird noises think ill return them to Toys R Us
xinic5 nice I think I will get my next car from toys r us!
As a teenager I was changing oil on big Bonneville we drove in the 80's outside in the street on a hot summer day using just a car jack that came with the car. The black top bellow was hot to the touch under the scorching sun. I did my best to lift the car and it looked stable. With the car raised on the car jack I was reaching in under the car to unbolt the oil plug and in the back of my eye I noticed the car was slowly moving to the side. I knew this was bad and I pulled back under the car just as it sank some more and then it slid off jack . This happened because the thin framed base of the of the car jack sank into the hot asphalt after being initially stable . Yes,I was lucky to escape being pinned under or worse. Be mindful this can happen.
I would also take into consideration that the shocks on the car here are decompressed... If the jack-stands fail and the wheels fall on the wood, the shocks would compress and the car will probably still give you a nice slap on the face as it falls down. Gotta account for that extra travel if the car were to fall on its wheels.
In England in 1970, I was taking the front suspension of a Morris Minor to pieces. They have long torsion bars for suspension instead of springs/struts. I didn't understand them. As I undid a bolt, the torsion bar released and the car collapsed and the torsion bar threw the bottle jack past my head and it landed 50 yards down the road. That made me careful for 52 years until 3 weeks ago when the 12 inch fan cover came off my John Deere lawn tractor coz I didn't have all 3 bolts fastened down... It flew like a discus and mangled the choke cable, then hit the battery and smashed a gash so the acid came out on to the concrete and reacted and it was a cloud of acid gas....Then it continued on and missed my crown jewels by 2 inches and cut a hole in my jeans a gave me a big graze on my loins... Good fun this home mechanicing !
Didn’t see that coming..
Pro tip: If you are removing the wheels slide them under the car by the jack stands to give some extra protection in case they fall or slip
Thats correct!
cjfourty6 thats great and all but you wont have room to work on the exhaust or transmission area.
Someone's wheels costs more than life itself :-D
and run the risk of scratching my rims??!! ID RATHER DIE
Great advice considering Harbor Freight Jack Stands were recalled. Check the sticker for Jack Stands (#56371, #61196 and #61197)
Good to see that no one is above a Harbor Freight floor jack.
Float Meal I have two of them.. And they work like a $300 Snap-on jack....a good or better than most actually...
More times then I would like to say.
+Battosai Jenkins Happened to me today actually haha
I like cheap tools and expensive tires haha.
Can't beat them for the price.
The wood blocks add so much in terms of safety.
Had to come back and like this video. I always think of it when I"m putting my car on all 4 jack stands. Literally the way I learned and it's been great
Now take the wheels off and run before the owner spots you.
Haha, good, Stanica Projekt - Z ulice
That means if only satan can catch me.
Great videos and very well made. Why only 3 boards on your rear wheels and 4 in front? Also, a caution for those who misplace the jackstands behind the front wheels. You need to get the stands about 12-13 inches back from the wheel well to get the reinforced area. (look at your vehicle to find the reinforced area). Putting the stands in the other closer area will bend the cars sheet metal underneath as that area is not reinforced.
Putting the wheels underneath the car when you take them off isn't a bad idea, also if you don't need the jack, it doesn't hurt to leave it where it is, gives you a little extra protection. Also congrats on the 1M woah!
2:03 I'm glad I'm not the only one who has used a hydraulic jack as a scooter xD
Then your jack’s wheel hit a small rock
😂
i did this and died wtf man
The timeline for your story is off.
It's a good thing you're a cat. You still have 8 lives left.
rhcrcgvp Lol
rhcrcgvp That does fix his story's plot hole.
lollol
Really like the idea of putting wood blocks under the wheels. Using the jack to provide further support is helpful too. Like to use chocks on both sides of the wheel, front and back. What do you think about using the subframe to support the car with jack stands?
audiophile man personally agree that subframe support much better with 5 mm rubber gasket pad material on stand cups to stop metal on metal rub ( rust point ). Now im in the process of about to do this...and wood squares are a top idea...i also feel i would do a double jack up method with 2 people... start back on both sides ...set it up....that way handbrake and chock holds on the wood bits ( note i would really use one big chunk of wood) the sheets could slide under tyres and stands......then do front same.... have a theory and hate stressing the chassis with that one wheel up at a time method, resulting in a twist to body...just irks me...thats why we all wish we had a scissor hoist in private garage...oh i wish...
Ps the wood sheet bits could be glued together to match max wheel lift height to make one big chunk...use them as seats after..
Back in high school shop class, the substitute teacher was explaining lift points. When he finished with the unibody and walked over to a framed car he said all you have to do is shove the jack under and lift. The student assigned to rotate the tires on that car did just that. Who would have thought the oil pan was a lift point ;)
I like the wooden blocks idea. I think I'll start using it. I generally use my floor jacks as backups to the jack stands while I'm under the car. (I have two.) And I never rely on screw jacks unless I have absolutely no choice.
For some damn good reasons I won't get into here, I'm super paranoid about working under cars, as well.
Same I hate going under the Car flatnet 😂
Don't just shake it, shake it like you mean it! Good advice I got from a guy once. As if your worried about you nocking it over and screwing up the underbody of your car, then it probably wasn't safe enough to get under anyway! Better the car than your life.
i used the rear differential on my 350z..even if i had the front wheels secured..it slid and fell.. i had put a stand on the left side, to i was lucky that i had no damage..it ended up between differential and the gas tank..i will use YOU way hare..it seems a lot more safe and secure..thank you for keeping me alive.whew..
Also keeping your hydraulic jack slightly lower than the car is also an added safety thing
Ninja Master I mean, I will probably do that to if I lift the whole car why not.
jesse sanders Because a ramp for me serves only one purpose. I don't see how I can lift the entire car with simply using ramps.
easy my friend you put giant spare wheel in middle of car and use Mercedes to pull out ramp under from car .
Your life must not be worth much if you'd risk it even the smallest bit to save on some plyboard. He's setup a multi level failsafe system as any proper engineer would do, to ensure he's not the unlucky one to get crushed to death.
TheMidnightNarwhal with ramps you lift the back on jacks and a tire underneath
Sooo close to that magic milestone. Only 2k to go Jason!
Pumped!!
I'm unsubbing to keep you pumped longer!
Maybe I should sub now years later...
+Engineering Explained LOUDER!
lol
Great video. I just came across yours while searching for jacking up cars. I also have a S2000, it's perfect and clear.
Thank you for making mechanic life safe!
As a suggestion I would invest in some pinch seam adapters to prevent damaging your car and also provide a more stable base for the top of the jack stands.
Omg I wish more people would use those. Every used car I've bought had THRASHED pinch welds! My current 1990 prelude has totally flat front pinch welds its crazy
Wow, thanks for that, I was wondering the safest way to work under a car with axle stands, those wood blocks and wheel chocks are a great idea. Time for new transmission oil.
Do not use the jacking points shown if possible support the with Jack stand from the chassis rails.
jacking point on sills can rust over time and collapse.
Peter great tip. And frame rails can be used as jacking points aswell
Yep my pinch welds were coated and when I went to go jack it up, it broke apart.
Thank you for the very informative video as always! Quick question! I am just now getting into working on my cars by myself but lack all the equipment needed. By any chance do you have any plans of making a video in regards to beginners and what tools we should buy? What are the necessities for basic maintenance or even light mods such as bolt ons. Unfortunately my father does not live with me and my mother and I'm certain the only tools we have in the house are a philips head screw driver and a hammer lol.
you're so cute poor thing.
What kinda car? Domestic or Japanese? When I was younger a basic metric socket set, wrench, 1/2" 3 foot breaker bar, floor jack , 2 Jack stands... got me through 80% of my 3rd gen Honda Prelude . Of course having other general tools like needle nose pliers, combo box wrenches, torque wrench, crescent wrenches, JDM impact screwdriver, etc... really helps as well. Just get one of those big sets you see for like 99$ at harbor freight or home dept with all the different tools and you'll be fine for basic work
after I was done watching the video I headed straight to the like button only to find out I already liked it before watching haha. I love your videos!
+Matthew Oneill thanks! Appreciate the likes!!
Thanks for the video. Why didn’t you use the front center jack point?
Nicely done, lots of critics in the comments, but you did a good job here
ur Honda is simply awesome😘
Use hockey pucks on you jack and jacks stands. This will give a non slip no scratch jacking surface, keep from mangling those pinch welds.
Norevlimitr o.O I hope your joking... never put anything on top of a stand dude especially not a puck.
Been doing it for years..
They also sell rubber covers for jackstands and jacks.
do you watch autotestservice?
Norevlimitr how do you fit and balance pucks on jack stands?
Glad that I'm not the only one that uses that Harbor Freight low profile high lift jack :-)
It's good to be paranoid once and while, thanks for the great video!
I think you are the first RUclips channel I seen not using a harbor freight jack. they are the best jacks out there for the money. especially their new 3 ton Daytona.
but he is. Pittsburgh is HF's tool line. He also linked to a completely different jack in the description.
Robert Spratlin oh I thought he was using the one is the description. He should get a Daytona to match his car.
A great tip I've learned is putting old rims (even better if they have tires on them) and placing them under the wheels on the car. Then lifting the car up on all 4 jackstands. But only lift them so you see the suspension unload. Try to keep the cars wheels standing on the old rims. If your car has a stock suspension you probably dont even have to lift it on jackstands.
The best advice can be found at 00:20
Using the wood is a good idea.
What I do is set cars onto a set of wheel rims when I need access to lower areas or underneath.
Not good. Wood cracks, splits and can shift. Rims are not good either. Plastic 3 ton car ramps slide under just fine and that's what they're made for.
Edslittleworld did you just tell him plastic is better than a metal rim or wood block? Hahahahahahaha!!!
snakerb Yep. Molded plastic CAR RAMPS (by Rhino) that you buy at an autoparts store rated to 3000 pounds. What is the wood rated to?
Risto Mladich It's your life, do what you want. Standing on a chair with books on it is probably just as safe as a ladder...right.
Edslittleworld carpenters put whole houses on wood blocks and I've been putting cars on rims since my early teens, no issues ever. Not saying the plastic car ramps are no good, but they're not free like old (not rusted out ones) rims.
This should begin a series playlist. "If you like cars and have a RAGING case of O.C.D., Watch this!!" :) I will say, that certainly is the most soothing way I have ever seen a car put on jack stands. The wood blocks are a nice touch!
I would highly suggest buying solid rubber wheel chocks. They're soooo much more sturdy than plastic or metal ones. They're only a little more expensive, but well worth the expense if you enjoy living. Northern Tool and Harbor Freight carry them.
I totally agree. I bought some of those hard plastic chocks and they are completely worthless. They slide way too easily on concrete and aren't worth a crap. The solid rubber chocks are a bit more expensive but they do what they're supposed to.
They smell terrible though, so don't keep any in your car, or it will stink.
I literally rewinded and saw the intro again. Hilarious man that was really funny lmao
thanks for this, I definitely like the idea of putting wooden planks underneath the wheels
"since I'm paranoid and enjoy living" - hahaha lovely
I always lift my Integra using the radiator support up front to lift the whole front end, then place jackstands behind both front wheels. Then lift the rear center tow hook and put stands in front of the rear wheels. On my wife's old Corolla I did the same up front but had to stick the jack way under the center subframe where the control arms attached on the rear. Very little jack handle clearance so it took forever to raise it up.
When rotating tires, I simply jack up each side behind the front wheel, which will raise the rear wheel also, and swap each wheel front-to-rear.
Radiator support or front motor support beam. If you're using the radiator support you're asking for trouble because its not a strong point nor is it supported. Its basically almost a body panel. Now the beam right behind it(unless the radiator support is on this beam as well?) Is a solid piece.
I have a 2002 Ep3 that's similar to integra GSR and the radiator support is only a thin part of the front bulkhead
@@blazeaglory yes the radiator support beam on the 90’s Integra and Civic chassis is load bearing and is perfectly acceptable as a Jack point. I’ve been using that point for over 20 years with no issues.
Much easier way to do this... Place the jack under the pinch weld just rearward of the mirror. When the car rises it will be roughly equal front and back as both sides rise. Place jack stands under the pinch wel at the support points. Repeat on the other side. The car is more than strong enough to do this. Had an S2000, did it this way for years.
Great video, thanks for posting... I have a 1951 Chevy truck that has some brake issues. It's got a modern brake kit system on it and unfortunately, the master cylinder is bolted under the driver's side floor pan. I may need to replace it. Safety is of course a huge issue for me as well. I was thinking yesterday about a teenager I met many years ago who was pinned under a car and somehow a fire was involved. Although he survived, he has massive scarring and a non-useable hand. Be careful!!!
When i see this video im happy that i drive a EV. Its awsome to not have to fix stuff. The only thing underneath my Tesla Model S is a flat titanium sheeld.
I always just prefer to use the force.
Andre Gross may the force be with you
Do you use two fingers, three fingers, or all five?
Good but there another quickest option is made two wood ramps then drive over the ramps with front wheels then next you only have to lift the rear wheeels :)
Thanks for sharing. Work safe and live long.
I was literally planning on jacking up the car in a few hours... Timing is mint
it is good to bend those tiny tabs on your jack stands - it prevents the moving part from pulling off when you grabing your jack stand to move it
Id like to add that the time the car may fall on you is when you are pulling gearboxes out from underneath. I prefer to take the engine and gearbox out in one piece through the opening in the bonnet if possible.
Ive built wooden ramps, very nifty for oil changes and engine work that needs access from beneath. No need to jack anything up. And if you need to do rear-end work or exhaust, just back on the ramps. Also if you need the whole car up, drive fronts on the ramps and now only the rear needs to be jacked up.
You need a good driver to use these, or make loooooong ramps so you have the room for bad clutch management.
+1 I just made a set this afternoon. Heavy af but that's a good thing.
yep,is what i did and do.
One thing omitted from your tutorial is the need for a relatively smooth surface on which to use your jack!
The only reason I say this is because I nearly shat my pants when jacking the front end of my car up on a "solid and level" concrete & pebble surface (not loose pebbles, pebbles mixed in the concrete to make it look "good" but FUCK the way a jack likes to inch forward under weight) as the car started to lurch towards me when I used the jack.
Needless to say, I survived as I was able to get the car stable on the stands and sat in it shifting my weight about like a loon to make sure the stands were stable. Paranoia never killed nobody.....
Stuff like this makes me wish that contractors that build houses would make a garage with a simple work pit, similar to how they do oil changes at places like jiffy lube.(Drive it in the garage then work from the pit.)
It's a very bad idea to do it by default. If you don't align the wheel, the car may fall in, let alone a person may fall in.
However, it might be a good idea if it has a good metallic cover.
so close to 1 000 000 subs! Congrats Jason!
...now back to studying ODEs
I've been placing the jacks under the suspension for each wheel. This way the wheels don't sag. I jack the front of the car first then do the rear. I been storing my Integra this way for 25 years. I do like the added protection of placing wood under each wheel. I may do that this year.
Whenever I am working under my cars on jack stands, I put the wheels under the car as the added safety (usually the OEM wheels/tires). Something you can do if you don't have the wood laying around.
Nice, now i can easily service my headlight and blinker fluid.
The front of the car was initially lifted incorrect. Should have been lifted from the front center of the vehicle as per the FSM. This way the load is balanced and jacks are placed in pairs. The way shown at first is unstable and needlessly stresses the chassis when pivoting over that single jack stand, like a teeter-totter. Furthermore, using a floor jack at those jack points puts too much weight on the pinch weld, which risks folding it. Those should only be used with 4-arm hoist or the emergency jack, which is designed to fit around the pinch weld perfectly distributing the load and prevents the pinch welds from folding over. He does it correctly later when lifting it higher up. Curious as to why he chose to do it that way at first. The car is factory ride height and has a low-profile jack. If the jack still didn't fit, should have driven the car up on the wood planks. Also, should block a wheel from the front AND back side of it.
Agreed. On my Z4, the front-center point is too deep that even a lowpro jack can't reach. So I jack the rear up first, get the rear on stands, then insert the jack from behind the front wheel to reach the front-center jack. The wood plank thing is kind of a pain in the ass TBH.
"Needlessly stressing chassis" and "risk of folding pinch welds" are two issues I still haven't been able to solve. I have a constant battle in my head each time I lift my car. I have a FWD car and I've resorted to putting a block of wood under the chassis rail and jacking one side at a time from there. I'm not sure if this is best because I still have to put the stands on the pinch welds. I've also thought about using those hockey puck style things that go between the jack and the pinch weld but I'm not sure if that actually helps, would I then put the stands on the frame rails? I don't like doing that either because then the stands are in the centre of the vehicle to its easier to make it tip over.
Alex Derus all Hondas and Acuras have a beefy built up lift point at all 4 corners. As a Honda tech I personally never seen one damaged with a floor jack. Hitting curbs and other things will bend them. As far as other manufacturers with uni body construction I agree with you 100%
Alex Derus i honestly have never seen it happen. I only hear about folded pinch welds on forums when i search for it. The oem honda jack does not have a pinch to fit on thr pinch weld, it is a flat surface scissor jack
Yup!
Top tip: Don't but a convertible. Just lower the windows of a sedan and lift it up using a forklift. It's faster and you can lift higher.
Shut up meg.
Instructions unclear, forklift fork stuck in my ass
no worries, a lil penetrating oil should loosen it up
will this work on a ferrari 360 spyder?
will this work on a ferrari 360 spyder?
Great vid. I've jacked my car up plenty of times but learned something new of using wood blocks if I do not need to get the wheels off. That will come in handy when I replace my clutch (someday).
sweet...this vid gave me extra confidence in myself. first time jacking a car
Video starts at 2:51
Finally fixed haha, thanks!!
Thank you man for the cool tip with wood blocks ! I'm always scared working under my van. lol.
Almost 1 million! Congratulations
That is genius bro! Thanks a bunch!
Thank you for all the videos over the years! Can you post the dimensions of the wood blocks you use in this video? Please and thank you!!!
It's not about saving money it's about not having the money.
I do the same with the pieces of wood! Good video dude
2:34, I have a bunch of Ryobi tools as well. the half inch impact works well and is quick. I have to use it for my lug nuts because I do have a truck. nice video and I am glad you are NOT a lawyer, no double talk, only the truth. ha ha
I've only lifted my car once at all 4 corners to take the wheels off. I was parked on what I guess was a 2-5 degree grade and I don't know how, but after I got it jacked up on all 4 corners, the back right jack stand was no longer touching the car. I let it be since all the weight was towards the front though. I don't recommend doing that. On the opposite end I had a jack stand not fully lock and break loose when resting the car on it. Now that was a wake up call.
Not sure I like jacking the car from the front side to put a jack stand in back. That's some twisting in the chassis for a convertible.
On my Eclipse I used to use the scissor jack on the side front pinch weld to lift it high enough to get a jack under the front center lower engine mount and then jack the front and then put the stands on the sides where the pinch welds are. Once I had the front up, the rear was easy.
Nice. That’s exactly what I was looking for in this video
In your case, since you don't have a front center jack point, how did you lift the car up incrementally? By the time you had all four corners up, on the first increment, you already had jack stands on all four corners. Where did you jack from, to lift up the front to the second increment? (I'm assuming you don't have a front center jack point because you're not using it, in your video.)
You are almost at 1 million!!!
Wow dude, you're 500 subs from 1 mil.. congrats!
nah i rather dig a hole in my garage :D
Yup, got one of those, feel a lot safer in there than under a car on jack stands.
pit
All car shops in my country use a hole to work under cars, cause big lefts are dangerous and expensive.
Use a plastic spork
Neighbour on our street died under car on jack stands :-(
I'm a very paranoid person and getting underneath a car makes me anxious.
I once did my CV axle on a vw gti and was extra cautious
I dont do most exhaust stuff out of fear of getting underneath
But with the techniques in the video like the wooden blocks underneath the wheels would make me feel allot safer
I do the wood under tires method too! Very safe!
When replacing the rear leaf springs on my jeep I used a Hi-Lift jack/farm jack on the tow hitch. Being a Jeep it was too high for a traditional jack and the jack stands didn't go high enough. We had 2 people on the sides to make sure it wouldn't tip and 2 people working on the suspension. Good times. Also very sketchy times.
hello everyone and welcome chris fix here and today were going to show you how to jack up your car *proudly sponsored by justcar insurance*
And remember, be safe, have fun, and stay dirty.
MightyCarFixExplained
SO FRICKIN CLOSE TO A MILLION
In kitchenware shops look for hard wood small round flat plates. I bought some perfect for my jack
The amazing s2k 😍
Congrats on reaching over 1 million. =)
I would have a question.
There is always a lot of creaking and scary noises when i do this. Is that normal? Is the car really wobbly wobbly only hanging on the jack it self as you are jacking it up? On quite rough pavement, can i rely on my jack to move with its casters under the car as it keeps lifting it and the angle changes? Has it ever happened to you for the car to slip of the jack whilst jacking it up?
Ive got brand new mx-5 ND tho :D
Mikee CZ its normal i work as a mechanic and when i was just starting it used tu scare me, but now i know that its normal, since you are putting preasure in a few points
Thanks for answers
Don't really understand how four stands is unstable. I've got a safety factor of at least 7 when using 3t jacks on a car that's barely 1700kg soaking wet. I've used four jack stands numerous times, and I *shove* the thing, and it's more stable than when it's on the ground. It doesn't go anywhere. Also, the car weighs nearly 2t, wouldn't it take a hell of a lot to push it off? Would love to hear any advice here, because I'd rather be told I'm wrong now, than after I'm dead.
Didn't you listen to him? If you are paranoid, .....
Jacking more than 2 wheels off the ground is really tricky, super unstable, a gust of wind and it comes crashing down.
And Jason you got video run on for the last minute, it happens when YT get confused about your codec info.
I also have a set of ramps I use if I just need to work under the car and don't need to work on the suspension area. Took a little practice to get the car up the first few times (you don't want to overshoot the ramps), but I've done it plenty enough that it's almost a habit now.
Nice clean video and straight to the point.... bravo!
Because of this video i went to home depot and custom cut alot of thick wooden boards to use as another precaution.
Can you do a video on jack point pinch welds and wether a dedicated specific jack pad and jack stand pad is a good idea? I have yet to see any body have problems with their pinched weld jack points crumbling, except when i search about it on google. Even the stock s2000 oem jack for changing tires dont have a wedge to put at the jack point, it is just a flat spot
Also give the base of the stand with weight on it a rap or two with a rubber mallet, lets the legs settle evenly on the cement.
Love the Idaho plates! I miss that state!
I love your new hairstyle
"It's better to pay a professional and live than to save some money and die. Well, this is getting dark"
-Dances on the background
I use solid concrete blocks under each tire in addition to the jack stands because I don't have wooden blocks. If I did, I'd screw a frame to the edges as added protection against rolling. Like you, I'd never trust jack stands alone even though I know they are "safe" and I'd certainly NEVER trust the jack as sole support.
Liked that shuffle, man. Great style! Who says White guys can't dance?