9 items the Pros didn’t tell us about jacking up our car for jack stands
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- Опубликовано: 31 май 2024
- Diane and Paul use a floor jack to put Diane’s car on jack stands in their garage and find 9 important items the pros left out in their videos and advice.
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Please read our “disclosures” section later in this description for information about us, our intent, and about any links we provide.
TOOLS & SUPPLIES:
All ramps and jacks listed here are rated to handle our small (2 ton) car. If your car is heavier then you should select a model that supports its weight.
- Floor Jack: amzn.to/3SoX8wi
- Floor Jack protector: amzn.to/3IrqQfQ
- Ramps: amzn.to/3IOru8i
- Jack stands: amzn.to/3ILpayZ
- Wheel chocks: amzn.to/3ktdM1h
- Door mats: Bought at home depot
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
00:34 Why are we jacking up Diane’s car?
01:02 Tools
01:51 Handling the car‘s weight with the floor jack and jack stands
02:37 How to use a hydraulic floor jack
04:43 Why do we chock both sides of both wheels?
06:25 Preparing to jack up the car
10:10 Diane jacks up her car
13:57 Placing the jack stands under the car
15:40 Lowering the car onto the jack stands
18:10 Removing the jack stands and lowering the car
19:54 Jacking up the rear of the car
21:49 Wrap up
ATTRIBUTIONS:
- Music by Teknoaxe (CC4 license)
DISCLOSURE:
We are amateurs and this video is for entertainment purposes only. We do not warrant that anything we do is safe or will work for others. Cars are heavy and can cause serious injury or death. Please don’t take any risks unless you have a professional with you or advising you.
Also, you should never use a car’s supplied jack to jack up your car for car repairs. It just isn’t safe, especially on smooth service like a garage floor. You should assume that these jacks will slide on the floor and that the car will fall. So why even try? It just isn’t worth it.
We also have no direct sponsors paying us to pitch their products for this video, which means that we bought all tools, supplies, and video equipment ourselves. However, some companies (like Amazon) want more business and are willing to share a small amount of their profit with us-at no extra cost to you-if you click on our links leading to the products we used in this video. We use these links since we chose the products entirely based on our desires and not because a company or store directed us to.
SIMILAR CARS:
Di’s car is a 2000 Mercedes CLK 430. It is class W208, C208. It has a M113 engine.
Other Mercedes with a W208 or C208 body style:
- Mercedes CLK 200, Mercedes CLK200
- Mercedes CLK 200 Kompressor, Mercedes CLK200 Kompressor
- Mercedes CLK 230 Kompressor, Mercedes CLK230 Kompressor
- Mercedes CLK 320, Mercedes CLK320
- Mercedes CLK 430, Mercedes CLK430
- Mercedes CLK 55 AMG, Mercedes CLK55AMG
Other Mercedes with a M113 engine:
- Mercedes C 43 AMG, Mercedes C43AMG (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)
- Mercedes CLK 430, Mercedes CLK430 (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
- Mercedes E 430, Mercedes E430 (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
- Mercedes ML 430, Mercedes ML430 (1999, 2000, 2001)
- Mercedes S 430, Mercedes S430 (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006)
- Mercedes S 500, Mercedes S500 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006)
- Mercedes SL 500, Mercedes SL500 (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
Copyright 2023 Car Zombies™ 
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I don't know why I'm watching this. As I've jacked up and repaired many cars that I've owned, but I love this channel haha. You guys are awesome.
You're so funny! We love your post. We will try to continue to analyze and entertain!
Diane & Paul 😊😎
What a fun way to spend time together as a couple and teach people!
Thanks for the kind words. We are new to this and are really enjoying it!
Diane & Paul
A good thing to note is only to use the differential as a jack point if it's made of iron/steel. If you jack on an aluminum differential, it'll crumple. And that's noooooo fun! And if you're not sure which your differential is, use a magnet; if it's magnetic, you're good! If it's not, find a different jack point! Your owners manual will cover all the jacking points of your vehicle!
Wow, I didn't know they made aluminum differentials! This goes to my favorite saying, "There's a reason there are no famous accountants..."
Thanks for the input and ideas. I especially like the magnet test. Our manuals don't cover the jack-up points, but the cars are 20-30 years old.
Paul & Diane 😎😊
@@carzombies aluminum differentials aren't something you'll see too often. Usually aluminum differential covers.
It's nice having an older car, it's usually much easier to jack up and maintain. And there's always plenty of info online for older cars. Usually even forums/fan clubs for certain makes/models and such. I love that!
Car zombies it’s not froze or stuck as you get a load on the floor jack what happens is it get harder to release it’s a safety precaution from federal law
Thanks. That explains a lot!
Paul & Diane 😎😊
My car, a Nissan 370Z sports car, has an aluminum differential. Aluminum is used for its lighter weight, ⅓ that of steel, and for its higher thermal conductivity, to help dissipate the considerable amount of heat generated by the friction between the heavily loaded pinion and ring gear. My differential case is also heavily finned, to provide additional surface area to aid in heat dissipation.
The concept of this channel is excellent. I think it will take some time, but once it gets some momentum, I think it will take off. GREAT VIDEO! I'm going to be hopefully purchasing a axle jack soon.
Thanks for the kind words and support! Good luck with your jack...
Diane & Paul 😎😊
I'm trying to figure out how to jack up my wife's 2000 E320 and came across your video. Love how thorough you are and how you are able to be focused on safely while not taking yourselves too seriously. I found your video very useful. Thanks!
Sounds like you are going through what we did the first time. Glad we could help!
Diane & Paul 😊😎
Other than the great content, you guys are such an inspiring example of a healthy relationship! I can just feel how safe and supportive you are for each other.
That's because we cut out the bad parts 😜. We've been together since 1980 with no kids so we just support each other!
Diane & Paul 😊😎
This is an absolutely top notch video and I really, really love the concept of this channel.
I often find myself watching a whole lifetime's worth of instructional videos before tackling a new task, precisely because I always have unanswered questions after each video. In my mind, I don't know if those questions have common sense answers that I'm being overly cautious about, or if they are critical to the safety and success of what I'm planning to do. I have wished for a while now that there was a way to answer all those little questions that the pro's don't cover and it appears that you guys have found the perfect peg for the hole in my brain!
I've subscribed and will be checking your channel for a video on all of my future automotive endeavours. Thanks for giving me the confidence to quit contemplating and finally get started!
That's great! Welcome to Car Zombies and welcome to DIY car repair. Paul & I have found it very rewarding and we just gut it out and share the good, the bad, and the ugly so others can learn with us.
Thanks for nice complement. We really perked up tonight when we read it. 😃😎
Diane & Paul
I love this! I tend to watch a million videos on what to buy and what to do on my car before I do it. I feel confident and better about jacking up my car now that I have watched this video! You two make it seem so simple and easy compared to the other videos and it’s refreshing to see that it’s easier than the pros make it seem. Diane and Paul thank y’all so much!
We love your enthusiasm and supportive comments!
Diane is worried that you will be careful. It is worth trying and figuring it out, and it can be done by non-mechanics, but we have to be extra careful so that we don't end up on an episode of the Simpsons (Diane always tells me, "no Homer Simpsons" when I do projects like this).
Take care!
Paul & Diane 😎😊
I didn't know jacking up a car was such a production.
It's very detailed. Nice work. Can't think of anything to add.
Thanks for the encouragement. We've really enjoyed working on my car.
Diane 😊
Another safety precaution is to get a back-up for your jack-stands. It could be a spare tire, it could be a solid block of wood that is high enough. You will need one on both sides, beside your jack-stand on the side closer to the un-jacked wheels. They should be slightly shorter than your jack-stands. Jack stands can fail occasionally, not because they can't handle the weight, but because they slip and are easy to knock over.
It helped me a lot. Thank you so much for the helpful video.
Glad you liked the video!
Diane & Paul 😊😎
you two are awesome, looking forward to your next DIY Home & Handy video
Thanks! We are still working hard on the cars and finding more ways to make it clearer and safer...
Diane & Paul 😊😎
I find I get more control on lowering by clamping channel locks onto the jack tube. Helps to overcome that resistance when it was tightened and then I can more precise on the the counter clockwise lowering so the car doesn't drop. It does mar up the painted tube a bit, but better to have scars on the tools not the cars or people.
Diane said she likes your idea because, as she says, "I like anything that makes lowering the car easier and safer." I, however, can concur because we have now jacked up our cars probably 20 times and her current solution is always the same: "Paul, can you please lower the car for me?" I believe she bats her eyes too...
Paul & Diane 😎😊
Jack stands with the safety pins are a good option and it's also a good idea to apply the parking brake for added safety.
The safer the better. Thanks for the ideas.
Diane & Paul
The parking brake won't help if you raise the rear, only the front, because it only locks the rear wheels.
Most owners manuals show jacking locations for the car.
@Brian Hendricks generally those are only for the "tire change jack". Normally you need to refer to the Factory Service Manual for approved hoisting points for safe under-car work.
Husband (on seeing a quick release of the floor jack at 16:27): "Oh, wooo! Are you OK?"
Wife: "Yes, I am fine."
Husband: "No, honey. I was asking the Mercedes."
LOL, it reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw once: "Wife and dog missing. Reward for dog".
Paul 😎
Y’all did a great job. I learnt something new!
Thanks!
Diane & Paul 😎😊
Keep both jack stands the same height for stability. Raise the vehicle only as far as required which would be an inch or two off the ground for brake repair. Keep the car in neutral to prevent the the automatic transmission parking pawl from binding.Once the weight is on the jack stands tap the legs of the jack stands near the floor with a hammer to ensure the stands are positioned squarely on the ground. Make sure the floor is clean so that the both the car and the jack can roll freely otherwise you could pull the jack out of position when raising or lowering the vehicle. Block the wheels after raising and remove before lowering unless on an uneven surface which should not be done anyways. Your garage floor is as level as it could be due to floor slope for drainage considerations. When lowering keep the jack handle in the lowest position to avoid contact with the vehicle or pinching a limb.. This also makes it easier to turn the jack handle to lower. Take a look at the raised vehicle position to see if it looks to be sitting secure since broken springs or other suspension parts could make the vehicle sit in a compromising position. Take the time to secure the vehicle and then you can concentrate to the task at hand. Let 007 take the risks!
There is a lot of REALLY GOOD ADVICE in this post! We wish you were there when we first jacked up the car and were scared of our own shadows! We agree about staying safe.
Paul & Diane 😎😊
@@carzombies - Thanks! Really good advice works for those who listen to experience rather than look for short cuts. If you don’t have the time to do it right the first time then when are you going to find the time to fix it the second time? Hopefully, you get a second chance when safety is the concern.
Hey Paul and Diane! I just came across your videos, and I'm loving them, and now you have a new subscriber. Keep up the great work. Stay safe and God bless.
Wow! Thanks for such a nice compliment! We hope you enjoy the ride...
Diane & Paul 😊😎
You two nerds are awesome! Great teachers and good clean fun! Thank you!
Funny you point out that we are nerds. I must point out that Diane can also be a "treky" (Star Trek fan). She once corrected me on the difference between unimatrix 00 (where 7 of 9 dreamed) and unimatrix 01 (where the borg queen lived).
This post will probably get me in a lot of trouble...
Paul 😎
This is great stuff. You can never be too old to learn a new skill.
Thanks for reaching out to us! We are having a blast!
Diane & Paul 😊😎
I know its going to sound super sarcastic but when i seen your intro, i seriously thought to myself, "wow, they're not mechanics. They're just regular people like me that aren't professionals and work on their own stuff. I too like to keep my vehicles running for a long time!"
Thanks for posting! I truly enjoyed your video and it was very interesting. Keep up the great videos!
I'm definitely hitting that like and subscribe button.
We're not mechanics, but we are very inquisitive and analytical. We love showing others the problems we have and how we overcome them. Thanks so much for your kind words, and thanks for signing up!
Paul & Diane 😎😊
You guys are funny. I'm totally going to watch the brake change vid and other vids. I too have a car that's aging and I'm getting back into working on cars. In my 20s I did it out of necessity and learned some things and saved some money. BUT I quit doing that when I started working an office job cuz I could afford the mechanic. NOW in my mid 50s, I'm excited to start spinning wrenches again, especially cuz you can just save so much money and have some fun doing it. I don't think there's any greater feeling than taking on some repair that you're not sure if you can do and then you do it and it works properly after!! SUCH a great feeling.
Working on cars has been a lot of fun for us also. We can't believe how much we learned and how much more we trust the end results (better parts, known torques, etc., no mechanic shortcuts). Welcome back to car repair, be safe, and have fun!
Diane & Paul 😊😎
NIce. I like your approach. I do most of my work myself, none of my 3 vehicles have been to a shop in the last 10 years. I have an 05 I bought new, it has 180k miles on it and still runs great. I keep the maintenance up and repairs, and plan on driving it until the wheels fall off. I bought a '13 motorcycle and have done ALL maintenance on it including valve clearance inspection/adjustment and changing tires (manually) and lots of other things. I just bought a used '11 with 80k miles on it, it's in great shape and will do all the same care with it.
When you say "non of my 3 vehicles have been to a shop in the last 10 years" it made me think of what I told a friend the other day. The BMW has been giving me fits lately and I'm not driving it until I fix it, but it leaves us without one of the cars. I said to my friend, "its not like I can take it to a mechanic...we are Car Zombies."😃 We are committed now.
Paul
Cool. That noise is your front wheels dragging sideways as the car shifts a bit to the side while being jacked up. Also, for a brake job you do not need to go under the vehicle.Two more things: get yourself better jack stands-the ones that have an additional safety pin, and only jack the car as high as needed, and no more (i,e. just enough to get wheels off the ground for a brake job).
Paul just put new jack stands that have the extra safety pins in the Amazon cart. Thanks for suggesting that, I love this idea to make it safer.
Diane
Nice vid. Good pace.
Thanks! We're glad you enjoyed it.
I want to thank you Both for this Fun and Educational Video.😊 it really Helped me to understand How it Works i too have an CLK 1999 (w208) in a Blueish Colour .😁👍
pls keep up the good work 🕺🏽
Thanks for your kind words. It has been really fun working on these videos.
Paul & Diane
Nice video, you guys are great ! I like how you approached this project. I have a small DIY channel too. I finally feel comfortable jacking up my cars after many times doing it. I usually go side to side and avoid using the differential as I've been told it puts too much stress on the mounting. Every car has it's own process though.
Thanks for your support!
Side-by-side sounded like a good idea when we started, but we don't want to work on the car held up only by the floor jack (and if we use the side-mount for the floor jack, where do we put the jack stand?). We eventually found a manual that recommended the differential so that's what we have been doing and it seems to work fine. Also, we immediately put it back down on the jack stands so it takes any stress off the mounts while we are working on the car.
Paul & Diane 😎😊
I jack one side from the frame. Then place the jack stands under the lift points. Then I jack up the other side.
Hi guys it was nice meeting you what a fun couple you two are hope to see you again keep up the great work
Thanks for reaching out. We hope you enjoy the channel. See you again at the pizza place...
Paul & Diane
I love your channel 😊
Thank you! These comments keep us motivated!
Diane & Paul 😊😎
Excellent video. I just jacked my car like this for the first time and had the same exact reaction!
PS: cool music :)
Its scary and fun and exhilarating in the end, isn't it! Keep going you'll be rewarded in many ways on future projects.
Rock on!
Diane
the squarish blocks on the rocker panels are also jacking points, yall did great
Thanks, and that is where we put the jack stands once we got the care jacked up. We appreciate your comments and support.
Paul & Diane
Its important to note that different cars need different techniques to get them up jack stands. I personally try to avoid lifting from suspension or drivetrain components as they are technically not designed to be used as jack points, and also, you are then playing with the vehicle’s balance since you are then dealing with the center of gravity. Also, jacks have instructions that sometimes specify that they need to be purged before their first use and IMO that affects the way they release the pressure when lowering cars, minimizing those sudden drops that sometimes scares us.
Also, as somebody mentioned above, GVWR includes the vehicle with all its fluids full (including gas tank) along with maximum amount of passengers (of an X average weight each) inside the car. Curb weight would be significantly less.
Anyways, very interesting concept and i got to say you guys get a lot of good research based on what i have seen so far. Good job!
You really got me thinking about the differential. We did find this was recommended for Diane's car, but it totally makes sense that the car isn't built to support its weight on this component, and that the differential may not be centered properly. It has worked well for us, so we will stick with it, but people should be really careful. Once we are on the jack stands on the proper jack-up points, I feel a lot better.
Thanks for the compliments at the end of your message. It means a lot to us.
Paul 😎
@@carzombies keep up with the good work!
Entertaining and informative. Interesting choice of music. It went from 80's softcore to 90's death metal. Boomers gotta boom!
Thanks for the support! Diane loves the rock (a Wayne's World fan), and I like the melodic and international music (from my travels). Don't know who should apologize to who 😂.
Paul & Diane 😎😊
So true the pros always miss steps that the average person needs to know 🙂!
Agree. We don't think it is intentional, and the stuff they do share is great, but they have done the job so many times they gloss over the easy or uninteresting tasks.
Diane & Paul
As a pro tip from a machine maker, sure, u put a 19 or a 20 or a 22 socket on your lung nuts and brake the lung nuts free while the car is on the ground Not up in the air and also make sure u at last have a 30 inch long breaker bar 1/2 inch a 25 inch long breaker bar will do as well if u don't have on u can use a 1/2 socks driver and the handel off the jack make sure u only use the top par not the bottom pat or the jack will be stuck and pulling the trigger down is very hard wen u got the waight of the car on top of it
I hope this helps everyone, and remember when u put your wheel on use a torque wrench most vehicles are 100 foot lbs trucks and other big vehicles can require 150 or 190
But for a small car like this 100 would be fine to use
All great tips and we are trying to follow all of them. I even bought the longer breaker bar
Paul
Excellent choice for a car jack,heavy duty and stable.
We really like it. Also, we are getting much better at putting down the car smoothly.
Paul & Diane 😎😊
@@carzombies awesome relationship I might add
Just FYI when you mention the GVWR or Gross Vehicle Weight rating. That is not the weight of the vehicle. The vehicle will always be lighter than this stamped weight. GVWR represents the maximum weight of the vehicle and what it can carry when fully loaded. IE you and passengers and your stuff. This GVWR is generally a good 500 to 1,000 pounds more than what your actual vehicle weights. A car weight is generally referred to as the vehicle curb weight. Great video.
Thanks, we didn't know that. I guess it means we are even more safe with our pick of equipment.
Paul & Diane 😎😊
17:20 this actually made me get coffee in my nose from laughing. I would be really if you collab with Matthew Parker Mobile Mechanic, he is also extremely nice like y'all.
We try to be entertaining even if it is an accident. We laugh a lot at things like this too. Thanks for watching...We'll check out Mathew Parker Mobile Mechanic over the weekend...
Diane & Paul 😊😎
Thank you!
You bet! We're glad you liked it!
Diane & Paul 😊😎
@@carzombies All the important and potentially life saving information that you provided here can not be found anywhere else. So invaluable!! Liked and subscribed. Thank you Diane & Paul.
As the other fellow mentioned about differential jacking ! Check your owners manual before jacking on a differential ! I’ve owned a dozen vehicles in my 77 yrs and can’t remember one that could be diff jacked !
you did it right, backing the car in to use the slight slope to level out the car/IDEAL 8:48
Thanks for this. It seemed logical, but things are not always as they seem.
Paul & Diane
A little drop of WD 40 on the cogs at the bottom of the Jack handle really helps to turn it in a more controlled way, especially if you have to turn it with one hand. I'm in the habit of checking how easy the handle is to turn before I use the Jack now and spray a little if it's too stiff. A good thing to remember too is whatever you're doing, never ever put your hands, fingers, or any other part of your body between the car and the Jack or stands while positioning them when lifting or lowering the car. It's interesting how some people are more complacent when lowering the car vs lifting it, yet the car is the same weight either way.
Any Jack, no matter how expensive, can fail without warning for lots of reasons, so the most risky time for injury is when you're positioning the Jack-Stands, at which time, don't ever get yourself between the stand and the car, you can lose a couple of digits. At 14:44 you made my heart skip a beat instinctively.
Great that you work as a team, after watching your video, I feel a little guilty at not helping my Wife change my transmission now. (just kidding, I don't feel guilty at all).
We talked about this and are not sure we want to start putting WD40 on or floor jack (how safe is it?).
Regarding your later comment, you make a good point! It reminds me of last weekend, some 8 months since that video first aired, where we had to jack up the car yet again. Di and I insist on following our task sheet to the letter every time, and talked about it. It becomes easy to be complacent when you jack up the car for the 10th time. But, if you miss just one step you are putting life and limb in danger.
Paul & Diane 😎😊
You're quite safe putting WD40 on the valve mechanism of your jack, in fact if you have any Red Rubber Grease, it will do the same thing and last longer.
It won't affect the tension of the valve itself. If the little cogs at the bottom of the handle are dry, it makes the Jack difficult to lower the car smoothly and in a controlled way. I need to use the Jack one-handed quite a lot to lower gearboxes a certain way and I was surprised what a difference lubricating it made.
Also, on some Jacks, the handle passes through a metal sleeve at the bottom, lubricating the shaft of the handle where it passes through this makes a difference too.
I'm sure you two will have a lot of fun doing your own servicing and repairs, helping others at the same time, and by not having to pay a labour charge, you can use the money for good quality parts and have the peace of mind the job was done right, I was ripped off left, right and centre before I started (many years ago) doing my own repairs, it's fun to do and it's good to learn about these things plus it keeps you fit. Have fun.
@@carzombies
We'll try the WD40 on the floor jack valve mechanism the next time we use it. Thanks for the tip! Also, you are right, we love fixing our cars, but we like it even more that we know the cars have a good fix with quality parts.
Paul 😎
I jack up my car before loosening the lugs and use an electric battery impact gun to loosen the wheels. I also use an air balloon-type jack. as I don't have a level or smooth surface, if I use a trolley jack it will not roll and the car falls off without warning, with no creaking noises beforehand.
That's scary. That also helps explain why the trolley jack rolls as it goes up. If it can't roll then it would become unbalanced as the tip swings from 3 o'clock (jack at rest) to noon (jack fully up). Graphically, the "3" on a clock is definitely further right of the "12".
Paul & Diane 😎😊
Waw you guys are just great
Thanks for the nice comment! We will keep on learning and sharing...
Diane & Paul
First thing i look for is recovery hook in front of the car and hitch mount at the back. That's where i jack up. They are meant to pull the entire weight of the car when it gets stuck so it means it can support the weight of the car going up. If none then i look for main chassis. Newer cars have plastic covers or skid plates so you may have to remove them to access the chassis.
Thanks. We'll have to look for the recovery hook the next time we are under the car.
Paul & Diane 😎😊
It is also called tow hooks. Im not sure but I think not all cars have them
Instant like and subscribe for the intro
Wow! Thanks!
Diane & Paul 😊😎
Those rubber lift points look like they could slowly deform over time or if the temperature gets warmer, and create a sideways force to push the stands out. I had stands slip off due to rubber blocks compressing unevenly and no longer being flat, with glossy concrete floor like you have.
That's a scary thought, thanks for the heads up. We will keep an eye on this in future projects and use plenty of backup measures.
Paul
@@carzombies thanks Paul! Yes, it was very fortunate that I had an extra stand under the subframe and got out to look at the deforming rubber blocks. Looking forward to more fun and informative videos!
I love you guys! Thanks for sharing what you have learned! 😊
You two remind me of an old TechTV show from early 2000s called the Screen Savers, but with cars.
Don't know that one, but Diane looked it up and it sounds like something we'd like. We have backgrounds in technology and lived in the bay area for about 10 years. But we were full board busy at that time...
Paul & Diane 😎😊
You guys should try changing a lightbulb next.
GVWR is the vehicle weight PLUS the maxiumum passegner/cargo load. Curb weight is the car's weight. 3:35 in a rough asphalt surface it may not roll. I bet this is why some failures/slips occur.
That totally makes sense. I wonder if these are designed to only be used on smooth surfaces to be safe. Great observation!
Paul & Diane 😎😊
Came here to clarify this too; but good job. 👍🏼
You are awesome
Glad you liked the video!
Diane & Paul 😊😎
the sudden “drop” is also referred to as an”Indy drop” if done on purpose
Di said that "indy drop" sounds cool. She won't think of it as a scary thing anymore. We are getting better at lowering it without the drop though...
Paul & Diane
At some point you might want to invest in a decent impact wrench, which makes taking the wheels and other parts off much easier and even safer. Figure $100 - $200. I have the Milwaukee M12 3/8" Stubby impact wrench which many amateurs and pros swear by for everyday use.
With an impact wrench it doesn't matter if the wheels are up or down, it takes off the lug nuts easily. But you generally don't want to use it to tighten them or other fasteners unless it has a low-torque fasten mode (which the M12 Stubby has), which shuts off when it starts to feel the fastener tightening.
At which point you finish tightening them with a torque wrench, which if anything is more important than an impact wrench, and a lot cheaper. You definitely don't want to over or under torque lug nuts.
Okay, now you did it. Our credit card bill is growing fast this month...
Diane
@@carzombies Hah! I know exactly what you mean having been through that. But over time just watch those bills go down when you do your own car work and don't take it to be serviced as often, if ever. A couple of years ago I rebuilt the manual transmission on my car which easily saved me $2000-$3000.
@@kovie9162 Di said "Good job, that's where we want to be too!", and I said "I don't know if I want to rebuild transmissions..."😂
@@carzombies Heh. I wasn't suggesting that you rebuild your transmissions--especially if they're just fine. Just using it as an extreme example of how much money can be saved by doing it yourself. Mine had serious issues and had to be rebuilt or replaced, so after doing a lot of research I decided to rebuild it myself. It took a while and I had to spend a few hundred dollars on OEM parts, but it was worth it as it's worked just fine ever since. But, if you ever do need to rebuild it, you probably could. A manual that is. Autos are much more complex.
Btw I started my DIY auto repair and maintenance "career" just as you did, with relatively simple tasks (so he says) like replacing brake pads and rotors and oil changes. I slowly worked my way up to more complex tasks as the need arose and my skills and confidence improved, e.g. replacing wheel bearings and struts, timing belts, water pumps, etc. One step at a time and of course if it ain't broke then don't fix it. 😆
1:56
GVWR is not the weight of your car, it is the load weight rating. Look it up
So it is the most that the car could weigh with passengers and cargo. So when jacking it up it probably weighs less for us. Good to know!
Paul & Diane 😎😊
@@carzombies yep, exactly! :)
The heavy ill stay centered IF THE ground is smooth amd level and clean
Really good point that we never thought of since we are so focused on our garage floor, which is clean. I don't think I'd try it on anything but a hard flat surface because of the risks, but the surface probably must be clean too or the jack may hit a pebble or something and who knows what would happen next.
Paul & Diane
all M/B have a jacking pedestal in the center ,usually a rectangular rubber block…
Thanks, and I did read about the rubber block before we looked for it, but it just doesn't exist on Diane's car. Either it got knocked off or her car is just too old or different.
Paul
Tires will make that noise as you raise it up. Does kinda freak you out when you first hear it and don't realize what it is though.
We agree! It especially got us the first time. Now we don't even notice it anymore (maybe that's why the Pros left it out, they ignore it too).
Diane & Paul 😊😎
when using a "floor jack" many people make the mistake of trying to lift by placing the jack under the oil pan, radiator, transmission, exhaust etc. all these can be expensive mistakes. Newer vehicles can have very few points to lift from other that the four "jack points" for changing flat tires. The are made to be lifted by a hoist
So true. According to my car manual I can use only jacking points (seat leon 1p, ford focus mk2). And those are designed to be used by 4-point car lift. Or in case of an emergency one can lift one side and change a tire. But that's it.
Now there are plenty of videos here on YT that will tell you how to put your car on jack stands. But for every video how to do it you can find one that will tell you not to use that method.
I'm lifting my car by jacking points and putting jack stands on part of a subframe bushings (front, jack does fit there nicely). I've seen some videos showing that's not OK.
After doing so much research it seems the only safe and intended way to lift up a car is to use 4-point lift. :|
I was worried that our car wouldn't have a central jack-up point as well, and scoured the web to figure this out. I was glad we found the strong cross-beam in the front to use, and the differential seemed to be a standard for the rear.
Paul
Yamature amateur same thing
And always bump test the car
And buy jack stands with multiple safety features follow the instructions
Thanks John. I like the idea of pretend bumping into it, as Diane is always bumping into things (just kidding).
Paul & Diane
@@carzombies I feel you bruh if my wife ever stopped being clutzy I'd now she's been replaced by aliens or robots
Check your owners manual for lifting procedures . Some vehicle with air/active /pneumatic suspension need to be deactivated prior to lifting. FYI if brake fluid is old now is the time to change it following proper procedures for your vehicle.Use Fresh OEM type brake fluid 19:21 .Before replacing brake pads. 19:21 19:21 19:21 Typically a dark color brake fluid. 9 times out of 10 there's no issue. What can happen is when you retract the caliper piston the particles in the caliper get pushed up into the ABS valve and cause issues. Also keep wheels pointed straight to avoid damage to old ABS sensor wires. If you spill brake fluid on car paint rinse off with lots of water. Do not wipe as brake fluid can remove paint. Some new vehicles require a scan tool to bleed brakes refer to your vehicle service manual. Like any task there is the right way,wrong way and best way. Do your homework and you will be fine. Be patient and enjoy your time together. Since retirement I've taught my wife DIY skills,she taught me how to cook ,do laundry and play piano. I love her all the more.❤
Thanks Brian, that's a lot of good advice--some we needed to know. I was having a conversation with someone else on when to change the brake fluid and you clear up the "why," which I didn't know.
I just changed my brake pads on my car (the BMW) and I turned the wheel to get it more accessible, yet you say don't do that because of the ABS wire. Do you think that would apply to my older car as well (see video next week when it releases)?
Anyway, please don't tell Diane that you traded car repair for dishes and laundry. That could be a problem...😜
Paul
Wish you guys had a hotline
Funny! A hotline to the world? Sounds like a lot of work...😂
Paul & Diane
Your jack stands ended up different heights because the car pivots on the jack so if one side is a little heavier than the other it will lean that way slightly on the Jack that's the reason you had an uneven jack stand and you did right you just jacked up a little higher to even them out
This is the best explanation we've heard yet. Thanks for the insight!
Paul & Diane 😎😊
The reason the Jack's did the uneven notch thing, is because the diff is off to one side on alot of cars
Thanks! We never could figure that one out.
Paul & Diane
Also weight distribution is a factor. Vehicles are never exactly the same weight on all four corners unless they're modified to be. So lifting would cause a slight lean.
@@dgloade That is super interesting! It also makes a lot of sense. Thanks!
Diane & Paul
If your just changing or checking the breaks no need to go too high. Long as it reach a point where your wheel is off the ground. Since your not going under to work.
We’re right there with you. In the end, we only needed to go as high as the wheel for the brakes but a couple of videos later we had to go a bit higher when we worked on the transmission. Thanks for your advice.
Diane & Paul ☺️😎
Wow you even working on the transmission , I wouldn’t touch it that part is the most complicated part . Need a professional.😅
We did hire a professional. They charged us $800 and 6 months later the problem came back. So we fixed it ourselves. Here are the videos of that journey:
Transmission reset: ruclips.net/video/VlwyzyWIo78/видео.html
Transmission conductor plate change: ruclips.net/video/4E5vnFlf2EA/видео.html
Transmission diagnosis & engine light fix: ruclips.net/video/DdbaInSxc04/видео.html
Transmission final fix: ruclips.net/video/GkxROqaXGj0/видео.html
Diane & Paul 😊😎
a few things I would point out... your really care more about the ground being flat more then level... A non-flat ground would make the jack stands be unstable... here is why you would have only 2 or 3 pints of the jack stand touching the ground if the ground is not flat. increasing the danger of the jack stand kicking out and dropping the car..
other point you forgot to say is a bout the tab on the jack stand most of the time they are not pushed in from the mfg so you have to do that before first use.
another is if your working on a car and you have the tires off... put the tire on the side of the frame underneath the car... so if anything fails the last safety is the tire rim... the car will come crashing down but the tire rim should give you some space to live hopefully.. this is what I do as a last resort..
FYI most mfg don't recommend jacking on differential because that can cause damage.. also pro are using impact wrenches and you don't have to loosen nuts before jacking up car... that's why the don't before hand
Thanks, and you points are all good and thoughtful.
The second point you made caused Di and I to say "What tabs?" I grabbed one of the jack stands and sure enough there is tab that should be bent to keep the bar from sliding all the way out. We may not use it ourselves since we like to store the jack stands in their original box, but it as a good point for people watching the video.
Also, we did find a reference to where to jack up Diane's Mercedes in the Mercedes Benz Workshop Manuals online and it has a picture showing that the differential is correct for her car.
Paul & Diane
I still dont know where to place the jack to lift up the car
That's the problem we had too. I'm guessing it is a different journey for every car to find the safe place to put the jack. Our journey began by watching videos, and they told us to look for a strong structural part of the frame (not the engine, not the oil pan, but body frame). We then bought a pamphlet that auto shops use and our car wasn't in it. Finally, we found the Mercedes On-line service manual for our car and it told us where to place the jack.
Paul 😎
This product is safe giggidy now grab the handle pump it up and down now twist the handle
I would not trust those pucks on the narrow jack stand - looks like it could slide off. They are for a workshop lift. I think you need a jack stand with a flat top.
That's interesting...It has been working really well so far, and the shake test is always solid as a rock, but you make a good point, one slip is all it takes. I'll look into this.
Paul & Diane
Next project....front bumper fix.
Yes!!! The bumper is in a coffin-sized box in our living room. I'm just trying to get Paul to start the project (give me a new bumper, and get that box out of my living room). 😉
Diane
Putting the safety spare tyre underneath should have been on your list. Probably why it was so dangerous.
Great idea! I never thought to take out the spare. We do use the wheel as backup whenever we are working with the wheels off, like for brakes. We have been using our ramps and extra jack stands as backup otherwise.
Paul 😎
@@carzombies safety should be number 1. First on list.
do not get "heavy duty" jack stands they probably will not fit under your car, and any jack stand is only as good as the surface they are set on. I have seen jacks fail if the surface is too soft (dirt, gravel, even hot pavement) too steep (again many driveways)
Thanks for the head's up. We'll stay in the garage...
Paul & Diane
Great you are keeping an old Merc on the road ( these were before Mercedes went crap)... But why oh why did you choose that red.. it looks terrible..
Don't like the red? Diane fell in love with her "little red hot tamale" on the showroom floor...
Paul 😎
Why are you jacking the front of the car when you said it's the rear brakes that need servicing 🤔
Good catch. At the time we were trying to learn how to jack up the car for multiple projects--the rear brakes being just the first one. So we tackled the whole problem of jacking up the car on either side.
Paul & Diane 😎😊
All pros do things differently, but yield the same often overpriced results. They all learn from making tons of mistakes. They all learn and understand their particular tools with their strengths and weaknesses and work around them. Each pro has multiple ways of removing, tightening and getting at hard-to-reach things. Bar none, the single most helpful tool is their lift, as working in an upright position instead of on the ground is EVERYTHING! PS many home hydraulic jacks are not as refined as a pro's jack, so it's usually difficult to let a car down with any finesse. Get used to it!
We think you summed up everything from what we have learned the hard way about car repair! Garage is too small for a lift, but we sure wish we had one and envy those who already have one.
Diane & Paul 😊😎
What car u have for 30 years
My car is a 1993 BMW 325i convertible. It is the last of the E30's...
Paul 😎
@@carzombies NICE ) DOES IT consume oil?
I'm not sure, but I'm fighting a rough idle now and am fixing the neglected areas (like valve adjustment, spark plugs and electric, fuel injectors). I've not learned yet how to tell if it consumes oil, but it never gets low on oil.
Paul 😎
Your car have been hijacked 😂😂
Funny! Love your user-name too...
Diane & Paul 😊😎
More information is always better BUT that being said if your this far behind the curve of knowledge in this area you should not attempt any work without someone with experience and will to work with you and mentor.
I like that idea and wish we had someone like that too, but like most people, RUclips was our mentor. This why we point out the questions we wish we had pros (or a mentor) to answer when we started. That said, after a year of working on the car it has become a new hobby we really enjoy and are glad we started.
Paul & Diane 😎😊
I want you to be my neighbors 😉
What a nice complement. You made my day.
Diane
10 02 24, Opening & raising the bonnet would throw additional light to the cars underside. Placing your ramps under the raised wheels provdes additional safety whilst positioning jack stands. Oppurtunity to investigate the drooped front bumper & also easier to polish that area whilst raised too. Those disposable gloves & barrier cream would complete your 'kit'. Safe ways are best ways- Good luck both !
Jesus Christ! This was one of the easiest ways how to get to the hospital! And wrack the car! People, never buy a car from the geriatrics, like ever!
Glad you recognize the risks, and that we are not pros. But we are having a blast and are learning quickly.
Paul
how about you try correcting mistakes and not being a dick about it? They are learning and being as safe as they know, more than most mechanics. They did just fine.
Exactly with *what* are you finding fault? The "zombies" found structurally sound members by which to jack. They placed the jack stands appropriately and chocked the tires safely. The only improvement to their approach would be to utilize a four post lift with two rolling bridge jacks.
@@walterk1221 Thanks for your support Walter. We get a few comments like this and don't really know how to respond. Your support is very welcomed.
Paul & Diane 🧟♂🧟♀
@@carzombies you are most welcome. I am what might be called a "very advanced DIY'er" I do own a lift and sufficient tools, several scan tools, etc.