29 replies to this topic

[ChazUwe]

Hi all,

before I get I have done a search and pretty much found out what I need to know but just want to check a minor detail!!!

I am hoping to install my new Milltek next weekend and I have drafted in a friendly local mechanic to give me a hand. He has a four point hydrolic car jack which would make the job much easier...

Well I have seen the pic below:



Having taken the rear undertray off I can see the two rear jacking points and I was just wondering if the front ones are concealed by an undertray? Or are they accessible and obvious. Would go and have a look but car is in garage a few miles away!!!!

Many thanks



Charlie

[Thorney]

You can mount anywear along the chassis rails, ideally as forward as possible. Keep on the rails (they're pretty clear) and you'll be ok. A tip on the rears, depending on how large the ramp pads are you need to be careful not to foul the understray when positioning under the suspension arm - saves a lot of faffing about when you want to put the tray back on.

[ChazUwe]

Cheers John, very good point about the undertray too! Wouldn't have thought of that.... Maybe that's why I'm not a mechanic!

[ChazUwe]

Well my weekend of fitting the milltek didn't quite go as planned!

The guy who is helping me out has a 2 post 4 point lift (fairly standard similar to pic below). With the jacking points where they are there was no way we could get the arms to the rear jacking points and the front ones! We looked at every possible way and we couldnt get it to go??



Do I need to take the second undertray off?

HELP I need my Milltek!!!

[Gibbo]

Okay, just looking at that pic scares me, so all that is holding the VX up is that single jack??? Would not want to be under it thats for sure!

[SPLAM]

Okay, just looking at that pic scares me, so all that is holding the VX up is that single jack???

Would not want to be under it thats for sure!

That is insane.

[Robbo SV]

That is insane.

Agreed!! A four poster is what you need! or an inspection pit.

[ChazUwe]

Hi Guys, The picture was just to demonstrate the type of hydrolic lift my friendly mechanic has. Not even my car, just a picture I borrowed off another thread! My problem is that no matter which way round we put the car we can't get the pads to the specific jacking points for a 4 point lift (i.e. 2 rear and 2 front)! For example if we tried to use the long arms to the rear jacking points there wasn't enough room between the main post and the car to rotate the smaller arms round to the front points. As far as I can tell we looked at all the alternative ways to do it an none of them seemed to work. Anyone with any experience using such a lift? Would really like to use it if I can as don't relish this job lying on my back! Thanks for any help.....

[garyk220]

Okay, just looking at that pic scares me, so all that is holding the VX up is that single jack???

Would not want to be under it thats for sure!

that's my car Marc.

We had same problem with the 4 pt lift, so resorted to a decent trolley jack lifting on the centre lateral beam.

I think you can use the jacking pts under the fuel tank cover (C on the diagram in the TIS schedule, next to the forward wishbone mount- accessed by removing the undertray) for a 4 pt lift. Seen quite a few VXs raised this way.

Edited by garyk220, 20 February 2005 - 10:57 PM.

[Gibbo]

Thought I recognised the number plate from somewhere! Still does not look right having a car at that angle with only a jack for support.

[Thorney]

I guess it depends on the length of the arms of the lift?

[cameron]

not really about 4 point jacking. i getting tyres replaced and doing my pads and am becoming quite concerned about lifting the car. is it posible to jack the car enough to do front first then back down and moving to the back without taking off the undertray. when the thread mentions jacking anywhere along the rails does it mean anywhere along the rectangular section visible on the diagram. If thats the case I could just lift from the side under the sill and do one wheel at a time. Does that sound feasible? any advice would be appreciated. Sorry if this is covering old ground.

[Thorney]

Do one side at a time. You can spread the wight of the car along the side spars if you're lifting the car in a level plane (ie flat) but only use the single jacking point at the side if you are only using a single point of lift. The spars aren't designed to lift up one corner at a time as this could twist the chassis (bad). To suspend the whole car. 1. Jack up one side 2. Place support struts/braces under front end of spar and under rear suspension arm assembly 3. Jack up other side 4. Place 2 more support struts/braces at opposit sides. You can actually balance the car on its 2 side jacking points but as soon as you remove the front wheels the rear will drop.

[cameron]

Thanx thorney. So you mean use the middle jack point on the diagram at top of thread to do one side at a time and by no means lift one corner at a time. Sorry if this sounds daft but i have never been under there yet. On the diagram that jack point looks quite near the front but i assume this is near the centre of the car.

[SPLAM]

Cameron, if you look at that scary looking pic a few posts up, that is where the jack point is (don't go that high, rear wheel an inch off will be fine). There should be a sticker under the car, position the jack their. If your jack doesn't have a rubber pad on, try and find something to put inbetween car and jack preferably rubber (wood can slip)

Edited by SamH, 21 February 2005 - 05:48 PM.

[cameron]

many thanx samH

[ChazUwe]

Hi Thorney,

I think it is just a standard lift, as I say similar to the one in that picture.

The problem seemed to be that to get the long arms past the rear wheels the car had to be fairly far back (to get the right angle). Then they wouldn't reach. Any further forward and the arms foul on the tyres.

Combined with that the small arms wouldn't then fold in enough the thicker none extending part of the arm would foul on the sill before it was at the right angle to extend to the front jacking point....

Surely someone must have used a 4 point lift before? I'm sure I have seen a picture of one on one but can't remember what the thread related to!

Does the main chassis beam (or whatever its called) go further back than the middle jacking point? If there was anywhere that was strong enough to jack between the middle jacking points and the rear ones we could probably just about do it. But just having a little looky all seems quite flimsy in that area


Just found this picture:



They seem to be jacking further back than the centre jacking point? Is this safe? It didn't feel very sturdy when i gave it a knock...

Edited by ChazUwe, 21 February 2005 - 08:13 PM.

[Thorney]

Reverse the car round on the ramp, that way the long arms are towards the front and the short ones at the back.

[ChazUwe]

Hi John, Yeah we tried that. You mean as they have in the picture above? Clearly the shorter arms won't reach the rear jacking point and when we tried using the centre and front ones it was very unstable! Looking above it looks as though they are further back than the centre jacking point (When I looked it seemed to be directly below that crease). If it's safe to go abit further back it may be enough to make the car more stable up there?

[Thorney]

The rear support needs to be under the suspension arms not the chassis, then the fronts sit under the chassis spars about a foot behind the wheel.