jack on wrong area

If you check in your owners manual, you will find a nice diagram showing where to lift the car with several types of jacks and lifts.

 

While this is true, for the GenIII, there are just a couple of options and these are not very useful for rotating tires.

Dealer obviously does not use these points when putting the vehicle on a lift, so we do need some more information.

See attached.

 

I am sorry. I do not understand you. You say that the recommended jack-points are "not very useful for rotating tires"???
Please explain, since I use them when rotating my tires.

 

The dealer uses the standard jack points on each side when using the lift that has two jacks, one on each side, with fork type arms. A large rubber pad is supposed to be used between the lift arm and the car. When the dealer lifts the car with the single hydraulic type of lift the same jack points are used, with appropriate adapters and rubber pads on the lift.

The dealer uses the jack point under and behind the engine to lift the front, then puts jack stands on the front side points mentioned above. Then the dealer uses the jack point under the rear of the car to lift the rear, and puts jack stands on the rear side points mentioned above. Again, rubber pads are used between the jack stands and the car (you could use hockey pucks for example).

All this is shown in the owners and the shop manual.

Only a "hack mechanic" would use the procedure pictured above in this thread.

The procedures are listed clearly in the documentation either you have or can easily get. There is no excuse for lifting the car in a dangerous manner!

 

That is the wrong place. While I have seen other cars that can be haced on the control arms, the Prius design strictly phohibits jacking on the "moving part" of the suspension.

Toyota recommends "special blocks" be used on the pinch weld area, where the scissors jack fits.

I don't know of the generation III, but I made "special jacking blocks" for the prius "v."

Here's the discussion thread;

http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-v...-new-plastic-rocker-covers-2.html#post1509970


As a structual engineer and one, who has had 45 years of experience with cars, I's say that the area to the left and lower point of the red circle with the hole would be a much better choice, if you do not have the special "pinch weld" jacking blocks.

 

The jack locations lift either the front or the back of the car, not both wheels on one side or the other. If you are rotating tires using these jack points, you will have to:

1. lift either the front or back of the car
2. remove one wheel and replace it with the spare
3. Lower the car
4. Lift the other end of the car and switch front and rear wheels
5. Lift the other (first) end of the car and replace the spare with the wheel from the other end.

At this point, you are half done and will need to repeat this process to rotate the front and back wheels on the other side of the car. Make certain you are on level ground and use wheel chocks that prevent the car from rolling when the rear wheels are off the ground. I hope you are prepared for an aerobic workout.

 

If you want to do it right, you need either two jacks, or (better) one floor jack and 4 jackstands. I know people use 1 floor jack and a couple 2x4s to do one side at a time as well.

I don't know that I would trust a service center that uses a hoist in the way shown in the first picture. I haven't found a unibody vehicle yet that I couldn't lift from the pinch welds on my lift, but it does mean using special adapters on very short wheelbase cars like the Gen 1 Insight.

 

Mike, I am not an lawyer, but I watch them on TV (grin) but doesn't that sound like setting yourself up for liability as a "self-proclaimed expert"?

 

While I have the training in engineering and product development , I am also a retired Senior Legal Analyst with the US Department of Justice. I reviewed and wrote opinions on Fderarl Regulations and compliance.

The only avenue to a successful legal action ws, if I was hired under contract to do an evaluation, wrote a report, and was compensated for that report, the litigant would have no grounds to prevail.

Basically, it's NO PAY, NO Case!

My "freedom of speech" is protected by the Constitution of the United States.

There is a case of individuals claiming "freedom of speech" under the Constitution for claiming that they are "Medal of Honor" recipiants. That case still has not been decided by the Supreme Court.

A suit can be brought in "any court." There is no restraint against frivilous law suits in the United States. Such is the "cost of freedom>"

 

Mike, I meant no offense, but I see some silly things around here.

 

No problem, Steve,

I've been to Federal Court thousands of times as an "expert witness."

I absolutely know what you mean.

Mike

 

Lifting either the entire front or rear of the vehicle is convenient if your want to rotate your tires right to left. But, it makes rotating tires front to rear on the same side of the car less convenient. I suspect that the service manual (and not the owner's manual) would show lifting recommendations in detail. And, I too have fabricated special jack adapters to lift at the same place as the provided tire-change jack. One of these is shown in the attachment.

What would be really convenient would be a single reinforced jacking point "centered" on the right and left sides of the car.

 

Yeah, that's the idea. Mine, however, are customized to protect the bottom of the plastic rocker covders. Each cover costs over $300 without installation and painting.


I usually use two of my blocks. I use one with the racing jack on the back jacking point of ine side. When jacked up, I place a stand next to it on the "pinch weld" with a jack stand. Then, I use the jack and the first block to jack up the jacking point on the front.

Then, I can switch the tires on the same side to rotate them. Just reverse the previous procedure when you're finish.

It makes it easy to rotate the tires.

 

I've been putting my front jack stands just to the left of the circled area, basically per suggestion for second gen (very similar), on this page:

John's Stuff - Toyota Prius and more

On the above link click on "Prius Info" (in left column), and then "Oil Change".

Rear jack stands I put on the marked zone on the rocker panel crimped edge, where the load is less. But these crimped edges look too flimsy for the front. I think toyota should beef these up.

 

I just use a giant electro magnet attached to a crane as to not damage the underside of the car. Of course this does considerable damage to the top of the car,

 

See attached images (screen captures from online GenIII repair manual) which show lifting points for GenIII. Options seem to be only the front/rear floor-jack points and the designated points along the sill for either a garage lift or the tire-change jack. Supporting anywhere else on the underbody structure does not seem to be recommended. So we all need a set of the designated rubber cushions (durometer TBD). Anyone want to start a cottage industry?

 

hlunde: that is useful info. Thank you!

 

I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

You paid too much.

Should have stayed at the Roach Motel.

You check in, but you don't check out.