Jack Stands....does it matter

I do it like this:

1) Drive to Costco
2) Let them rotate the tires for free while I go shopping.
3) Drive home, unload mass quantities of crap.

done.

 

Standard 3 ton Sear roll around jack fits under everywhere of car. Front back sides.Jack up front at pinch weld. Put jack stand there. Drop floor jack down jack up car at back pinch weld. All of 60 seconds. Swap tires.Done.

 

I made some pads from rubber blocks that I found at the surplus store. Pics in this thread: http://priuschat.com/forums/care-ma...g-lifting-points-your-prius-3.html#post462277

 

I've used jackstands on the pinch weld. It doesn't collapse.

 

Does someone have a picture showing the location of the pinchweld?

 

OK, I know someone will post a reply to this telling my I'm ruining my car, but I've only been doing this for 20 years on 6 different cars including 3 Prius with no damage, so here goes.....

I use a small floor jack with a flat pad on it, put it on the front frame rail "pinch weld" lift point, and lift BOTH wheels on the same side off the ground at once. The Prius is front heavy enough that it doesn't take much to get the rear wheel off the ground. If you've already broken loose the lugnuts before lifting and use a cordless drill with a socket attachment on it to spin off and on the lugs, you can have one side done in just a minute or two.

 

Yes, I have a similar procedure except I use a short piece of 2x4 lumber to cushion the load; and raise the car several inches behind the front lift point so that the car is balanced on the jack.

 

Does anyone know if the structure at that pinch weld is beefed up at all at the "official" lift points? Or is it the same structure all along the rail? In other words - is there any reason risk of damage to the "frame" if I place my jack anywhere along that pinch weld even if not exactly at the "official" lift points.

After posting the above I went out and took a look at the rail where the pinch weld is located. On my 08 there is a plastic cover that runs along the entire rail covering the pinch weld except at the jack point locations. I'm sure that would be damaged if I placed the jack head on it. I'm thinking that the easiest thing for me is to use the official jack points and lift each wheel one at a time.

 

While the stock jack does press on the sill above the "pinch weld", it's the "I" section of the pinch weld that gives the side sills their strength. So the weight is actually supported by the metal that is bent vertically and welded, the jack just presses on the flat sections above it. This is done for two reasons:
1. It secures the jack so it can't slip out on either side (it can still slide along the weld, so jack carefully).
2. It ensures the jack doesn't bend the welded seam if the jack is not positioned properly (sagging ground could cause some side force).

You can use wood blocks to spread the force along the weld tab if you are worried. Just be careful the grain in the wood is perpendicular to the tab, so you don't end up splitting the wood and having the car drop onto the jack or jack stand. I used several pieces of 3/4" plywood to allow the tab to locate in a "slot". The plywood pieces are glued together to make a hollow for the tab and the plywood is screwed to the top of the jackstands. I lift the car at the lift points shown in the owners manual, using a floor jack. There is a lift point under the engine and one under the hatch.

The jack points on the side sills are chosen to ensure you lift only one wheel at a time (flat tire changing), they are not intended for lifting the car off the ground. This -CAN- be done, but the engineers were probably worried if you lift too many wheels off the ground at once the car could roll off the jack. There are shop lifts that pick up cars using the side sills (four points, two on each side). They often damage the weld seams a bit unless the mechanic setting them is careful. Dense rubber pads are used. You -could- use hockey pucks, as suggested earlier in this forum, to protect the weld seams.

 

Somre good suggestions on this thread:

http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-main-forum/35343-prius-tire-rotation-3.html#post708982

 

I installed my snow tires and wheels today. I followed the idea above and used my floor jack at the designated lifting spot just behind the front wheels. I lifted both the front and the rear wheels off the ground from this position. It worked well. Saved a little time and effort because I had to position and lift the jack only twice instead of four times.

 

i've lifted my car soo many times...

i wouldn't worry about it. pinch weld jacks, stands, non pinch weld.. they all work, and just about none of them will change how a jack will connect in the near or far future.

 

OK I've changed the oil in my vehicles since I was a teenager ( almost 40 years now) I've reached a point in my life where I usually go to a oil lube place....But after reading about the overfill situaltion on the Prius, I decided to change the oil myself. I have a floor jack and a bottle jack both are inexpensive.... I used the floor jack to raise the car so I could comfortably access the oil filter and drain plug. I used the bottle jack as a Jack Stand in case the floor jack would fail (still, ever cautious, I position my body so if there were a catastrophic failure of both jacks, I would not likely be killed). I found that the jack stands I have are very tall compared to the rather low clearance of the Prius. I also agree that while doing the oil change it's rather simple to rotate the tires. It is true that some dealerships offer a "deal" on both tire rotation and oil change, but it's usually a coupon deal, and by appointment (and to expect about an hour) for this. Midas Muffler offers an oil change and tire rotation for $39 or so....but often they run behind and expect an hour waiting there if not more....Plus there is the issue about over filling (and I agree it's 3.5 Quarts after a drain and new oil filter to get to the top fill hole of the dip stick).

Anyway, to rotate the tires, put the floor jack on the pinch weld front or back, and a cheap bottle jack centered over the other pich weld and raise so both wheels are off the ground. Loosen the wheel nuts first, just a crack so you can loosen them easily once lifted. There will not be much strain on the pinch weld points; they will not deform or bend . You should place a wheel chock on the rear wheel which is not raised (and be sure the e-brake is set) for safety.....Swap the front and back tores and repeat on the other side.....
I'm not convinced tire rotation need be done every 5K miles....Honda suggests every 10K miles.....But as there is such small ground clearance for the oil change, you have to get the jack out anyways so why not?

 

I used a roller jack. I cut 2 pieces of scrap 2x4 and placed 1 on each side of the weld and jacked it up. The wood gave plenty of support around the weld.