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"Mismatch" Using the OEM jack could damage the plastic rocker panel covers.

Discussion in 'Prius v Main Forum' started by Mike500, Mar 2, 2012.

  1. Mike500

    Mike500 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2012
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    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Two
    I've examined the OEM supplied scissors jack and the matching jacking points on my new Prius v and discovered a mismatch.

    The jack appears to be an industry standard scissors jack supplied to many car makes and models.

    It appears that sometimes in the past few years, Toyota redesigned the rocker panels of many of its models to include "plastic" rocker panel covers.

    From my findings, the supplied jack would likely crack the bottom edge of the plastic rocker panel cover, since the slot in the jack's top is much wider than the width of the "pinch weld" composite flange on the rocker panel. The "pinch weld" vertical member is a little over 3/16 inch thick and the hack's slot is approximately 7/16 inch. If the user inadvertently places the outer ledge of the jack on the edge of the plastic rocker panel cover, the 1000 poundes of the car's weight on the panel will most likely crack it.

    I posted another thread in the service forum on "jacking blocks" for the Prius as referenced in this link;

    http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-v...ks-new-plastic-rocker-covers.html#post1482254

    In consideration of this issue, I am working on a custom spacer milled from aluminum that would protect the plastic rocker panel cover by having the jack's ledge bear on the metal space between the pinch weld member and the edge of the plastic rocker panel cover.

    Any suggestions or comments are welcomed.