[zaki671]

Originally Posted by Daftasabrush

When I got my car back from the dealer the time before last, they'd mashed the jacking points to the point where my puck wouldn't fit. I took it straight back and they replaced all four. Apparently they don't use the pucks on their lifts!

Ouch! That sucks. Glad they fixed it, but that inconvenience of having to bring it back would upset me a little because you know they had to have noticed it when it crackled and popped under the weight of the car.

[hollandog]

Originally Posted by hollandog

I got this one instead of Rhino.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o08_s00

I'm thinking of ramp it up to put on the front lip. But I think it will have issue clearing the ramp after install when backing down.

Confirming this ramp doesn't clear the M-sport bumper on stock RWD height with Adaptive M suspension.

[zaki671]

Originally Posted by hollandog

Confirming this ramp doesn't clear the M-sport bumper on stock RWD height with Adaptive M suspension.

Good to know. Thanks hollandog!

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by F32 N55

I have the 67 inch 2 piece RR-XT2s. The F32 and F82 were never an issue. I also have a lower S2000 w/ a CR lip and a thin splitter that goes up these ramps with ease.

Where did you buy them? Amazon?

[zaki671]

Originally Posted by glennQNYC

Where did you buy them? Amazon?

You can buy these from several online vendors, Amazon included. Also, if you're not brand specific, ECS sells the same type of ramps from a different company.

[E30toF30]

So for those lowered cars, it would be a good idea to use ramps (purchased or homemade) to get the car up a bit so that the jack can get under the car to reach the central jacking point.

I do not have ramps. So would this method also be fine?

I would think if I have 2 Jack's, could I use one jack at one of the front corner jack points to lift the car a up a few inches, or just enough to get the second jack under the front central jack point? Then from there, Jack the car up further, remove the jack on the corner and then put jack stands under the two front corner jack points?

Thoughts?

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by E30toF30

So for those lowered cars, it would be a good idea to use ramps (purchased or homemade) to get the car up a bit so that the jack can get under the car to reach the central jacking point.

I do not have ramps. So would this method also be fine?

I would think if I have 2 Jack's, could I use one jack at one of the front corner jack points to lift the car a up a few inches, or just enough to get the second jack under the front central jack point? Then from there, Jack the car up further, remove the jack on the corner and then put jack stands under the two front corner jack points?

Ramps generally won't work - even on a "normal" BMW the front bumper is generally too low to allow the wheel to get onto the ramp before impacts the ramp. Sometimes a 2x6 or two to extend the ramp works.

I've used the two jack method quite a bit. Lift one corner (I used a floor jack) then put a stand under that corner, then move to the other corner and do the same.

[E30toF30]

Originally Posted by floydarogers

Ramps generally won't work - even on a "normal" BMW the front bumper is generally too low to allow the wheel to get onto the ramp before impacts the ramp. Sometimes a 2x6 or two to extend the ramp works.

I've used the two jack method quite a bit. Lift one corner (I used a floor jack) then put a stand under that corner, then move to the other corner and do the same.

If you jack the car up in the corner?, how do you replace the floor jack with a jack stand?

I'm new to this and I've been doing my wheel changes simply using a floor jack at the front corner, jacking it up just high enough that both wheels on the same side are off the ground, swap the wheels, and then lower. I do throw a spare tire under the car though as a partial safety precaution.

The more I'm reading the more I'm realizing that although I've not had any issues doing it this way thus far, I'm best to start doing this properly and more safely.

I just need to figure out how best to do it.

I've seen the homemade ramps people have made with the 2 x 6's and that's something I can make too in order to get the front up high enough to get the jack to reach the front centre jack point. But I'd rather not waste time doing that if I can simply use a jack to lift the car just enough to reach that front central jack point. Or would it be dangerous to try and start jacking the car up from that front centre jack point with the car not level due to the one side of the car being jacked up? More I'm thinking about it, the more it does seem kind of dangerous this way.

Maybe I'll just make the ramps and call it a day.

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by E30toF30

If you jack the car up in the corner?, how do you replace the floor jack with a jack stand?
...
Maybe I'll just make the ramps and call it a day.

I use the side jack points (behind the front, in front of the rear) underneath the rocker panels. (Sometimes, the jack pads appear to be missing because BMW cheaped out since a jack is not provided - they are available many places.)

I then place the jack stand underneath the suspension, usually where the control arms attach to the body - super solid place.

You can just buy regular ramps, and a single 2x6 cut into 4 pieces to extend the ramp by 18" or so. (You don't need to create a complete 1' high ramp with wood.)

[E30toF30]

Originally Posted by floydarogers

I use the side jack points (behind the front, in front of the rear) underneath the rocker panels. (Sometimes, the jack pads appear to be missing because BMW cheaped out since a jack is not provided - they are available many places.)

I then place the jack stand underneath the suspension, usually where the control arms attach to the body - super solid place.

You can just buy regular ramps, and a single 2x6 cut into 4 pieces to extend the ramp by 18" or so. (You don't need to create a complete 1' high ramp with wood.)

This is a great option. Then I can simply jack up one front corner, Lower onto jack stand and, and then roll the floor jack over to the other side and Jack up the other front corner and lower that onto the other jack stand.

Unfortunately I'm not exactly sure which location you are referring to when you say control arm attached to the body. But I'm in the shop doing an oil change so I'll confirm with the tech where it would be safe to use the jack stand as you have described.

Thanks!

[floydarogers]

Originally Posted by E30toF30

Unfortunately I'm not exactly sure which location you are referring to when you say control arm attached to the body. But I'm in the shop doing an oil change so I'll confirm with the tech where it would be safe to use the jack stand as you have described.

Where 9 and 14 attach to the axle support. Or the axle support itself (hard to get a stand to it, though.)
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=31_0715

[E30toF30]

Originally Posted by floydarogers

Where 9 and 14 attach to the axle support. Or the axle support itself (hard to get a stand to it, though.)
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=31_0715

So I had a chance to snap a few pictures of the underside of the car today while I was getting the oil changed.

For the back, I figure I could simply jack up at the diff, and then put the two jack stands on the actual jack points in front of the rear wheels. But I've included a couple pictures of the back as well. Could you circle the section you place the jack stand? (First 2 pictures)

For the front though, I'm not so sure. Do you think you can also circle the areas where I could place the jack stand in the front if I'm jacking the car up from the front jack point? Also, if I were to use the front central jack point, where would I place the floor jack? (Last 3 pictures)

Thanks in advance!

[ocN55]

Is it truly safe to jack up the rear from the diff on these cars? I've read so much conflicting information

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by Daftasabrush

When I got my car back from the dealer the time before last, they'd mashed the jacking points to the point where my puck wouldn't fit. I took it straight back and they replaced all four. Apparently they don't use the pucks on their lifts!

Pucks aren't necessary if you position the jack contact points correctly. However, if it's not fully underneath the jack pads of the car, you'll "mash" the jacking points.

Also, not all lifts can accommodate the position of the jack points on the outer edges of these cars. Those pucks come in handy in this case when you find that you have to rest the car on some portion of the lift arms instead of the jack pads of the lift.

Originally Posted by ocN55

Is it truly safe to jack up the rear from the diff on these cars? I've read so much conflicting information

The manufacturer specified jacking points make this car difficult for the average DIY.

I'm not sure if it's truly safe to jack up the rear from the diff. The diff was the rear jacking point for my 2008 Subaru Legacy GT. I would imagine that rear subframe part right behind (and above) the diff would be jack-worthy. It just might be hard getting a jack to that location.

[E30toF30]

Can anyone point out the central jack point for the front of the car in one of the images above?

[tempest.hazard]

photo 9 in link for a front central jacking point

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...8#post17636768

[E30toF30]

Thanks tempest.hazard!

For others, it appears this circled part is an acceptable central jack point.

I guess I'll use a block of wood as a buffer for this as well.
Thanks!

[CleanKM]

Originally Posted by E30toF30

If you jack the car up in the corner?, how do you replace the floor jack with a jack stand?

I'm new to this and I've been doing my wheel changes simply using a floor jack at the front corner, jacking it up just high enough that both wheels on the same side are off the ground, swap the wheels, and then lower. I do throw a spare tire under the car though as a partial safety precaution.

The more I'm reading the more I'm realizing that although I've not had any issues doing it this way thus far, I'm best to start doing this properly and more safely.

I just need to figure out how best to do it.

I've seen the homemade ramps people have made with the 2 x 6's and that's something I can make too in order to get the front up high enough to get the jack to reach the front centre jack point. But I'd rather not waste time doing that if I can simply use a jack to lift the car just enough to reach that front central jack point. Or would it be dangerous to try and start jacking the car up from that front centre jack point with the car not level due to the one side of the car being jacked up? More I'm thinking about it, the more it does seem kind of dangerous this way.

Maybe I'll just make the ramps and call it a day.

I figured i'd make my own ramps instead of buying ones, just posted this in the DIY section. Might have been better suited here.... http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1301563