4. Position Jack – Put the jack under the jack points and assemble the jack handle.
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Where do I mount the jack on the car’s undercarriage?
In order to safely lift the car, most automobiles have strengthened metal ribs that serve as the jacking points. There are typically four jacking points on each car. They are situated directly behind the front wheels and just in front of the back wheels, underneath the rocker panels of the vehicle.
FIND A SAFE LOCATION
Do not suddenly brake or turn when you first notice you have a flat tire. Slow down and look about for a straight, flat section of road with a wide shoulder. The best location would be a parking lot that was empty. It is advantageous to have level terrain since it will keep your car from rolling. Furthermore, straight sections of road are preferable to curves since they increase the likelihood that incoming vehicles will spot you.
Never try to replace a tire near oncoming traffic on a small shoulder. Move forward (slowly) until you reach a safer location. Although driving on a flat tire puts your rim at danger of damage, this is better than getting struck by an inattentive motorist.
Make sure to examine the precise instructions for changing a flat tire for your vehicle in your owner’s manual.
TURN ON YOUR HAZARD LIGHTS
Other drivers will be able to see you on the side of the road thanks to your hazard lights or flashers. They should be turned on as soon as you recognize you need to stop in order to prevent an accident.
APPLY WHEEL WEDGES
To make sure the car doesn’t slide while you patch the flat tire, wheel wedges are placed in front of or behind the tires. Put these in front of the front tires if you’re changing a rear tire. Put the wheel wedges behind the rear tires if the front tire is flat.
Real wheel wedges are not necessary; you can just use bricks or big stones. Simply make sure they are substantial enough to prevent the automobile from rolling.
REMOVE THE HUBCAP OR WHEEL COVER
It is simpler to take off the hubcap before raising the car with the jack if your car has one covering the lug nuts. You can move on to Step 6 if your lug nuts are visible.
To remove the hubcap, use the flat end of your lug wrench. Most automobiles can use this, but some hubcaps require a specialized tool to remove. For instructions on how to remove a hubcap or wheel cover properly, go to your owners manual.
LOOSEN THE LUG NUTS
Turn the lug nuts counterclockwise with the lug wrench until they lose their resistance. It’s okay if you have to use force. If required, use your foot or your entire body weight.
The lug nuts should be loosened by 1/4 to 1/2 turn, but not yet totally removed. Save that for when you need to take your tire or wheel off the car.
PLACE THE JACK UNDER THE VEHICLE
Under the car’s frame, next to the flat tire, is normally where the jack should be placed. A cleared piece of exposed metal on the bottom of many car frames is designated for the jack and is covered in molded plastic. Use the jack in accordance with the owner’s manual’s directions to properly lift the object without causing harm to the car.
RAISE THE VEHICLE WITH THE JACK
Before attempting to elevate your vehicle, lay a little cut of 2×6 wood beneath the jack to keep it from collapsing under the weight of your car and losing equilibrium. On asphalt, this strategy is very useful.
Lift the car with the jack in the right place until the flat tire is roughly six inches off the ground.
Never place any portion of your body under the car while it is being raised with the jack or later.
REMOVE THE FLAT TIRE
Pull the tire gently in your direction while holding it by the treads until it is totally free from the hub behind it. To prevent it from rolling away, position it on its side.
TIGHTEN THE LUG NUTS BY HAND
Reinstall the lug nuts on the lug bolts and manually tighten them all the way. Once they are all attached, double-check each one and tighten as much as you can. After lowering the car to the ground, you’ll use the wrench to tighten them.
LOWER THE VEHICLE AND TIGHTEN THE LUG NUTS AGAIN
Lower the car using the jack so that the spare tire is on the ground but that the tire isn’t bearing the entire weight of the car. Now, using the wrench and rotating in a clockwise direction, tighten the lug nuts as much as possible. Use your entire body weight to press down on the lug wrench.
LOWER THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY
Remove the jack and fully lower the car to the ground. To make sure the lug nuts are as snug as possible, give them one more tug with the wrench.
REPLACE THE HUBCAP
Put the hubcap you removed from the flat tire back on if it fits your spare tire after first removing it. If it won’t fit, store it with the tire when you store your equipment if it isn’t necessary.
STOW ALL EQUIPMENT
A jack, a lug wrench, wheel wedges, your flat tire, and perhaps a hubcap are the items you have in front of you. Before you go, remember to load them all into your car.
CHECK THE PRESSURE IN THE SPARE TIRE
To make sure the spare tire is secure for driving, you should check the tire pressure. For T-Type temporary spares, also known as mini-spares, 60 psi (420 kPa) is required. If the tire requires pressure, proceed promptly (slowly) to a service station.
TAKE YOUR FLAT TIRE TO A TECHNICIAN
Driving long distances or at high speeds is not recommended with temporary spare tires, so proceed with caution until you can see a tire technician. If your tire needs to be repaired or needs to be replaced, a professional should be able to tell.
Is it possible to lift a car by the differential?
The phrases “certainly” and “probably” are very different since we are a maker of vehicle lifts and floor jacks, and we have seen just about everything there is to see go right and wrong in auto shops over the previous 50 years. This year, millions of people will jack up their cars by the differential, yet very few of them will ever cause damage to their car through carelessness or a faulty component. To some people out there, that might not mean much, but to us, it means everything. So here is our position on the subject: Unless the manufacturer specifically advises it, never jack up your car by the differential. It doesn’t matter what your neighbor thinks or what you observed the tire shop workers performing without a hitch while moving at breakneck pace.
We produce a variety of lifting equipment at BendPak, and we’ve seen what may happen when safety procedures aren’t followed. If you lift a truck on a two-post lift without employing frame cradle cushions, for example, you could find yourself on a one-way journey to Lawsuit City, population you. It only takes one instance of using the wrong lifting equipment. Place your jack stands suitably and as close to the jacking point as you can after applying lifting force with a floor jack at the OEM-recommended places. Additionally, always set up jack stands before working.
Can I jack up the suspension of my car?
It would be best to let the suspension fall and jack under a rigid body or subframe item if you were going to be working on the suspension. Axle stands can be placed underneath if you’re seeking for wheel height, but because they contain a moving component, they offer significantly less stability. Just take extra care around the axle stand chairs.
How are the front wheels jacked up?
Under the jack point that is placed close to the front tire, place a jack stand. Downshift the automobile. On the opposite side, repeat. Right now, you have both of the front wheels raised (on jack stands) and both of the rear wheels down.
Without a jack, how do you jack up a car?
You don’t need a jack if there are raised ramps nearby, or even if the footpath curbs are in an urban area. To gain the appropriate height to operate beneath the automobile, drive your vehicle at an angle to the ramp so that one of its wheels is raised.