I I am planning on doing oil changes on a Series 3 Magna and do not want to use ramps - VRX so I doubt the spoiler will clear the ramps.

If I go out and buy a trolley jack and a couple of stands, what would be the appropriate place on the front of the car to jack the car so I can use the stands?????

The only two places which jump out at me are the sump (but I don't know if this would take the weight) or the "crossmember" type of thing that runs under the engine...

Any suggestions?

Yeah cross memeber is the only real point on the front...

Do not put it under sump as the weight of the car will crush the sump and then ur stooooft.. :D

See attached!

Thanks guys, Tells me exactly what I need to know :bowrofl: :bowrofl: :bowrofl:

ahhhhhhhh
the rear axle on a wagon, never thought of that.
my car just, minorly clears the ramps, if i had the sports lip on it wouldnt make it.

I place stands under the "tow hooks" at the front. Dunno if they are rated for it, but seem very solid. There are not many places in a Magna to whack the stands under. Bugger.

I place stands under the "tow hooks" at the front. Dunno if they are rated for it, but seem very solid. There are not many places in a Magna to whack the stands under. Bugger.

I think your better off with the proper points on the side of the car.. :D

I think your better off with the proper points on the side of the car.. :D

I know what u mean - but those points are behind front wheel and tips the car back down a bit once lowering the jack.
And for safety reasons, I would not recommend ppl to do what I do - use the correct points.... :)

i know this thread is old but from SARRAS's diagram, i think i used the front jacking point that's indicated, but i only manged to get one side high enough to put a stand under at the lowest setting am i doing something wrong or do i need a better jack??

you need a better jack lol. what sort of jack have you got, ive got one of the big trolly jacks when autobarn had them on special $240 for the jack and stands

If you have some fairly solid, flat pieces of timber (ie scaffold boards) you can place them on the ramps to make it less steep. Its like a ramp to get onto the ramp.

If your trolley jack doesn't quite lift both sides of the front up high enough to get axle stands under, you can use the scissor jack in the boot to raise the 'low' side (IIRC it's usually the driver's side) up a bit higher, enough to slide an axle stand under. Then let the scissor jack back down a bit, so that the car sits firmly on the axle stand. You can leave the scissor jack in place as added security or remove it if it's in the way of what you are doing. Just make sure you have at least two points and preferrably three (two axle stands + trolley jack) holding the car up before you get under it.

If your trolley jack doesn't quite lift both sides of the front up high enough to get axle stands under, you can use the scissor jack in the boot to raise the 'low' side (IIRC it's usually the driver's side) up a bit higher, enough to slide an axle stand under. Then let the scissor jack back down a bit, so that the car sits firmly on the axle stand. You can leave the scissor jack in place as added security or remove it if it's in the way of what you are doing. Just make sure you have at least two points and preferrably three (two axle stands + trolley jack) holding the car up before you get under it.

This is all good advice.

I had a trolley jack fail whilst i was under a car once. Now im uber careful

I jack it up by suspension arms or by the chassis rails depending on how high I need it.

Had this problem a lot with my last car. Try putting a block of wood on the jack. If there is no clearance, jack up car, slide a block of wood under each tyre, then lower jack and add a block of wood to the jack.

I mean 50x100 about 300 long, something like that, whatever extra lift you need. Double check that it is only putting weight on the chassis, not touching the sump or whatever.

Timber offcuts get thrown away by builders and transport companies. If necessary, yards sell small lengths cheaply and will often cut them for you on a quiet day. If you keep a few with your car jack, you can use them as chocks, or you can use smaller bits to prevent scratches made by the jack on the underside of your car.

+1 for using tow hooks, they're just convenient.. And the load is on the stands anyway :)

Hey all - Digging up an old thread I know, but where exactly do the actual stands go? The type of stands I have have a flat top, so I am pretty sure the rail on the side would crush if I put it there.

Hey all - Digging up an old thread I know, but where exactly do the actual stands go? The type of stands I have have a flat top, so I am pretty sure the rail on the side would crush if I put it there.

usually the mounts will have a big concave grove in the top, where did you buy the flat mounts from?

I haven't got them yet actually, but here are the ones I was going to buy:
http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/online-store/products/SCA-Car-Stands-Pin-Type-Pair-1200Kg.aspx?pid=203781#Description

So the top isn't exactly flat, but they still don't have a groove like the jack in the boot which makes me think they will probably damage the rails on the side.

about 6" from the sill panel is the other rail, place these near the front of that rail and lower slowly, this is the most common place to put stands and they will lock on the rail

I haven't got them yet actually, but here are the ones I was going to buy:
http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/online-store/products/SCA-Car-Stands-Pin-Type-Pair-1200Kg.aspx?pid=203781#Description

So the top isn't exactly flat, but they still don't have a groove like the jack in the boot which makes me think they will probably damage the rails on the side.

Those stands are good, been using a pair for the last 25 years. lol
Note: The rails on the side aren't meant to carry any load. If you look at the design of the scissors jack, the load is actually on the solid metal behind the rail, if I use a axle stand or trolley jack at the normal jacking points I make sure the head is behind the rail, not on it. Any load on the actual rail or seam will collapse it. Normally I jack up the car at the normal spot with the trolley jack, then use an axle stand where MadMagna suggests, before removing a front wheel.

Thanks guys, will give it a go when I get home. Also got the cheapie 1400kg trolley jack on sale from SCA, hopefully it will get the car high enough to actually get the stands under it lol

Do you mean this one?

Looks good for the front, but it seems to stop just past halfway down the car. Is this where you guys placed the rear car stands as well?

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/3161/img20121115211058.jpg

Post # 1 and 5 suggest marginal clearance, if any, for the use of ramps.

Can anyone with a standard ride height TL advise whether or not commonly available ramps such as these:

http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/online-store/products/Stanfred-Car-Ramp-Single-750Kg.aspx?pid=343975#Recommendations

will work without clearance problems?

I don't want to make 2 round trips(60 mins per round trip to nearest SCA) if I get them and they don't fit and have to return them.

Thanks.

VRX so I doubt the spoiler will clear the ramps. Any suggestions?

Ramps work - I get my TWR Jaguar up on the ramps and it is way lower than a VRX - you just need to throw a few bits of cut timber eg: railway sleeper in front of the ramp and on the first part of the ramp to make the angle less steep - ramps are much more secure than jack points.

Google Rhino Ramps.

I bought mine online from the US, the 12,000 lb model - although they may be more expensive now with the exchange rate tanking.

The ramps are nice and stable, with low ramp angle.. My Magna on King Lows goes up them fine - they are quite a gradual slope.