In general, jacks are simple to use, but you must take precautions to keep yourself safe, especially if you’re working underneath the car. Below will tell you how to jack up a car, and the safety precautions that you need to take.
To jack up a car, you need to park your car on level ground, secure your car in place, locate the suitable jack points, position the floor jack under the appropriate spot, and slowly raise the jack…Read on for more detailed information.
How to Jack Up a Car?
How to Use a Car Jack in Safe Ways? Here is the step-by-step guide:
Park Your Car on Level Ground
On level ground, always raise your vehicle. If not, it might slide or roll off the jack. Additionally, parking it on tarmac is preferable to doing so on grass or a dirt road because tarmac is a hard surface.
Secure Your Car in Place
Straighten the steering wheel, shift into park (or first gear on a manual transmission; never into neutral), and press the parking brake all the way down. This keeps it from moving unexpectedly when you’re under it.
Locate the Suitable Jack Points
A jack plate is welded to the body of every car at specific locations. Because not every area beneath a car is load-bearing, this is where the jack needs to go. You can find this information online or in your owner’s manual. The diagram below shows an example of a jack point, which is typically located behind the front wheels and in front of the back wheels.
Position the Floor Jack under the Appropriate Spot
It was in the center of the crossmember in our case. In order to create a barrier between the jack itself and the car’s jack point, position the optional pieces of wood on the jack plate. Deterioration of the vehicle is less likely as a result.
Slowly Raise the Jack
The exact process of raising the jack can vary depending on the kind of jack you have. Regardless of the jack type, you can still raise the jack and make a few last adjustments to its position so that it aligns correctly with the jack point.
Raise the Car
It will be challenging to raise the jack once it makes contact with the car’s underside. Continue to work the jack up until the corner of the car starts to leave the ground. You can stop when there is enough space underneath the car for you to work. While shifting the car, keep an ear out for any unusual sounds or movements, and if you do, double-check that the jack is still holding the car in place. While lifting the car, never place any part of your body underneath it.
Test the Raised Vehicle’s Stability
Once it has reached the required height, firmly push the car onto the jack to ensure complete stability.
Use Extra Jack Stands
Use jack stands or wheel cribs to support the weight of the vehicle if your goal is to work underneath it. There are countless horror stories of inexperienced mechanics who used only jacks or inappropriate supports like a concrete block or stack of wood and paid the price. Cars are much heavier and more powerful than your head.
Most auto stores have jack stands for sale, and they’re typically inexpensive and accessible. Their small size and the fact that they free up the wheel well for brake or shock work are their two greatest advantages. Always follow the proper usage guidelines and never use a jack stand that shows any evidence of damage or excessive wear.
Lower Your Car Back Down
It’s essential to take apart your jack stands before lowering your car. You cannot overlook this step, as it can be dangerous if ignored. Remember to reinstall the lug nuts you manually tightened when replacing a wheel. You can use a wrench to complete fully tightening the tires once they have made contact with the ground. After finishing, reverse the order of the previous steps and complete steps five and six. To open the release valve when using a standard jack, turn the jack counterclockwise. You must turn a scissor jack counterclockwise if you’re using one. In all cases, it’s crucial to perform these actions slowly and carefully.
Do not remove the floor jack until your tires hit the ground and your car is in a comfortable position. You’re equipped to handle any jack-requirement situation that comes your way now that you know how to use your jack.
Read about How Much Does It Cost to Tow a Car?
Take Safety Precautions
Call for assistance if you are unable to fulfill these safety requirements or if you are unsure of how to proceed in light of your circumstances.
Park the Car on a Hard, Flat Surface
You and others could be in grave danger if the car were to roll or slip off the jack. Always work on a flat surface away from distractions and moving vehicles to avoid this. In order to prevent shifting or giving way while you are working, the surface you are working on should be solid and hard.
- Good examples include a garage or concrete driveway that is away from the street. A yard is a bad choice — even if it’s flat, the dirt may not be strong enough to support the car.
Chock the Wheels
Chocks are wedge-shaped blocks made from metal and rubber that keep the wheels from rolling. On the side of the car where you don’t want to lift, place a chock in front of each wheel.”
- Without chocks, some sources advise using bricks, cinder blocks, big rocks, or wedge-shaped pieces of wood.
Verify the car’s parking a second time. Set the parking brake and ensure the transmission is in “P.” Put the car in the lowest forward gear if the transmission is manual.
In Sub-par Conditions, Take Extra Precautions
The guidelines in this section are meant to safeguard you and other people in case the car comes off its jack, as was already mentioned. If you can’t meet the conditions above but you absolutely must jack up the car, use the instructions below to make the process safer:
- If you have to jack up the car on a flimsy or unstable surface, like a dirt shoulder, use a thick, flat piece of wood to create a solid platform for the jack.
- If you must jack the car on a slight incline, park next to the curb and turn the wheels into the curb so that they are touching it. This will prevent an out-of-control car from hurting others if it slips off the jack.
- Similar to blocking the wheels, you can also turn the tires into the curb if you don’t have anything to use.
- Never jack up your vehicle on the side of the road. Put on your hazard lights if you must jack up the car in a busy area. Use flares, cones, or pylons if you have them to steer traffic away from you.
FAQs
Where Do You Put the Jack under a Car?
Most cars have reinforced metal ribs that are used as jacking points and are created to lift cars securely. There are typically four jacking points on each vehicle. They’re located under the car’s rocker panels, just behind the front wheels and just ahead of the rear wheels.
Can You Jack Up a Car Wrong?
Jacking up your car at the wrong point can cause serious damage to the mechanicals or chassis. To reduce overall weight, frames in more recent cars come in a variety of thicknesses. Put the jack in a secure location.
How Do I Find the Jack Points on My Car?
Typically, there is a jack point on each side behind the front wheels and in front of the back wheels. The rocker panels, which are the metal or plastic strips under the doors, are frequently next to this. Sometimes, there are two more central jack points located just behind the front and rear bumpers.
How High Should I Jack My Car?
For most cars, a jack lift height of 20 inches is adequate. You’ll need something with higher lifting capacities unless, of course, you’re into lifted off-roaders with enormous tires. Platform Size: It’s important to consider the width of the jack at both the platform and its lifting arms.
Summary: How to Jack Up a Car?
How should your car be jack-up for tire replacement? In an emergency, the manufacturer provides a jack, but it can only be used to raise the car so you can change a tire. Use it only for that and nothing else, please! Utilize a different, more effective jack for the job if you have the choice.
To jack up a car, you need to park your car on level ground, secure your car in place, locate the suitable jack points, position the floor jack under the appropriate spot, and slowly raise the jack…
No matter what jack you are using, you should never trust your life to is, and only get under the car once jack stands are holding it securely. When using a proper floor jack as your only form of support while working underneath the car, you run the risk of suffering serious injuries. Moreover, the OEM spare tire jacks frequently malfunction or let the car roll, which is a much more serious danger.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment. KV Auto tries to give you the best car industry information. Thank you for reading.
