Hey guys its me again ( shocker ) , just wondering where you guys usually jack up the car from and where you place your stands at?
I usually jack my car up from the center of the front or rear subframe. I'll usually place the stands somewhere near the outboard ends of the subframe (front or rear).
Ill grab a picture, but definitely not what I *think* are the jackpoints. They are mishapen on my car.
- Doug
Beverly, MA
http://www.e21323iblog.com
http://www.douging.smugmug.com/Cars/1980-E21-323i
Silver.jpg
I installed the trans, drive shaft and differential with it like this. I bought this car with a running engine, but missing those items due to a 2002 snatching of parts incident.
I don't put anything on the frame rails if I can avoid it, since I bent one a bit trying that not long after I bought the car
Funny, I could swear I used to put stands on the frame rails of my 2002 with no issues. Maybe right behind where they slope down and go horizontal?
Only time I have to do something different is if Im trying to remove the subframe in question
In the front:
I jack up on the subframe.
Put the stands on the outside where the factory spare tire jacking points are. The stands at my dads place have a curve in the middle so they do not pinch / smash the little lip.
Like this minus the fancy rubber / plastic pad: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...jack-pads-quot
In the rear:
Jack up using the diff.
Put the stands on the edge of the subframe where the mounts are, or where the factory points are like the front.
Or if I'm doing something that isn't suspension / brake related I'll put the wheels on ramps, front and/or rear.
Also relevant but for E30. But most of the spots look the same:
https://r3vlimited.com/Tech/Jackpoints.jpg
Jackpoints.jpg
cgifool, my dad used to put them on frame rail and I tried to do it at the very edge of the rail where it curves up like you mention. Eventually I moved on and use the factory points at the end of the car after putting it too far down the frame rail and saw the body getting pushed up. My frame rails are all messed up:
2011-12-04_19-20-35_871.jpg
'81 E21 320i / '90 E30 325i / '̶9̶2̶ ̶E̶3̶4̶ ̶5̶2̶5̶i̶t (sold) / '15 Toyota XW30 / '̶̶8̶0̶ ̶E̶2̶1̶ ̶3̶2̶0̶i̶A̶ (sold)
Sounds like we’re all doing the same thing. Good to have that reassurance.
- Doug
Beverly, MA
http://www.e21323iblog.com
http://www.douging.smugmug.com/Cars/1980-E21-323i
I place jack stands under the frame rails on most cars but the E21 body will flex if supported there. (enough to feel it in door operation) The outer points are probably stronger.
Where do folks with lifts place the arms? on the regular jack poitns?
I don't know what's wrong with the regular jack points. My pic above shows jack stands at those points.... on the regular jack poitns?
The problem with most jack stands is that their metal and V shaped top will damage any surface, including stock jack areas. I ended up with ESCO jack stands ($$) that have a nice rubber pad. I have noticed that the front end of of the frame rail, where it curves up is the strong point and will not cave in (like the middle of the rail would). Using stock jack locations without adapters will flatten the lip regardless of the jack stand design.
What I normally do is jack up under the subframe (front and rear, in the middle) and put rubber padded stands under the front rails (towards the front where it curves) and next to rear subframe mounts (there is a flat area big enough) in the back. Have done it for years with no damage.
Max
Max
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