FAO people with very low cars.

Soldato
Joined
7 Nov 2002
Posts
12,474
Location
Snorbans, UK
Hi guys,

I'm currently doing some research for my dissertation at uni, and am after some experiences from you guys.

I'm researching methods of raising a lowered car, where a traditional jack/ramps would not work, ie very low cars.

I know there are a few members on here who have very low cars, so I was wondering what methods you use? Several planks of wood then a jack? Have any of you created your own method of doing so?

What difficulties did you discover?

It'd be brilliant if you guys could help me out :)

Thanks

Ben
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
2,988
Location
Fife, Scotland
Drive onto blocks of wood. Pretty annoying when the car is a non runner.

Possibly jack it up from a more accessable point (rear diff is a good one).

Have a friend lift the car slightly by the wheel arches - works until you've rolled your arches.

Low entry jack.
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
7 Nov 2002
Posts
12,474
Location
Snorbans, UK
What do you class as low? As my car is obviously lower than most but I have noi trouble sliding a jack under the side skirts.

I mean particularly low - I'm aiming the product design at the modified car market, so you can imagine how low some of those cars are!

Obviously there are limits; I'm still trying to establish what these are. In some ways these may be set by the strengths of the materials being used (again, still to be established)
 
Associate
Joined
19 Apr 2007
Posts
2,076
Location
Glasgow, scotland
I used to have to drive onto a plank of wood/ brick.

That didn't get it high enough to get a trolley jack under, so I used a scissor jack to get it a bit further up.

Then I used the trolley jack to raise it the rest.
 
Permabanned
Joined
29 Aug 2003
Posts
31,330
Used a scissor jack, trolly jack was a good way up the sideskirt kerbside. Standard trolly jack though, a low profile one would have probably done it.

Once I was finished I'd have to lower it down by the trolly jack, then lift it up with the scissor to pull the trolly out then lower it completely. Double jack effort. PITA.
 
Soldato
Joined
13 Mar 2004
Posts
4,711
Location
Norwich
With my car you can't just jack it up from the sides as the underside of the car has panels for aero.

Not my pictures (mine is blue!) but you need some mini ramps like this:

001.jpg


To get to the jacking point like this:

003.jpg


Once up, you can use the jack stand points on the sides but these points are not good for jacking up as the disc bit on the top of a jack will crush the side skirts.

004.jpg



I have an inspection pit though which helps with not having to jack up cars to do things!
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
18,299
Wood then jack. With a low jack there is no problem. I can't imagine any car that you couldn't jack with wood and a low jack, I can't believe this is dissertation material tbh.
 
Soldato
Joined
11 Apr 2004
Posts
19,807
As has been said, drive/push onto blocks of wood and a trolley jack.

Although a low profile jack will just about slide under.

Have a friend lift the car slightly by the wheel arches - works until you've rolled your arches.

Makes me cringe whenever anybody tries to do that to my car, but then I own a Rover and the arches are usually rusty/crumbly :D (For the record, mine aren't!)
 
Soldato
Joined
8 Mar 2007
Posts
3,586
Location
Swindon, Wiltshire
I do this since the scissor jack for my mx5 is barely 1.5 inches tall when not in use. Jack it up a bit then shove the trolley jack in and use that for the rest.

Used a scissor jack, trolly jack was a good way up the sideskirt kerbside. Standard trolly jack though, a low profile one would have probably done it.

Once I was finished I'd have to lower it down by the trolly jack, then lift it up with the scissor to pull the trolly out then lower it completely. Double jack effort. PITA.

Or if I'm at the rear of the car, I can lift the whole rear end on where the rear tow eyes are fixed as the rear bumper is quite high compared to the rest of the car.
 
Back
Top Bottom