Why is this so hard?!?

[Platoon918]

I get to work on my car about once a month being a college student in an apartment and all, so I tend to cherish the time I spend with my cars. I don't do anything major (no $$), just basic maintenance when needed. I have had my 95 240sx for about a month now, and this is only my second time working on it. I have but one problem. How in God's name do you jack the front of the car? It isn't even logical on this car. Every car I have worked on in the past, has an easily accesible strong point that you can use. Not this car apparently. I don't want to bend the creases on the side used for changing a flat, since I have a 3 ton hydraulic jack. My ramps are too steep to clear my factory front lip. So how in the hell do you get the front in the air? I don't have 2 jacks to raise both tow hooks at the same time. I was told to use the crossmember under the engine, but how is it possible to get to that without the car already being in the air. I have read the ENTIRE owner's manual, and still nothing. I even asked the guy at the Nissan dealership, and all he said was he didn't know cause he uses one of those 5 ton 4 point hydraulic lifts. I'm not just giving up or anything, and I HAVE USED THE SEARCH, but no one seems to be able to give me a reasonable answer to this question. So here it is... How do you raise the front end of the car without use of any expensive equipment? I know you guys change your own oil, just walk me through it step by step (the lifting part)... please.

Thanks so much.

[Eyescream]

I always get it up in the air as a process. Start with somewhere on the side, and put a jack stand on that seam close to the front (you really can jack it up anywhere on that seam, it's meant to take loads like that). Do that on both sides and then go from there jacking it up by the crossmember (easier to get to since it's in the air now) and move the jackstands to where they're supposed to be at the front of the seam. You'll be able to feel under there where they're supposed to go. There's a raised spot on each side just behind the seam where the jackstand goes.

[240Dave]

Incase you don't know what he's talking about.

The horozontal piece right behind the oil pan that the suspension arms mount to is the best place to jack the whole front. Don't use the one near the front under the radiator cauz it can't hold the load of the whole front (though it can be used to lift just 1 corner but I don't know if I'd recommend it)

What I usually do is drive the car onto a block of wood and then jack from the front crossmember then place jackstands on the framerail and lower it on to those.

[Platoon918]

Am I the only one that finds this a little bit ridiculous? Getting the car in the air should not be so difficult. Quite frankly those frame rails don't seem strong enough to support the weight of the car either, or is that just me again?

I guess the blocks of wood idea is the way to go. Thanks guys.

[Eyescream]

The block of wood idea is a good one, too.

Whether it's rediculous or not, that's the way it is, dude.

[240Dave]

Originally posted by Platoon918
Quite frankly those frame rails don't seem strong enough to support the weight of the car either, or is that just me again?

They aren't very strong at all. Many people have crushed theirs in.
Knock on it with your knuckles till you find a solid sounding spot :bash: I've never found a place in the back so I use the rear subframe, but for the front just infrot of the seam where 2 sections of the frame rail come together is one of the strongest points.
If you can, my favorite place to put jackstands in the front is the frame under/behind the front shocktowers. It's very strong but you have to have big tall jackstands to be able to place them there, and you have to take the wheels off first.

[weirdstyles.net]

here ya go champ... make life a little easier on ya, look three threads down:

http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36286

[weirdstyles.net]

Originally posted by 240Dave
They aren't very strong at all. Many people have crushed theirs in.
Knock on it with your knuckles till you find a solid sounding spot :bash: I've never found a place in the back so I use the rear subframe, but for the front just infrot of the seam where 2 sections of the frame rail come together is one of the strongest points.
If you can, my favorite place to put jackstands in the front is the frame under/behind the front shocktowers. It's very strong but you have to have big tall jackstands to be able to place them there, and you have to take the wheels off first.

:repost:

wait, sorry, I just read this. How do you take the wheels off before you jack it. I work at Pep Boys, and if you could streamline the tire mounting process by not requiring the jacking, I think Many, Moe and probably even Jack would make sure you were well taken care of for the rest of your life....

:D

[240Dave]

Originally posted by Weird Styles
:repost:

wait, sorry, I just read this. How do you take the wheels off before you jack it. I work at Pep Boys, and if you could streamline the tire mounting process by not requiring the jacking, I think Many, Moe and probably even Jack would make sure you were well taken care of for the rest of your life....

:D

Normally, I like do to this:
Jack > setup jackstands > lower car on jackstands > remove wheels (if needed) and go to work on the car.

With the location I was talking about the order has to be changed to:
Jack > remove wheels > setup jackstands > lower car on jackstands > go to work on the car.

http://forums.offtopic.com/images/smilies/repost.gif
This whole topic is actually a repost :doh:

[weirdstyles.net]

Originally posted by 240Dave
Normally, I like do to this:
Jack > setup jackstands > lower car on jackstands > remove wheels (if needed) and go to work on the car.

With the location I was talking about the order has to be changed to:
Jack > remove wheels > setup jackstands > lower car on jackstands > go to work on the car.

http://forums.offtopic.com/images/smilies/repost.gif
This whole topic is actually a repost :doh:

eh he he he...

[SaintlyCharBoy]

with front lip and tein lowering springs, mine goes:

drive on 2x4-->jack-->wheels off-->jack stands-->get breaker bar...

[Muzzy]

wth???
i've never broken my seems or any thing...
anyway...get a 2x4 or some kinda thick wood place it under the jack..crank...put a jack stand under the chassie...where the chassie goes up towards the motor. let the jack down and do the same to the other side. of course this is if u are doin under the car stuff and u want the whole front completely up.

maybe cuz i have drop springs...but wheni jack my car up all the way on the factory jack and a peice of wood...i can get my back tire off the ground too.

[weirdstyles.net]

Originally posted by Muzzy
wth???
i've never broken my seems or any thing...
anyway...get a 2x4 or some kinda thick wood place it under the jack..crank...put a jack stand under the chassie...where the chassie goes up towards the motor. let the jack down and do the same to the other side. of course this is if u are doin under the car stuff and u want the whole front completely up.

maybe cuz i have drop springs...but wheni jack my car up all the way on the factory jack and a peice of wood...i can get my back tire off the ground too.


uh hu hu...uh hu hu... he said jack...


sorry lil B&B to spice up the night.... another obvious attempt to post whore.

But I will interject some bull****, see when I need to jack :D I just drive over the lift, set the arms, and hit the Car Go Up Now button and we're all set.... Or since I have no lip or a.market bumper I do it the normal way...by the oil pan. :D just playing.

[Muzzy]

wut??
anyway..all u gotta do is pick up some jack stands and use the factory jack like i said....to hard to use your type cuz the car is so low....well mine is anyway

by the way...if u didnt know...i jack the car up at the closest point behind the front tires on that crease thing. are using that round flat part on the crease?? if u are thas y the crease is colapsing..cuz its pushin on the crease not holding...and (if its the type im thinkin of) there is more weight concentrated on that on quarter size spot on that jack then on that 1 1/2"-2" peice on the factory jack that holds on the crease(centers on the crease..wutever)

[ridebmx]

with mine lowered i have to drive up on on like 3x4s (not sure the actual size, but bigger than 2x4)just to get it on the hoist...The points i use on the hoist are the very front of the frame rails in the front, and in the back where the front subframe mounts are, other than having to use the blocks of wood due to my drop its a piece of cake

[RedlineRacer]

ummm...Owner's Manual. It shows you where in there.

[old_s13]

I use the OEM jack to lift one side of the car up, just enough for me to slide the main jack under the front of the car. That usually frees me enough room to lift the car up with no problem. However, I am really itching to pickup an aluminum floor jack.. they are selling them at Costco and work really well with lowered cars. Here is an example. They usually run about 200, kinda worth it if you are into fancy tools.

<img src="http://www.speedwaymotors.com/eCCStoreFront/smi/product_images//Full/91082352.jpg">

[rrobe99999]

Can you still use the factory scissor jack if you have aftermarket sideskirts? Just something I was wondering about as I shop for a bodykit.

[Dousan_PG]

mike they arent that low
i used richards at the track once, had to use 2 jacks to getunder diff. i believe richard does the same (that was of coruse on jdmriceI)

i like the sissor jacks that are hydraulic :)

[driftyour40]

this, this is just funny to me its really cool to see how many ways you guys have come up with just to jack up a car