17 replies to this topic

[Benjy25]

where is the best place to jack my mini up.
want to check out the breaks with the wheels off and still haven't jacked the mini up since owning it!!

Much Love
Ben

[998dave]

Under the subframe, chock the rear wheels and put the jack under the subframe.
Use axle stands once the cars up to make sure it doesn't fall off.

Dave

[Rich.]

Depends on the quality of your jacking point. If its rusted to hell then dont use it, just stick a jack under the subframe and remeber to stick some axle stands under there if your planning on getting underneath.

Rich

[Timify]

For the love of god, don't use the floor pan's.

I cant tell you how many mini's I've seen that are domed in the floor from jacking them up.

I always use a bit of wood between the subframe and jack too.

[grainge231]

as rich said. make sure your jacking points are safe! i was under mine when the axel stand went through and the car dropped a few inches :|.

[radgator1]

Under the subframe, chock the rear wheels and put the jack under the subframe.
Use axle stands once the cars up to make sure it doesn't fall off.

Dave

I'd be forever indebted if someone could put a picture up of the preferred front and rear jacking and jack stand points. This question comes up frequently and I always read these descriptions from the kind members who reply, and Haynes also only has a diagram that doesn't seem to match my subframe points but they don't have a picture, so I'm never quite sure exactly where I'm supposed to put them. You know what they say about a picture being worth a thousand words and all.

Anyone?

[Guess-Works.com]

Jack on the subframe only... even though some manuals identify the plates on the sill as jacking points, they are not, it's where the floor pan is attached to the jig when built... there is only one jacking point on each side which is the hole in the sill where the cross member is.

If you need to put axle stands under the floorpan, eg when removing a subframe, then use a substantial wooden block to spread the load.

[Azbornmini]

I made some wooden jack blocks for the front, seemed to work really well.



Here's a photo link with measurements: Mini Jack Blocks

[yeti21586]

how do they work???

and what are you lifting it on?? looks like the sump from that picture which is a big no no

[me madjoe 90]

how do they work???

and what are you lifting it on?? looks like the sump from that picture which is a big no no

Looks like it hooks under the front subframe rail good idea, if not over designed for the job.

I just use a two foot length of wood and jack up on that front stubframe rail or some times sump depending on what wood i got laying around if its a nice flat wide peice i dont mind jacking up on sump as it wont hurt it its all about dispersing load with the wood. Then i use some axle stands/bricks depending on whats avalable where the floor meets bulk head as theres a good few layers of metal there to help give strngth still puts abit of a dint in floor pan tho if i use axle stands.

Best ive seen is the mini on four axle stands but there were two long lengths of timber under the floors and the timber was sat on the stands so the lengths of wood dispresed the load well and the whole car could be raised veryy high off the ground good for working under.

[The_Mistro]

how do they work???

and what are you lifting it on?? looks like the sump from that picture which is a big no no

Looks like it hooks under the front subframe rail good idea, if not over designed for the job.

I just use a two foot length of wood and jack up on that front stubframe rail or some times sump depending on what wood i got laying around if its a nice flat wide peice i dont mind jacking up on sump as it wont hurt it its all about dispersing load with the wood. Then i use some axle stands/bricks depending on whats avalable where the floor meets bulk head as theres a good few layers of metal there to help give strngth still puts abit of a dint in floor pan tho if i use axle stands.

Best ive seen is the mini on four axle stands but there were two long lengths of timber under the floors and the timber was sat on the stands so the lengths of wood dispresed the load well and the whole car could be raised veryy high off the ground good for working under.

but its still giving the engine mounts grief each time you do it!

[adam_93rio]

as has been said above, there is no such thing as a jacking point for a trolley jack on a mini. the little plates under the floor are from the factory and are not designed to hold the weight of the car.

jack up on a flat surface on the subframe, (really not difficult to find) then stick axle stands under somewhere either on the subframe or under the corner of the floor with a block to spread the load

there is a small hole in the sill of a mini where the factory jack is used but i wouldnt trust it to hold the weight of the car while you are under it and they are not very sturdy

[bunch1980]

Im guessing that on any of the sub frames its best to position jack/axle stand in the middle of the wide base part of the sub frame member this is where it looks like
they are meaning in haynes manual though a picture there would of been a better idea lol!
I was looking at a bottle jack be cause they are more compact is there any reason not to use them?

[mini danny]

i found a good idea at halford yesterday there axel stands place them where you wont then you wind them up and the car goes up from these thought it was a good idea

clicky

Edited by mini danny, 25 May 2010 - 07:43 AM.

[njathind]

i found a good idea at halford yesterday there axel stands place them where you wont then you wind them up and the car goes up from these thought it was a good idea

clicky

You don't use those to jack the car up, you just use the ratchet to set the height of the stand, you still need a trolley jack to rais the car. Personally I don't like these as there not as safe as the ones where the height is set by a metal rod, the ratchet has the ptoential to fail.