10 replies to this topic

[Syma]

So It seams my mini is constantly being jacked up and sitting on my axle stands and I have never really liked the way the subframe sits on the "u" shape of the stands. So heres my thought and I was wondering what you fine folks think of it. 

Since my stands are "meant" to support something round I was thinking of getting some thick walled pipe and cutting it down to 2" lengths and then cutting those in half to make a "half pipe". Then I was going to weld said half pipes to the under side of the subframes to create an ideal spot for my jack stands. I was even thinking about going one step further and welding plates to either side to enclose the jack to ensure there was no was the car could slide off the mounts. So it would be a half pipe with sides. I would draw a picture and post it but I'm way to lazy for that.

Edited by Syma, 13 May 2018 - 05:34 PM.

[MacGyver]

Souds good to me, just dont close off the halfpipe as it will create a humidity trap and rust... 😁
You could go one step further and add a rubber lining to your stands and therefore stopping any scratches and slight play/level differences.

Ben

[minisilverbullet]

Cant you just use a bit of wood or a hockey puck between the axel stand and the subframe. 

[Spider]

I fitted some M16 machinery foot mounts in to a set of stands

 

 

 

and the pad I have on the jack too

 

 

 

IMO, generally speaking, most jacks and stands are a bit silly they way they are made, they rely on steel-on-steel contact with some lugs so as they maintain some 'grip', which might sound fine on paper, but rarely suits every car and every repair job they are needed for. Something non slip, like rubber, is really what's needed on them.

[Icey]

Seems a fine way to complicate something simple.

Just use a block of wood.

[russo]

Couldn't agree more, much more simpler ways of doing it as suggested above.

[MatthewsDad]

Cant you just use a bit of wood or a hockey puck between the axel stand and the subframe. 

+1, protects the underside too

[Midas Mk1]

Seems a fine way to complicate something simple.

Just use a block of wood.

 

This. 4 pieces of 30+year old blocks my Dad made when he was my age work wonders! 

Edited by Midas Mk1, 14 May 2018 - 06:49 AM.

[rich_959]

Slight hijack, but what are the race jacking points I've seen on Swiftune cars and the like? Looks like there are holes in the outside of the sills, which presumable some bar slides into so that you can jack it up without getting under the car?

[mini_in_progress]

Slight hijack, but what are the race jacking points I've seen on Swiftune cars and the like? Looks like there are holes in the outside of the sills, which presumable some bar slides into so that you can jack it up without getting under the car?

This is what i want to do to mine, you can then use a early 90s bmw jack, ive also seen something simlar to bike pit stands used and with 4 the car was just rocked onto the stands

[rich_959]

I've seen those pit lever jacks somewhere on this forum before, but they're massive and look like they have the ability to fire a person into the air as the car comes down! If you look at the swiftune mini's, they seem to have a really good set up with tubes mounted into the body (must be a big piece of structural work). I assume they then have bars that they slot into the tubes to jack the car up quickly and have full access underneath. Total overkill for anything I need, but very cool.