Trolley Jack advice

[IanP19]

Hi guys,

What the best way of using a trolley Jack on an S3. I was looking at the ECS tuning pad things but I've read mixed reviews.

Failing that what do people thing of the hockey puck type things with the lip cut out of them?

Or if anyone's got any other suggestions I'm all ears.

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[ch1z64]

Personally i would say a good quality jack is a must and knowning where the Jacking point on your car is very very important too as to many people put it in the wrong place

 

[Mario]

The real problem with almost all Audi's is the only "official" jacking point is on the sill where the factory jack goes and where a 2-post lift goes. For 99% of people who DIY their car it poses a big issue, as you can jack the car up from that point, but there is NO place to put an axle stand!

In answer to the OP's question I use the machined hockey pucks you can buy on eBay for a few quid on our A4's. Works a treat without any damage to the bodywork, but it still leaves you the issue of where do I place my axle stands?? As the chassis rails, etc on these cars are usually hidden with plastic covers so you can't even place the stands on there, because you don't know where they are.

 

[IanP19]

The real problem with almost all Audi's is the only "official" jacking point is on the sill where the factory jack goes and where a 2-post lift goes. For 99% of people who DIY their car it poses a big issue, as you can jack the car up from that point, but there is NO place to put an axle stand!

In answer to the OP's question I use the machined hockey pucks you can buy on eBay for a few quid on our A4's. Works a treat without any damage to the bodywork, but it still leaves you the issue of where do I place my axle stands?? As the chassis rails, etc on these cars are usually hidden with plastic covers so you can't even place the stands on there, because you don't know where they are.

Yeah I intended to use axel stands in conjunction.

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[Marek196c]

The real problem with almost all Audi's is the only "official" jacking point is on the sill where the factory jack goes and where a 2-post lift goes. For 99% of people who DIY their car it poses a big issue, as you can jack the car up from that point, but there is NO place to put an axle stand!

In answer to the OP's question I use the machined hockey pucks you can buy on eBay for a few quid on our A4's. Works a treat without any damage to the bodywork, but it still leaves you the issue of where do I place my axle stands?? As the chassis rails, etc on these cars are usually hidden with plastic covers so you can't even place the stands on there, because you don't know where they are.

thats not true, you got front subframe as well the lower arms that you can put your jacks, just need to turn the wheels to put them, just jack your car on lifting points (behind front wheels or before rear ones, where is the arrow symbol \/ ) and put axle stands under sub-frame or rear mount of lower control arm. for rear you got only the jacking points and rear frame where lower arms bolt on, in between jack and car you can use piece of wood log or rubber pads

 

[Mario]

thats not true, you got front subframe as well the lower arms that you can put your jacks, just need to turn the wheels to put them, just jack your car on lifting points (behind front wheels or before rear ones, where is the arrow symbol \/ ) and put axle stands under sub-frame or rear mount of lower control arm. for rear you got only the jacking points and rear frame where lower arms bolt on, in between jack and car you can use piece of wood log or rubber pads

Most of the arms and points you mention are made of cast aluminium, not the wisest choice to place the weight of the whole car onto 1 concentrated area of that cast piece. During day to day driving these parts have the load spread across them, not focused into 1 place like raising with jack does.

 

[IanP19]

I didn't realise it was such a ball ache. Maybe I'll just use ramps

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[Marek196c]

Most of the arms and points you mention are made of cast aluminium, not the wisest choice to place the weight of the whole car onto 1 concentrated area of that cast piece. During day to day driving these parts have the load spread across them, not focused into 1 place like raising with jack does.

Weight is never on 1 point and always tend to accumulate on lower point, second thing is also if it cast alloy, is made for support not only weight of car but all vibrations and bumps so need to support a lot more than only weight of car, then I can tell you my car was on axle stands for 3 weeks w/o problem, neither scratches as used wood between so...

 

[Mario]

Weight is never on 1 point and always tend to accumulate on lower point, second thing is also if it cast alloy, is made for support not only weight of car but all vibrations and bumps so need to support a lot more than only weight of car, then I can tell you my car was on axle stands for 3 weeks w/o problem, neither scratches as used wood between so...

My point was...just because you CAN do it...doesn't mean you SHOULD do it. I'll be first to admit, I have done it in the past, but its really bad practice. Its the equivalent of tightening something by feel vs using a calibrated torque wrench. Just because it can be done by feel majority of the time without issue, it doesn't make it the correct thing to do!!

 

[Marek196c]

My point was...just because you CAN do it...doesn't mean you SHOULD do it. I'll be first to admit, I have done it in the past, but its really bad practice. Its the equivalent of tightening something by feel vs using a calibrated torque wrench. Just because it can be done by feel majority of the time without issue, it doesn't make it the correct thing to do!!

It s bad practice to put the weight on structural points of car? Oh please, it's not making sense at all, sub frame and lower arms are he points where the car sits, so when you lifting it it like you just replacing the wheel with the axle stand (bypassing the suspension strut) and rising it up, so by your theory we should never park up with 2 wheels on walkway (car not in level) because it will be damaging sub-frame... said that they are still safest points to lift your car, if you know others, name them (other than 4 lifting points), if not your theory got no basis.

 

[Mario]

1. It s bad practice to put the weight on structural points of car?
2. sub frame and lower arms are he points where the car sits, so when you lifting it it like you just replacing the wheel with the axle stand (bypassing the suspension strut) and rising it up
3. so by your theory we should never park up with 2 wheels on walkway (car not in level) because it will be damaging sub-frame... said that they are still safest points to lift your car,
4. if you know others, name them (other than 4 lifting points), if not your theory got no basis.

1. No, good solid secure structural points on the car like the chassis rails are fine, or even a steel subframe is fine. Cast aluminium doesn't behave like steel and is more likely to crack, steel would bend before it cracked.

2. Yes, but you don't have the weight of half the car on 1 single point on the arm or subframe when all 4 wheels are attached and it's on the road, the load is SPREAD across the structure. A jack places ALL the stress onto an area the size of your palm.

Oh, and you say you "bypass the suspension strut"...I'm sorry, but that carry's A LOT of the cars weight through to the body when on it's wheels, so if you "bypass it", then all that weight is focused elsewhere....on a cast aluminium part.

3. I think you need to go and read what I said again. When you park on a kerb all 4 wheels are still on the ground and the load is still being SPREAD across the structure, not focused onto an area the size of a trolley jack head.

4. I'm sorry, but HOW does not naming other areas to lift by mean that it is automatically correct to lift by a cast aluminium part??? All it means is that Audi never designed anywhere with that application in mind.

As I have ALREADY said, I have used those areas before, but I don't like it and its NOT good practice. Problem is, Audi don't give any dedicated central lift points on these cars for people to lift with trolley jacks.

As far as Audi engineers are concerned, all work will be carried out on a 2-post or 4-post lift, hence the lack of jacking points.

Seriously, if you want to argue, at least read what people write and make your posts coherent.

Fact still remains, it is not good practice, even though it does work. Like I said, it's like tightening a bolt by feel instead of using a torque wrench, it works, but it's not right, and it increases the POTENTIAL for something to go wrong.

 

[ch1z64]

Now lads can you not put the axles stand on the axles as i guess thats why they got there name. or can you not put them on the parts that Audi normally put there pads in there workshop , cause if i mind there are 4 points that sit low under car and Audi drive to marks on floor in garage then up comes these pillars out off the ground and lift the car clear off the floor ( Well my new Audi showroon garage do ) just a thought to try and help .

 

[Marek196c]

1. No, good solid secure structural points on the car like the chassis rails are fine, or even a steel subframe is fine. Cast aluminium doesn't behave like steel and is more likely to crack, steel would bend before it cracked.

2. Yes, but you don't have the weight of half the car on 1 single point on the arm or subframe when all 4 wheels are attached and it's on the road, the load is SPREAD across the structure. A jack places ALL the stress onto an area the size of your palm.

Oh, and you say you "bypass the suspension strut"...I'm sorry, but that carry's A LOT of the cars weight through to the body when on it's wheels, so if you "bypass it", then all that weight is focused elsewhere....on a cast aluminium part.

3. I think you need to go and read what I said again. When you park on a kerb all 4 wheels are still on the ground and the load is still being SPREAD across the structure, not focused onto an area the size of a trolley jack head.

4. I'm sorry, but HOW does not naming other areas to lift by mean that it is automatically correct to lift by a cast aluminium part??? All it means is that Audi never designed anywhere with that application in mind.

As I have ALREADY said, I have used those areas before, but I don't like it and its NOT good practice. Problem is, Audi don't give any dedicated central lift points on these cars for people to lift with trolley jacks.

As far as Audi engineers are concerned, all work will be carried out on a 2-post or 4-post lift, hence the lack of jacking points.

Seriously, if you want to argue, at least read what people write and make your posts coherent.

Fact still remains, it is not good practice, even though it does work. Like I said, it's like tightening a bolt by feel instead of using a torque wrench, it works, but it's not right, and it increases the POTENTIAL for something to go wrong.

2. that why you use logs etc... and not that big deal as anyway more percentage of weight go to lower not higher point.. I see, for you cast alloy is like porcelain, think like that if you want... strut not taking "a LOT" of weight but only minimise the road bumps and vibration
3. same as point nr. 2
4. I never said is only point to jack it up, but one of point, as said also lower arm is good for it, and still I see you focused on alloy, LEAVE IT IN PACE, u said used them as well, in past but is "bad practice" so you know exactly point of break of them right? If not you can't be sure it won't be more than enough to do it, as sell the cast alloy is bolted directly to chassis so it you put your axle stand there, the sub frame will spread the force on chassis and can't break, as will do as "log" between chassis and jack or axle stand, same with you if u want to argue read carefully man, as u bypassed like half of things I said, but nwm, won't reply anymore to your post as useless...

Now lads can you not put the axles stand on the axles as i guess thats why they got there name. or can you not put them on the parts that Audi normally put there pads in there workshop , cause if i mind there are 4 points that sit low under car and Audi drive to marks on floor in garage then up comes these pillars out off the ground and lift the car clear off the floor ( Well my new Audi showroon garage do ) just a thought to try and help .

you re right only thing is they use the hydraulic lifter, on drive you don't got it, so you need 1 point to jack up and one for axle stand

 

[Movistar]

You could always try one of these there are a number of Jacking Pads for the different Audi models i.e
S3 - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-A3-S...771938?hash=item3f89ea4762:g:MZEAAOSwz2tZnfhi

A4 - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-A3-A...896626?hash=item3f88f80a72:g:lIgAAOSw4iVZyCtq

Been using them for years with no problem