Jacking Points

[leeds2592]

Hi all,

Got some coilovers fitted to my A3 a couple of months ago. The ride height was alright at first but now I want to go slightly lower on the front.

Now, I know exactly how to go about doing this but I've never jacked my A3 up before, only my old Clio which wasnt lowered. Came to jack it up last week and I couldn't seem to go heigh enough without worrying. The plan was to use the standard jacking points on the sills and put the stands like the pic below.

My question is, is there a safe place further under the car to jack from without buying them jacking pads from Audi? Pictures would be great as I don't know much about cars.

Before anyone's says, yes I have done loads of searches and none were conclusive so I thought I may as well ask or else I'll never learn.

Thanks!

 

[NHN]

Jacking pads?

If you intend to lift up & stick stands as pic, then you have to use sills as only other safe place to lift is where stands are in pic.

 

[Paul-RS6]

I also believe the jacking pads you can get from Audi are meant for 2/4 post ramps that share the load and lift the entire car at once, NOT one corner at a time with a trolley jack. People have bent their floor pans trying to lift like this.

 

[NHN]

Exactly what I was going to say, I wouldnt use those jacking pads, to much weight in one area, use sills.

 

[leeds2592]

I saw the jacking pads whilst flicking trough some old threads and it never mentioned the above.

Good job I'm tight and refuse to pay for 'em then.

 

[MrLapou]

This is how and where to place the block of wood. Albeit pic is off a mk5 golf, the same principle applies to the A3.
I've used this loads of time on my A3 with no probs.

 

[leeds2592]

Right, gave it another go earlier today. Jacked it up from the sill as last time. Got to the point where I needed to jack up a few more cm before I could get the stand under and the jack jerked back towards me a bit. Safe to say, I **** myself so gave up and got it back on the floor.

Now I'm thinking either my jack is rubbish, I need smaller stands or I'm doing something massively wrong?

 

[Paul-RS6]

Having had a car slip off a jack and trap my fingers between the wheel and wheel arch (the disc hub hitting the inside of the alloy stopped it slicing my fingers off) I am very wary.
I rarely jack the car up now for more than a puncture, and I will only ever use a car supplied jack in an emergency.

 

[NHN]

What jack are you using?

 

[mike foster]

I use a ramp.

Standard car ramps with a length of plank on each one to smooth out the angle of attack so that the spoiler doesn't catch.. When the car has reached the top of the ramp then all you need is axle stands and if you need it higher you can jack up the required bit !

Leeds, you can borrow mine if you want to come and get them. PM for details.

 

[leeds2592]

I'm just using one of the generic 2 ton jacks that you can get in Halfords and the like. Got it given it ages ago but never used it. Thinking about investing in a half decent one now though, will probably pay for itself in the long run.

Cheers Mike, already got a set of ramps, might have to give that a go!

 

[MrLapou]

Car ramps I bought of eBay a few years ago.
Nice and wide plus dead easy to drive up onto.

Not my car, but it's a demo pic the guy gave me.

 

[mike foster]

I'm just using one of the generic 2 ton jacks that you can get in Halfords and the like. Got it given it ages ago but never used it. Thinking about investing in a half decent one now though, will probably pay for itself in the long run.

Cheers Mike, already got a set of ramps, might have to give that a go!

I meant the planks !!! lol

 

[MxGaza33]

I've got a Halfords trolley jack and axle stands and have never had a problem jacking up using the sills, the jack does move slightly to keep it sitting directly underneath the sills as its on wheels which if your nervous can make you feel a bit uneasy! Aslong as you've got a trolley jack centered properly on the sills you can't go wrong.

One thing to avoid is using the standard Audi jack unless in an emergency, mine collapsed on me after a couple of uses!

 

[leeds2592]

Yeh, it moved forwards towards the car as it was lifting so it was sat directly under the sills as you said but then, as it got near the top of the jack, the jack jilted away from the car towards me.

I think, if there was a point underneath and closer to the centre of the car, then I'd have no problems