Wheel drop when using jack

[tomlinp76]

Hi,

I jacked the car up yesterday using the stick jack supplied - I was swapping some tyres around.

Anyway, on a flat surface the passenger side lifted up relatively quickly - wheel clearing the ground by a inch. However on the drivers side the jack needed it’s full extent to get the wheel lifted off the ground - a far more noticeable drop compared to the other side by quite a margin.

Anything that sounds wrong or should concern me? I’ve tried to research shock absorbers as that’s what can normally be at fault... The car isn’t spongy or bouncy on either side and reacts to bumps in the road normally. However I believe it’s an item covered under warranty so if I need to I’ll take it in to Audi.

Thanks!

 

[S32B]

I jacked the car up yesterday using the stick jack supplied - I was swapping some tyres around.

Brave man! I had 2 punctures when I had the S3, one at home and one away on holiday...I called Audi assist both times to switch them over....no way I was trusting that flimsy thing! All done and dusted in under an hour on each occasion The assist guys both agreed with me saying it's not worth the risk (it keeps them in a job), the second guy mentioned that the one that comes with a Land Rover doesn't go high enough to lift the tyre off the ground

 

[Svenedin]

I used the supplied scissor jack to change all of the wheels over to a Winter set. It seems quite sturdy to me providing great care is taken to ensure the jack engages with the jacking point pinch weld and that the jack is parallel to the long axis of the car. This does mean kneeling on the floor and gently raising the jack whilst checking it is engaging properly and the base is stable. If there is any doubt as the jack starts to bear load take it back down. Of course it could be dangerous if the surface was not level or uneven. Certainly I would never put any part of my body under the car or wheel when it is jacked up. I did notice that there was more suspension drop at the front on one side. I thought this was due to the fact that this was outside my house with some camber to the road. I don’t have anywhere completely flat to work on the car.

 

[B5NUT]

Google "audi widowmaker jack" unless it was a complete emergency I would not touch the jack that comes with the car, and for the love of god never get underneath the car using one of thee jacks. Only last year someone was killed using the widowmaker.

As for the OP's question it could be a bad shock, but you need to give more details of the car mileage & age etc.

 

[Svenedin]

Google "audi widowmaker jack" unless it was a complete emergency I would not touch the jack that comes with the car, and for the love of god never get underneath the car using one of thee jacks. Only last year someone was killed using the widowmaker.

As for the OP's question it could be a bad shock, but you need to give more details of the car mileage & age etc.

I did google that and I don't think the "widow maker" is the same as the OEM jack that came with my S3. My jack is a sturdy scissor jack that looks well made and not that lethal looking flimsy thing. What I think is the widow maker has a very small base and is a different design. The part umber of my jack is: 8V0011031B. I can't take photo just now as it is snowing and horrible outside. Here's a link to a stock photo: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-RS3...123612?hash=item1c9da818dc:g:Yr0AAOSw-uhaU7H3

 

[S32B]

I would not touch the jack that comes with the car

Maybe I'm just getting old, but for me I buy a new car and change them within 3 years for an easy life. A new Audi comes with 3 years 'Audi Assist', so I'm using it if needed I'm not in that much of a rush to get anywhere for the sake of waiting 1 hour, if he were to slip and take a chunck out of an alloy or drop the car off the jack, they are paying for the repair not me

 

[Svenedin]

Maybe I'm just getting old, but for me I buy a new car and change them within 3 years for an easy life. A new Audi comes with 3 years 'Audi Assist', so I'm using it if needed I'm not in that much of a rush to get anywhere for the sake of waiting 1 hour, if he were to slip and take a chunck out of an alloy or drop the car off the jack, they are paying for the repair not me

There are certainly circumstances where I would call Audi assist and not try to change a tyre myself. If it was an offside tyre I would not want to try to avoid being hit by traffic! In fact, a flat on a motorway is just too dangerous to attempt a DIY wheel change. It's far safer to get out of the car, get on the verge so that there is crash barrier between you and the traffic and call Audi Assist. Many people have been killed on the hard shoulder.

 

[Pinky1959]

I believe now repairers are not allowed to change a wheel at the roadside and have to take the car off the motorway or main A road .