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Hmm, I thought don't sweat after that comment, bought a jacking pad and tried today

The ali plate just pressed inwards and until the car raised , so the square area remained intact, but the whole section pushed up, not sure it raised due to hitting the cross member

So a warning, the cross member must be under there but the base of the indentation is not flush and will bend up

I don't understand the misinformation out there and indeed from the TIS, if you jack under there the plate will bend up, if you don;t use a pad then the ridges will crush.

Almost like BMW wanted to set a puzzle, why so difficult ......

Didn't I say this...?

Strange that you would mash the ridges. Sounds like things didn't fit right. Mine was already mashed a bit around the ridges, but with the jacking pad no more damage occurred. It just, well, lifted up. I point out that my jacking pad actually fits into the rectangular indentation quite well, doesn't slop over onto the outer raised area. No problem at all. if I pull off the front, plastic under tray, I can see where the bellypan is right up against the crossmember, maybe a few mm clearance at most (that's while not trying to jack it up) so it likely does move up a wee bit.
I'm pretty clear now that that's the front jacking point, you need the proper tool (the jacking pad, which is sold specifically for that job), and that it picks up pretty cleanly. It may or may not dent the ridges, shouldn't if the pad fits well into the recess.

charlie8 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 28, 2017 10:39 pmThe ali plate just pressed inwards and until the car raised

So maybe do a cut out? Like suggested? Like the M?

Kamuela wrote: ↑Mon Oct 16, 2017 8:23 pmWorst case, I'll cut a hole there just like the M and slap a pad on the crossmember, which as I recall, is drilled for it already.

What is a cut out going to do for the integrity of the tray? It's a structural piece with bolts that are designed to shear in a collision.

So what about all M cars? They've got no structural integrity?

It's like a ceiling joist. You can happily drill a hole through for wiring to run and this doesn't affect the integrity. Of course if you're cutting out strategic points where it would fix to the car then that's different. But if the M can be structurally safe and use the same thing, why can't any other Zed?

Sorry I was not very clear. I mean with the jack pad it fits nicely into the square hole as mine did, but the whole plate got pushed up ie 6 inch square of metal bend up until it hit something. I presume it did hit something as the car started to lift, but it did not feel very stable like it was just bending wider and taking the strain

I meant with no jack pad you will crush the indent edges as you won#t get a flush pressure point

Next time I'll do as you say, pull back the platsic window and look in to see it is flush with the cross member - once I see that - its a no brainer

All in all its still a really sh***y situation that something is there, but bends up and why M only has a pad already fitted. Why would that be the case for such a fundamental way to lift a car. I franky just don;y understand it - more so as its a key safety issue ......

kis wrote: ↑Sun Oct 29, 2017 3:26 pm So what about all M cars? They've got no structural integrity?

It's like a ceiling joist. You can happily drill a hole through for wiring to run and this doesn't affect the integrity. Of course if you're cutting out strategic points where it would fix to the car then that's different. But if the M can be structurally safe and use the same thing, why can't any other Zed?

There is no cutout for the M afaik, but there must be something behind the indent for it not to crush.

Scooba_Steve wrote: ↑Sun Oct 29, 2017 5:32 pm

kis wrote: ↑Sun Oct 29, 2017 3:26 pm So what about all M cars? They've got no structural integrity?

It's like a ceiling joist. You can happily drill a hole through for wiring to run and this doesn't affect the integrity. Of course if you're cutting out strategic points where it would fix to the car then that's different. But if the M can be structurally safe and use the same thing, why can't any other Zed?

There is no cutout for the M afaik, but there must be something behind the indent for it not to crush.

I see, so no cut out but something is sitting there behind the undertray? While all other Zeds have an void? We got anyone with an M that can confirm?

Yeah the indentation is there but there must be a gap of some sort on the non m that is filled on the M, otherwise it wouldn't crush. I remember there being a structural piece behind when I've taken the tray off.

Got it. Hosted up inch by inch, front and back.

Square front indent is indeed strong enough and once bent in a bit even with the puck, sits flush with the cross member. You can see it is slightly deformed, but minimal.

I got big high 6 ton jacks so that they are soild even at 450mm, not at the height limit of cheaper jacks

Seems about high enough as it is and easy to slide my board around and get to most things.

I have a 2 more fail safes, trolley and wishbone ( wedged in with a mallet ), then final dead man saver with bricks

Personally I wouldnt leave the car jacked up over winter. Just make sure you move the car back and forth a few times to ensure the tyres dont flatten in contact with the ground.

This is to do some chores, once they are done, I'll be back down.