Jack Stand Support Locations, etc.

Old-Duckman · Post by **Old-Duckman** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 12:59 am

I did a search and found some info on jacking up the Z4 but not this specifically.

I will need to do rear brakes and rotors before my next safety inspection. I jacked the rear drivers side (US) this past Saturday to check the drain plug. I used a scissors jack without the recommended jacking pad (didn't know I was supposed to use one).

I had placed a wheel chock at front passengers side and began to lift the car. The scissors jack was leaning some but not dangerously so. When I did get the rear tire off the ground I saw the the front drivers side tire was also off the ground.

I went and checked the front at the wheel chock and body work was not too far from the ground and the chock was close to the front of the wheel well. Nothing was touching so no damage but it wasn't comforting.

Started researching and found out I should get a jack pad but nowhere on YouTube did I see where anyone was putting a jack stand on a E85.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. (photos of the jack stand in position would be great)

I have an ancient 15 ton floor jack but it would no way get under the Z and all jacks I find online seem to be marginal at best...inferior quality. So any floor jack brand that might be recommended would also be appreciated!

Singapore stag · Post by **Singapore stag** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 3:21 am

I got one of this, solidly made. Excellent quality, you can get it cheaper.

https://www.google.com/search?q=bmw+z4+ ... 686IF7wD4M:

How to use jack stands...we in the U.K call them Axle Stands

https://youtu.be/LV_HdyFuc64

You could perhaps drive your car onto a raised platform i.e blocks/planks of wood then use your jack when you have enough clearance to put the jack under.
Rgds,
Sukhi.

wonkydonkey · Post by **wonkydonkey** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 4:40 am

The weight distribution and stiffness of the Z4 means that it's easy enough to use a floor jack (with suitable pad - I use a hockey puck) on the jacking location nearest the front wheel. Jack here until the rear of the car is high enough to place a jack stand (with suitable pad) under the rear jacking location (i.e. where you placed your scissor jack on your first attempt).

The alternative is to raise the car by jacking it from the rear axle, specifically from the diff. This is my preferred method as it's quick and simple because you jack the car once, position jack stands under each side, and lower the car onto them. You need to be aware of the front bumper because it does get close to the ground when the rear end is high enough for your jack stands.

mjennings23 · Post by **mjennings23** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 1:37 pm

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BMW factory lifting and stand points, you can lift the rear from either the differential or the cross brace mounting just behind it, but you'll probably need a decent sized jack to reach that far in (I have an Arcon twin piston jobbie from Costco)

wonkydonkey · Post by **wonkydonkey** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 1:55 pm

Note that jacking point number 1 (at the front of the car) in the middle diagram above only applies to the Z4M. Don't jack a non-M here

kis · Post by **kis** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 5:01 pm

I use a jack pad (normally a hockey puck which has been cut with CNC), this slots into the OEM BMW jacking point... this picture should help visually...

bearded_ed · Post by **bearded_ed** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 6:20 pm

Good thread so far! I had looked for this info in the past too and had no luck. The jack points on the sills/frame rails are obvious but the axle stand locations were not!

Old-Duckman · Post by **Old-Duckman** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:02 pm

Thanks for the replies, good info !

I found this on Pelican Parts https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticl ... ehicle.htm

Some good info too but using the "axle stand" on the un-protected jacking socket is not good advice. Ive seen lots of damaged ones on YouTube.

I do like the photo from the guy who asked about his 06 Z on the Pelican parts article.

I checked under mine and it MIGHT be like his...There are so many plastic splash guards it's hard to be sure, but it does appear that there is a metallic rectangular depression right behind one of the plastic parts. My arm is too short to reach back and feel it. I'm sure most jacks would not reach it unless you had the front end on ramps.

Glad it's my rear brakes that I'll be replacing, seems to be easier to get to the rear lifting point then the front.

Would love to see the BMW page for the standard Z like mjennings23 posted for the M...I wonder if it exists..?

agrimes1989 · Post by **agrimes1989** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:53 pm

This is the Jack I have . To work on the rear all I do is jack up the front jack point , this lifts the full side and I put an axle stand under the rear side point . Opposite for work on the front .

I obviously don’t work on the car balanced like that . Was just playing around . Well balanced .

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Ewazix · Post by **Ewazix** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:55 pm

As WonkeyDonkey says, that point No 1 ///M front jacking point keeps showing up on the web and causes a lot of debate, but non-M cars should not be jacked there even though it looks inviting.

This non-M part part is the "front suspension reinforcing plate" and it's there to add lateral rigidity to the front suspension, it's not a cosmetic cover. It's part number 51717028433 (shared with the E46 and E86) and is made of hollow, reinforced aluminium alloy section with some lattice reinforcement inside, crushing it or deforming risks unwanted suspension movement. If you remove it, then yes you will have a jacking point on the cross-member underneath per the ///M, which may explain why some diagrams show it.

I've removed it in the past for access and it's definitely going to be damaged if you lift on it. It's a lot of fuss to remove just to jack on the member underneath but here's a video on removing it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnv4egujpHY

ph001 · Post by **ph001** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 11:10 pm

So there doesn’t appear to be an easy way to lift both front wheels off in a single jacking operation on non-M cars?

wonkydonkey · Post by **wonkydonkey** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 11:42 pm

ph001 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 25, 2020 11:10 pm So there doesn’t appear to be an easy way to lift both front wheels off in a single jacking operation on non-M cars?

Fraid not! That said, unless I sink a vertically-orientated hydraulic ram into my garage floor underneath that front central jacking point, I don't think I'll be jacking my M up using that special point any time soon! It's pretty much inaccessible.

Liam22 · Post by **Liam22** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 11:50 pm

I cut a 50mm hole in the aluminium reinforcing plate, to replicate the M models, which provide direct access to the steel cross-member above it. A short length of 50mm fence post (they're like a fiver each) can be positioned on the jack saddle if you don't want to modify the car.

If you are lifting the car with floor jacks and axle stands it seems to be the only way to safely get all four wheels off the ground.

agrimes1989 · Post by **agrimes1989** » Tue Feb 25, 2020 11:55 pm

Lift rear right , place axle stand at front right .
Lift rear left , place axle stand at front left .
Lift rear at diff , place axle stands at both rear points .

Woodrow · Post by **Woodrow** » Wed Feb 26, 2020 3:11 pm

I use a 1.5m length of steel box square 30mm x 30mm x 3mm. I think it cost around £10 from a steel merchants. This fits between the 2 jacking side points and I simply jack the car up from the middle. I then lower the car onto jack stands. Takes 2 minutes and you can go as high as you like.

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