I don't recall ever seeing a thread or DIY about this on the forum.

I created a video to show how to jack the sides up using a puck with slit and another metal seam holder for hydro jack.

This is for those who can't get the floor jack under front or rear. I've never used the center factory points for jacking my car due to clearance being lowered.
I've always jacked up using the sides and my ghetto wood blocks til I found these pucks.

 

A simpler and safer solution is to drive your car onto ramps (if it's that low), then use the front or rear center jack points that is outlined above to jack your car up, then use the Jackstand positions with a modified puck with slit to rest the car with a Jackstand. I would also either rest one side with two jacks, both L/R REAR sides, both L/R FRONT sides or all 4 Jack stand positions. I would never go under a car that's only supported by one jackstand.

Unless I'm working on brakes/wheels, I prefer ramps almost all the time.

I also would never rest the jackstand or jack in any other position under this car, other than the ones outlined in the drawing above. After resting the car on the jackstand.. I will then position the Jack so that it's under the correct jack point and apply a little lift/pressure to it, just a bit. In case the jack fails. There's an additional support that might give you enough time to get out from under the car.

I would never use the "frame rails" to put a jackstand or to lift the car from, especially with a piece of wood that could easily splinter/split. These aren't body on frame cars and those "frame rails" aren't like old school frame rails.

 

I just read the Youtube comments... OMG. I think you need to take this video down before you end up killing some shade-tree home mechanic or yourself.

You mentioned you also had wood split on you and yet you recommend people use wood?? You're using this method because your car is lowered, BUT could easily do it properly with low profile ramps, which you should have anyway.

You could be using something like this for your jack in order to accommodate the pinch welds:


Some guy on your youtube post named Ethan posted some comments, I'd listen to him. Spend a few bucks and get proper pads, ramps, etc and seriously, as you've learned from your 1IS, don't use anything but the recommended lift/jack points.

 

I drive up on stacked 2"x6" consisting of 3 lengths of 2"x6" with the bottom longest, middle is medium, top is shorter. This allow floor jack access to control arms or unibody sub-frame where I place a 2" thick piece of Oak Hardwood for lifting.

Hardwood has never failed me in 45 years of wrenching. To each their own, take this advice at you're own risk. I'll use the boxed frame over the pinch rail every day.

Be safe people....

 

^ At least you're using something similar to the idea of a ramp (though I think a proper ramp is still safer). Then you're actually jacking the car up using the subframe (and I'd assume by control arm you mean just enough to lift a tire off the ground, vs. actually supporting the whole car on a single jack/jackstand resting on a control arm).

I prefer to use metal or rubber pucks instead of wood and I bias the pinchweld areas for jackstands (on this car)... and the rear diff/front subframe as jack points. I also suggest using rubber or metal purpose built pucks for all DIYers, because many wouldn't know the difference in wood to use (oak, pine, MDF--I've actually seen this!). So I tailor all my DIY advice to the lower common denominator (LCD). Plus it's so inexpensive.

I wouldn't use a box rail on a unibody car... I've seen them bend (just like it did on the OP's 1IS example) causing the jack to flip and the car to fall. In some cases, it took about 5 minutes for the box rail to bend... enough time for someone to get underneath. Again, one never knows the quality of a box rail or if it was meant to support weight (unless specifically told so my the manufacturer).. so LCD dictates: don't recommend it across the board. The exception is body on frame trucks and the like... that can typically support a jackstand/jacking point.

Also, I'd never raise or support a car using one jack (like the OP did).. where it's high enough to cause the leading or trailing end to raise also. This causes massive torquing of the body structure and I've seen windshields crack due to the stresses.

You've had 45 years of experience to be able to tell the difference. I've had 32 cars I've DIYed for 30 years. What the OP needs to consider is the 17 year old doing this for his first time. Using some random piece of wood he found in the fireplace... some cheap jack he found on the sidewalk, etc. LCD. Not everyone has experience or common sense.

For the OP's sake... even with a "disclaimer"--that doesn't protect him from gross negligence and offering up a DIY that could actually damage a car or kill someone is asking for liability or a headache.

 

Ya, I'll pass on stamped steel crap that tries to rip off the bumper.

As for Oak wood under the boxed rail, I use 18" sections so the weight is distributed. There is no way its going to collapse unless already damaged which mine is not.

Although the rear is shorter, it's still very usable. And yes, my jack stands have a durable guard over the ends. The main thing people need to realize is you must place the stands as close to the tire when setting the car on the A-Arms. Otherwise they can shoot out if too close to the pivot point.

 

Yeah, that's why I wouldn't advise others to support a car on a control arm. Too many considerations, gotchas and variables. LCD. To each their own, just want everyone to be safe. I've been on message boards for 25 years and am a Super Mod on the largest BMW board... I've known too many people that have gotten injured or messed up their cars jacking it in "creative ways." I just tell them to stick to the script.

 

I have been using wood blocks for over 20 years now. They may not look as nice as store bought ones, but they work.

The only thing you need to be careful of when you make your own is to make sure the groove in the block is deep enough so that the flange on the car chassis does not bottom out. This will cause the block to split and possibly bend the flange. I found this out when I got my IS. Seems toyota has longer flanges than the other cars I worked on. As I safety precaution, I would check the depth on a store bought one just in case.

Here's my latest version. You can see marks in the bottom of the groove where the flange was sitting on it. I chose to shim up the rubber tread pieces.