When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
My pinch weld next to my jack point is getting chewed up over the years from putting my jack there in order to put the stand under the actual jack point.
So today, I put the jack on the "frame rail" ( I know its a unibody, just can't think of a better term for it), then put the stand under the pinch weld point.
A relative happened to drop by and saw me doing this and noted that this can bend your unibody and cause alignment issues.
Could I have damaged something? Feeling pretty dumb about this one.
Picture attached shows where I used the jack. Pic taken from the front passenger corner.
Are you using rubber pads to spread out the load when jacking up the car?
As far as I know, the biggest risk is crushing the pinch weld and thus having a direct avenue for rust to the unibody easier than it otherwise would. A lot of cars have them crushed over their lifetimes by careless shops. I did some quick googling and I don't see anyone talking about frame\alignment damage. My car has it's crushed pretty good and it aligns perfectly still.
However, I cannot tell what is going on with your picture for if there is more substantial damage (are they bent, or, seperating?). You need to get a better picture than that with a lot more light.
I would suggest an alternate jacking method: jack from the central jack points on each axle and then place the jack stands directly onto the jack points.
Are you using rubber pads to spread out the load when jacking up the car?
As far as I know, the biggest risk is crushing the pinch weld and thus having a direct avenue for rust to the unibody easier than it otherwise would. A lot of cars have them crushed over their lifetimes by careless shops. I did some quick googling and I don't see anyone talking about frame\alignment damage. My car has it's crushed pretty good and it aligns perfectly still.
However, I cannot tell what is going on with your picture for if there is more substantial damage (are they bent, or, seperating?). You need to get a better picture than that with a lot more light.
I would suggest an alternate jacking method: jack from the central jack points on each axle and then place the jack stands directly onto the jack points.
Appreciate the quick reply. To be clear, i didn't hear any cracking nor see any obvious damage after the fact.
Uhm I'm sorry and maybe I'm missing something here - but none of your pictures show the correct jack location
Apologies, I don't think I was clear enough in my original post. I used my jack on the unibody member where the arrow was pointing and was concerned about damage or deformation.
The factory jack points on the pinch rail are ugly but im not concerned about any issues with them
If you bring it to a shop, and they have to lift it, guess where they are going to lift it from, the same place you did. When they change tires etc I mean they have to lift it from somewhere and much of the time shops go to those spots you did. I've seen some pounded pretty badly and still everything is fine. If you use a jack under the doors in that spot where they tell you to jack it and what if there is some decay or rust in there it could push the body up and and push the jack up into the body, damage a lot that way too. I usually use a 2X4 piece of wood to distribute the weight along the rail if I have to jack there where you did.
You jack the car up from the 4 jack points, the differential or the front suspension crossmember. I really wouldn't be messing around with any other location except maybe a control arm to pre-load a wheel or something.
Yeah you can see the wear spots in my pic where the shops actually put the car on the lift with, it's worn completely through the overspray paint.
You jack the car up from the 4 jack points, the differential or the front suspension crossmember. I really wouldn't be messing around with any other location except maybe a control arm to pre-load a wheel or something.
Used you photo for a better view of where the jack was placed. Lifted here but put the stand under the factory jack point.
Any idea if bending or damage
could have occurred?
I've seen damage done with lifting them this way too actually pushing the rocker closer to the door. The best you can do is do it the way the manual tells you to right? If you have to lift it you have to lift it just the way it is. Somethings you can't get around.
I've seen damage done with lifting them this way too actually pushing the rocker closer to the door. The best you can do is do it the way the manual tells you to right? If you have to lift it you have to lift it just the way it is. Somethings you can't get around.
Thank you. Just a dumb, impulsive mistake. Any chance of alignment being affected?
Used you photo for a better view of where the jack was placed. Lifted here but put the stand under the factory jack point.
Any idea if bending or damage
could have occurred?
There is no way to know. If your car still aligns straight and the shop doesn't tell you "hey this is weird", then you've gotten very lucky and you're probably okay. But I'm not a structural engineer, so who knows.
IF you've been doing this for years, you'd have noticed an alignment affect by now.
There is no way to know. If your car still aligns straight and the shop doesn't tell you "hey this is weird", then you've gotten very lucky and you're probably okay. But I'm not a structural engineer, so who knows.
IF you've been doing this for years, you'd have noticed an alignment affect by now.
Second time lifting the car like this. And the last...
Those frame rails are soft and bend easily. It won't affect alignment at all.
Thank you.
If there was major damage, would I be able to notice it visually, or is it something that only a collision shop could determine? See anything in my pics that would throw a red flag?
Last edited by AlfaMetal; Nov 11, 2023 at 07:25 PM.
Frame damage from jack on "frame rail"?
