Did a search here and elsewhere online, but didn't really come up with recent info.

I pretty much do all of my own maintenance and normally have access to auto craft shops where you can rent a bay with a lift for a nominal fee. I typically will use a drive-on 4-post lift, but they're not always available and I'm sometimes forced to use a 2-post. What I'm looking for is an experienced recommendation of some type of urethane or similar jack point adapter for our 5th gen RX's.

I had a set for my X1 and X5 that fit neatly into the lift blocks, and I've found a bunch of universal options for the Lexus-type of unibody pinch weld lift points, but that doesn't mean that they all work without under-body damage. As an example, an adapter with too deep of a groove will may end up putting pressure on the under-body panel instead of the pinch weld lift point.

So, what have you used that works with our cars and works well? TIA!

 

I wish that I had access to a four post lift when servicing my vehicles. Unfortunately, I don't have the space to install one in my garage, as it is far too small. When I do use my rolling hydraulic floor jack I use this type of pad on the jack. I am not certain if the shape is correct for your application but, this seems to work well. I bought a pair of these on Amazon.

 

Thanks much! I've found a few contenders from the Amazonians. I don't think I'll take a one-size-fits-all approach, but probably adapters for my floor jack, hydraulic lifts, and they even have some that fit the heads of jack stands.

 

I thought that the pinch weld is NOT designed to lift the RX, only to hold the jack in the proper position and avoid the tragedy of falling off the lift?

Start watching this at ~2:00 minutes to see how and where the scissor jack should be positioned. At 2:55 you can see that the flat part of the scissor lifts by the frame sill, NOT the pinch weld.




With your concerns, I'd carry a set of 2x4 foot-long boards with offset slots that could lift on the flat part of the sill yet be retained in position by the pinch welds...Just in case a drive-on lift isn't available.

 

I appreciate the response and recommendation.

I've seen that video and this is an area, IMHO, where Lexus could be more specific. Lift points on unibody vehicles are critically important to not cause damage to the vehicle.

The only published guidance I've found for the average consumer (OEM shop manuals may be more specific) is to place the jack at the waves on the pinch weld. Well, what does that really mean? Where does the dealer's lift actually contact to lift these vehicles? Do they have slotted adapters on their lifts that mimic the OEM jack provided with cars that are delivered with spare tires? Do the flat pads lift on the pinch welds or just beside them on the frame sill?

Not my first unibody car, but all my Toyotas have been body on frame. On my X1 and X5, it was very apparent, unmistakable even, where and how you were to lift the vehicle.

Edit to add, in this video from a well-known Toyota/Lexus tech, particularly at the 13:30 mark, you get a great look at how the car pinch welds are resting on the rubber pads on the 2-post lift.

 

Just purchased a new RX350, and have always done my own service work. Long time Tundra owner.
Can anyone give me recommendation on lift points and pads that should be used when putting the RX350 on a 2 post lift?

 

The car has 2 floor jack locations. 1 in the front center and 1 in the rear center. Your owners manual has the exact positions. This way you stay away from the rocker panel area for lifting and use those jacking points for safety stand only.

 

And also for lifts. You can use the pinch welds for jack stands too.

 

@Carbuff2 (or others having a factory jack, as in the 500H or 350 ICE): Can you please comment if appears similar enough to the Lexus OEM jack - to accommodate the flat part of the scissor lift be resting fine on frame sill ? Exact measurements are hard to come by so eye-estimations will have to do. TIA.

 

That jack looks pretty much like the units that I bought on Amazon for my two Lexi. I have tried it on my cars and it does the job.
I just checked my purchase history on Amazon and it is the same jack.

 

Thanks for confirming, the part I was checking about is whether the notch at the top of the jack is deep enough, for the resting place of the pinch-weld sill of the RX/NX for their jack - as in Carbuff2's shared videos 2min 55 second mark. The problem with these aftermarket parts per many of the reviews is that they are too flimsy structurally. Sounds like you actually got this Vevor jack and tested it on your RX/NX, so that confirms the not "fits".

 

Okay, I got the Vevor jack linked above, but noticed that the notch is not deep enough to ensure that the sill on the sides of the pinch-weld will not be resting on this jack's resting surface on two sides of the notch - because the jack's notch is not deep enough. My concern or question is: Will this damage the pinch-weld's sharp edge, and lift-location of the car, if I use this jack in the manual-specified way ? If so, is there an alternate way to use the jack so that there is no damage to the car ?

 

Answering my question above. This is relevant not only DIY wheel swap, but also for guiding the sub-contracted AAA or similar roadside assistance when called upon swap wheel to spare. These subcontracted road-side assistance have often killed ECUs that then have to be wrangled for replacement from Lexus in a highly bureaucratic process typical of Lexus - and therefore I won't just trust such roadside assistance with doing anything to my car.

 

Is the black adapter (image with the dimensions), providing a 10 x 17mm cutout for the seam, something you could purchase as a separate add-on to use with the Vevor jack, to get the proper width/depth at the seam interface?

Part number or link for it?

 

Yes, its a separate item, and is purchased separately - meant for all kinds of jacks. You can get it from Amazon or Aliexpress, many available. - I liked this particular one from Aliexpress as it actually showed the dimensions of the cutout, especially its depth - important for its longevity so that its not split into two by the weight of the car and sharpness of the pinch-weld when used. Still, not counting on how many times it can be used - as its for emergency (i.e. one-time) use to be, stowed in the car.