I did something rather stupid while jacking up my Fit, which I hope isn't going to cost me a wad to fix. I was all set to install my new Goodridge SS brake lines this past weekend. Of necessity, the car needs to be up on jackstands. I've done oil changes before with just jacking up one side, but never used stands. I know, not too smart. So I'm trying to decide where are we gonna put the stands up front, and with the floor jack holding it at the front door jack point, there isn't any room. OK, what's solid underneath? Hmm, that very large stabilizer bar (is that the correct term for it?) going across behind the engine looks OK. So I put the stands at the outer ends of this bar where they turn at an angle. We got the lines changed out and bled with no problems. I was actually more concerned with them than the stands, and using a 10mm line wrench to avoid rounding off the connections made things easy. On start-up for a test drive, I now have a rattle/vibration coming from the exhaust. Apparently, the stabilizer bar pressed upward on the exhaust piping/converter and has probably bent the mounting hanger so there is contact between something and the body. I really hope it's just the hanger where the rubber oval connection attaches to the rod which holds that part of the system. I should have studied this first. I'm praying the exhaust itself or the piping was not bent. Doesn't sound like any exhaust is leaking, just a vibration of the exhaust touching something. I didn't know about the front central jacking point on the frame, just behind the engine oil drain plug. Also we were using a small 2 ton Chinese floor jack with the little pump handle that barely has enough lift, had to use blocks to get more height. I'm gonna have to suck it up and visit an exhaust shop or (cringe) the dealer and admit my stupidity and see what has to be done to undo my screw-up. Maybe it's a simple thing to bend the hanger back to where it's supposed to be.

 

With a big hammer. It's a learning experience.

 

Good luck man! I hope it isn't too bad.

 

A piece of 2x4 or long pry bar and bend it back. It's probably only the sheet metal shield touching and they are easy to bend BUT don't get under the car with ONLY the jack to find out.

 

That's what it sounds like, it's really not scraping/moving when I ride over bumps in the road, but kind of a steady buzz due to engine vibration thru the exhaust you can feel touching the body. I'll stop by a muffler place and have them lift it up and get them to adjust it a little.

 

Took the Fit to have the exhaust looked at today. Once up in the the air, we figured out what happened. The stabilizer bar got bent up about an inch, and was rubbing against the converter heat shield. Lucky it was easy enough to just grab it and pull down hard, rattle gone! I had first thought this bar looked solid, but it's just a tube with flat ends where it's bolted on. Didn't hurt the converter or bend the exhaust itself, just kinda' got my attention . He showed me where to put the stands between the door jack point and the middle of the body in a reinforced channel area. Whole deal took maybe 5 mins, I offered to pay for it but he wouldn't charge me. Bought my last set of General Altimax tires from them, awesome service and straight-up people.

 

Good deal on the quick FREE fix. That is the kind of guy that makes you want to come back to his shop when you need more work.

 

No need for SS brakelines.... no purpose.