Hello! I've searched the forums extensively and found a few threads about jacking the fit but many were specific to the GE8 and I have a GD. I'm a tire changing newb because this is the first car for which I have separate tires on rims so I'm game to change the wheels myself (whereas I wouldn't attempt to mount tires onto the rims).

Here's how I want to proceed: I'll be changing one tire at a time since I won't be rotating tires, simply remove the summer rims and replacing them with my winter rims. I want to jack up each wheel slightly (not off the ground), loosen the lug nuts using my breaker bar, jack up the wheel off the ground, swap the wheels and slightly tighten the lugs in a star pattern, lower the wheel until the tire touches the ground, finish tightening the lugs with my torque wrench. The reason, I'm letting the tire touch the ground for heavy tightening or loosening is that I've been told not to do that to avoid putting strain on the transmission.

Here are my questions:
-how many footpounds of torque are needed for the lug nuts? Should they be even tighter for the winter or just the same as any season?
-Should I place the jack on the jacking points and place the jack stands under the car wheels (if so where) or should I place the jack under the crossmember and place the jacks stands under the welded metal scissor jack tabs? If I place the jack under the crossmember, does it have to be centered, or can it be off to the side to lift each front wheel independantly?
-can I just forego jack stands since I'm jacking a wheel at a time and I'm not working under the car?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions

 

80ft lbs for the GE. GD's probably the same. No need for stands if changing 1 wheel at a time.

 

i use 85ft/lbs as 80 sometimes backs out too easily but i do re-torque a few times anyway to verify. i suggest recheck at least 2 times.

for just wheel swap no need for jack stands, just use your scissors jack, or go to harborfreight.com and get a light weight aluminum racing jack similar to below. i have 2 units and been doing well for the last 6-7yrs.

Aluminum Floor Jack - 1.5 Ton Aluminum Racing Jack


i break loose the lugs while the tire is completely on the ground...unless i pull out my impact gun.

 

thanks for the tips. I already bought a 2 ton jack set for about 40$ (with chocs, and jack stands). It's not world class for sure but I'm hoping it'll last at least a couple of seasons!

I'm gonna go ahead and torque the wheels at 85 foot pounds. I want to err on the side of safety always when dealing with wheels and tires. Speaking of which, I can't remember seeing a label in the driver side door sill with an indication of at what PSI the tires should be inflated. My New winter tires will for sure need inflating. What is the appropriate cold tire pressure for the GD fit?

 

Actually, I forgot to mention that my winter tires are on 14" rims. I believe these rims are 1" smaller than OEM rims. The recommended tire cold tire pressure is 25 psi for rear and 26 for the front for OEM tires, is the pressure identical for slightly smaller rims?

 

psi should be same despite the size. use 32-33psi cold (in the morning or in a shaded garage as heat from sun can expand air inside and offset your actual psi).

i use a laser thermometer to get a few temp measurements from the tire and compare to ambient and jot it in my notes. 1psi change per 10F change.

 

I'd like to bump this thread because I still have a question that was left unanswered. What are the front and rear jacking points for a GD Fit, if I want to lift both wheels at once (front wheels or back wheels).

I believe for the rear one can use the wierd metallic triangle thingie but what about the front? I've hear that people use the crossmember but I'm not entirely sure of what the crossmember is so before I start lifting some part that will bend and break I'd like to know where to lift

I'd be placing the jack stands under the welded scissor jack tabs so I'm looking for alternate lifting points. Thanks!

 

the front most likely is the subframe.

if you look at the bottom of your Fit from the front.. you should see three large pieces of metal between the tires. The subframe in the center and the lower control arm to each side. Squarely in the middle of the subframe is a bracket shape.
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...ml#post1105850

It is pretty deep... so you might have to either drive the front wheels up on some 2x4s to raise it... or what I normally do (yes, on my GE8) is use the scissor jack on one front side to lift the car enough to slide my floor jack to it. once it lifts the front high enough, I pull out the scissor jack and put the jack stands.

I might have to invest in a bigger floor jack... honestly, it doesn't feel high enough when I'm trying to do stuff under there.

 

look in the helms manual, it very clearly points out all proper jack points.

 

All cars I've seen - some specialty designs may be different - have six major jack points. Each whee has one just "inboard" (ie along the side of the car just behind the front whee, or in front of the rear wheel). And then there's one centered in both front and rear of car. USUALLY there's some obvious jacking point like a metal bracket.

This is not to say you CAN"T jack the car from any major frame member - you probably can - but I go with the intended points unless there's some other reason. The risk of not using the points is that you mistake a non-structural member and use it, and it bends; not likely, but possible.

You don't need a jackstand unless you're under the car. If you're worried, you can slip one under the frame for safety, but the truth is, with you not under the car, and three wheels in place, there's not much danger.