ok..I know this is very stupid, but I'm really OCD...so just bare with me

I usually jack my car from the side, but I usually just left it on the jack, since it's mainly for things like oil change....but I just got my springs, so I figure, it might be better to use a jack stand, so I can use the jack to support the axle preventing it from popint out, but my question is...if I used the OEM side jacking points, where do I put the jack stand? just right next to my jack? I won't bent anything will I? Or for this operation, it would be better to just jack from the center?



...thanks

 

If you can jack it up from the front and put your jacks in the jack spots behind the tires that is best. However I did it from the side and was able to put my stand right next to the jack it's tight though.

Not sure about the axle, I haven't done springs on the Fit yet.

 

If you get short enough stands then put them under your suspension "A" frames. Or use your old jack but at one end or the other on the reinforced area then the jack stand on the other end.

There is one spot you may want to use. Jack on the reinforced area then look at the frame behind the back of the tire. The frame goes from your jack up toward the engine from the reinforcement area. Closest to the engine there is a hump like area with an open access hole in the frame that is fairly flat. You can put your jack stands there but beware the hole may flex and bend flatter on your first use but after that is will be bent just right for the second time.

It really is VERY IMPORTANT to use jack stands every time you use the cheapo jack that comes with the JAZZ/FIT.

I know because mine collapsed sideways onto the ground. I was on a very slight grade in my driveway (so slight that you can't really tell by looking) with the handbrake on rotating my tires and had jacked it up with the scissors jack in the normal way. But the very small base is soo narrow the jack started to twist forward which caused the legs of the jack to bend as the small base started to tip over and the jack collapsed.

Lucky for me it happened in like slow motion I watched it all happen but there was no way to stop it from happening. The jack rolled slowly forward and the car started going down then the legs started bending and the car slowly lowered it's self to the floor.

The front wheel was off so it ended up resting on the dust shield of the disc brakes rotor and the frame with no damage but a small scrape from the concrete on the bottom of the dust shield.

I ended up getting out my trusty hydraulic floor jack that I had stored in another room and had been too lazy to drag out and got it jacked up back to normal AFTER I HAD CHANGED MY PANTS. I sat there for awhile thinking about wow I could have had my head in there checking the pads or worse been underneath removing the oil filter... but this was one "Pass this time" from the big guy.

The moral of the story never ever get ANY PART OF YOUR BODY under ANY PART of your Fit when using the stock jack. If you have to use it to jack the car ALWAYS drag out the jackstands.... the life you save my be your own.

 

i want to add: you shouldn't jack your car up (either on jackstands or on the jack) when on nonlevel ground. it's just unsafe. and you should put wedges under the wheels to stop the car from moving too.

 

It's like my high school teacher used to say
"There are no stupid questions.... only stupid people"

Sorry, when I saw the title that came back to me

 

check your owner's manual for the lift points at the center of the front
cross member and also the black reverse triangle at the rear.

DO NOT work on your car with just the scissors jack. use proper
chocks/safety blocks before lifting the car, make sure your car is
in gear (if MT) and e-brake on.

if you are planning to do suspension work, you must raise the front
end or rear end in parallel to remove the swaybar/torsion beam
torque.

get the proper hydraulic jack and jackstands.

i use the harbor freight hydraulic jack (i have 2 units).
i use the griot's garage jack stands with the rubber pads.
i use the same wheel chocks shown at the griot's garage site.

Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
Car Care, Detail Supplies, Garage Organization, Car Accessories - Griot's Garage 800-345-5789

 

In addition to kenchan's comments, Costco on-line and in their stores carries a low-profile aluminum hydraulic floor jack with a 3000 lb. capacity- sells for about $99.

 

get the harbor freight jack. the craftsman jacks are junk

 

That's not a stupid question; that's a very good question, in fact.

It took me some time to figure it out - especially since the owner's manual is no help.

 

Thanks alot for the help guys.

for some odd reason I was under the impression that I jack up the car, then with my ninja speed hand switch out the jack for a jackstand.....>___>

 

This has probably been answered and yes I'm too lazy to read, but when you're jacking up the rear to, let's say change the exhaust, do you jack the tow hook, or somewhere else?

 

i posted on the other thread, but use the upside down black triangle
forward of the towhook to raise the rear. use your hydraulic, not
your scissors jack to lift from that area.

dont use your towhook as your car could slip off.

 

You are too lazy to read and I'm too lazy to give you the answer.. works out all around.