If you use a large hydraulic floor jack, here is something you might want to consider.



I use a large floor jack to raise my cars, but I didn't like pushing that metal pad against the body of the car. I got a couple of hockey pucks and cut slots in one of them. I use two pucks. One is uncut for normal lifting. I put the "groovy" puck on top if I am jacking from the side of the car, using the sheet metal lifting spot. I got mine from Amazon, two for $3.84, delivered. I see Amazon is selling them already cut.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06WRMSH...I3L7JCGZ0RUN99

 

Thanks for the image and your writeup. I think I will do the same. I am worried about bending the sheet metal at the side lift points. It is too hard to get to the front lift point at the front middle of the car. The rear lift point at the tow hook is easy to use.

 

Right. All my cars had dented sheet metal until I started using those pucks. Even the Nissan dealer dented (and rusted) the lifting area of my Cube while doing a recall.

When I had a 1980 Civic, there was a recall for bad fuel filters, and I was glad to see how easy it was for the dealer to raise the rear of the car using that tow hook. Not I have a trailer hitch, so it's just as easy. I use one flat puck for that.

 

Thanks SilverEX15 -- just the ticket!

 

good job on the puck. i use a small piece of wood on my hydraulic's platform for cars i care about to put the weight off the rail... but on the fit i just raise it at the pinch rail and it seems fine without any adapters as the platform has a little bit of rubber padding.

 

You know now that you don't have to cut the groove in the puck? It will automatically conform around whatever your jacking up without damaging it.

 

That puck material is very hard, and I wouldn't take a chance without the groove.

 

It's not as hard as you think. Been using them for years, without issue. You can risk cutting your fingers off trying put a groove in it. Your choice

 

I have ten fingers, but only one Fit. : )

 

So, youre saying you get 10 chances? lol

 

I don't think I'd go for all ten. I'd probably give up after 7 or 8.

 

Yeah, You have to be able to hold our beer while instructing others to wrench on the fit...lol

 

What is the purpose of the groove? I have no issues with cutting a groove into a puck without losing fingers.

The groove would prevent slippage when under pressure. It would also center the pressure to the middle.

However without the groove when jacked the weight of the car would be sufficient to not slip off. The puck is sufficiently wide enough that any small slippage is easily compensated.

The puck groove is not sufficiently deep enough to contact the actual underside of the car and not the thin metal rail, so the car's weight is still on the side rail. The side rail is already strong enough to support the car.

 

I've always used grooves. It's easily added by holding the puck in a bench vise and then using an ordinary hand saw to cut the groove across the face. That's a fairly narrow groove and you can cut two or three of them close together for a wider groove. I prefer narrow although the pucks often stick to a car after I've dropped the jack and if I forget to take it off I'll be driving around with it until it drops off. Kids in the neighborhood get a freebee puck as a result.

I buy and groove a handful of them every few years. Pucks are cheap, often less than a dollar at CT. I see Wal Mart online has them on sale for 74¢ at the moment.

My previous jack has a hole in the center of the lift head so I was able to drill a hole in the center of the puck and bolt it to the jack. I had to countersink the bolt head so that it was low in the puck and well below the contact point with the car's metal. This worked out well because with the puck bolted to the jack there was virtually no chance of slippage (not that there's much chance of that to begin with).

 

i agree..from experience one don't need the groove, especially for the fit's. i dont use one. but it's nice to have cause it will disperse the weight of the car off the rail (pinch weld) itself.

 

I will use a piece of 1/4 inch think plywood over the saddle pad.