Jacking / Lifting points on your Prius

[hobbit]

I understand that in most cases direct lifting doesn't damage the
pinch welds, but a small amount of sideways pressure can start
spreading the flanges. Since this lifting technique is so common,
I really wish most techs would at *least* keep some kind of slot
blocks handy by the lift arms to contain the welds a little better
and/or reach past them to true subframe. But since the arguably
sloppy practice is so entrenched in the industry, just try to get
'em all to change long-standing habits.
.
How would one of the flat-raters react if a customer came back and
said "you spread my pinch-welds so far that my scissor jack won't
fit over the lift point anymore"??
.
I realize that the guys take a lot of shortcuts, but sometimes they
seem really arrogant about denying there's been any damage or
degredation. That's wrong.
.
BTW: http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/car.../800/liftp.gif
At least I tried.
.
_H*

[n8kwx]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(stukid @ Aug 1 2007, 04:55 PM) [snapback]488883[/snapback]</div>

Plus many engineers who design the SST's never have to use them, and when simple gets the job done, why complicate matters to please a non informed public.
[/b]

While I can agree that many designers don't actually USE their own products, sometimes when they do call for something there can be non-obvious reasons for it.



1979. May 25. (My birthday).

An American Airlines DC-10 takes off from O'Hare. Suddenly the port engine falls off.
Unfortunately the rest of the story is sad...



McDonnell Douglass had a field manual for removing an engine with from the pylon. Unfortunately it was complicated for the field mechanics. It took too much time.

They found that by just using a forklift that they could do it a lot quicker. They were quite proud of their shortcut. Management was quite happy too.

Unfortunately this shortcut could crack pylons...


I don't blame anyone. But sometimes when a procedure seems strange there can be a reason. And don't worry, I agree - there are many times when an engineer does come up with STUPID designs.

[bat4255]

Originally Posted by dogfriend

There is no differential at the rear (unless you have the special 4wd version of the Prius).

And this is available where

[Patrick Wong]

Originally Posted by bat4255

And this is available where

That was a joke, Prius is FWD only.

The thumbnail pages attached at the beginning of the string have a typo where a rear differential carrier is mentioned. There is no such thing.

I'm more relaxed than some of the other contributors to this string, and use a piece of 2x4 on the saddle of my hydraulic floor jack to lift my vehicles.

[Doc Willie]

Originally Posted by glenk

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dogfriend @ Jul 23 2007, 09:11 AM) [snapback]483558[/snapback]</div>


I use the points shown in the diagram you provided with my floor jack.

I simply used the sole of an old sandal that's about 3/8" thick. I bet an old zori would work as well.

The load isn't that much to raise one wheel.

glenk

But, if one is using jackstands, plus the jack needed to get the chassis up onto the stands, where do you put the jack? I put it behind the front jacking point where I was going to place the stands, and I bent the bottom member. There is now a bulge in the rocker panel beneath the driver's door.

[dogfriend]

Originally Posted by Patrick Wong

That was a joke, Prius is FWD only.

I'm thinking of starting a poll thread to see how many people want to buy the 4wd Prius.

Originally Posted by Doc Willie

But, if one is using jackstands, plus the jack needed to get the chassis up onto the stands, where do you put the jack? I put it behind the front jacking point where I was going to place the stands, and I bent the bottom member. There is now a bulge in the rocker panel beneath the driver's door.

I lift the end of the car using the center jack point (either the front crossmember or the rear "pedestal") and then place the jackstands under the locations where you would use the jack along the flanges.

The only complication is that my hydraulic floor jack is too tall to fit under the front crossmember when the front wheels are on the ground. To get around this, I drive up on my ramps (which I use to change the oil) then lift the front with the floor jack so I can place the jackstands. I plan to make some short ramps out of 2x6 material to make this process easier (and safer) the next time.