Front Jack Point Options

[Espo]

Stupid, obvious question but I can't seem to find the answer and I don't wanna risk anything like per say my steering, so I ask people with much more experience - where is the front jack point on our cars? Mine's an AT200 if it makes any difference.

[richee3]

Using the scissor jack that Toyota provides you with, the front jack point is behind the front wheels. There is a little lip that sticks down, with a couple of notches in it. That's where the scissor jack goes. Easy enough. Using a floor jack is a little different. Go straight under the car from the front, and you'll see a subframe sticking down. That is my preferred jacking point. But you have to be very careful with that! It's not perfectly flat, and there's plenty of room for error. The car could slip off. DO NOT leave the jack under the car on the subframe. Get jack stands under the car immediately. DO NOT get under the car for any reason while the jack is there. Don't use your e-brake either. That locks your rear wheels up, so the car won't roll. Seems like a good idea, but it's not. The car, as it's jacked up with a floor jack, will want to roll forwards. With the jack already in a precarious place, if the car can't roll to stay with the jack, it's more likely to fall off. So leave the e-brake off. But definitely put something behind the rear tires to keep it from rolling backwards anyway. If anyone else has found a safer place to jack their car up, I'd love to hear about it as well. But my advice is just be safe. Don't get under the car, even if it's on jack stands.

[samir0189]

depends what you wanna do really, if i am just changing a tire the lip/subframe is what i use, but for serious under the engine work, i jack on the front crossmember, under the front motor mount, and then i support the load on two jackstands, on on each side of the car.

[Jamchell]

Well there is another good point to use for the front if you have a floor jack. Just behind the subframe mount is the unibody frame rail, kind of a large square lip shaped a bit like a 2 by 4 protruding from the car. This is a strong and out of the way area to use if the jack gets in your way or you are afraid of damaging other areas. This is often the spot you use if you are racking cars up in a garage.

If I'm going to R&R an engine or trans this is the spot I usually place stands under as it allows access to everything. Only use this spot if its not damaged though, it can be crushed on lowered cars from hitting speed bumps as can the scissor lip, in that case I'd pass.

You can use the scissor jack lip for jack stands or this area, I am always leery of using stands on the subframe as they usually have narrow contact points, the subframe is often oily and has many rounded areas, not a good combination in my opinion.

!!ALWAYS USE STANDS that are rated at least 3x the weight you have to support and wheel chocks if you are going to be under the car!! I use stands and the jack for the side I'm going to be under, stay under as short of a time as I can and never use strong force against parts, all it takes is one mistake and you're dead. Also make sure anyone who is nearby knows you will be under the car.

I worked on cars professionally for 10 years and never once dropped one on a rack or on stands/jacks. I've seen some pretty dramatic rack failures though, cars fall very fast and very hard.

[nics]

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showto...ack+stand\

[Spider77]

Something else to do, after you get it all jacked up and on stands. Wiggle the car side to side. Its kind of a good indicator to see how stable it is, it shouldnt move around. Also, leave the jack under the car...lower it a bit at first, then raise it till there is a little pressure on it but not enough to raise the car.