jacking up the car/jack points

[highland]

I'm doing my first oil change on the Insight tomorrow and wanted to know if there was a good spot to jack up the car. With my Accord and Civic I usually use the metal tow/tie down "loops" in the front and then put the jack stands on on the sides under the jack/lift points.

Also, the Insight is pretty low, will the standard off the shelf jack stand work fine? I'm planing on using something like this.
Craftsman 3 ton Floor Jack, Jack Stands and Creeper Set - Model 50188 at Sears.com

[biododge1]

If you look on the under side of the car you will see a lift point behind the front tire, one about center of the door, and one before the rear tire.
The one in the middle is for floor jacks, don't be alarmed when the entire side lifts off the ground. Use the other lift points for the safety stands

[Aaron Cake]

It helps to either use a lifting lock or a ball of cloths on the jack to avoid mangling the lifting points on the car. A piece of 2 x 4 with a slit cut down the middle would work very well, though I just pile a bunch of rags onto the jack. Otherwise it will only take a few jackings before the lifting points are flattened.

[3-Wheeler]

Hi highland,

I've got two floor jacks:

1) one of those 'lightweight' ones that lifts about 2 tons
2) and a heavy duty model that lifts about three tons. You use the same permanently mounted handle to lift and drop the jack.

Both jacks fit under the Insight with about one inch of clearance.

My Insight might be different than Aaron Cake's, but I have not noticed any problems lifting the car either with the outside points as called out in the owners manual, or by using the 'u-tube' rails that are about 18 inches in from either side of the car body. The rails are part of the unibody construction. The outside lift points *are* rather thin, so I do take it easy when lifting in that location. I try to lift on a smooth concrete floor so the jack maintains the ability to roll slightly when lifting and not bend those thin lift points.

You are right, that the Insight sits rather low, similar to my wife's Fit and daughter's Echo. I routinely change oil on all three of these vehicles.

Jim.

[Roen]

So I take it, when jacking the car with the floor jack, and not the jack supplied with the inside, you should use the 'u-tube' rails 18 inches in from the car body? Just trying to be clear here and clear up any doubt. I guess I'm not that comfortable using rags on the thin outside jacking points as specified in the owner's manual.

[Highmileage Insighter]

Originally Posted by Roen

So I take it, when jacking the car with the floor jack, and not the jack supplied with the inside, you should use the 'u-tube' rails 18 inches in from the car body? Just trying to be clear here and clear up any doubt. I guess I'm not that comfortable using rags on the thin outside jacking points as specified in the owner's manual.

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I use a floor jack with a square piece of 2x4 placed with the grain perpendicular to the Insight rail jack points. There are a pair of jack points on each side of the car, one in front (right behind each of the front tires) and one in the rear side (right in front of each of the rear tires). In 264,000 miles and at least 80 times of lifting the Insight, I have never had any issues.

If you jack up the front jack point, the rear of the car will lift as well. Place a jack stand or something strong under the rear jack point for safety.

I place the jack stand next to the floor jack front jack point just in case it ever starts to lower. But I don't touch the body of the car so as not to mark the paint.

Don't forget to block the tires. Piece of cake.
Also, invest in a shop manual or at least an owner's manual.

[Roen]

the 2 x 4 doesn't flatten the jack point tab of the Insight?

[Highmileage Insighter]

Originally Posted by Roen

the 2 x 4 doesn't flatten the jack point tab of the Insight?

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Nope. The tab is not affected. The jack point tab puts a small dent in the wood. The jack tabs are not that fragile.

I have accidentally hit the tab with a curb squarely on the bottom tab and scraped alone the length of it without it bending it.

[bikeracer]

Might be a stupid question, but are these tabs replaceable? I bent one of mine pretty good the other day. I was using a small, cheap 2-ton trolley jack in dirt.

[Highmileage Insighter]

Originally Posted by bikeracer

Might be a stupid question, but are these tabs replaceable? I bent one of mine pretty good the other day. I was using a small, cheap 2-ton trolley jack in dirt.

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I'm not sure if the jack tabs are replaceable. Maybe someone else can chime in on that aspect.

However, I bet you can still straighten your bent one and still use it carefully.

Jack up the car using the rear or front "good" jack point tab with a block of wood between the jack and the tab. Or better yet, use the original stock jack that came with the car. Lift the car high as the jack can go.

Then, straighten out the bent tab using a large cresent wrench or pipe wrench. Should be possible.