Quote:
Originally Posted by oldskewel
I always jack centrally and then put jack stands on the sides. I have never jacked all 4 wheels off the ground. Partly due to my 4* sloping driveway. That makes it convenient - if I ever need the car to be level, I just jack the downhill end of it as needed. I agree, I'd feel safer with two tires on ramps with the other two up in the air, vs. all 4 in the air.
When I first got the car, I took some time to carefully build the interfaces needed for a safe and efficient jacking system. Some photos in the following thread - jacking the front first, then the rear jacking stuff is on the next page:
https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...ml#post1135244 |
I never realized that there was a front central jacking point, and initially used a pair of these to lift my X5 (on pads of leftover 3/4" plywood on un-level sand), but only have one that still works....
bought for $40 each at TSC in 2015, now they're $92 each at Amazon
After that first time, I tried driving the AWD X5 onto two sets of ramps, on the same loose, unprepared surface, and felt much safer underneath. After selling a car in 2023, making space, I finally had an open spot in front of the "fully-occupied" garage, so I put down 2.25 sheets of 3/4" plywood as a platform that I could work on (instead of on sand & gravel), and set up my heavy-duty steel truck ramps there (easily swapped for lower. lighter-duty "Rhino" ramps, for my lower-profile cars).
not the best place for repairs, but it works for me...I'll sometimes use a pop-up canopy to shield myself and the car/truck from sun or rain
Because my driveway slopes down towards the garage (4% or so grade), if I have to lift the X5 on both ends at once, I use the steel ramps in front, and the shorter "Rhino" ramps in the rear, the X5 then sits level!
If I ever need to change a tire, or work on the X5 away from home, I have a 12-ton bottle jack (and the factory jack), rubber anti-slip pads & inserts for the lift points on the sides, two jackstands, and all sorts of tools, etc. in the trunk. Kneepads, kneeboards, fender pads, undercar mats & mover's blankets too (I'm old, and my body hurts).