Advice for hydraulic jack and jack stands. First time

NaweedM

NaweedM

Member
 Eindhoven NL
Was wondering if there are any recommendations for hydraulic jacks and jack stands. Mainly to swap the wheels as winter is coming, maybe once in a while lift the car up to check the soft top drain plugs. Anyone has any recommendations? Anything sub 100 (euro) is recommended?

This is my first time doing this so any additional tips, please let me know, such as where to place jack stands and so on, as this is my first ever car and figured it's time invest into such tools.

I did see a listing from a Goodyear car jack but I have a feeling it won't fit under the zed
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You'll need a low profile jack to get under the Z. My standard trolley jacks struggled to get under my 3 series with the sports suspension and there was no way they'd get under the Z. I bought this one:

https://www.halfords.com/tools/garage-workshop/axle-stands-trolley-jacks/halfords-2-tonne-low-profile-hydraulic-trolley-jack-657099.html

I appreciate you're not in the UK, but I'm sure you'll be able to get something similar in the Netherlands. Absolute bargain price at the moment (€46) - I'm sure such things were blindingly expensive years ago as there weren't bargain alternatives.

Out of all of the sets of axle stands I've got, I'd recommend my folding ones. They're not the tallest which suits the Z well and they're bijou and compact when they are folded.
 
Cheers for the link! As long as I have something recommended, even if its from across the pond, I can at least compare with that to make my purchase decision easier.

Don't know much about jacking and axle stands yet (will explore YouTube when I get time), is there a specific spot on the zed's axle that I should use? I am aware of the jack points available on the 4 corners and the need for a specific rubber puck. That's all I know so far
 
On the rear of the Z the diff carrier can be used to centrally lift it. I made a thing for this job:

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=142080

Then axle stands can be put under the rear jacking points.

There isn't an equivalent at the front tho, so it's a case of lift under the jacking point and then put an axle stand under the chassis rails further in.
 
smorris_12 said:
On the rear of the Z the diff carrier can be used to centrally lift it. I made a thing for this job:

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=142080

Then axle stands can be put under the rear jacking points.

There isn't an equivalent at the front tho, so it's a case of lift under the jacking point and then put an axle stand under the chassis rails further in.
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The jacking point at the front is the stamped rectangle in the metal reinforcement plate. It’s quite a long way under the front of the car, so it helps to drive the front wheels up onto planks or scaffold boards to access even with a low entry jack. The reinforcement plate is a hollow construction and jacking here does deform the plate slightly, but the axle support underneath is plenty solid enough to support the car. The Z4M uses the same jacking location but has a rubber puck where the stamped rectangle would otherwise be. There is a thread on here somewhere about making a similar mod on the non-M
 
smorris_12 said:
You'll need a low profile jack to get under the Z. My standard trolley jacks struggled to get under my 3 series with the sports suspension and there was no way they'd get under the Z. I bought this one:

https://www.halfords.com/tools/garage-workshop/axle-stands-trolley-jacks/halfords-2-tonne-low-profile-hydraulic-trolley-jack-657099.html

I appreciate you're not in the UK, but I'm sure you'll be able to get something similar in the Netherlands. Absolute bargain price at the moment (€46) - I'm sure such things were blindingly expensive years ago as there weren't bargain alternatives.

Out of all of the sets of axle stands I've got, I'd recommend my folding ones. They're not the tallest which suits the Z well and they're bijou and compact when they are folded.
Click to expand...
Yes that’s what I bought, works a treat, only thing I would add is that I needed to remove the floating cup on top, easily done. And for a jack pad to sit in the z4 jack points. They have them on the internet quite cheaply but I got mine from a fellow member :thumbsup:
 
Hey @NaweedMustafa, I got this one from HBM, specifically as it's a low profile one which fits just fine underneath my 3.0si. Slightly over your stated budget, but it's an excellent jack.
HBM is located in Moordrecht, so not that close to you (if you're in Eindhoven that is), but doable. Nice toolshop to visit anyways, worth the trip :)

https://www.hbm-machines.com/nl/p/hbm-15-ton-aluminium-stalen-garagekrik
 
If you already have a normal trolley jack then fashion a ramp out of a bit of sturdy timber about 50mm thick. make a slope at one end then just drive up it. Also get a jack pad for just a few quid on ebay then you can lift it on the jacking points.
The Z4 is so short that its easy to lift both end of the car by just using the front jacking points
 
ryushe said:
Hey @NaweedMustafa, I got this one from HBM, specifically as it's a low profile one which fits just fine underneath my 3.0si. Slightly over your stated budget, but it's an excellent jack.
HBM is located in Moordrecht, so not that close to you (if you're in Eindhoven that is), but doable. Nice toolshop to visit anyways, worth the trip :)

https://www.hbm-machines.com/nl/p/hbm-15-ton-aluminium-stalen-garagekrik
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I find any excuse to go for a drive, so definitely worth checking out for myself. I'll first have a look locally here for something with similar specs listed by all of you. Thanks everyone!
 
NaweedMustafa said:
Was wondering if there are any recommendations for hydraulic jacks and jack stands
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As stated by others: low profile jack. I'm in the USA so can't recommend where to get them unfortunately.

As for jack stands for oil changes, etc. I have 3 US ton jack stands. To lift the car, I jack up the car from the pinch weld underneath the mirror (where the weight distribution is even). I then put stands under the pucks and drop the car onto the jack stands.

As for lifting from the differential on the rear of the car, make sure the front wheels are off the ground or that you're on level ground. Found out the hard way when my friend jacked up my car and the car rolled straight into me on his steep driveway :rofl:
 
AFAIK there is no central front jacking point, apart from possibly the M-cars or maybe the early ones. My 06 E85 (like the E46) has a dimple in the reinforcement plate but there's nothing structural there.

FWIW, having bought one, I would get the low profile trolley jack over a standard one any day. It's got slightly more reach and lift, and a slightly wider track to give better stability.
 
Not a chance a normal jack will go under an E85/6, or at least not under the cill jacking points. You might get it under the rear one. 2 Tonne will be fine as will the cheaper axle stands. Jack it on the rear cill jacking point and it will lift the front up so you can get an axle stand unt he front jacking point then do the same for the other side.
 
I had a small 'low access' trolley jack for a while. It was OK but I found it would 'twist' if not on solid very flat ground, so made me nervous.
I bit the bullet and got a 'proper' low level jack from Halfrauds. It's big and heavy (I can't lift it) but is well made and will lift any car quickly and safely IMO.
This one:
https://www.halfords.com/tools/garage-workshop/axle-stands-trolley-jacks/halfords-advanced-2t-low-profile-trolley-jack-with-pad-563126.html

Halfords don't make them so there are many different brands of the identical thing.

Also worth noting with axle stands; get the shortest (closed) ones possible. A low car has to be raised higher to get an axle stand under, so lower ones are better IMO.
 
smorris_12 said:
AFAIK there is no central front jacking point, apart from possibly the M-cars or maybe the early ones. My 06 E85 (like the E46) has a dimple in the reinforcement plate but there's nothing structural there.

FWIW, having bought one, I would get the low profile trolley jack over a standard one any day. It's got slightly more reach and lift, and a slightly wider track to give better stability.
Click to expand...
According to the user manual, the dimple in the reinforcement point is the front jacking point. The reinforcement plate is a two layer construction and at this point the layers are only a few mm apart. First time of jacking, the dimple will deform slightly (and that’s assuming you’re using the rectangular jacking block that fits in the cill jacking points) and then you are jacking against the main structural cross member that supports the gearbox. I don’t know of a jack that will reach this point without lifting the front somehow first. I drive my front wheels onto short sections of 9 x 2 and this gives sufficient clearance for a low entry jack, including the Halfords 3 tonne which I have. Jacking at this central point means it’s dead easy to put axle stands under the cill jacking points.
 
Pondrew said:
I had a small 'low access' trolley jack for a while. It was OK but I found it would 'twist' if not on solid very flat ground, so made me nervous.
I bit the bullet and got a 'proper' low level jack from Halfrauds. It's big and heavy (I can't lift it) but is well made and will lift any car quickly and safely IMO.
This one:
https://www.halfords.com/tools/garage-workshop/axle-stands-trolley-jacks/halfords-advanced-2t-low-profile-trolley-jack-with-pad-563126.html

Halfords don't make them so there are many different brands of the identical thing.

Also worth noting with axle stands; get the shortest (closed) ones possible. A low car has to be raised higher to get an axle stand under, so lower ones are better IMO.
Click to expand...
I have the exact same jack from Halfords, combined with some Amazon 2T stands. As you say, it's a bit of a beast - I have to carry mine 30m across gravel from my shed to the car, and it's a good workout!

I still needed to drive my slightly lowered E85 onto a couple of planks to get it under the jacking point. It would probably be ok on a standard height car. Really nice quality, but I'd have probably bought a lighter alloy one if I'd realised how heavy it was (bought online in a hurry).
 
Rockhopper said:
Jack it on the rear cill jacking point and it will lift the front up so you can get an axle stand unt he front jacking point then do the same for the other side.
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By this do you mean I jack up at Point B as high as possible such that i can place a jack stand on Point A?
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Need to investigate something on one of the front wheels, don't want to rely my hydraulic jack while ive got my head in there..

Currently got a low profile jack with an 85mm to 360mm range
 
Yes, that’s exactly how I do it. You don’t really need to get it very high before the front lifts off. Then repeat on the other side.
 
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