Question about lifting car

K

Kamuela

Member
So, I'm getting ready to do the front brakes and surprise! I need to get the wheels up off the ground. And I thought Miatae were low to the ground... Anyway, a couple of cobbled together wooden 2X10 ramp things and I can get my genuine Harbor Freight "racing" low profile jack under the front end. I gather from that fount of wisdom, the internet, that the front jacking point is the roughly rectangular stamped place in the aluminum under tray just behind the plastic one, roughly lined up with the front axle. So, I stuck my jack there with a small wood block spacer and it did indeed lift, but the aluminum stamped place kind of squashed back almost flat. I clearly can't jack at the side lift points and put jack stands on them at the same time, so a couple of questions.

1. Is that really the jacking point? If so, why does it deform so readily? Or is that a BMW "Character" thing, not for us mortals to question?
2. What is behind that place? Is there actually something there? From above, it looks like there's a stout crossmember, but it might be made of paper maché for all I know.
3. If that's NOT the front jacking point, where is it?

A little help from wiser heads, please.
 
It isn't unless you have an M. There is nothing behind it. You have to use the sides. The rear at the diff where the braces bolt on.
 
You jacked it on a simple lightweight alloy access cover for the engine oil drain plug
Def not intended for such use.

As above jack from the sides. Put axle stands under the wishbone mounts, but purely for safety reasons, not to support the car
 
no, not the aluminum drain access. There's a stamped, raised rectangular thing dead center, about 4" X 3", almost straight in line with the front axle. smaller than the drain access, and part of the under tray, not a separate piece. Looks almost exactly like the 4 sill jacking points, only without the rubber block. I don't have a pic, unfortunately.

this is what I was going by

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/BMW_Z4M/87-BASICS-Jacking_Your_Vehicle/87-BASICS-Jacking_Your_Vehicle.htm

the M's have the rubber jacking block, I know that part, while ordinary Z's don't. The demo car has the rubber jacking block. Seems like I've seen something about this on other fora, but don't recall where. Question is, do M's have extra bracing in that area? or what? The Pelican Parts article does not make a distinction. Anybody with a Non-M jacked it up other than at the four points on the sills?

As a side note, the example car used in the Pelican Parts demos seems like a real beater; never seen so much rust.
 
Kamuela said:
no, not the aluminum drain access. There's a stamped, raised rectangular thing dead center, about 4" X 3", almost straight in line with the front axle. smaller than the drain access, and part of the under tray, not a separate piece. Looks almost exactly like the 4 sill jacking points, only without the rubber block. I don't have a pic, unfortunately.

this is what I was going by

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/BMW_Z4M/87-BASICS-Jacking_Your_Vehicle/87-BASICS-Jacking_Your_Vehicle.htm

the M's have the rubber jacking block, I know that part, while ordinary Z's don't. The demo car has the rubber jacking block. Seems like I've seen something about this on other fora, but don't recall where. Question is, do M's have extra bracing in that area? or what? The Pelican Parts article does not make a distinction. Anybody with a Non-M jacked it up other than at the four points on the sills?

As a side note, the example car used in the Pelican Parts demos seems like a real beater; never seen so much rust.
Click to expand...
My non-M has rubber jacking points. The bmw jack fits into the rubber mould, any other jack just lift on the rubber
 
Kamuela said:
no, not the aluminum drain access. There's a stamped, raised rectangular thing dead center, about 4" X 3", almost straight in line with the front axle. smaller than the drain access, and part of the under tray, not a separate piece. Looks almost exactly like the 4 sill jacking points, only without the rubber block. I don't have a pic, unfortunately.

this is what I was going by

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/BMW_Z4M/87-BASICS-Jacking_Your_Vehicle/87-BASICS-Jacking_Your_Vehicle.htm

the M's have the rubber jacking block, I know that part, while ordinary Z's don't. The demo car has the rubber jacking block. Seems like I've seen something about this on other fora, but don't recall where. Question is, do M's have extra bracing in that area? or what? The Pelican Parts article does not make a distinction. Anybody with a Non-M jacked it up other than at the four points on the sills?

As a side note, the example car used in the Pelican Parts demos seems like a real beater; never seen so much rust.
Click to expand...

I take it you mean part 3,
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BT53-USA---E85-BMW-Z4+3.0i&diagId=31_0642
 
Yes, stamped rectangle at rear of part 3, apparently directly under part 1. At a guess, Ms might have a hole in 3 and the lift puck screwed to 1, while non-Ms don't have either, so I'm looking for confirmation that the location is or is not a lift point.
 
Hi Kamuela

If you do mean point 3 then there appears to be a fairly sturdy looking cross brace beneath(above) the alloy cover, I have read on another forum of someone using this method. Obviously the alloy cover plate deformed but there was no issue with the cross brace supporting the car.
:thumbsup:
 
ScoobyR1 said:
Hi Kamuela

If you do mean point 3 then there appears to be a fairly sturdy looking cross brace beneath(above) the alloy cover, I have read on another forum of someone using this method. Obviously the alloy cover plate deformed but there was no issue with the cross brace supporting the car.
:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Apparently correct and has been posted on this forum before, but I would feel uncomfortable doing it.
 
Ewazix said:
ScoobyR1 said:
Hi Kamuela

If you do mean point 3 then there appears to be a fairly sturdy looking cross brace beneath(above) the alloy cover, I have read on another forum of someone using this method. Obviously the alloy cover plate deformed but there was no issue with the cross brace supporting the car.
:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Apparently correct and has been posted on this forum before, but I would feel uncomfortable doing it.
Click to expand...

Yip Me too!

I was looking for the same info as I wanted to do my front wishbones, but I deferred this for other projects opting to do my Vanos 1st.
 
There are two jacking points on under each sill rectangular in shape. A trolley jack should fit and engage it. If not enough clearance use the jack in the boot to lift it up sufficiently. Axle stands then under wishbone. Put the wheel you have taken off under the car. Should the car fall off axle stands you should be able to survive.
30hvdat.jpg


kcjw2t.jpg
 
I jacked car from rear jacking point, high enough to put axel stand under front jacking point. Repeat on other side...
 
To double back on this, there is indeed a sturdy cross member behind the flimsy stamped sheet thing, but it's about a finger width away so jacking at that front center point just crushes the alloy back. Surprisingly, my genuine eBay copy of the factory manual shows this as a lift point for all models, not just M. Personally, I'm not convinced that mashing the alloy is a good idea since the alloy sheet and crossmember together comprise a structural feature, so jacking at the rear until the front is in the air turned out to be the right way, thank you.
By the way, the Power Stop brake kit is excellent. Drills and slotted rotors, ceramic carbon fiber pads, new hardware and sensor, for $154 delivered, and stops scary quick. Rears next.
 
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