Are jack stands under the jack pad points that safe?

tan_rich

Specialist
Feb 6, 2018
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335is
Tried looking for some info around the website and other places. I am wondering how everyone else lifts up their cars on jack stands safely? When I first started working on my car I would use a piece of wood and place it between the jack stand and plastic jack pad point. However you can definitely tell that piece of wood did not like that, especially the U point on the jack stand to the jack pad. It also did not seem all that sturdy or safe to me.

I currently used a jack pad adapter and lift my car one side at a time and place the wheels or drive up onto "wood ramps/risers" which works great for everything else that doesn't involve the wheels or suspension. (Crude but it works, pic attached).

So my question is how are you guys jacking up your car? I've read people cut up the jack stands to be straight however i use it for other cars as well so i don't really want to do that. In the future ill most likely purchase a quick jack but a current solution would be great.
28547770_10211554990411939_1969407897_o.jpg


EDIT:
For anyone wanting to find a simple solution to all of this.
If you look a little past the jack pad, above the felt liner, there is a frame rail that runs the length of the chassis.
 
Last edited:

doublespaces

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Oct 18, 2016
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I jack up on and put those things right on the jack stands. Its really the one spot on my car that I treat this way. I do have the billet adapter, but after having jack stands on them, it won't fit anymore.
 

tan_rich

Specialist
Feb 6, 2018
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I jack up on and put those things right on the jack stands. Its really the one spot on my car that I treat this way. I do have the billet adapter, but after having jack stands on them, it won't fit anymore.
I see, i did it once and it didn't look stable to me so i never did it again. I usually push the car a bit to make sure its stable when its on jack stands and when it was just jack stand i just imagine it easily falling.
I've also busted a few jack pads, thankfully they're cheap and easy to replace.
 
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Cheezy

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Nov 7, 2016
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Toledo Ohio
I put stands directly on the jack pads, max height on the jack stands, shook the shit out of my car before getting under it. Worked under it for about a week. I didnt have any issues. If you don't feel safe, make yourself feel safe. Imo, id rather be on the jack stands than your wood stacks.
 
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pysical

Sergeant
Jun 16, 2017
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2009 335xi E90
I don't feel safe under the car ever. I had a jack point collapse into my car a little bit. I don't know what happened but I don't use it anymore. Instead I use a 8x8" piece of wood and put near it and jack up if I need to. But my plan is to replace those plastic jack points under the car since they all look like trash and then probably do this

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=727131
 

tan_rich

Specialist
Feb 6, 2018
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Would can split, so IDK about that. I have ramps I'd use before that wood, IMO

I put stands directly on the jack pads, max height on the jack stands, shook the shit out of my car before getting under it. Worked under it for about a week. I didnt have any issues. If you don't feel safe, make yourself feel safe. Imo, id rather be on the jack stands than your wood stacks.

I was going thinking of using dyno ramps but using the wood seems fairly stable so far. Havent had the wood crack other than the ones i used in between the jack stands. Guess i should invest in a dyno jack soon, just need space to store them...
 

Cheezy

Lieutenant
Nov 7, 2016
611
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Toledo Ohio
I was going thinking of using dyno ramps but using the wood seems fairly stable so far. Havent had the wood crack other than the ones i used in between the jack stands. Guess i should invest in a dyno jack soon, just need space to store them...
Im more worried about the car rolling off the wood.
 

E90N54Stew

New Member
Feb 1, 2018
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2007 BMW 335i E90
I like the idea of the cut up jack stands. Currently just use jack stands on pads since they are all beat up. I have the metal adapter and 4 new jack pads to install and will most likely do the idea of cut up jack stand that pysical posted(post 6). If not lifting rear always put wheel chocks behind both rear tires, and small piece of wood in front of both rear tires as well and parking brake engaged. I also do the shake the shit out of the car method to check as Cheezy mentioned lol
 
Mar 14, 2017
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Minot, ND
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2010 135i
My jack points are smashed to shit. Been using them just bare plastic on metal for 4 years now. Figured after the car is “done” I’ll spend the $100 or whatever to replace them and use the jack point tool from now on
 

doublespaces

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Oct 18, 2016
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I was pretty sure I saw some custom jack pad, it was supposed to solve this problem. So instead of the stock pad plus a pad adapter, it was just one piece. Pretty sure it was an oblong shape to fit into a normal jack stand.
 

tan_rich

Specialist
Feb 6, 2018
89
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335is
I was pretty sure I saw some custom jack pad, it was supposed to solve this problem. So instead of the stock pad plus a pad adapter, it was just one piece. Pretty sure it was an oblong shape to fit into a normal jack stand.

Oh really, ive been thinking of a design for a custom jack pad that would fit a jack stand however its just hard to see a stable design that can cover all jack stand types and at the same time be safe and steady for them all. Maybe something similar to the current jack pad adapters however with a grove to support jack stands.
 

hassan_hamdan

Specialist
Aug 1, 2017
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135i M package
personally, I use the car ramps as wood can move around, but the front two are on ramps, the back two on jack stands with the wheels on the ground underneath it, so that god forbid, if the jacks give out, the wheels will be the fail safe, which is just enough to get you out from underneath.
 

Cornfed54

Specialist
Feb 6, 2018
80
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E92 335
I use jack stands that have a flat, round top, they also happen to be very stable, “tripod vs square base, I combined them with the plastic/ urethane jack pad adaptors. I took the stock rubber pad off the top of the stands, and the jack pad adaptor fits nicely in the cup of the stand. It’s the most stable way I’ve found to get the car up and it will go much higher than average stands. I spent around $180 on amazon for everything, worth every penny!
39869819-115E-481E-9A6E-9A52E0F5CAEE.jpeg
 
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gmx

Specialist
Dec 8, 2017
69
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BMW 1M
I've seen this issue talked about on all forums with no clear solution. Mine are mangled after a handful of jacking attempts. I'm on stock height with M359 19s and can just fit my jack between the front skirt and wheel to jack by the middle point. The jack up location isn't a problem, however when I use to jack up by permanent jack stand points, the pad is now mangled (typical costco/arcan low profile steel version).
The ONLY solution I have seen is a billet block with a thin piece extended from it to properly jack from in order to mimic a proper pinch weld.
OR the ESCO jacks with an adapter that a specific company makes to fit our BMWs.

It's really a joke on European cars. They're absolute shit in this regard. I keep saying this, but working on friend's Toyota 86/BRZ/FR-S/whatever you call it there is a BREEZE. The jack point is just a simple sturdy metal pinch rail and it holds and doesn't bend. Really don't understand why the Euros can't get this right and put shitty pinch welds that bend and flop over or crappy plastic adapters that deform after one jacking attempt.