Confusion on jacking points of a modern, unibody car.

[nsl]

Always had my car worked on at the dealer, or independent shop since it was new.
Now, the thing is 12 years old, has high miles, and not worth much, so I think I'm going to start doing my own repairs to it.
All my other vehicles have had real frames, so there was always a spot to safely put a jack.
These modern beer can cars confuse me, though.
I know where the recommended jack points are for the scissor jack that comes with the car, but that doesn't help because there is not room for a jack and jack stand at the same time.
Research on the net has people bending things by putting the jack or stands in the wrong spot.
Anyway, car is an 07 Civic, if that helps.

 

[kenjen]

had an 03 civic and it still had "part" of a frame in the front end under motor that went back to about the door hinge. barely enough room for a jack and stand but it did work. in the rear end i put the jack at the shock bracket and the stand under the axle.

 

[paulh]

It's small enough just get a few neighbors to lift it up

 

[oldman10mm]

If it's a typical unibody, it should have forward and rearward subframes welded to the passenger compartment unibody.
The forward subframe is for the engine,tranny,suspension,and steering.The rearward subframe is for the rear suspension.
Typically the suspension framing are strong components as they have to hold the car up.

 

[jeffsmith]

There is a "Pinch Weld" by each wheel

https://www.8thcivic.com/forums/att...d1235093265-how-jack-up-your-car-img_0005.jpg

 

[snowman]

nsl:

I've worked on cars for many years, and always just jack up either front end or rear end at the solid points in the middle provided by the manufacturer, then place a stand on both sides at the points you mentioned. If I want to rotate tires or do something else requiring the entire car be lifted, I jack up both front and rear and use a stand at all four jacking points along the sides.

I hope that is somewhat helpful to you.

Regards,
Andy

 

[Farmer17]

I bought a new 2012 Toyota Rav4 and the first few weeks I got a nail in the tire and took it to a Goodyear shop to get the flat fixed. They put the jack on this piece of metal near the front wheel that looked like a jacking point and it crushed it metal like beer can. I was not real happy but at least it wasn't too noticeable.

 

[yaktamer]

It's small enough just get a few neighbors to lift it up

I worked with a guy who was an All-American shot-putter. Once watched him pick up the back of a full-sized Chevy station wagon by himself. I think his thighs were bigger than my chest.

 

[e3mrk]

I hate to state the obvias but if there is a owners manual in the glove box it shows where the jacking points are. Also you can look it up on youtube.

 

[Golddollar]

With my heart I leave the jacking up to the guy AAA sends.

 

[chief38]

I almost never jack up a car anymore unless I have no choice. My number one method is to use my buddy's Lift - which is 5 block from my home. He does not mind at all and I do many many favors for him and so this is a way he can reciprocate. Yea, after using a lift, every other method "sucks".

If I don't want to drive over to use his lift or he is not around and I can't wait, I own a set of steel Ramps that I bought 50 years ago. They are strong, stable and high enough to work on anything on the front end that does not involve removing a wheel obviously. If I need to change or repair a tire and can't drive over to use his lift, a scissor jack is used following the manufacturers manual as to where to place it.

 

[BC38]

I almost never jack up a car anymore unless I have no choice. My number one method is to use my buddy's Lift - which is 5 block from my home. He does not mind at all and I do many many favors for him and so this is a way he can reciprocate. Yea, after using a lift, every other method "sucks".

If I don't want to drive over to use his lift or he is not around and I can't wait, I own a set of steel Ramps that I bought 50 years ago. They are strong, stable and high enough to work on anything on the front end that does not involve removing a wheel obviously. If I need to change or repair a tire and can't drive over to use his lift, a scissor jack is used following the manufacturers manual as to where to place it.

I concur completely on using the lift. Only I have my own in my shop

I also have ramps to use as a good secondary method. I like using two sets to get the whole car up and level.

Jacking one up by the subframe and using jack stands isn't the preferred method, but it will also work.

Using the OEM jack and jacking points to raise one wheel at a time is the absolute LAST resort.

 

[Huskerguy]

I use a floor jack and jack up on the suspension and if I am going to set it on stands to let the suspension down, put a block or stand on the pinch welds. I use to do auto collision many years ago and the thing you never want to do is do any adjusting on sheet metal unless the weight is setting on the wheels, not the frame/pinch welds on the rocker panels.

 

[WR Moore]

I'd put a clearance groove for the body seam in any blocks I was going to use on the lift points. There are a couple places that sell what amounts to grooved hockey pucks (stack of 2 or 3) so you can use a floor jack or jack stand.

Depending on configuration of the suspension arms, you can always jack there if the wheels don't have to droop free. As some else pointed out, there might be subframes you can use. Depends on design, my engine frame is integral with the unit body. The rear suspension uses a subframe.