[Mark184]

Seen a few Youtube videos on this, but I’m curious about the best (safest for car and mechanic) option on raising the m235i. It’s so low clearance, the floor jack I have doesn’t clear- makes it past the bumper, but gets stuck on the bottom liner. There’s a long way to go to what I’ve seen people on this forum identify as the front Jack point. Ramps? What kind? Jack stands? What kind? I want to use the money I save doing it myself to get the higher quality oil and filters mentioned in the forum.

[cristo]

I got these

https://www.raceramps.com/garage-ser...SAAEgJPFvD_BwE

[FCBuff]

I just use Rhino ramps. Works great.

[bthomas518]

I drive onto a couple of 2x12's to make room for floor jack to get to the front, center jack point. Then use Esco 10499 jack stands, the gold standard for our cars.

I've heard good things about Race Ramps, but they won't work if you are doing anything that requires taking a wheel off.

[Hap]

I tried the ramp thing and it wasn't great for me and car would rub splitter on way down ? so I went with the easylift
a bit over kill...maybe. But I want to get car up for wheels and tires and oil and just looking under there.

I just got them last week. Been up on lift just like picture for 4-5 days seems solid.

Hap

[cristo]

The Race Ramps in the link are longer
and lower angle than Rhino Ramps
and do clear the front end without
scraping going up and down.

[KennyFSU]

I bought a 1.5 ton Aluminum Rapid Pump Racing Jack from Harbor Freight and it fits under the front end jack point just fine. For the jack stands, I bought some adapters from Amazon that fit inside the stock jack points.

[Tomskeed]

I have the M Performance front splitter, and some 2x4s onto Rhino Ramps works perfectly. Quite possibly the easiest/ fastest oil changes I've ever done, with the quick access panel for the drain plug and the filter up top.

[Mark184]

Originally Posted by KennyFSU

I bought a 1.5 ton Aluminum Rapid Pump Racing Jack from Harbor Freight and it fits under the front end jack point just fine. For the jack stands, I bought some adapters from Amazon that fit inside the stock jack points.

Which adapters on Amazon did you purchase, and for which jack stands? Do you need anything between the HF jack and the car front end jack point? Thank you for this advice!

[harma24]

Originally Posted by bthomas518

I drive onto a couple of 2x12's to make room for floor jack to get to the front, center jack point.

Ha! That's my technique! I'm glad someone else uses it. It makes me feel a bit less like a hack!

[bthomas518]

Originally Posted by Mark184

Which adapters on Amazon did you purchase, and for which jack stands? Do you need anything between the HF jack and the car front end jack point? Thank you for this advice!

I don't know about a HF jack, my jack (Arcan) has a rubber pad, so nothing needed.

These are the jack pad adapters I have:
https://www.amazon.com/Auto-Accessor...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

I don't even use them with the Esco jack stands, the rubber pad on them doesn't hurt the side jack points at all.

[overcoil]

Mark184, thought you might find this interesting:

chk out. Reverse Logic Limited

http://brunnhoelzl.com/pro_jacks.html

https://www.amazon.com/Form-Funnel-F.../dp/B017MTFIYE


I like a serious jack to lift from the front center lift point. I use a 3 Ton Arcan jack from Costco.

As posted earlier by someone else , chk you local auto parts store to see of they rent out these https://kanecountyconnects.com/2017/...d-by-jay-leno/

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Mark184

I’m curious about the best (safest for car and mechanic) option on raising the m235i.

My approach was this: https://www.2addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1668225.

These jack points have enabled me to lift the car and set it onto four ESCO model 10499 jack stands in just a couple of minutes. The car is super-stable on these stands. You can read more about the ESCO stands on this page: https://jackpad.us/jack-stands. In my book, they're the real deal, and I use them will each of my vehicles.

[damianbmw12]

Originally Posted by dradernh

My approach was this: https://www.2addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1668225.

These jack points have enabled me to lift the car and set it onto four ESCO model 10499 jack stands in just a couple of minutes. The car is super-stable on these stands. You can read more about the ESCO stands on this page: https://jackpad.us/jack-stands. In my book, they're the real deal, and I use them will each of my vehicles.

Why does Jackpad say to never use four jack stands? Been a home garage hack all my life and heard such a thing. I am tired and maybe read this wrong. See below.


ALWAYS USE JACK STANDS IN PAIRS. DO NOT SUPPORT YOUR CAR WITH ONE, THREE, OR FOUR JACK STANDS. USE WHEEL CHOCKS IN FRONT AND BEHIND THE WHEELS ON THE GROUND.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by damianbmw12

Why does Jackpad say to never use four jack stands? Been a home garage hack all my life and heard such a thing. I am tired and maybe read this wrong. See below.


ALWAYS USE JACK STANDS IN PAIRS. DO NOT SUPPORT YOUR CAR WITH ONE, THREE, OR FOUR JACK STANDS. USE WHEEL CHOCKS IN FRONT AND BEHIND THE WHEELS ON THE GROUND.

Curious whether stability or load.

But on a 3000+ pound car I don't like getting under it when on four jack stands.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by damianbmw12

Why does Jackpad say to never use four jack stands? Been a home garage hack all my life and heard such a thing. I am tired and maybe read this wrong. See below.

ALWAYS USE JACK STANDS IN PAIRS. DO NOT SUPPORT YOUR CAR WITH ONE, THREE, OR FOUR JACK STANDS. USE WHEEL CHOCKS IN FRONT AND BEHIND THE WHEELS ON THE GROUND.

I don't know, but it does sound like an argument against every commercial shop I've ever been in, where they lift the car with...wait for it!...four lift pads.

Oops...or...???

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by dradernh

I don't know, but it does sound like an argument against every commercial shop I've ever been in, where they lift the car with...wait for it!...four lift pads.

Oops...or...???

the garage lifts are the ideal method, and like the ones in a BMW dealership I think are rated to 10,000 pounds, plus they're mounted on dedicated slabs.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

the garage lifts are the ideal method, and like the ones in a BMW dealership I think are rated to 10,000 pounds, plus they're mounted on dedicated slabs.

These are rated at 6,000 pounds each – when my car is up on four of them, and I try to rock it back and forth, there's no movement at all:

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by dradernh

These are rated at 6,000 pounds each – when my car is up on four of them, and I try to rock it back and forth, there's no movement at all:

I have the A/C version of those / I think when A/C made them they were from a Scandinavian company. What I read online is that A/C and even Lincoln floor hydraulic jacks got out of the business or sold off due to litigation from whether failures or people being reckless.

I’ve seen mechanics with jack stands under rally cars out in the field when in competition. But those cars are way lighter and i often see one or two hydraulic floor jacks under each wheel axle line or under a side sill.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

I have the A/C version of those / I think when A/C made them they were from a Scandinavian company. What I read online is that A/C and even Lincoln floor hydraulic jacks got out of the business or sold off due to litigation from whether failures or people being reckless.

I’ve seen mechanics with jack stands under rally cars out in the field when in competition. But those cars are way lighter and i often see one or two hydraulic floor jacks under each wheel axle line or under a side sill.

I think I remember that the ESCO design was made by AC Hydraulics as late as 2009 or 2010. They come from China now, of course. I used an AC Hydraulics jack for a while (back when I could still lift one into the bed of my Tundra) - it was an excellent jack.

When I have the car up on two stands on one side, I keep the pressure on my hydraulic jack up against the center side-sill jack point I had installed. One thing to keep in mind about hydraulic jacks is that eventually they stop holding pressure and have to be rebuilt.

[Maynard]

I saw a car knocked off of 4 jackstands by a goofball running into it from the side (shop class follies - fortunately zero injuries for that one, except for the car). It always gives me the creeps to see how many people do this at the track, but it does take a fair hit to knock it off. Still better to work one side/end at a time if you can get away with that.

[petegtsv10]

I use a QuickJack like the one shown in Post #5. I’ve had 2-post and 4-post lifts in the past and I prefer the QJ for most work on the cars. The car feels more solid on the QJ than on the ground since sidewall flex isn’t a factor when I push on a fender to check stability. Perfect height for oil changes, tire mounting, brake work, etc. They store invisibly under the center of the car when not in use.