Are you tired of trying to figure out how to raise your car on jack stands without bending the pinch weld? When lifting a car, you almost always bend the pinch welds.
According to some, you should lower the car onto two jack stands at once to prevent the jack stands from bending. However, others claim it works for a while, but eventually, the jack stands bent.
Still, others state that the pin should be rotated 90 degrees and pressed against the pinch weld. Some recommend using a woodblock, and others believe any woodblock would cause the car to drop.
To accommodate a welded joint, some people modify their jack stands. While others claim, what does it matter if they are bent? Some people say you only need a suitable jack stand to make it work.
Here is the Correct Answer
Pinch welds to hold the jack in place have a reinforced area. This way, you will never bend a thing using your floor jack there.
It is also correct to suspect a pinch weld. There are floor jacks with universal designs instead of model-specific scissor jacks (typically found in unibody cars). However, floor jacks can be used to lift the area behind/inside of the pinch weld.
Pinch welds are capable of resting on jack stands without a problem. Just make sure you place the stands in the correct location, not on the overlapped area of the fender, as this may cause the fender to bend. Also, buy the best jack you can so you can reach the jack points without having to bend over.
There is no way to support the weight of the car with pinch welds. Using the slot and the two boundary marks (viewed from the side) in the spare tire scissor jack, it is possible to position the jack. Most of the weight is supported by the larger pad of the scissor jack.
Jack Stands And Unibodies
Jack stands are difficult to understand when it comes to unibody cars: Here are some issues I’ve run into.
However, the geometry of the stand top seems to be totally wrong for the stands to go underneath the pinch weld. In that location, OE (Original Equipment) jacks are shaped so that the flange is carefully cradled and supported.
The jack stands can easily support the rocker panel and floor pan. This is also true of one of the jack stand pads I see. These jacks do not have a notch that supports the pinch flange as well as the OEM jack.
The car is elevated only at the front, with the engine cradle under the jack stand. I think it might be unstable if the stand were to contact the cradle just along one edge.
It is feasible to jack up the car from either the front or the rear, then lower the car onto jack stands near the pinch welds. Many car manufacturers designate these points as the jacking points for their vehicles.
There seems to be a problem with jacks when used on points where the pinch weld does not capture. Lifting the car will cause the angle of the pinch weld on the jack cradle to change, which can cause the jack to bend to one side or the other.
To protect the pinch welds, jack stands have rubber covers. The pinch weld must be put between a piece of wood or a notched hockey puck. Otherwise, the car will easily slip and fall.
In order to protect the vehicle from the metal saddle, a puck can be placed on the jack, and a slot can be added when lifting the vehicle at the pinch weld. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t trust it to keep the vehicle running for a long period of time.
Jack Stand Rubber Pads
Here’s a quick look at some rubber pads that are suitable for axle stands. You can ask – whether the jack pads are necessary or not. In most cases, the pinch weld is cradled in a slotted channel along the lower edge of the bed. It seems that the rubber pad is very durable and strong to support the pinch weld.
These pads are intended to go on top of axle stands. These new ones are quite a lot more substantial, and they have flat tops to them. You could use them to support a flat surface, but primarily, they have this deep v cut into them.
They’re intended to hold the pinch weld that runs along the under edge of most cars. And it is the place that you’d put jack stands in many use cases. These things look to be made out of quite tough rubber. They’re not prone to falling off either.
For many years, I have lifted cars up with pinch welded jack points. Using these areas will relieve stress in key areas of the unibody design because the vehicle’s structure is highly reinforced in these locations.
If you want an easy solution, you can purchase or make a pinch weld saddle like mine. In the past, I have used rubber sourced from railroad tracks crossings or similar locations. As well as hockey pucks, I’ve used golf clubs. Make a slot or V groove, and you’re done. A stress-free, headache-free environment.
Rubber slotted adapters can be attached to any standard jack stand, and they fit perfectly on standard arms.
Final Words
I think manufacturers wouldn’t put pinch welds in places like that if they were so delicate. When the car slams down, I understand how they are bent.
When using jack stands, they are intended for support directly under the vehicle. Also, it is a good idea to use the rail sections immediately left and right of the pinch weld to support the vehicle.
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