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Many automotive tasks—from replacing brake pads to changing a flat—require lifting the car off the ground. Most often, this means using a jack, which are fairly straightforward to operate, but do require some extra safety precautions to keep you (and your car) safe. We’ll show you how to take those precautions and lift your car using a jack, so that you can get back on the road in no time.
How to Jack Up a Car
- Park your car on flat, sturdy ground.
- Turn on your hazard lights and place cones around your car if working near traffic.
- Look for a reinforced jack point behind your front tires or in front of the back ones.
- Place the jack under a jack point of your car.
- Raise the jack by turning or pumping the lever until it touches the car.
- Continue raising the jack until the car is lifted 3–6 in (7.6–15.2 cm) off the ground.
- Insert a jack stand beside the jack if you plan to work beneath the car.
Steps
Community Q&A
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QuestionCan I jack up an old car by the bumper?AcyclistTop AnswererNo, your bumper is not designed to take the weight of the car. There will be designated jack points you will be able to use to life the car with a jack.
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QuestionSome cars come with a bumper jack. Are these safe?Logic Johnson LafontaineTop AnswererThey're no better or worse than any other jack, except they're only reliable on even ground. Same rules as always: be careful where you lift (don't actually try to jack your car just by the bumper) and do not ever get under the car unless you have some good jack stands to hold it up.
Video
Tips
- If you're changing a tire, unscrew the lug nuts slightly before you raise the car. If you don't, the wheel can turn when you try to unscrew them, making the task much more difficult. [11] X Trustworthy Source Consumer Reports Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing Go to sourceThanks
- Consider car ramps as a safe and easy alternative to jacks. Simply place the ramps in front of or behind your car, drive the car onto them, and place your car in park. [12] X Research sourceThanks
- Keep your jack and wheel chocks in the trunk so that you will always have them when you need them.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/tire-buying-maintenance/how-to-change-a-car-tire-a2760414554/
- ↑ https://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/changing-tire.php
- ↑ https://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/changing-tire.php
- ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/tire-buying-maintenance/how-to-change-a-car-tire-a2760414554/
- ↑ https://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/changing-tire.php
- ↑ https://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/changing-tire.php
- ↑ https://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/changing-tire.php
- ↑ https://www.productsafety.gov.au/news/under-your-car-diy-vehicle-maintenance
- ↑ https://www.themechanicdoctor.com/all-you-need-to-know-about-floor-jacks/
About This Article
Before jacking up a car, park it on a hard, flat surface such as a level parking lot or driveway. Put chocks in front of both wheels on the opposite end of the car from where you intend to jack it up. If you don’t have chocks, you can use bricks or cinderblocks instead. Make sure the car is in Park before you start jacking it up. Look under the car for the closest jack point to the tire you want to raise up. These might look like flat metal pieces or notches on the underside of the car. Your owner’s manual should tell you where the jack points are located. Slide your jack under the jack point with the flat base facing down. Then, start raising the jack. The way you do this will depend on what kind of jack you have, but you may need to push a lever or turn a crank to raise it. Once the top of the jack makes contact with the bottom of the car, you’ll need to use more effort to keep raising it. Stop once the car is far enough off the ground for you to get access to whichever part you need to work on. If you need to be underneath the car, put two jack stands under the car near the jack for extra support in case the jack shifts or collapses. When you’re done with your work, raise the car up high enough so you can easily remove the jack stands, then slowly lower your car back to the ground and remove the jack. To find out how to use jack stands and what you should do in poor weather conditions, keep reading!
