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Jacking Points MP5
I purchased a 2002 MP5 last December. I want to start doing my own oil changes and tire rotations. First time I looked underneath, I couldn't clearly see good spots for a floor jack. Took it to the local JL one more time and asked if I could go down below and look at the bottom.
On all my other cars I have used a front cross member to raise the front all at once, and either a cross member or diff to raise the rear. Jackstands along the side rails where the manual says to jack it for a tire change. The front cross member is kinda thin, but it goes across the bottom of a big meaty "u" shaped pipe thingy, so it looks like it will be okay. I would appreciate it if anyone who has used this cross member to jack the front could let me know if you had any trouble with it bending? Thanks in advance. |
I'd be cautious. I was just under the car the other day doing an oil change checking out the same thing, and I couldn't see a beefy enough frame member under the front to use for jacking. We tried to jack my buddie's Accord up using a piece like that in the front of the Protege (the U shaped member) and it ended up bending/crushing a bit. Not good. I just use Rhino Ramps to do oil changes. Hopefully I won't need to do anything requiring the front to be off the ground and both wheels off any time soon :) Hope others have some ideas.
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Caution is definitely in order, which is why I put up the post. The inverted "U" shaped piece is not going to bend, it looks strong enough to support a tank. It's the thin flat piece that connects the two ends and forms the cross member I am concerned about.
At the very least, I will put a piece of wood onto the floor jack to distribute the load across more of the member. |
Actually it was that inverted U piece that bent when we tried to jack my friend's Accord. Don't know if the Protege's is stronger or not. Let us know what you find!
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from my shop manual
Checked the shop manual for recommended jack and stand points:
Jacking: Front: - at the center of the front crossmember Rear: - at the center of the rear crossmember Stands: Front: - Both sides of the vehicle, on the side sills Rear: - Both sides of the vehicle, on the side sills NOTE: From the diagram included, the side sills are not the little railing that the stock jack uses - they are the next 'railing' in when looking at the underside of the car. I don't have a scanner here at work, but when I get home, i'll scan the pages and you guys can see exactly where the jacks and stands should go. Hope that helps. |
Thanks Sandman. I can't quite picture what "front crossmember" they are referring to so the diagrams would be quite helpful.
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Thank you VERY much, Sandman. I guess I better go invest a few bucks in a shop manual.
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Originally posted by skimmer Thank you VERY much, Sandman. I guess I better go invest a few bucks in a shop manual. I've learned so much about my car already it's not even funny, and i'm not even a fraction of the way into it. |
Where did you get the manual and for how much? I got the factory manual for my '91 Miata for $50, but I wasn't aware they had the factory manual available to customers on such a new model...thought it usually took a while.
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Originally posted by nramsey Where did you get the manual and for how much? I got the factory manual for my '91 Miata for $50, but I wasn't aware they had the factory manual available to customers on such a new model...thought it usually took a while. don't have the sku# but it's in your manual if you want to look it up. Pictures are forthcoming! |
Thanks for the Pics
Basically, the pictures tell me I need more info. They don't show the flat piece across the bottom that I saw on my car. The thing the "3" is pointing to is what I have been referring to as the U-shaped thingy. I'm not sure I can get a floor jack up into the nook where the 3 is pointing to.
Dang. You have the same year as me, even the same color. Anyway, I'll get a manual, and if need be go up on ramps and look it over real good before I commit with the floor jack. Thanks again. :) |
Re: Thanks for the Pics
Just a quick note, I rotated the tires on my P5 last night. What I did was take a block of hardwood, like maple and saw a gap in it. Then I placed this on the outer sills where the stock jack goes. there is a reinforced chunk of steel just inside the sill that the stock jack sits on. The block allows you to take advantage of this. I put the jack stand under the suspension support arm. (where the number "94-131" is in picture two.)
I tried the location mentioned in picture 4, BUT IT BENT! I would not recommend this location. I would use the block, put a jack stand where the rear cross member is and leave the jack in place so you have two points of contact. Just my $0.02 Stocker. PS I had to kick my front tires to breack them free too. :) |
it bent!??!
Originally posted by stocker Just a quick note, I rotated the tires on my P5 last night. What I did was take a block of hardwood, like maple and saw a gap in it. Then I placed this on the outer sills where the stock jack goes. there is a reinforced chunk of steel just inside the sill that the stock jack sits on. The block allows you to take advantage of this. I put the jack stand under the suspension support arm. (where the number "94-131" is in picture two.) I tried the location mentioned in picture 4, BUT IT BENT! I would not recommend this location. I would use the block, put a jack stand where the rear cross member is and leave the jack in place so you have two points of contact. Just my $0.02 Stocker. PS I had to kick my front tires to breack them free too. :) Thanks for the tip on the wood block - i'll have to try that! |
Re: it bent!??!
Originally posted by sandman It bent?!?!? WTF?? Why would mazda recommend that point if it's soft enough to bend?? GRRRR. Sorry dude! I didn't know that would happen! Thanks for the tip on the wood block - i'll have to try that! |
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