I've found a few threads on here and elsewhere about jacking the 500, but some seem to contradict others.

I've seen someone on here suggest that a rear jacking point is on the subframe bolt, but others elsewhere have said no.

I want to jack up the back and put axle stands in place, so where is the definitive place to jack and place stands on both the rear and the front?

Reading some of the threads has put me off going to places like Kwik Fit for tyres now!!

http://kelvinvine.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/rear-disc-brakes-for-ford-ka/ NOT like this.......

Cheers for that, so are you saying that it's OK to use a trolley jack on the crossbeam?

Makes sense to use the axle stands on the rear jacking points.

No great experience of a 500, but of jacking up cars and using axle stands, I have plenty.

I had our 500's wheels off (one one side at a time) only the other day, but with two jacks. Had I wanted to get under and do some work, I would have used my axle stands too.

In general, it depends on what you want to work on.

If you jack up under suspension, the car lifts up ok of course, but the wheels don't drop. This may be fine for getting under to do something (say) with the exhaust.

If you jack up using the chassis members, the wheels drop, and that is good for working on brakes or suspension and steering.

From what I saw of the underneath of our 500, there are good axle stand points on the rear crossbeam(?) between the two rear wheels. Under the front there are big bolts either side to the rear of each front wheel on the subframe. In order to get a trolley jack under there, I found it easy to use the supplied scissor jack fitted on the inner sill rail as per the instructions. By jacking up a bit, you can get a trolley jack under the subframe. 500s are quite low at the front and my trolley won't go under. Under the rear, there's no problem because a 500 sits high at the back.

If you do as I did, please remember to make sure as you lower the front, to lower it onto the scissor jack, then remove your trolley, then lower the scissor jack.

If I were to stand ours on four axle stands, I'd use both sides of the front subframe and both sides of the rear crossbeam, and not the body at all.

Hope that helps,
Mick.

typecastboy said:

Cheers for that, so are you saying that it's OK to use a trolley jack on the crossbeam?

Makes sense to use the axle stands on the rear jacking points.

Click to expand...

When I said NOT like this, how was I saying that it was an appropriate way to jack?!?!?!?!?!.!/!/!

If I wasn't clear, I'm sorry.
I agree with Maxi, the rear crossbeam isn't a good jacking point.

I meant to jack up each wheel one at a time, not both rear ones simultaneously! That crossbeam wouldn't be strong enough centrally to reliably hold the weight of the complete rear.

The crossbeam ends look ok to me.

Regards,
Mick.

Sorry, I didn't see the NOT, I just saw the link and clicked on it.

I'm a bit nervous now of jacking on the ends of the subframe!!

So if I jack it up on the jacking points, is there enough room on the jacking points to put the axle stands underneath whilst it's still on the jack. Then remove the jack and do the same the other side?

I found that the supplied scissor jack worked well, but in common with all scissor jacks, they run out of range as the scissor comes together as you go higher. You crank away and it only goes up an inch or less.

It's fine for what it is for: changing a wheel.

In order to get under the front and raise it high enough for decent axle stands, you need something else to jack it with. Both the front and the rear would have to be lifted higher than the supplied jack can do too.

As for where to support a car, the best place is on its wheels of course.
Next best place would be on the suspension. To get a car high onto stands, you need to support it where the car is usually supported - by it's subframe mounts.

If you do want to support a car by the body, you need to use a system that lifts the four corners simultaneously like on a lift in a workshop, or do it very slowly by degrees working round and round and round.

I reckon the best places to support a car on axle stands is in four corners on the subframe and not on the body.

Good luck and be careful,
Mick.

The chassis outriggers are a good place to put a trolley jack but it needs a block on the head of the pointy bits of the trolley jack.
I'll dig a pic out....

Like this...

Rear...

The Twins said:

Like this...

Click to expand...

I recognise those pictures! .

I'd like to think this post has saved a few folks from damaging their sills.

This was mentioned and is now even cheaper ??

http://www.sgs-engineering.com/hydr...trolley-jack?gclid=CP_c_8qf9rACFa4mtAodqHQR_w

14 inches fully extended !

jrkitching said:

I recognise those pictures! .

I'd like to think this post has saved a few folks from damaging their sills.

Click to expand...

Great post, sorry I forgot where I saved the pics from :slayer:

My trolley jack is "low profile" but won't go far enough under the front.

The pad is low, maybe less than three inches off the ground when fully down, but it's the body of the jack that won't pass under the front/side of the car, so you can't get the pad in far enough - or see what you're doing.

I solved this problem by jacking up the front with the supplied scissor jack as described. By doing this, I could see what I was doing and where I was placing the jack's pad.

The problem is that the Fiat 500 is very low at the front. I've never had this problem with any car I've ever owned before.

TTFN
Mick.

Mick F said:

My trolley jack is "low profile" but won't go far enough under the front.

The pad is low, maybe less than three inches off the ground when fully down, but it's the body of the jack that won't pass under the front/side of the car, so you can't get the pad in far enough - or see what you're doing.

I solved this problem by jacking up the front with the supplied scissor jack as described. By doing this, I could see what I was doing and where I was placing the jack's pad.

The problem is that the Fiat 500 is very low at the front. I've never had this problem with any car I've ever owned before.

TTFN
Mick.

Click to expand...

Yes, it can be a problem especially since mine is 30mm lower at the front and almost 40mm at the back.

Thanks everyone, and thanks for the pics. It was worth the post so as to not damage the car. I have a decent trolley jack thankfully.

I wouldn't have thought about the addition of the blocks of wood.