General Trolley jack

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General Trolley jack

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Aug 2, 2021
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Where do I lift the front end up with a trolley jack? I didn't find anything in the handbook but then I hardly read it!:D
 
Good link. This car has had someone lift it on the folds under the sills and as a result opened up a join.
I did not like the idea of lifting a side on the outrigger and until I know better I did one side at a time to get a wheel clear of the ground by lifting on a suspension mount. I need to be able to lift the whole car front in one go and need to know what best place to do it. My jacks are high lift and one is a really long jack, really low and very high lifting. This is because I had an Ignis that had a crossmember miles back from the front and it sat on the floor like a grub hunter. So I got this which, as a bonus, is excellent for my 4x4.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170972431353

Also where do I lift the rear in one go?

I have ramps but hate using them with an automatic so I jack it first then put the ramps under - it comes off OK though.:D:D
 
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I need to be able to lift the whole car front in one go and need to know what best place to do it.

There's no safe way to lift either the front or the rear of the car in one go. Jack each side in turn and put suitable stands under the chassis hardpoints. If you need to go high, do it in stages.

Don't try to either jack it or support it anywhere on the sills.

Under no circumstances try to lift the rear on the twist beam; there's a risk you'll distort it and then the car will never track correctly. There's a specific warning in the workshop documentation against doing this.

Like many modern cars, it's designed to be raised on a commercial 2 or 4 post lift; there's no built-in provision for DIY jacking.

A lot of Pandas & 500's have suffered sill damage in the hands of tyre fitters taking shortcuts. There are also quite a few with damaged or misaligned rear beams.

Some of us here remove the wheels and take them separately at tyre change time.
 
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Under no circumstances try to lift the rear on the twist beam

Some of us here remove the wheels and take them separately at tyre change time.

Oh dear too late.
First time I jacked up each side as I wanted to get off the wheels but the second time I lifted it on the cross beam which is what I think you mean by the twist beam just enough to get ramps under it.
If I am jacking up the rear one side at a time what is your suggestion for where the trolley jack goes for that. I can use two trolleys at the same time if I know where to set them.
TBH I looked in the handbook to find where or how to do it and found nothing.

It would be my intention to take just the wheels if and when I get new tyres.
 
If I am jacking up the rear one side at a time what is your suggestion for where the trolley jack goes for that. I can use two trolleys at the same time if I know where to set them.
The post linked to above shows both front and rear reinforced sections of the body suitable for jacking the car. Here's the rear:
 

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Oh dear too late.
First time I jacked up each side as I wanted to get off the wheels but the second time I lifted it on the cross beam which is what I think you mean by the twist beam just enough to get ramps under it.
If I am jacking up the rear one side at a time what is your suggestion for where the trolley jack goes for that. I can use two trolleys at the same time if I know where to set them.
TBH I looked in the handbook to find where or how to do it and found nothing.

It would be my intention to take just the wheels if and when I get new tyres.

Yes the rear axle when new had a label on it. "Not to be uses for jacking" or words to that effect.

my axle has been historically bent. Still drives okay.

the rear only has the pads for a garage lift.

Which is no good you want to use axle stands, as there nowhere left to safely jack the car.


I am naughty, so can't recommend it for yourself. But I jack under the axle near the spring pan so I can use the proper pad for the axle stand and do one side at a time. Your only lifting half the rear weight, which isnt much when the fuel tank is empty.
 
Yes the rear axle when new had a label on it. "Not to be uses for jacking" or words to that effect.

my axle has been historically bent. Still drives okay.

the rear only has the pads for a garage lift.

Which is no good you want to use axle stands, as there nowhere left to safely jack the car.


I am naughty, so can't recommend it for yourself. But I jack under the axle near the spring pan so I can use the proper pad for the axle stand and do one side at a time. Your only lifting half the rear weight, which isnt much when the fuel tank is empty.

Put the axle stand under the rear axle just behind where the front mount id to the body work
This will be a very strong point of the axle much better the having the flat under body of the car sat on the top of the axle stand
 
Yes the rear axle when new had a label on it. "Not to be uses for jacking" or words to that effect.

my axle has been historically bent. Still drives okay.
I jack under the axle near the spring pan so I can use the proper pad for the axle stand and do one side at a time. Your only lifting half the rear weight, which isn't much when the fuel tank is empty.

Now that begs the question, what does bent look like?:idea:

I ask because it had a distinct bow in the centre like a bridge over the Tyne before I even started on it. And it is no worse now.;)

I tend to use suspension parts that take the power of the suspension for jacking a lot. I would do much of what you do!!(y)

I like the car because it doesn't have todays hissy sissy fitments like electric steering but this jacking is a bit too up to date for my liking as a DIYer.:devil:
 
Now that begs the question, what does bent look like?:idea:

I ask because it had a distinct bow in the centre like a bridge over the Tyne before I even started on it. And it is no worse now.;)

I tend to use suspension parts that take the power of the suspension for jacking a lot. I would do much of what you do!!(y)

I like the car because it doesn't have todays hissy sissy fitments like electric steering but this jacking is a bit too up to date for my liking as a DIYer.:devil:

my First two were dead flat. I assume they should all be flat. But it is possible Fiat may have made a change

my current it like a bridge plus there a couple of nick in the bottom edge where its been jacked.

Even a half an inch or more of bend mine drives fine. Unless the outer edge of the rear tyre's are wearing badly it wouldn't concern me. There's a lot of bent axles out there, some from new.
 
my First two were dead flat. I assume they should all be flat.

my current it like a bridge

Even a half an inch or more of bend mine drives fine..



I reckon they should be flat. lol

Now then, how to unbend it.

I'll get a straight edge on it later today and measure the distortion.:bang:
 
I like the car because it doesn't have todays hissy sissy fitments like electric steering

The Panda has electric power steering; the current needed to power it is considerable.

Problems with it are posted here quite frequently, but fortunately most can be resolved by changing the battery and/or ensuring all the earth connections are sound.

It wouldn't achieve anywhere near the fuel economy it does if it had hydraulic power steering.
 
really not worth worrying about

I suspect the axle will be bent mostly between the shock mounts more like an omega shape

The tolerance in both vertical and horizontal planes is quite large and the axles aren't well made from the factory.


without fabricating a jig you could even make it worse
 
The Panda has electric power steering; the current needed to power it is considerable.

Problems with it are posted here quite frequently, but fortunately most can be resolved by changing the battery and/or ensuring all the earth connections are sound.

It wouldn't achieve anywhere near the fuel economy it does if it had hydraulic power steering.

Oh I saw a steering column and assumed it went to a box.
 
Measured ½"!(n)

about the same as mine

You can always measure the rear camber if it worries you

Park the car somewhere level

chalk the bottom of the tyre

drop a plum Bob and measure to the top and bottom of the rim

move the car forward until the chalk mark is at the top and measure again

average the results


there probably other ways to measure the camber.

a straight edge across the wheel nuts and angle measured with a smart phones spirit level app would be a quick and dirty check.
 
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