Technical Self service carried out successfully

[syphon123]

hi

just finished a service of car. oil change, filter, plugs, not much else.
Bit nasty when I was checking discs and pads mine, Started lowereing the car back down on the jack, and it just gave way, car went shooting down to the floor. Completely shredded the thread on the jack. Good job I hadnt got my head under there at the time.
All in all was straight forard.
One thing that ive noticed tho. When I jack in the passenger side, front or rear, when I lower it back down, the rear suspension doesnt seem to go down far enough. as tho its stuck, after sitting in there ,and driving up the road, its basck to normal. Any ideas?

thanks

joe

Seicento Sporting 2000 X
Black
Black Front and Side Indicaters
Pioneer DCEH8400 HeadUnit + JBL speakers 6x9 in parcel shelf, 10cm in front, 10" Sub and GTO4000 AMP(600Watt).
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[John H]

I'm glad you survived the experience with the jack.. those of us who do this sort of thing regularly use axle stands and better jacks: the one provided is just up to a wheel change.
Sorry this wasn't mentioned - perhaps it aught to go in a FAQ, Pete?

Regarding the suspension settling from being jacked up, my understanding is that it's primarily because the front suspension makes the font wheel pivot inwards on the suspension arm, when the strut extends with no load on it.
When you lower back down the tyre grips the road before the suspension is in its normal "loaded" position.

There's another factor with the standard jack tilting the car too, which adds to the problem by pushing sideways on the tyres on the opposite side.

If you had fancy suspension where the wheel movement was straight up and down, and you jacked it vertically too, the problem you're decribing wouldn't happen.


Regards

John H

 

[CentoEvo]

Yeah its only where the handbrake is on and it causes the car too look lopsided when its been jacked up, this is normal so don't worry!

"The Not so Fast but Furious"
Who cares about my post count - it's all about quality not quantity!!
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[syphon123]

hi

Just to clarify, I wasnt using the jack for the oil change, i had the car up on ramps for that. I only used the jack to get wheels off to look at brakes. God it would have been even harder if i had used the jack. I got my arm stuck as it was hehe.

Id never trust a jack to hold the car while I was under it. Will be gettin a set of axle stands soon so I can get all the wheels off and have them blasted and polished. At the same time I can paint brakes which i have benn waiting to do for months.

thanks for help, Still unsure bout back suspension tho, when I got round right hand corners, i.e roundabouts, and can hear something catching, and i reversed off the drive this morning and the whole thing gave out a nasty stratching noise. Gotta have the wheel off for a proper look.

thanks again

joe turner

Seicento Sporting 2000 X
Black
Black Front and Side Indicaters
Pioneer DCEH8400 HeadUnit + JBL speakers 6x9 in parcel shelf, 10cm in front, 10" Sub and GTO4000 AMP(600Watt).
Abarth badges all round from abarthbadges.co.uk