how to properly jack up Z4

[jaskispyder]

Ok... what is the recommended what to get the car up in the air on jackstands. I have searched, but maybe the info is buried. This would be a great How To article.

J.

[pbdm4k]

Well.. first you start by taking off your belt and unzipping your pants.. and then you..

oh wait.. oh... OH.. you said Jack UP the car.. right...

You'll notice there are 4 jack pads on all 4 corners of the car in the shape of a rectangle, your jack goes under that. Those are the safe places to jack up.

As for jacking up the car and putting it on a jack stand, there's gotta be some magic trick to slide the jack stand in place of the car jack. I dunno, I usually only work on one corner of my car at a time, and I'm a dumbass and don't use a jack stand cuz I'd rather die than have a hole slammed into the underbody of my car by a jack stand and a failing jack...
Although theoretically, you could jack the front of the car and raise it high enough so that a whole side of the car is up in the air, then u could lower the car onto a jack stand on the back side.

[The HACK]

There's a center jack point in the rear where the two support braces come together. Use that to jack up the rear axle. There's also a center jack point right smack in the middle of the front subframe cross-brace. It's a square looking protrusion from the cross-brace, and it's smack in the centerline between the two wheels. Use that to jack up the front of the car.

[pbdm4k]

That's great info, The HACK.

I knew about the rear jack, but i didnt know about the centre one! This will make my future brake bleeding jobs much easier!

[Reach]

Unless you've got a super long, low-profile jack, you'll never hit the front point without raising the car up a little first. I have 2 small setups consisting of a 2x4 attached to a longer 2x6 that I drive the front wheels up on just to get clearance to get my jack in there.

[BlackSapphireZ]

Originally Posted by The HACK

It's a square looking protrusion from the cross-brace, and it's smack in the centerline between the two wheels. Use that to jack up the front of the car.

not on my car

I drive my car up on piece of flat wood for the front ones because regular jacks have hard time getting under the side skirt. Rear one is very close, where the bars meet in the center...I have to nudge the car upward to get the jack in

if you have LOW profile jack($100+) you can jack up the car without any problem

[The HACK]

It's good to invest in a good floorjack. This is what I use:

http://www.drivewerks.com/catalog/Sh...ACHyd1_pg1.htm



Worth every penny if you do a lot of DIY projects. I've swapped everything from suspension to headers and exhaust using this to jack.

$500 isn't cheap. But it's worth it. The jack point lines up perfectly with the jack if you line up the Roundel to the jack and insert it until the handle is about 1/2 inch from the bumper.

[BlackSapphireZ]

thats one hell of a jack but $500...naw my $30 jack has been good to me for last 5 years

[pbdm4k]

Originally Posted by BlackSapphireZ

thats one hell of a jack but $500...naw my $30 jack has been good to me for last 5 years

Might want to start being cautious with it.
My last $30 jack was in service for about roughly the same time before one day it just wouldn't lift anymore.

The little jack that couldn't...

[Brucewonder]

when i change my oil i run the car up on a long piece of 2 by 4 wood. thwn the jack can fit under the jack points. I jack it up and place the stands underneath.

[jaskispyder]

How do you jack it up exactly? Where are the jacking points? Do you use the side jacking points and then put jackstands under there? This is the information I am in search of.... the best way to get the stock Z4 on jackstands...

Thanks!

Originally Posted by teammojo

when i change my oil i run the car up on a long piece of 2 by 4 wood. thwn the jack can fit under the jack points. I jack it up and place the stands underneath.

[The HACK]

Originally Posted by BlackSapphireZ

thats one hell of a jack but $500...naw my $30 jack has been good to me for last 5 years

Yeah...I thought long and hard before I bought that jack, but the decision was almost made for me when a cheapie jack i was using before FAILED when I was changing brakes, when the car dropped on the ground it almost pinned me to the side of the garage. After that it was a no brainer to buy the best jack money can buy.

That and plus given how often I use it, it's paid for itself 10X over.

[BlackSapphireZ]

Originally Posted by The HACK

Yeah...I thought long and hard before I bought that jack, but the decision was almost made for me when a cheapie jack i was using before FAILED when I was changing brakes, when the car dropped on the ground it almost pinned me to the side of the garage. After that it was a no brainer to buy the best jack money can buy.

That and plus given how often I use it, it's paid for itself 10X over.

you should know better not to be under a car supported by a jack...

thats why there are jack stands. it works trust me

[BigLeo48]

Originally Posted by BlackSapphireZ

you should know better not to be under a car supported by a jack...

thats why there are jack stands. it works trust me

Yeah...every year or so, I seem to hear about a guy who pays with his life by not using jack stands. Recently, a father of three in the next town got it. Lived, by its in very bad shape. Sad

I'm gonna look into that jack...I can always justify good tools.

BigLeo

[BlackSapphireZ]

Originally Posted by BigLeo48

Yeah...every year or so, I seem to hear about a guy who pays with his life by not using jack stands. Recently, a father of three in the next town got it. Lived, by its in very bad shape. Sad

I'm gonna look into that jack...I can always justify good tools.

BigLeo

i think that jack is an overkill....go to harbor freight or sears and they have good quality low profile jack that fits even the lowest cars like ours. it's mere $150 or less

[jaskispyder]

The 2003 doesn't have the front jacking point like the M. How do people jack up their Z? I understand where to put the jack stands, but I want to know where is the best place to put the jack to get the car up in the air, then put jack stands under there.

Someone uses the front control arms as the place for the jack stands (front).

Anyone with suggestions? I need help on this one!

[Dieter]

Originally Posted by jaskispyder

Ok... what is the recommended what to get the car up in the air on jackstands. I have searched, but maybe the info is buried. This would be a great How To article.

J.

Just to BMW and let the work to be done there. Is all under maintenance anyways if you got an 06 and so on.
Oil change etc. all for free

[wasupdu]

I picked up a low-profile jack from Northern Tool that fits under my Z easily....maybe 1-2 inches to spare. It was about $75 with tax. Best jack for the $$ IMHO. I have jack stands and I really need to get better about using them. I rarely use the stands since lately all I use the jack for are wheel changes. My factory service warranty is running out shortly on both vehicles so I'll need to start doing oil, brakes, etc...

[wasupdu]

The jack I picked up looks similar to this one although it's blue and probably a much older model...

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...21?cm_vc=C5502


Here's one for $60...

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...ge&cm_vc=C5201

[caseysc]

Try this link:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...658&highlight=

[jaskispyder]

I have read the article about the lifting point in the center and the non-lifting point. I really don't want to have to remove the support structure under the car every time I want to jack it up. Can the support structure under the car be modified to become a lifting point?

This is a 2003, no warranty left and I would think I am not the only owner with this issue. Someone must have jacked up their Z4 and have proper instructions. I have seem some vague references, but that is all. I have jacked up many other cars, but I don't want to damage this thing.

Thanks
J.

[The HACK]

Originally Posted by jaskispyder

The 2003 doesn't have the front jacking point like the M. How do people jack up their Z? I understand where to put the jack stands, but I want to know where is the best place to put the jack to get the car up in the air, then put jack stands under there.

Someone uses the front control arms as the place for the jack stands (front).

Anyone with suggestions? I need help on this one!

There is a squarish protrusion from the front subframe reinforcement bracket:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...42&hg=31&fg=05

That's part number 3 in this diagram. If you've ever taken that cross brace off, you'll notice the squarish protrusion lines up perfectly to the center of the front subframe structure (part number 1 in diagram), probably the stiffest part of the car on the front axle. Use that protrusion on the brace as the place to line up the puck on the jack. Use a rubber puck if you can.

The protrusion will be crushed the first time you use a jack but don't worry. What's under that squarish looking thing is the subframe. I've jacked up my '03 Z4 3.0i hundreds of times this way.