This may be an obvious question, but I want to make sure I do it right. I want to jack up the rear of my car to install a sway bar.

I have a floor jack and 2 jack stands. So do I jack up one side of the car using the FRONT jack point, slip the jack stand under the REAR jack point on that side, then repeat this on the other side of the car?

If I do that there will be a point at which the car is fully off the ground while being supported by a jack stand on the left REAR jack point, and my jack on the right FRONT. Is this safe?

If not, where on the rear of the car can I place my jack to lift only the rear wheels, which is all I want to do anyway.

Thanks for your help with this basic question. I’d rather ask a dumb question online than screw up in my driveway.

 

Great question cause I will be doing the same thing as you!

Not ever doing this before with the Mini but with many other cars, I would not recommend doing one jack stand at a time. There should be a place underneath the rear end where you can position a jack to lift the entire rear end up at once. Than place your kack stands on each side lowering the jack onto both jack stands at the same time.

Let me know how your rear sway bar install goes and good luck!

 

What I usually do is setup the jack stands for both of the back jack points. Jack up one side to the desired heights that you want. Then move to the other side back point and jack up again (notice that you will slowly even out the front two wheels so that they are firmly planted on the ground. Also, after you set the second jack stand, check the first jack stand to also make sure you are firmly planted. Occasionally when I jack up my car the floorjack occasionally moves the weight of the car to the first jack stand and doesn't place the car on a level plane, causing the jack to raise a little. After your done with the install, remove the same way as you installed them. Also make sure your e-brake is on when you drop it down, and while the back end is up make sure you have some wheel chocks or the car in gear (Just to be extra safe.).

 

If you look under the rear of the car, slightly to the right (passenger side) there is a mount point for the lower control arm. Its just to the right of the exhaust. The mount point is very solid, and it is where I normally raise mine when I want just the rear wheels up.

You can also raise one side at a time from the front jack point. The car balances at that point, so just raise up both tires on that side to jack stand it.

For the rear sway bar, just jack up the rear, jackstand underneath the rear jack points.

 

Thanks, guys, this helps a lot. Depending on the weather, I'll be putting my sway bar in this weekend, so I'll report back on how it goes.

Thanks for the advice!

 

Just be careful if you use the Mini's jack blocks to jack up the car. These are the small black blocks, with the grooves in the bottom, that are intended to be used with the jack that comes with the car. They can get a bit "squirrely" under load, but that shouldn't be a problem for you now should it.

Seriously, though, be slow and careful when using these. There was a guy awhile back whose car slipped off of the jack when he used these, and it put a nasty scrape and a hole in the side of his car!

 

Good point SCA.........I wouldn't recommend using the MINI provided jack to get the car all the way in the air (its only designed for you to change a tire). I would buy normal slide around jack if your going to be doing more mods to your MINI (its worth the extra money and its easier and faster to use IMHO). Just use the stock jack to get the car high enough to fit the good jack under and jack the rest of the way with the floorjack, do it the other way around when taking the car down. Let the floorjack come all the way back down till it bottoms and the put your stock jack up in there to lift the car up. And hope you enjoy your new handling monster after this (I sure did). Don't worry if it takes you longer than 3 to 4 hours if your just learning. Think of the enjoyment for years to come and all the curvy roads you'll take after your done. Thats what I had to do with no mechanic experience and just one how-to from webbmotorsports.com. GOOD LUCK! HAVE FUN!

 

Yeah I thought I would be swift and rotate my tires using 2 jack stands a floor jack and the Mini supplied jack... just as I started jacking with the Mini jack already in place the damn thing slid right out under the car. Fortunately, it didn't damage the car and the wheels weren't off yet. Note to self: never use that jack on a slippery surface. They are great for getting the car up and changing the tire, but any gravel, sand, painted garage, water or ice will dump the car on the ground. IMHO these jacks are totally unsafe.