I'd like to be able to lift both front tires at the same time, but, I'm a bit nervous since I'm not sure about the placement of the jack.

 

There is a side to side cross member that has a circular area in the middle. It should be sufficiently robust, but finding a jack with a reach long enough to get under there is the challenge.

 

I'll take a look. Thanks.

I "think" my Jack will reach the center of the car, but, I'm not sure I'll be able to pump it up.

 

Here again, a subject that has been hashed over a multitude of times herein and again, here is a very easy solution. Scroll down to the April 28th blog entry titled: "How a stud lifts a MINI".

http://www.blimeycabrio.com/?m=200704

 

If it was a subject that has been hashed over a multitude of times herein and again, seems like it would have been pretty easy to point the OP to a thread here on the site instead of having to point to something off site. And again, seems like a post more recent than 2007 might have been available as well.

In any case, Blimey's solution is not relevant to what the OP is trying to do - "lift both front tires at the same time". He is not trying to lift the tires on one side at the same time.

 

It was easier to go to my multitude (near 50) of MINI related URL links in my MINI favorites file, wherein lies Blimey's blog, than to do a search which would have been equal to what the OP could have done.
The OP wanted to get both wheels of the same side off the ground at the same time and Blimey's solution does just that. I use my MINI lifting 2X4 every time I rotate the tires or put the whole thing up on floor stands which subsequently has the front end AND the back end off the ground. More than one way to skin a cat.

 

No; OP wanted both fronts off the ground.

 

safety comments . . . .


OP wants to lift both front wheels from one point ..... this makes me wonder


are you planning to work under the car with the front end held by your one jack


BAD IDEA .... NEVER work under the car when held by a jack. Use JACK STANDS


LIFT the car and put it on good jack stands ... and if doing this you don't really need to lift the entire front end at the same time. Lift left and put on a stand and then lift right . . .

 

Lift up the side of the car (both tires come off the ground). Put a jack stand under the jack point located near the front tire. Let the car down. Repeat on the other side. Now you have both front wheels up (on jack stands) and both rear wheels on the ground.

 

My point exactly. The 2X4 leaves the jack points free for the placement of jack stands regardless of how much or all of the car you want off the ground. Problem solving seems to be becoming a lost art.

 

I was actually just wondering if it could be done. (lift both front tires from one point) without hurting anything.

I would NEVER get under the car without resting it on Jack stands.

Right now, I put a jack on both sides and lift it a bit on one side, go to the other side and lift and repeat until I can slide the stands under it.

 

One tip..if you drive your car onto a couple scrap pieces of 2x6 lumber(the end you want o lift)....a standard jack can be used...no low profile jack needed...and just be sure to put the wood back under the tires when you lower it, so you can get the jack out!!

 

The OP did not want to get both wheels of the same side off the ground at the same time. Go back and read the OP's post - he wanted both front wheels off the ground at the same time using a single jack point. The suggestions about jacking up one side and then the other do not answer the question.

 

If the wheels aren't coming off I just use ramps. You may need to drive onto some wood first if your car is low and you don't have the expensive long and not steep ramps.

If I need two wheels up I usually do all four now, it's just as easy for me now I have the gear.

Lift the car one side at a time. My jack reaches to a chassis member that's just under the seat so it lifts front and rear evenly, and I use a piece of wood to spread the pressure just in case. Put a stand under each jacking point on the side you just lifted. Move to the other side and repeat the process. Takes less than five minutes these days. If you need the car fairly high I do it in two lifts, i.e. lift the left, put on stands at mid height, do the same on the right, then go back and lift the left to the final height and finally back to the right to level it off. This stops the car getting at too much of an angle, putting sideways load on the stands on the other side to your jack, and risking it falling off.

 

This is ridiculous. There are 4 jack points. If you want one end or other othe the car clear off the ground to work on something you need to get jack stands under those jack points. If you jack the front by a jack point there's no place to put the floor stand. To solve the problem, jack up one side with the 2X4, place the floor stand under the front or rear jack point and lower the jack. Move to the other side and repeat. Problem solved. I've done it that way on a regular basis for various projects. It ain't rocket surgery.

 

Been doing the above since August 2006.

 

fyi for most cars there is a factory jacking point somewhere in the front near the towhook or crossmember or subframe etc. do you need wheels up? coudl always use ramps

 

Fly'n Brick

The OP asked a question to aid him in working on his MINI safely. Your responses continue to give him a hard time for asking a straight forward question.

It was my belief that NAM was a forum for MINI owners/enthusiasts to gain information. You unkind responses do not create a welcoming environment.

 

I'm with spiney here. I cringe every time I see someone lifting the car with a length 4x2 under the sill.

 

Unkind? How much more straight forward does it have to be? This ain't a petting zoo. Jack the dang car up, place floor jacks where needed and get to work.

 

I agree with green flash. I am new here and have ask a few questions and everyone has been very helpful. If I had got this kind of responses I would of left and not came back.

 

I am sure he had plans to put jacks under car if he was working on under it..
But simple science tells us its faster to do that if you jack two wheels at the same time.. lol.

I just purchased some wheels so I will be jacking up two wheels at a time to change them out and yes I will use jacks as well.
and being a new Mini owner I would of looked it up or ask as well.

I think the OP was just trying to save time for a project he had in mind. .

 

Dang! BINGO! I was jacking up the car with 2 jacks, and, the smaller jack kept trying to "twist." so, I figured I might be able to eliminate the smaller one and just jack the car up in the middle somewhere...

I'm disappointed though. I thought this was a petting zoo.......... BWAAAAAAAAAAA!

Oh well......

 

If your going to work on your car and not remove your wheels. Nothing is greater then Race Ramps. I use the wheel cribs. Have two different sets.

 

to increase the animosity


your .. possessive ... as in the car belongs to you .. it is your car


you're ... contraction for you are ... as in ... you are going to drive the car .. you're going to drive the car


purely intended to increase disharmony . . .