Not at all. Think of it as using the factory jack to change a flat tire.

 

That's when on the side of the road in an emergency situation. That doesn't make it ok to do regularly. Maybe I'm just being too paranoid. Doesn't the frame twist and only one side raises when you do this? I've never tried it.

 

I think you're overthinking this. People have been lifting cars up that way for decades and I don't think I've ever heard of a problem like you're describing. I'm no engineer but would imagine the stress a chassis/frame takes from rough roads/potholes at speed is greater than the stress from a jack.

 

but you're lifting it up a foot or more on one side. that's different than driving over a 6" deep pothole with suspension travel

 

It is not hurting anything. The frames on these cars are so stiff that when lifting a rear tire high enough the front will start to come up. As has been said home mechanics, pro mechanics, tire shops, race mechanics, etc.. have been lifting cars like this for decades. Have done it with every car I have ever had, and i had quite a few. If I am going to swap summer/winter wheels I do it one corner at a time.

 

interesting.

 

I guess if you really were worried about it you could get a second floor jack and raise each side a little at a time until both sides were high enough to put on the stands. That would eliminate that concern.

 

I have just been lifting the front by the crossmember and the rear by the axle

 

Let me get this straight. You think its bad to jack one corner at a time, yet you will jack the car from the two places ford tells you not to in the owners manual?

 

likely only because the car could tip if you don't do it right

 

That is not the reason. Far from it. I know people have been doing it for years though. My 2012 STI owners manual said to use the pumpkin specifically. Ford tells us not to use it. Point is nothing will happen if you use the factory jack points and something could happen if you jack from center. I guess do whatever you feel comfortable with.

 

No, it is the reason. The entire car sits on the axle, the car uses the axle to drive itself forward, the axle is centered and supported in every way. It's fairly safe, but there is an issue:

Jacking via the axle is an inherent safety risk, especially for the pumpkin area, because the car possibly can roll forward or back off the jack, or tilt side to side. They MUST tell you to not jack the car on the axle so as to cover their backsides from any liablity (aka: you didn't say *NOT* to...)

Because there are indeed people out there who would sue for that reason.

Again, IF you are safe about it, IF you do it right, then the axle is fine... it's just not as inherently stable as the pinch welds on the sides, nor a suspension mount (control arm or spring-to-body).

So let's consider a lift situation. You have the car in the air with a lift, you're putting on suspension pieces, say a sway bar, and you want to load the axle as if the car's on the ground to do it... how? Pole jack under the pumpkin! How else? Or two, one on either side.

The car *sits* on the axle. It's strong enough to jack it up. Ford just doesn't want a wayward lawsuit for NOT saying "don't" is all if it falls off that jack (because there's a whole lot of dumb out there, folks.)

 

I've been using this diagram which seems to include the axle (but not the pumpkin) and the front cross member.

https://themustangsource.com/forums/f669/safest-places-put-jack-stands-451433/#post5303988

 

Well I guess not every company is worried about a law suit. My 2012 Subaru STI's owners manual specifically told you to lift from the differential. I am not arguing against jacking from the pumpkin. Just that fords reason for saying not to is not because it can "tip over" by doing it. Roll forward yes, tip over no. He was saying that it is better to lift from the pumpkin rather than lift the car one corner at a time to put on stands.

 

The reason Ford doesn't want you lifting from the diff is because it can damage the seal and cause leaks.

 

yeah, if you don't position the jack under the axle properly.

 

Used them again today. They work real well.



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