Lifting a car can be a bit questionable – after all, potential damage is not hard to come by. However, there are some reliable ways to do it safely!
First of all, remember that all activities around the car are best done in the assistance of someone who has a lot of experience in repairing cars. Expert knowledge is a guarantee that we will not miss anything. The issue of making any changes to the vehicle is a very intricate subject – moreover, not every procedure will work for every car. However, if the repair requires lifting the car, the initial steps are very similar regardless of the model. To start, we should gather the most important tools, then we need to park on a flat surface or lock the wheels on a hill – after that we can proceed to the procedure.
This is the most important tool in the whole process – the jack should be in every car. Health and safety rules require it to be used in a specific way. First and foremost, make sure the jack is on a solid, flat surface. It should not be placed in mud or on the ground. The enormous load on the vehicle means that only a firm road is capable of supporting the structure. When any slip of the car occurs, the damage can be counted even in thousands of zlotys.
The procedure for lifting the car therefore begins with the placement of the jack in the right place. The position of the tool on the ground is only the first step – now let’s look at where it should be in relation to the vehicle being lifted.
It’s not enough to simply place the jack under the vehicle and start using the tool – the procedure is much more complicated. Improper placement of the equipment can lead to damage to various components. The chassis and systems accessible from underneath the vehicle are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of the jack – deformation and bending of the surface may occur. This should absolutely be avoided. If you are not sure where the jacking points are, refer to the vehicle manual. Support points are usually located just behind the front wheels and just in front of the rear wheels. They are usually significantly different from the rest of the ground, so they are easy to find.
There are several types of jacks, which are excellent for use by the ordinary user. In workshops, of course, we will meet more efficient solutions, which do not resemble ordinary jacks. However, let’s focus on products that are the basic equipment of vehicles.
Place the jack in accordance with the principles mentioned above and press the lever to push the car up. The method of operation of standard jacks is the same whether we are dealing with a standard trapeze or hydraulic jack. We just have to gently “pump” and wait for the body to lift up enough for us to perform the necessary operation. When the car is already at the required level, we can stop – we managed to lift it!
If we have in our arsenal props, also called jacks, it is the right time to use them. They will provide us with additional safety. The supports are inexpensive accessories – their prices start from as little as 50 PLN. For this small amount we can significantly protect ourselves from various undesirable events while lifting the car.
After a successful repair, we often want to return to driving as soon as possible – many drivers in such a situation immediately lower the car to the ground. However, we still have to remember about safety rules. You should lower the vehicle slowly and gently, and make sure all wheels are securely on the ground before removing the jack. If we skip this point, we may end up damaging our car and the whole previous repair will be in vain.
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