Front wheel removal

[intermanxnorton]

Hi Guys

Can anyone advise me of the safest and proper jacking point on my 7.

i need to remove the front wheels.

Thanks

[Paul Mason]

Trolley jack is under the cruciform (chassis cross underneath behind the nose) and then axle stands either side of the jack. There's a great article in Get To Know Your 7 (GTKY7) on the homepage (I used it loads to start with)

[Wrightpayne]

I was advised to jack it up using the towing eye. I have to put the jack parallel with the radiator (IYSWIM) so I can get the stands under the cruciform.

use something between the jack / axel stands and chassis tubes. I use surplus cushion floor. Others use carpet.

Ian 

[Jonathan Kay]

The Guide.

The Low Flying article.

Some recommend the cruciform, others don't. I use the towing eye.

Jonathan

[Geoff Brown]

Using the cruciform does impart unwanted stress on that part of the chassis over time I would imagine that the two outboard chassis rails are slowly but microscopically brought together.

Jack on the tow eye. The car will have to be up quiet high as the nearside does naturally hang a bit lower. 

The alternative if it is one wheel coming off is to use the lower front wish bone. Place the jack, with suitable protection on the pad, under the front arm of the wishbone as close to the mounting point & the longitudinal arm as you can. This is approved by CC in the Owners Handbook. 

[intermanxnorton]

Thanks Geof, very informative.

[intermanxnorton]

Thanks Johnathan for the info.

[intermanxnorton]

Thanks for the info.

[intermanxnorton]

Thanks Paul, never thought about looking at the handbook !

[Wrightpayne]

Regardless of what it says in the hand book I’d never ever jack it on the wishbone - I think it is unsafe and risks damaging the tubing.

 

[Paul Mason]

It does make me wonder though, if the advice on this sites GTKY7 article says cruciform, yet some say this can be damaging? Mind you, the highest likelihood of anything being bent in my car is me putting my post holiday wieght into it.....

[John Vine]

I tend to jack under the cruciform, but I also use a plank of wood between jack and chassis to spread the load (leaving enough room at the edges to insert the axle stands).

Having said that, however, this is what my old SS-R Handbook had to say:

JV

[elie boone]

I use a piece of hardwood the whole with of the chassis and under the cruciform, i put the jack under the hardwood aswel as the axle stands.

[Tony P]

I've always done the same as Elie. I don't think I'd ever want to jack via any part of a wishbone, whatever anyone says - seems like a really crude, hooligan thing to do.

[DJ.]

I made a block of wood with triangles that stick up either side of the cruciform so it can't slide off, and tge cut angled slots so it can rotate slightly as the car is raised. To my mind the biggest risk jacking here is that the jack slips off the round tube.

[Bricol]

If the wishbone was easily damaged by careful jacking, I don't think I'd want to drive down the road with it fitted . . .

Depending on what I'm doing I'll jack on the cruciform, the towing eye, wishbone or under one of the chassis rails.

I tend to use an old welding glove as protection between jack and car- whatever car I'm jacking.

I don't think there's any issue with stressing the chassis - if the cruciform was deforming to distort that chassis, then what does uneven jacking under one side do . . . ;-)

John - your handbook illustration seems to show no cruciform in that chassis - so I guess they had to find something.

 

I do design lots of steel structures, frames, casting, fabrications, in my job so I have a little (dangerous) knowledge.

[Speedtrip]

I've always jacked from the towing eye without issue. Yes you do need to take the offside a bit higher to get a stand under the near side rail but it doesn't seem to be a problem.

I also need to run the car onto a piece of wood or similar to be able to get a standard jack under the eye.

 

[CharlesElliott]

Cruciform. Probably done it 300 times and all is OK.

If I'm going to go underneath the car, jack on the towing eye and then an axle stand under the cruciform.

[aerobod - near CYYC]

I agree with jacking on the cruciform. I use a hockey puck with a channel cut in it (using a wood routing blade) to securely locate the jack under a round tube while protecting the tube powder coating. Also works well for jacking under the deDion A-frame mounting point to lift the rear. I also use a piece of slit 1" heater hose on the top of the axle stands to protect the powder coating.