Jacking points - Mythbuster Edition
 

Been reading a lot about jacking points. Seems that many swear that we need special jacking pads, that they can only go in one place, and that the car will implode if we don't use them (OK, I might have made that last one up). I've seen pictures of underbellies of cars where someone used MS Paint to circle supposed "jack points". I've even seen videos where people pointed at certain parts and said, "See this? This is aluminum - don't jack here."

But, I knew there was a problem with this theory. After all, when the professionals deliver the car, they don't tie them down with tire straps. They attach straps to hard points UNDER the car. And, these hard points have to be near the edges of the car. And, it stands to reason that if they are reinforced enough to hold a car on a trailer with a tiny T- or J-hook, they should be strong enough to support the car on a jack or jack stand.

So, I decided to investigate.

Sure enough, there's steel under there. Here's a picture of the front jack point of the car (assuming you have a real jack that has ~12 square inches of area on the jacking pad - not a scissor jack). It's just rearward of the front wheels - the black part with 2 big holes and 2 small ones.

https://s21.postimg.org/y801iij6v/Steel_frame_2.jpg
(note - I took this pic after jacking the car up, and there is no noticeable mark, denting, or deformity)

And, to prove that it's steel . . .

https://s12.postimg.org/vdmj6wzql/Steel_frame_1.jpg

. . . I stuck my magnetic bowl to it.

So, if you want to buy fancy jacking thingies for your car, have at it. But, if you want to just jack the car up and get to work, use these points.

I love common sense! Thanks!

IMHO, the fancy bolt-ons thingies are for two reasons:
1) reduce the chance of twisting the pinch welds when you lower on the jack stands
2) reduce the chance of some dealer guy not padding the jack arms and ruining your rocker panels.

The spots you are recommending are not the GM recommended jacking spots.

What part of the car is that "steel" part? What is it?

Go into the service department of your dealership. Find a Camaro up on a rack. Look where they put the pads of their lift. It's right there where that magnet is sticking. When they installed my brakes, they had mine and another Camaro on a lift.

Yes - the "Owner's Manual" says to use the pinch welds. But, remember, those manuals aren't written for gearheads. They're written for average Joes. And, the average Joe doesn't have a nice floor jack with a wide pad. They are writing the manuals for people that have a scissor jack left over from their 1985 Malibu, or a bottle jack from their dad's 1974 F100.

The black part, with 2 large holes and 3 small ones.

:popcorn:

:lol::pound::clap:

FWIW I'm well aware of owner's vs service manuals and I own service manuals of my other two vehicles. You don't need to make any of above avg joe assumptions to support your preference... and dealer service techs are known to screw things up all the time.
I'll definitely examine the spot you have mentioned next time I go under the camaro.

Ok....so let's say we can use these 'new' jack points. Where would you locate the jack stands?

PS- I lift my car from the center front point and the center rear black bar and put my stands on the pinch welds.
The rear black bar works great. The center front point also works well, however is did bend a little.

Agreed. There's been multiple threads with pics of screwed up rocker panels because the service deck didn't set the lift pads right. I swear some of them don't know you can raise and lower the pads separately.


Should be no problem using the OP's spots with a wide quality floor jack. Personally don't think putting jack stands on the pinch welds is going to hurt them if done right. I know I didn't bend/damage mine on my last oil change. Just lowered the car slowly onto the jack stands. The issue comes from jacking on the pinch welds.

In the same spot. It's wide enough to put both a 4" diameter floor jack pad and a stand at the same time. Just put the jack a little more outboard, and the stand inboard.

For reference, that magnetic bowl is about 6" diameter. There is plenty of room to fit both.

But that spot is slightly further up then the outer trim. If the car-lift pads are worn or to thin or the cars placement is off, the lifts main arm support will press into the plastic trim.
Some techs will look and maybe catch it, others might not or think its plastic and will just flex, but it won't because the way it is made. So it leads to the plastic being compressed up and damaging it, even more so with a GFX kit.
Adding the items to the pinch welds, just adds a little more protection and less chance of loosing time with your car as the dealer fixes their mistake.

Here was what happened to me, but i have seen worse.
http://i.imgur.com/Ui5u6wL.jpg

My dealer's 4-point lift had plates the allowed them to lift it from the pinch weld on all four corners. I complimented them on doing it correctly and they replied that its expensive to replace rockers. I wish I had taken a photo.

If your jack has enough area you can probably lift it where you show. I have the pinch weld adapters so no need to chance it.

Also... I had the passenger/front area like that crush slightly on my old 2004 GTO after years of being ok