What should I put under my car jack to elevate it?

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Danoff

Danoff

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I have a floor jack for my car that won't lift it high enough. I need to raise it off the ground by putting something under it. Any ideas? Cinder blocks come to mind, but I've broken a number of those in my time and don't trust them as much as perhaps I should.

Anyone done this for their car?
 
Wood. Nature's universal tool. The jack will settle into it, as will the ground.
 
How high do you have to go? Eight inches like a CMU?
 
Not very far. Maybe 6 inches. Wood isn't going to split under the jack wheels? This is similar to the jack I'm using:

2-Ton-Hydraulic-Floor-Jack-901611-.jpg
 
You have to find boards that will sit in between the wheels, so as to have a sturdy base and so the jack doesn't want to roll off.
 
Dont flame me is this is a stupid idea, but maybe taking the wheels off, then put a few (don't know how much) phone books under it.
 
Danoff
Wood isn't going to split under the jack wheels?
Click to expand...
It's amazing how much weight you can set on a flat plank of wood. Make sure you use pieces that are long and wide enough for all the wheels to set on. Once the wheels get weighed they'll squeeze down into the wood a bit making the whole thing more stable.

Don't use too much though, go an inch at a time or so. If you use too much you might not be able to get the jack under the car in the first place.

jackstand.jpg


The wheels didn't squish in that picture because plywood has God's own compression strength.
 
Well given that there's a photo of it working and everything... I think I'll try that. Thanks Keef.
 
We did something similar with my mom and dads deck to get it back to level (it was 3" off...). Plywood will indeed work well.
 
I know it's probably too late but I always put wood between the lifty bit (sorry I just woke up) and the car. Don't need big pieces of wood and otherwise I'd be semi worried about it rolling off.

At any rate, you're smart enough to know this but always good to make sure, always use a jack stand. Better safe than to be crushed to death by something you love (or hate depending on your vehicle).
 
The wheels are part of the jacking process, you don't want to disable them!!!! Since these jacks don't lift vertically, the jack body has to move under the load as it raises. If the wheels are removed or lifted off the ground, then the load has to move with the jack, or the jack tilts, or the load slides off, or . . . . any number of other Bad Things.

With this type of jack, ALWAYS leave the wheels usable.

I have a hydraulic scissor jack that I use for car stuff, got it at Pep Boys, look like this item. Lifts vertically, doesn't need to move while lifting, easy to use a 2x4 or brick underneath to get more height.
 
Diablo'
I know it's probably too late but I always put wood between the lifty bit (sorry I just woke up) and the car. Don't need big pieces of wood and otherwise I'd be semi worried about it rolling off.
Click to expand...

Tried that... it was less than successful.
 
^^^^ Yeah, that's a bad idea, more slippy surfaces added. Usually the lift surface of the jack is at least concave, probably more like a shallow basket with teeth. Putting wood on that removes the basket-ness.
 
Huh, it always worked for me. I'd always use a little piece or two of 2 x 4 and when I jacked the car up the jack and the car made an impression in the wood which kept it still.

Doesn't really matter for me anymore though, my friend bought a bigger jack, we have more of a problem getting it under the frame sometimes then being able to reach it.
 

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