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Possibly stupid question from someone who doesn't own an XJ yet: why not jack from the engine subframe at the front of the car? As long it's steel and not aluminum it should be plenty strong enough to handle the load and doing so will lift the front of the car evenly. Once it's at a desirable height, put the jack stands in their designated spot. It's what I've done with dozens of other cars I've worked on.
Possibly stupid question from someone who doesn't own an XJ yet: why not jack from the engine subframe at the front of the car? As long it's steel and not aluminum it should be plenty strong enough to handle the load and doing so will lift the front of the car evenly. Once it's at a desirable height, put the jack stands in their designated spot. It's what I've done with dozens of other cars I've worked on.
Not a stupid question, but the subframe are fully covered by plastic botton cover. Vehicle need to be rised before cover can be removed.
Not a stupid question, but the subframe are fully covered by plastic botton cover. Vehicle need to be rised before cover can be removed.
Ahh gotcha. So you'd have to drive it up on ramps or something before being able to do that. Bummer! Mercedes has a jack pad attached to the engine cradle that pokes through the engine cover that lets you lift it that way.
Originally Posted by clubairth1
Just do not jack the car up using the rear pumpkin. That is a dead common way to raise cars with a solid axle but not on the XJ.
No kidding! That's surprising! Is it something the manual calls out? As far as I knew the pumpkin was safe even on cars with rear CV axles. Maybe it's just too much strain on the differential mounting bushings.
I appreciate the replies! I do all of my own work so jacking the car up is something I'll be doing a fair bit.
Yes I did it that way for years on other cars but read that in a Jaguar document. It might just be Jaguar being cautious too? As expensive as any of the rear suspension stuff is I will stick to the factory jacking points.
I just saw on another forum where a heavily loaded truck with a solid rear axle was jacked up by the pumpkin and there was so much weight on the frame the solid axle actually bent!
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..........I just saw on another forum where a heavily loaded truck with a solid rear axle was jacked up by the pumpkin and there was so much weight on the frame the solid axle actually bent!
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I would have to say that in that scenario, "heavily loaded" was the key to the failure, since the rear axle should be able to at least hold the truck's unladen weight, when jacking from the middle of the axle.
I got into this topic of discussion, as I recently needed to R&R the wheels/tires on our XJ, in order for the tires to be replaced (a little over half worn, 7 years old). I was planning to drive the car up on my ramps, then using 2 floor jacks with a piece of 2X10 wood on the pedestals, lift the car by the lower control arms, then place a couple of pieces of 4x4 wood in the "pockets" in the front subframe, then lower the car on to my "special" jackstands. I would then go to the rear, and lift the rear with the jacks once again under the rear control arms.
Problem #1 is the plastic "air diverters" that are snapped into place, on the front lower control arms. They prevent a jack and piece of wood from spanning the control arm. And, Problem #2, as pointed out in one of the earlier posts, where you can lift the car, is also where you need to support the car. HUH!!! What I wound up doing, was lifting the front of the car, in the approved manner, leaving it on jacks, then taking the front wheels to my very co-operative repair shop, where they swapped the front tires. I then took them home and installed them, then lifted the rear of the car, removed the rear tires, and ran them back to the shop, for the rear tires to be replaced. Fortunately, the shop is fairly close by, a 5-6 minute drive.
This is my "special jackstand". In reality, it's a calibrated, scale "test weight", and weighs 50 pounds. When stood on end, it's 6" square, and 8" tall. I have 4 of them. If more height is needed, I have a number of 2x10 pieces of wood, to put either under or on top of them. They're QUITE stable. You could say that I "lucked into" them, as my late father was in the scale business, and his employer somehow or other, wound up with an excess number of them, and offered the excess to the employees, if they could use them. My father snagged 4 of them, as they made good "ballast" for winter driving. Between he and I, they've been in the family for about 60 years......
In the rear this problem is less of a problem based on the specified jack locations in the manual.
The front is the biggest one. I'm considering buying Rennstands to make this happen but you still need an adapter of wood or something to fit into the pocket.
I'm pretty aggravated at whomever designed this and decided to write this into the manual. I get that many % of owners don't service their own cars, but c'mon, missing the trolley jack use case?
After review of the Quick Jack the longest spread is 76". So I gave them a call and they said that the lift would work....but it would be used from side to side and not front to rear. I have not jacked up my XJL yet and do not know if this would block removing the front shield or hinder working on the suspension...front or rear?
Any input or thoughts would be nice.
Saraa
2011 XJL NA 5.0
I had a https://www.kwik-lift.com/ that got sold with my Lotus and I would get this but they are not selling them do to steel costs right now. I had the trolley wheels and 2 cross Jack plates that where adjustable. It was a very nice system and adjustable in length when putting it together. This was in the smallest length setting, actually had to drill some holes as it was shorter that the factory design.
05-23-2022, 04:42 PM
