Hi there everyone. Im about to do some maintenance on my newly acquired 1999 XKR starting with replacing the coolant and then an engine oil change. I also want to remove the front wheels to clean the speed sensors and clean up/paint the brake rotors. Id like to use my large trolley jack and then put it up on axle stands but see there is some conflicting opinion on whether I can jack up the front cross member (behind the radiator), Jaguar says not to do it, but I think I have seen somewhere (youtube?) a guy demonstrating that it was okay to jack up the front cross member? He mentioned an intial slight cracking noise (the plastic covering moving I think on the first time he did it - but said it was okay afterwards). Has anyone else jacked up the front of their car using the crossmember?

 

Hi Barry,
Congrats on the new Cat.

It might just be terminology. I've attached a snippet from the 3rd edition workshop manual. According to Jaguar, it's OK to jack up on the 'crossmember', but not the ali 'crossbeam'.

I occasionally jack the car that way, but use a piece of wood with a slot routed along it as a pad to avoid crushing the cover + always belt & braces with axle stands.

Probably best avoided by those who live where road salt is used, mind...

I guess you'll be OK

 

I use a rubber slotted pad on the floor jack and place the floor jack at the frame pinch rails where the factory hand jack is used per the owners manual.


I’m somewhat disposed against using the the support under the radiator for raising the front end of the car. That location really wasn’t made to support the weight of the front end. Can it, and has it, been done ? Of course.

But I’m still not comfortable with doing it.

Z

 

Thanks very much Michael, I had a look at what you attached and it works well, really appreciate it. By the way my car is Sapphire blue as well, I deliberately sought out that colour as I think the combination of the oatmeal trim looks great! We dont have the salt roads in Australia, I made some wooden blocks but they split when the cars weight came down on them so I just put some rubber on top of the jack stands when seems okay

Thanks again....Barry

 

Thanks Z it does work, I put a 2 foot piece of wood under it to spread the weight of the jacking point though...Barry

 

yes, I know it can and has been done. Not to put to fine a point on it, but many things have been done, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they have been the best path to take.

I don’t like the stress put on the frame by lifting the car from a point that far forward. By moving the lift point farther back, the stress is absorbed more evenly by numerous support points. That’s a better path to take imho.

Z

PS I’m more involved in the engineering in this area with the vintage Mustang. I manufacture a frame brace / engine crossmember with a jackpad option used for jacking up the cars front end in one operation. I’ve sold about 700 of them so far.


https://www.vintage-mustang.com/threads/zs-1965-66-low-profile-street-competition-engine-crossmember.1132361/#post-9892217

 

I bought two low profile trolley jacks and jack on both sides simultaneously under the front suspension bushes. If you jack one side it will lift the other .not a good idea.
I also have some high ramps which incorporate a hydraulic lift producing a further 4 inches once you have driven up the ramps

 

That sounds like something I could use. Would you share the particulars and source ?

thanks,

Z

 

The ramps are branded Switzer and are on ebay at £149 . I did see the same at £250 but they are no problem . I did bend the end of the base down to make a point so they dont slip on my asphelt
and did not like the idea of driveing right off the top so I welded a stop to the end of the ramp. Makes a nice handle as they are heavy.
When going up forwards I place a mirror in a suitable position so I can watch the wheels go up. You can hang out for the back.

 

thanks Z you raise a good point about the lift point being too far forward for the weight of the car. Ive changed the way I lift it now and will use 2 trolley jacks on the factory lift points and then put axle stands under it. Thanks for your reply and I agree not everything that is done is correct......cheers