Safe jack points

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brorob

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 31, 2015
Messages
104
I'm wondering if the areas shaded in red in the first image below are safe areas to put jack stands when needing to remove both rear wheels. I have the rubber pads that insert in the jack points just to the outside of these areas but my challenge is where to I put my jack stand once I have the car raised since the hydraulic jack is using the jack point. These 2 metal bars look like they are structurally sound enough but I don't want to support the car somewhere I shouldn't. From all of the schematic images I was able to find for the car, it seems like it's a solid spot for jack stands.

I included a few images that show one of these metal bars from a top view. It appears to a safe area to support the vehicle from these images. Not sure if the added REx makes any difference, doesn't seem like it would.

Please pardon the dirty undercarriage. :)
 

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How about the lower control arms attachment points - you can see one in the upper left of your first picture. I would think that these will be safe to put a stand under with an appropriate wood or rubber insert.
 
I have raised our i3 onto jack stands when storing it for 6-9 months each year over the past 3 years. With only 4 jack points, it is impossible to do this without using another jack point. This is poor design on BMW's part. An additional jack point should have been placed between the existing jack points on each side of the car as on our Honda Insight. So I asked the service manager at our local BMW dealer to identify additional i3 jack points. He identified the front lower control arm as near the wheel as possible as a safe jack point.

However, to place jack stands under the rear jack points, the stiffness of the i3's frame and body allows one to jack up the front jack point which will raise the rear jack point on the same side enough to place a jack stand under it. Then repeat on the other side. This is the procedure that I have used several times.

Only when I have wanted to raise our i3 onto 4 jack stands have I jacked up our i3 by the lower front control arm as close to the wheel as I could place my floor jack.
 
alohart said:
I have raised our i3 onto jack stands when storing it for 6-9 months each year over the past 3 years. With only 4 jack points, it is impossible to do this without using another jack point. This is poor design on BMW's part. An additional jack point should have been placed between the existing jack points on each side of the car as on our Honda Insight. So I asked the service manager at our local BMW dealer to identify additional i3 jack points. He identified the front lower control arm as near the wheel as possible as a safe jack point.

However, to place jack stands under the rear jack points, the stiffness of the i3's frame and body allows one to jack up the front jack point which will raise the rear jack point on the same side enough to place a jack stand under it. Then repeat on the other side. This is the procedure that I have used several times.

Only when I have wanted to raise our i3 onto 4 jack stands have I jacked up our i3 by the lower front control arm as close to the wheel as I could place my floor jack.
I'll try the method you explained again, Art. I did try this method already because I recall you stating this information in a post a while back. When I tired this though, I had the front of the car raised quite a bit and the rear didn't seem to want to raise, maybe since I have the added weight of the REx in back or maybe I just didn't go high enough. It would be easier if that rear metal bar was a safe jack point.
 
brorob said:
I did try this method already because I recall you stating this information in a post a while back. When I tired this though, I had the front of the car raised quite a bit and the rear didn't seem to want to raise, maybe since I have the added weight of the REx in back or maybe I just didn't go high enough.
I think you've identified the problem: the REx adds enough rear weight that the rear won't lift as high as that of our BEV. My jack stands have a position that results in the rear tires being less than 1" off the floor, so maybe that allows me to lift the rear jack point less than if I had taller jack stands.

With one rear jack point on a jack stand, lifting the other side via the front jack point results in all wheels being off the floor with the car being suspended by only one jack stand and the jack. This feels pretty unstable to me, so I want to slide that second jack stand into place as quickly as possible and then lower the jack. I certainly wouldn't want to lift the car any higher to be able to place the second jack stand.

Maybe lifting the rear by a rear lower control arm attachment point would be safer. I've never tried that method.
 
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