Changing tyre- Jacking up the i3 ?

BMW i3 Forum

Help Support BMW i3 Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Rex4Rex

Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2016
Messages
5
has anyone jacked up at the plastic jacking point successfully - is it recomended as i was told by BMW assistance it should be taken to the dealer to do any tyre change ( and so they can take £250 for the privilege)

im wondering if it can be done jsut as easily at any tyre fitter, but without causing any complications to the battery, chassis or indeed warranty
 
I store our i3 on jack stands for 6 months each year. I wouldn't lift our i3 by its plastic jack points because doing so could damage or even break them. I bought jack point adapters whose top extension fits inside the jack point reaching the aluminum frame rail above. This transfers the lifting force from the jack point to the frame rail thus preventing jack point damage. However, the first jack point adapters that I bought did not extend far enough to reach the frame rail, so the lifting force was still applied to the jack point resulting in the sharp lower jack point edge cutting the rubber adapter into pieces :( So not all jack point adapters work correctly with i3 jack points.

I assume that most tyre fitters would lift an i3 by all 4 jack points simultaneously. This would distribute the lifting force over all 4 jack points which probably reduces the risk of damage. Without jack point adapters, I would at least want soft lifting surfaces in contact with the jack points in hopes that this would reduce the risk of damage.

But the proper way to lift an i3 is with jack point adapters which an i3 owner would likely need to provide to a tyre fitter.
 
Hi Art,

I'm still confused by the ads:
202458_x800.jpg

I get the impression there are two parts: (1) some sort of structural plastic that is inserted in the recess, and (2) the slotted disk with load-sharing disk facing the jack.

Is that what you've got?

Perhaps when you get back you might take photos?

Thanks,
Bob Wilson
 
bwilson4web said:
I get the impression there are two parts: (1) some sort of structural plastic that is inserted in the recess, and (2) the slotted disk with load-sharing disk facing the jack.

Is that what you've got?
No, only a single rubber part (more expensive aluminum jack pad adapters are also available).

bwilson4web said:
Perhaps when you get back you might take photos?
In the lower left corner of the photo below is one of my rubber jack pad adapters:

03-i3%20Lifting%20Equipment.jpg


Place the adapter on top of the jack lifting surface as shown below:

06-Jack%20with%20Jack%20Pad.jpg


The jack with a jack pad adapter on the jack's lifting surface is positioned so the rectangular extension on the top of the adapter is inserted into the recess in the plastic jack pad as the jack is raised. The photo that you attached shows this well although the i3's jack pad doesn't look quite as heavy-duty as the one in your photo and has a sharper lower edge.

It's worth testing the adapter before using it by inserting its extension into a jack pad by hand to ensure that the extension reaches the frame rail at the top of the jack pad. The bottom edge of the jack pad should not touch the round base of the adapter. Unfortunately, I don't have a photo showing the proper fit, but the extensions on the first adapters that I ordered weren't high enough resulting in the lifting force being applied to the bottom edge of the jack pad by the round rubber base of the adapter which cut the base into pieces.
 
Ok, maybe I've found the part(s):
https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-I01-i3-IB3/ES251251/ - just the jack pad, ~$25

So this one is probably not needed unless someone has trouble running their hand along the bottom to find the recess:
https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-I01-i3-IB3/ES3154207/ - four body inserts and jack pad, ~$100

Bob Wilson
 
bwilson4web said:
Ok, maybe I've found the part(s):
https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-I01-i3-IB3/ES251251/ - just the jack pad, ~$25
That's actually called a jack pad adapter, the jack pad being the plastic jack point included on your car. This one is certainly the Cadillac of jack pad adapters being made out of aluminum rather than the much less expensive hockey puck rubber sold by many eBay vendors. It's probably more likely that the rectangular extension on the expensive ECS Tuning adapter is tall enough to reach the frame rail inside the jack pad unlike some sold by eBay vendors.

bwilson4web said:
So this one is probably not needed unless someone has trouble running their hand along the bottom to find the recess:
https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-I01-i3-IB3/ES3154207/ - four body inserts and jack pad, ~$100
This is just the 4 plastic jack pads that are already on your i3 plus 1 aluminum jack pad adapter (same as the part in your first link). Maybe this kit is for the owners of BMW's whose plastic jack pads have already been broken by improper lifting.

BMW has certainly designed an overly-complex jacking system that requires an adapter to work with most floor jacks and to prevent jack pad damage.
 
The jacking point 'cup' is there for safety...it ensures two things: you've put the jack at the proper point so you won't damage anything, and it helps to ensure it doesn't slip. Most cars have some sort of marker on the frame, maybe a notch, or something similar, to allow you to position the jack properly. What's interesting on the i3 is how stiff it is...you will almost lift the entire side. If you happen to buy BMW's jack, it fits into that jack point, so no adapter is needed.
 
jadnashuanh said:
If you happen to buy BMW's jack, it fits into that jack point, so no adapter is needed.
Our Honda Insight has a center jack point on each side which allows both wheels on one side to be lifted by its included scissor jack so that jack stands can be placed under the front and rear jack points on one side. The lack of center jack points on our i3 makes lifting it onto jack stands impossible using BMW's jack because there's no jack point available to place the final jack stand into position. The only solution is to buy a heavy floor jack to lift the car at a front suspension pivot point so the final jack stand can be placed under the front jack point. A jack pad adapter must be used with this floor jack when it lifts the car at its jack points.

So our Insight requires no additional equipment to place it on simple inexpensive jack stands whereas our i3 requires the purchase of a floor jack, a jack pad adapter, and 4 expensive jack stands designed specifically for BMW's plastic jack pads. I guess this is part of the BMW tax.

The BMW jack would work for those who need to lift only one wheel or side at a time which is the more common situation.
 
Totally off subject, but way back when, I had a Citroen...no jack per se, but it had a bipod...you moved a lever, the car jacked itself up to maximum ground clearance, inserted the bipod, then relieved the hydraulic pressure...on that side of the car, both wheels then pulled themselves up off the ground. All of the heavy work was done by the car. I suppose that if you had two bipods, it might then teter on them, but with no side-to-side stability, it could then fall off of them!

On the i3, I think that if you used a long and wide enough board to distribute the weight, you could probably jack on that then insert a jack stand under the designated support point. Not suggesting you try it, but it would probably work.
 
jadnashuanh said:
On the i3, I think that if you used a long and wide enough board to distribute the weight, you could probably jack on that then insert a jack stand under the designated support point. Not suggesting you try it, but it would probably work.
I'm curious if anyone has lifted their i3 like this or using another safe jack point other than one of the 4 designated jack point areas. I am taking my rear wheels into the tire shop to get new tires installed, the manager at the tire shop recommended this instead of bringing the car in to avoid any accidental damage to the car. I'm fine following his suggestion. I have 2 of the rubber adapters that fit in the designated jack points but obviously I can't jack the car at these points then support it with a jack stand at the same points. Wouldn't a board still put most of the pressure directly above where the jack is since that's the only area of the board that would be supported by it?
 
brorob said:
I have 2 of the rubber adapters that fit in the designated jack points but obviously I can't jack the car at these points then support it with a jack stand at the same points.
The i3's body is stiff enough that one jack up a front jack point which will raise the rear tire off the ground so that a jack stand can be placed under the rear jack point. Then repeat on the other side.
 
Perfect!
alohart said:
brorob said:
I have 2 of the rubber adapters that fit in the designated jack points but obviously I can't jack the car at these points then support it with a jack stand at the same points.
The i3's body is stiff enough that one jack up a front jack point which will raise the rear tire off the ground so that a jack stand can be placed under the rear jack point. Then repeat on the other side.
I had the same question and this solves the problem!

I have four of those 'pucks' on order.

Bob Wilson
 
bwilson4web said:
I have four of those 'pucks' on order.
Of course, this approach won't work when one wants to lift the entire car onto 4 jack stands. I end up having to jack up a lower front suspension arm to place the fourth jack stand under a front jack point.

To lift the entire car onto 4 jack stands, I need only 1 jack point adapter "puck" because my [very expensive!] jack stands are designed to fit in BMW jack points without doing any damage.
 
I also made 5 wooden inserts out of pressure treated plywood using my bandsaw. Extra block in case I lose one. Cut them so they fit snug so no need to risk a pinched finger when lifting. No cost solution.
 
Back
Top