[unmesh]

Looks like this was discussed a long time ago and some of the links to purchase websites don't work.

I just bought an Arcan hybrid steel-aluminum floor jack and was hoping someone could recommend a pinch weld jack adapter that has worked for them. Hockey pucks haven't, at least for me.

Thanks

 

[Are Vee]

I had piece of plastic 1x6 from the box stores. White, textured on one side, smooth on the other side.
Cut out two 4 inch diameter circles. Cut one circle in half. Cut 1/4 inch from each half piece, so the gap between the round parts is about 1/2 inch. Fasten small circle parts onto top of the other 4 inch round piece with drywall screws. Gap in the middle fits where the pinch weld is. Put completed piece on center of jack and lift !

RV

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

This is what I use for 3 ton jack. Works great.

And I've used these for jack stands

 

[unmesh]

@Are Vee

Trying to visualize what you did and failing; a photo would help

@OnTheRoadAgain

Thanks for the references. Can I assume that the pinch welds on your Sienna don't bottom out on the slotted puck adapters?

And I need to find an equivalent set for my jack stands which are flat topped
https://www.amazon.com/Torin-Big-Aluminum-Jack-Stands/dp/B0007XTGCI/

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

@Are Vee

Trying to visualize what you did and failing; a photo would help

@OnTheRoadAgain

Thanks for the references. Can I assume that the pinch welds on your Sienna don't bottom out on the slotted puck adapters?

And I need to find an equivalent set for my jack stands which are flat topped
https://www.amazon.com/Torin-Big-Aluminum-Jack-Stands/dp/B0007XTGCI/

I've used it a few times while doing Axel and brakes etc, I don't think it bottoms out. Haven't had issues with it and doesn't bend the pinch weld.

 

[BenG]

I bought a section of steel structural rectangular tubing from my local Metal Supermarket and cut my own notch in it. I use it to change tires on around 10 cars, twice a year, for the past 12 years and it's held up pretty good. The thin side goes on the outside of the pinch weld and the fat side on the inside. There is enough space for me to stick my fingers inside to hold the adapter up against the pinch weld and feel for the notches to center it while pumping the jack, which helps a lot when when I'm working on lower cars or cars with skirts so that I don't need to put my face on the ground to see where to put it.

 

[unmesh]

That is very neat and I will ask one of the mechanical engineers at work if they have a machine that can cut the notch for me.

What is the cross section of the tubing you used?

 

[Therbi]

Just reading this thread and am curious. Whats difficulty are some having just using the pinch welds as the lift point?

 

[Are Vee]

well used, does the job....

RV

 

[unmesh]

@BenG

I bought a 2"x1.5"x0.120" thick tube and one of the guys at work will cut the notch for me!

@Therbi

Apparently people have seen their pinch welds or the body damaged if a flat saddle is used to jack up the vehicle

@Are Vee

That photo will be very helpful to others who don't have access to a metal working equipment and maybe to me if the metal solution doesn't work out. Do you know what kind of plastic it was? TAP Plastics near me carries different types and is willing to cut it. Though they quoted me $15 for two 4"x4" squares of 1" thick cutting board grade HDPE and another $45 for cutting it :-(

https://www.tapplastics.com/custom-cut-to-size-plastic-sheets

 

[BenG]

That is very neat and I will ask one of the mechanical engineers at work if they have a machine that can cut the notch for me.

What is the cross section of the tubing you used?

Sorry, I didn't have time to measure it today, but the dimensions you said you got sound about right. I just cut my notch with a Dremel and cutting disc.

 

[BenG]

Just reading this thread and am curious. Whats difficulty are some having just using the pinch welds as the lift point?

So while the pinch weld is strong enough to be used directly as a lift point, if you look at most emergency jacks, there is a notch cut out on them and the emergency jack actually lifts the vehicle by contacting the metal on either side of the weld, not the weld itself.

Over time, lifting directly in the pinch weld will cause the weld to delaminate and rust more easily, eventually causing it to collapse / fold flat when being used.

If you look at Honda civics, you'll see that they actually have a metal flap specifically as a jack point. It's near the pinch weld and it's solid like a piece of angle iron...I wish all cars had something like that.

 

[unmesh]

Sorry, I didn't have time to measure it today, but the dimensions you said you got sound about right. I just cut my notch with a Dremel and cutting disc.

No worries. I eyeballed it estimating that our hands were similar sizes

 

[Are Vee]

Unmesh,
The plastic board I used can be bought @ Home Depot. 1x4, 1x6, 1x8, used for house trim to eliminate the need for painting. NOT James Hardie board, that is too hard to work with.

RV

 

[BenG]

View attachment 59382 well used, does the job....

RV

So I really gotta ask.... this picture is titled "Hand Wood Finger DIsh Cuisine".

What's the story behind that??

 

[jseyfert3]

Also FYI, there are dedicated lift points in the front and rear center of the Sienna, that let you use a jack to lift both front and rear wheels at the same time, and then you can put two jackstands under each side and set it down on them. This both lets you speed up the process if you need to jack up one end of the vehicle and avoid needing an adapter to put a jack on the pinch welds, since the lift points are flat and designed for the flat pad of a lifting jack.

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

Also FYI, there are dedicated lift points in the front and rear center of the Sienna, that let you use a jack to lift both front and rear wheels at the same time, and then you can put two jackstands under each side and set it down on them. This both lets you speed up the process if you need to jack up one end of the vehicle and avoid needing an adapter to put a jack on the pinch welds, since the lift points are flat and designed for the flat pad of a lifting jack.

Yes, that's the other method I use. Just don't lift only the back and the front by the jack points . Add some jack stands if you are going to rock the car (like hammer the Axel etc) lol. Don't want it to tip off the van. That would be a bad day.

I only jack one up at a time unless I use something like the quickjack.

 

[Are Vee]

So I really gotta ask.... this picture is titled "Hand Wood Finger DIsh Cuisine".

What's the story behind that??

I have no idea where that caption came from. Aliens within perhaps....
RV

 

[unmesh]

Also FYI, there are dedicated lift points in the front and rear center of the Sienna, that let you use a jack to lift both front and rear wheels at the same time, and then you can put two jackstands under each side and set it down on them. This both lets you speed up the process if you need to jack up one end of the vehicle and avoid needing an adapter to put a jack on the pinch welds, since the lift points are flat and designed for the flat pad of a lifting jack.

That would be great for brake pad replacement. I wonder if there is an equivalent technique for lifting one side at a time for tire rotation. Using a piece of lumber behind the pinch welds with the floor jack and then adding jack stands?

 

[BenG]

That would be great for brake pad replacement. I wonder if there is an equivalent technique for lifting one side at a time for tire rotation. Using a piece of lumber behind the pinch welds with the floor jack and then adding jack stands?

Personally, because I need to swap between winters and summers, I never need to rotate same set while they are all on the car, but if you want to lift up both front and rear, you can lift from the center front and see if you can get high enough to get jack stands at the pinch welds, using pinch weld adapters on top, then do the same at the back, eventually resting the whole car on jack stands at all four pinch weld jack points.