# is a 2 ton floor jack enough?



## jtg (Oct 9, 2003)

to safely lift and hold up my e39 528?


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## gr8330 (Mar 31, 2002)

I use one on my e39 with no problems, but I'm not going to tell you it's totaly safe...use at your own risk, as always


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## Malachi (Sep 30, 2003)

I would think so and would use one. Our cars weigh less than 2 tons (4k lb) and you are only lifting half that (I guess) at a time so it should be fine.

Do a search for Dave Z. post where he explains the right way to do it.


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## norcal 528i (Dec 2, 2003)

That will work fine. However, I wouldn't work under it with a jack as the only support, especially a smaller one like that. Technically jacks should only be used to get the car in the air, not hold it there. I would encourage the use of jackstands instead. And 2 ton jackstands will work fine. A lot of guys bump themselves off each year when the jack fails and the car succumbs to gravity. It happened to a neighbor of mine when I was growing up. Sorry if I sound like the safety police. :dunno:


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## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

All good responses. Absolutely use jackstands wherever possible for safety. I will not crawl under a car without jackstands...it is that simple. I'll change a tire without jackstands but that is about it.

Due to how low our cars are (and for those who lower their cars, it is even worse), you may find most typical floor jacks to not adequately fit under the front of the car to reach the jacking point. In that case, you'll need a second jack to lift one side of the car (place the jack on the rubber jacking pad just after of either front tire) a couple of pumps.

Chris


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## Terry Kennedy (Sep 21, 2002)

Ågent99 said:


> Due to how low our cars are (and for those who lower their cars, it is even worse), you may find most typical floor jacks to not adequately fit under the front of the car to reach the jacking point. In that case, you'll need a second jack to lift one side of the car (place the jack on the rubber jacking pad just after of either front tire) a couple of pumps.


You can also get a jack with an extra-low reach. Or you can do what I did when I helped out a fellow 'fester - he put his jack near the car and I lifted the car up so he could slide it under the car


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