How to Raise Your Car Using a Jack
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We all know that a jack is a necessary tool for changing a tire. But jacks also come in handy when you need to change your oil or perform other repairs and maintenance tasks. Costs can start adding up if you take your vehicle to a Utah auto repair shop for every little thing. If you want to perform the less complicated tasks on your vehicle yourself, you need to be sure that you know how to properly use a jack.
It isn't likely that you'll need to get under your car very often since vehicles are far more reliable these days. You can often go 7,000 miles or more before needing an oil change. And you can go 100,000 miles or more before requiring a tune up.
That said, it's still important to know how to properly use a jack. You can damage your car, and it's also very dangerous, if you use the jack improperly when changing a flat and especially when getting under the vehicle to work. So, here are some tips to help you do it right.
The first thing to do is to look up where to properly place your jack. Look in your user's manual to find this information. You can also look on the jack or the backside of the spare tire cover. You can also run down to your Utah auto repair shop and ask them to show you if you can't find the information or question if you're placing the jack right.
It's important to look this up for every vehicle because where and how you place the jack differs depending on the type of vehicle you have. With most vehicles there's a spot to place the jack located directly behind the front tires and also a little in front of the rear tires. You should be able to clearly see a thicker portion of the weld in these areas.
Always park your vehicle on a flat surface before you start jacking it up. Also, be sure to use jack stands or blocks to secure the vehicle. That's probably the most important tip of this article- never rely on just the jack to keep your vehicle up while you're under it.
It's also a good idea to chock the wheels before raising your vehicle. Check under and around your vehicle for things that could be possible hazards. Make sure you are not jacking up on anything that may break or bend, such as a drive shaft, when you lift your vehicle.
It's wise to wear safety glasses when you get under your vehicle to work, the dirt and grime from the undercarriage can easily get into your eyes. It can be hard and time consuming to crawl around under a vehicle so take all the tools you'll need to complete the job with you the first time you go under. You can safely work under your vehicle, and save yourself a trip to your Utah auto repair garage, by following these tips.
It isn't likely that you'll need to get under your car very often since vehicles are far more reliable these days. You can often go 7,000 miles or more before needing an oil change. And you can go 100,000 miles or more before requiring a tune up.
That said, it's still important to know how to properly use a jack. You can damage your car, and it's also very dangerous, if you use the jack improperly when changing a flat and especially when getting under the vehicle to work. So, here are some tips to help you do it right.
The first thing to do is to look up where to properly place your jack. Look in your user's manual to find this information. You can also look on the jack or the backside of the spare tire cover. You can also run down to your Utah auto repair shop and ask them to show you if you can't find the information or question if you're placing the jack right.
It's important to look this up for every vehicle because where and how you place the jack differs depending on the type of vehicle you have. With most vehicles there's a spot to place the jack located directly behind the front tires and also a little in front of the rear tires. You should be able to clearly see a thicker portion of the weld in these areas.
Always park your vehicle on a flat surface before you start jacking it up. Also, be sure to use jack stands or blocks to secure the vehicle. That's probably the most important tip of this article- never rely on just the jack to keep your vehicle up while you're under it.
It's also a good idea to chock the wheels before raising your vehicle. Check under and around your vehicle for things that could be possible hazards. Make sure you are not jacking up on anything that may break or bend, such as a drive shaft, when you lift your vehicle.
It's wise to wear safety glasses when you get under your vehicle to work, the dirt and grime from the undercarriage can easily get into your eyes. It can be hard and time consuming to crawl around under a vehicle so take all the tools you'll need to complete the job with you the first time you go under. You can safely work under your vehicle, and save yourself a trip to your Utah auto repair garage, by following these tips.
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