Putting your 996/986/997/987 up on Jackstands

[Orient Express]

One of the questions that comes up frequently is what is the best and safest way to put your 996/986/997/987 up on jack stands. The chassis and jack points are the same for all models, and lifting the car up off of all 4 wheels is easy. Here is a little DIY instruction on how I do it.

The 4 lift points as described in your owners manual are where you support the car with Jackstands. Here is the jack stand that I use. Any Jack stand with at least a two to three ton rating will do.

First, you put the front jackstands on by lifting the car from the rear lift point. Using a standard hydraulic jack, lift the car up on one side so that both wheels are off the ground, and the front is high enough to clear the jack stand.

Here is the front lift point.

After you have one jack stand placed, lower the jack, and do the other side. The car is so stiff, that the other sides front wheel will come up off of the ground. Other side is just like the first.

Note the orientation of the lift points and how the jackstands are arranged.

Next you have to lift the rear. There are 2 places that mechanics use as a lift point for the rear. One is the rear sub-frame cross member that is below the engine and the transmission, and the other is on the rear engine case just behind the oil sump cover. I prefer lifting from the engine case because my jack does not clear the engine oil sump to reach the crossmember.

There is a large metal stub that is cast into the engine case. That is where you lift, making sure that your jack does not contact the oil sump cover casting. Center the jack on the engine or on the subframe and lift the car high enough to put the remaining stands on the 2 rear lift points.

And with that you are done.

Just take your time and make sure that each jackstand is centered and aligned properly on the lift points and you will have no problems.

One last thing, it is to your advantage to break the torque on all of the lug nuts before your lift the car up off of the ground. Also when you are lifting the car, make sure it is on a level surface, and the car is in neutral and the parking brake is off so the car can pivot on its wheels as it is lifted.

Lowering the car is the opposite of the above. Once you get the hang of this, you can have your car up in the air in under 5 minutes.

[Tool Pants]

Too much trouble. We don't need no jacks. We just get Loren to lift up the car.

[gchu]

There are 2 places that mechanics use as a lift point for the rear.  One is the rear sub-frame cross member that is below the engine and the transmission, and the other is on the rear engine case just behind the oil sump cover.  I prefer lifting from the engine case because my jack does not clear the engine oil sump to reach the crossmember. 

There is a large metal stub that is cast into the engine case.  That is where you lift, making sure that your jack does not contact the oil sump cover casting.  Center the jack on the engine or on the subframe and lift the car high enough to put the remaining stands on the 2 rear lift points.

Gary,

From the above picture, could you point out exactly where to place the jack? You provided very good insturction. Still want to make sure not to make a expensive mistake.

[munro86]

There are 2 places that mechanics use as a lift point for the rear.  One is the rear sub-frame cross member that is below the engine and the transmission, and the other is on the rear engine case just behind the oil sump cover.  I prefer lifting from the engine case because my jack does not clear the engine oil sump to reach the crossmember. 

There is a large metal stub that is cast into the engine case.  That is where you lift, making sure that your jack does not contact the oil sump cover casting.  Center the jack on the engine or on the subframe and lift the car high enough to put the remaining stands on the 2 rear lift points.

Gary,

From the above picture, could you point out exactly where to place the jack? You provided very good insturction. Still want to make sure not to make a expensive mistake.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ditto the above-I have "u" shaped stands, so I need to know exactly where to put them-Thanks Jason

[Orient Express]

Look under your engine, and find the oil sump cover. That is the big square plate that is held in with several bolts around its edges. It has a hex head bolt in the center of it which is the oil drain.

Now, looking toward the back of the car just behind the oil sump cover in the center of the engine case centerline there is an area where the case is very sturdy looking. That is where you place the jack. Notice that it is centered on the sturdy area, and not touching the sump cover.

If you are still unsure, just look at the centerline seam of the engine case behind the sump cover, find the thickest portion of the case just behind the sump cover, and put your jack there.

For the Saddle type floor stands, I place the front ones on the square part of the car's lift point, with the saddle pointing left and right. By placing the saddle left/right on the lifting point, the car will pivot on the saddle as the car is lifted from behind.

The rear floor stand is positioned up/down on the round part of the rear lift point of the car. With the jack stands oriented this way, they lock the car in place, and make it very hard to inadvertently push the car off of the stands if someone leans on the car, or it gets bumped.

[munro86]

Orient,

Sorry to labour the point, but those stands in the last picture don't look all that stable. It looks like the contact points are at the jaws of the stand, the lower part of the saddle has nothing on it. It just makes me feel a little nervous looking at it. Does the car feel very steady and stable with this set up? Have you done it this way for a while? Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I'm worried that if you were under it and someone came up and lent on the car, it might rock off the stands!!! I thought maybe placing them under a cross-member somewhere would be better? By the way, excellent pics and beautiful underbody. Would eat my dinner off it!! -Jason

[rattles]

Have to agree with Jason, your car looks great. Although its diverting from the thread could you give some tips on how you have achieved that underbody result.

[Orient Express]

Orient,

Sorry to labour the point, but those  stands in the last picture don't look all that stable. It looks like the contact points are at the jaws of the stand, the lower part of the saddle has nothing on it. It just makes me feel a little nervous looking at it. Does the car feel very steady and stable with this set up? Have you done it this way for a while? Maybe I'm being paranoid, but  I'm worried that if you were under it and someone came up and lent on the car, it might rock off the stands!!! I thought maybe placing them under a cross-member somewhere would be better? By the way, excellent pics and beautiful underbody. Would eat my dinner off it!! -Jason

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

On this picture of the back lift point, the car is still being held up with the jack. I took the picture this way to illustrate how the jack stand and the lift point look.

With the car on 4 jack stands, it is even more stable than being on tires. If you notice, the front jack stands are oriented left and right, and the rears are front to back. With the weight of the car on the stands in this fashion, the car's weight pushes down and the out of phase orientations of the front and rear stands lock the car in place. As long as the surface that you are lifting on is flat and level, and the stands are centered on their respective lift points and all 4 stands are raised to the same level, the car is solidly planted on the ground. One can lean on the car, get in and out of it without any stability issues. I have been putting cars like this up on stands like this for many years, and have not had one fall off yet.

[munro86]

Thank you!!

[HEDDOK]

Is the reinforced jackpoint on the chassis aluminum or steel?

Does it need to be protected against corrosion as the paint is chipped off by the jackstands?

Thanks

Brad

[Orient Express]

Is the reinforced jackpoint on the chassis aluminum or steel? 

Does it need to be protected against corrosion as the paint is chipped off by the jackstands?

Thanks

Brad

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the jack points are a stamped steel piece welded to the body. The piece is electro-coated with primer like the rest of the body, but can be scratched exposing bare metal. If you are in an area where corrosion from salt spray, etc. is an issue, then it is a good idea to either coat the ends of your jackstands with a coating like Plasti-Dip, or just stick a piece of rag between your Jackstand and the bottom of your car. Either method will reduce the possibility of scratching off the primer coat.

[HEDDOK]

Plasti-dip it is then!

Brad

[my996]

Gary, from the picture attached, could you insert an arrow where the jack should contact the part on the car? - Thanks - I plan on doing this tomorrow and do not want to make any mistakes.

Tony

[Orient Express]

Gary,  from the picture attached, could you insert an arrow where the jack should contact the part on the car? - Thanks - I plan on doing this tomorrow and do not want to make any mistakes.

Tony

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[redduck996]

Nice write up gary... I'm gonna head out to sears to get some jack stands..

would it be ok if I used 2x4's on all 4 jack stands to elevate the car even more?

I take it the porsche hydraulic jack won't work and I need to get the kind you have

right?

Gary,  from the picture attached, could you insert an arrow where the jack should contact the part on the car? - Thanks - I plan on doing this tomorrow and do not want to make any mistakes.

Tony

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Orient Express]

Nice write up gary... I'm gonna head out to sears to get some jack stands..

would it be ok if I used 2x4's on all 4 jack stands to elevate the car even more?

I take it the porsche hydraulic jack won't work and I need to get the kind you have

right?

I don't think you will need to give the jack stands any boost. The limiting factor in how high you can get the car up is the lift height of the hydraulic jack.

[redduck996]

Are those craftsman brand jacks?

You didnt bend the tabs in.. :P

Look under your engine, and find the oil sump cover.  That is the big square plate that is held in with several bolts around its edges.  It has a hex head bolt in the center of it which is the oil drain.

Now, looking toward the back of the car just behind the oil sump cover in the center of the engine case centerline there is an area where the case is very sturdy looking.  That is where you place the jack.  Notice that it is centered on the sturdy area, and not touching the sump cover.

If you are still unsure, just look at the centerline seam of the engine case behind the sump cover, find the thickest portion of the case just behind the sump cover, and put your jack there.

 

For the Saddle type floor stands, I place the front ones on the square part of the car's lift point, with the saddle pointing left and right.  By placing the saddle left/right on the lifting point, the car will pivot on the saddle as the car is lifted from behind.

The rear floor stand is positioned up/down on the round part of the rear lift point of the car.  With the jack stands oriented this way, they lock the car in place, and make it very hard to inadvertently push the car off of the stands if someone leans on the car, or it gets bumped.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Orient Express]

Yes they are Craftsman jack stands. The weight of the car keeps the bar from coming out.

[siddharth]

Hey Orient,

1) I have a blow up of that area on my 1999 996. Can you tell me if its at point A or B ?

2) I also wanted to know which hydraulic jack you bought ? I bought one but it didn't lift the car too high to accomodate the jack stands below. I'm thinking the lift height wasn't enough.

Thanks !

Sid

Edited May 30, 2006 by siddharth

[eben]

I know these are 2 year old photos but has anyone ever seen a car so clean underneath? Orient must spend a lot of time under his car!

Even though I believe that it is safe to lift by the engine case, I can't bring myself to to it. I use the same procedure except I lift the rear with the cross member ( close to one end ).

Eric

[rattles]

I know these are 2 year old photos but has anyone ever seen a car so clean underneath? Orient must spend a lot of time under his car!

Even though I believe that it is safe to lift by the engine case, I can't bring myself to to it. I use the same procedure except I lift the rear with the cross member ( close to one end ).

Eric

Eric,

Could you post some photos showing where you place the jack.

Thanks

[smankow]

I've also heard that you shouldn't use the engine as a jack point for 996's. I place the rear jack stands on a chassis connector point just inside of the tires.

Steve

2003 996 coupe

[Orient Express]

The use of the engine case center point is a temporary lift point that is used by Porsche trained service technicians and with the jack placed correctly is perfectly safe.

The use of the rear suspension cross-member can also be used, but requires the use of a jack with a long and low tongue. The possibility of inadvertent damage to the engine is much higher using the suspension cross member because of the requirement to reach under the engine to get to the lift point.

The use of the rear suspension forward attachment points is high discouraged because of the high probability of bending the attachment bolt in the center of the casting.

Using the engine case as a lifting point puts the lifting pressure to the body through the engine to the engine mounting points which are compressed upon lifting. This puts the same amount of force on the mounting points of the the car as if was resting on its wheels. As long as one does not lift on the engine sump cover, there is little chance of damage to any components, or the car slipping off of the jack plate.

Remember this is a temporary lifting point that is only used until the rear jack stands are in place.

It is misinformation to suggest that lifting from the engine is not safe or effective.

[eben]

I know these are 2 year old photos but has anyone ever seen a car so clean underneath? Orient must spend a lot of time under his car!

Even though I believe that it is safe to lift by the engine case, I can't bring myself to to it. I use the same procedure except I lift the rear with the cross member ( close to one end ).

Eric

Eric,

Could you post some photos showing where you place the jack.

Thanks

Rattles,

Here is where I put my jack with a piece of wood between it and the car. This piece looked quite beefy. It worked well but Orient is right, it would be hard to get in there but I cheat, I have a second jack. With only one jack the engine spot would work best. When I looked under to take this photo, the spot on the engine case is quite obvious from the decriptions above. Maybe I'll try it there next time.

Eric

PS if my location is not a good idea, others more knowledgeable pls comment.

[rattles]

I know these are 2 year old photos but has anyone ever seen a car so clean underneath? Orient must spend a lot of time under his car!

Even though I believe that it is safe to lift by the engine case, I can't bring myself to to it. I use the same procedure except I lift the rear with the cross member ( close to one end ).

Eric

Eric,

Could you post some photos showing where you place the jack.

Thanks

Rattles,

Here is where I put my jack with a piece of wood between it and the car. This piece looked quite beefy. It worked well but Orient is right, it would be hard to get in there but I cheat, I have a second jack. With only one jack the engine spot would work best. When I looked under to take this photo, the spot on the engine case is quite obvious from the decriptions above. Maybe I'll try it there next time.

Eric

PS if my location is not a good idea, others more knowledgeable pls comment.

Thanks Eric,

I usually run my back wheels onto two pieces of wood about 3 inches thick, like mini ramps, this gives me enough clearance to get my shop jack under the side jack points, should work OK for your method too. From Orients photos his car must have gone up on those stands many times but if there is a viable alternative to using the engine as the jack point I would prefer to use it.

Glenn