Front of car has a jacking point . It sticks down a bit on the subframe reinforcement bar. You can Jack the car there and put two jack stands In their location
Rear jacking point is the rear subframe. Mounting location is the flat part directly under the rear diff.
If either of these is inaccessible like in your case bc of the size of the garage. It is ok to jack the car corner at a time until you have the car on jack stands

 

Agree, use the front support all the time, no issues, then place the jack stands at the side jack locations and remove the floor jack. Same at differential. No issues. If you do hack up on side and place the jack stand then go to the other side, may need to hit the first jack stand with a rubber mallet as it wants to lean.

 

Appreciate the prompt response! Thank you.

I have read that the front jack point on later model (facelift) E46s such as mine shouldn't be jacked up from that point as it has a tendency to "crumble" in / dent.

And as for one corner at a time, would it be okay resting the car on a single jack stand for the duration I am working on it (wheel cleaning, cleaning up wheel wells and suspension)?

 

And as for one corner at a time, would it be okay resting the car on a single jack stand for the duration I am working on it (wheel cleaning, cleaning up wheel wells and suspension)?

Yes, the car is plenty stiff enough to handle that. If I'm not actually getting underneath the car (i.e. changing brake pads, rotating tires, etc), I just throw a jackstand for backup underneath one of the inner control arm mounts or the frame rails and leave it on the floor jack. Make sure you set the parking brake, chock the wheels and do a few "test shoves" also.

 

Thank you, Spannerhead! Yes I also picked up eight rubber wheel chocks. Can never be too safe.

 

I doubt what your referring to will crumble. Maybe bend inward some from repeated lifting from that point. But you’ll be fine . 50sKid has a video on this on YouTube

I’m not sure if this is the video where he shows the jacking points but it’s still a good one to watch for you 👌🏼

 

As long as the jack stand is placed so that it can't slip out due to the angle. If you're able to knock the car over by kicking a wheel, I'd say there was a problem with placing jackstands.

 

 

Quickjack

 

IMO it would be safer to lift the car using the front and rear lift points near the center of the car. When you lift one corner at a time, the car tilts to the side. And that could result in the car sliding off the jackstand. If you jack up the entire front or rear, that isn't much of an issue.

If you need to lift the entire car, but only have one jack and 2 jackstands, you can do that. You can jack up the front or rear, using the center lifting point at that location. Put the jackstands under the car, then use the jack to lift the other end of the car. That said, I would NOT suggest getting under the car when it's lifted in this fashion. But if you're just removing the wheels, it'll be fine.

 

A long time ago something happened i can't quite remember exactly but it was when I was doing the each corner one at a time to put on stands. It was the 3rd or last corner and somehow the jack opposite of where I was shifted and the entire car fell off to one side. Moral of the story pay attention to the opposite side Jack's when lowering the side your on

 

Thanks everyone for all your input. There seems to be no solid solution, other than investing in a portable car lift, which is out of my budget and far excessive for what I need in lifting a vehicle.

Would two floor jacks resolve a lot of my issues? I don't want to "twist the chassis" (as stated by LeverThis) by just jacking up one corner. Perhaps lifting each side (from the designated jack pad points) and then placing jack stands on the available jack pad points (such as only front or only rear) would be a viable solution? Granted that means having to purchase another floor jack.

Just as a reminder: all I need is to get one wheel off the ground at a time safely (that is the extent of my work, as well as suspension/brake components). Of course I can position jack stands around solid parts of the vehicle (so-called "frame rails") as a backup while the floor jack holds the jack point up, but this seems like chancing fate and not the purpose of what a floor jack is designed to do.

I appreciate everyone's patience and advice. As simple a operation as lifting a vehicle up may seem, I want to avoid all possible issues / safety concerns, especially being a novice.

 

Would two floor jacks resolve a lot of my issues? I don't want to "twist the chassis" (as stated by LeverThis) by just jacking up one corner.

I don't think "twisting the chassis" is an issue for the car, it just makes the stability of the front jack stand a potential issue when you are lifting the other side.

If all you need is one wheel at a time, then lift from the rear and put a jack stand under the front pad while you attend to that wheel. I do this on occasion as well.

The bigger issue is that at some point you'll want both front wheels in the air or the entire car up much higher than you can do with the rear lift point method. For that lifting from the front center point can be a benefit.

 

I had an old ford taurus shop car where the unibody flexed right above the front pinch weld area from jacking up each corner individually and using jackstands. I swear by using the front or rear center points only on cars even though modern cars have more reinforcement.

 

So funny Archbid. I was up on ebay a minute ago making an offer on an E46 slave cylinder ..THen .. I noticed it was you (laughing) .. it is a small world.
Anyway I need Mcylinder for my manual conversion I hope to be done by New Years. We can convers here if you wish.
Do you by any chance have the hydaulic tube for that? tks

ourmandan

 

So funny Archbid. I was up on ebay a minute ago making an offer on an E46 slave cylinder ..THen .. I noticed it was you (laughing) .. it is a small world.
Anyway I need Mcylinder for my manual conversion I hope to be done by New Years. We can convers here if you wish.
Do you by any chance have the hydaulic tube for that? tks

ourmandan

I don't. Sorry about that

funny thing is my username Archbid is from the first time I made a purchase on eBay a few decades ago. I bid on an old book of architectural standards for my brother - never thought I'd use the account again so I just called it Archbid.

Now it is convenient because I have never seen it from anyone else anywhere.

BTW, if any of you find something I am selling on eBay just DM me here and I will give a discount. Plus no sales tax

 

What about ramps?
There's a bunch of homemade ideas is bought ones aren't available

 

What about ramps?
There's a bunch of homemade ideas is bought ones aren't available

Can't get the wheels off on ramps as OP intends to do ... or do any brake work ... or suspension work ... or drop the front subframe to change an oil pan gasket ...

 

Gotcha I guess I missed the whole reason for lifting it lol

 

Yeah I'd absolutely use ramps if wheels didn't have to come off. Much more convenient.

New 330Ci owner here. I've spied the front central jack point, but IIRC I've seen some have a little rubber puck that plugs into the hole. Is that an OEM thing? My 525iT has a little rubber pad on the front subframe. Very handy indeed.

If yours is a facelift model, the front subframe jacking point does not have that puck you speak of. That sheet metal will crumple/dimple/indent over repeated jacking attempts. Mostly a cosmetic nuisance but a nuisance nonetheless.

There are, however, adapters for the four corner jack pads. I bought four of them to use with jack stands to not damage the plastic. Many of the Euro vendors (FCP Euro, ECS Tuning) and Amazon have quality aluminum ones. Here is a photo of them:

Link of the one I bought (Amazon): Amazon.com

Question for all:

I managed to jack one corner of the car up successfully and place a jack stand (jacked front left corner, lowered onto rear jack stand with adapter, then positioned floor jack saddle to just sit with no pressure beneath the front left jack pad). A little nerve-wracking lowering the jack, especially since I had to give lot of twisting force to the jack handle to lower it (but not too much that it lowers rapidly, truly a balancing act). See images below.

Are these jack stands with the standard "prongs/teeth" design okay to use with the round jack pad adapter? Are there any square/circular jack stands that exist that would be a better fit for our jack points? See images of the current stand I have:

Car successfully jacked up:

My Home Depot (Husky) 3 ton jack stand (and the typical jack stand "teeth/prong" design:

Of course the sheer weight of the car is holding the circular part of the adapter firmly on these teeth, but if there are any other better designs I'd love to know about it.

Edit: added better photo of vehicle jacked up.

 

New 330Ci owner here. I've spied the front central jack point, but IIRC I've seen some have a little rubber puck that plugs into the hole. Is that an OEM thing? My 525iT has a little rubber pad on the front subframe. Very handy indeed.

 

XI models have a plastic jack block attached to the lower subframe. RWD models have a stiffening plate instead which is to be used to lift it up.

 

I use the prong kind when I jack up the car. Crosswise to the pad

 

Don't you find those Reeses leave chocolate all over everything? How long do they need to age before they are solid enough?
Seriously though, i don't like the idea if using that puck to sit on the jack stand. Too slippery. I think they are intended to sit in the jack cup. And the orientaion of the prong fore and aft looks like it might slip out sideways if doing one side at a time. If you center lift, this is not as much an issue. I think thats what bmw intended otherwise they would have put more support areas. I prefer older models with frame rails and solid crossmembers.

 

Seriously though, i don't like the idea if using that puck to sit on the jack stand. Too slippery. I think they are intended to sit in the jack cup. And the orientaion of the prong fore and aft looks like it might slip out sideways if doing one side at a time.

This .... those adapters are for the floor jack or a lift.

Use the jack stand as is going across the narrow part of plastic jack pad. Have had cars on stands like this for months with no issue.

 

Looking at your scenario, my recommendation is open your garage door then jack up the front or rear of the car from the central lifting points. Then place 2 jack stands on the left and right. Remove the jack, close the garage door and do your work. Front-in or back-in according to what you want to work on.