Jacking-up a QP... Advice pls!

makeshiftUK

Member
Messages
1,089
Evening all,

Recently ordered a pair of 245/35/20 PS4S tyres to replace my Pirelli P Zeros on my QP GT S given the latter are almost 5 years of age, one of which has recently ingested a nasty looking screw. Bought a set off Blackcircles for £375 with fitting at my local tyre fitters, the same place that changed a pair of rubbers on my GS recently... only when I turned up today I was advised that, due to the car being low and the prominent sideskirts and a lack of a 2-post lift (the sort with those moveable arms), there was no way they could safely get their trolley jacks under my car... the jack sleeve/arm would be rubbing against the sideskirt when raised. There's some evidence this has happened before, my O/S sideskirt looks like its been mistreated and is slightly deformed close to the jacking point. In the end they said they could 'give it a go' but in doing would absolve themselves of any responsibility for damage caused... I said no, and walked away with the new tyres given they were a fair price even without fitting.

That said, they were happy to have me come back with an appropriate jack, and they'd gladly change the tyres for me at no cost - ofc my QP has no scissor jack in the boot (I think these only came with a spare wheel kit), and neither my Halfords trolley jack nor BMW scissor jack seem to have the the circular locating head which keeps the jack in-place within the jacking point (example I found on eBay below):

90736

Not really sure what to do. I don't feel comfortable driving on a nasty screw forever and neither am I amenable to letting another local tyre fitter just 'have a go'...

90739
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
Baffling. They could have put a block on the jack to make it clear the skirt.

You can lift it on the chassis leg slightly inboard of the sill, for the front this is under the outside edge of the cover plates.
 

makeshiftUK

Member
Messages
1,089
Baffling. They could have put a block on the jack to make it clear the skirt.

You can lift it on the chassis leg slightly inboard of the sill, for the front this is under the outside edge of the cover plates.
Cheers Zep, I watched them attempt to get a trolley jack underneath - and with the block on the jack it wouldn't clear the skirt.

Would the suggestion be that they lift it on the chassis leg, and with the extra clearance use a block on the correct jacking point?
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
Cheers Zep, I watched them attempt to get a trolley jack underneath - and with the block on the jack it wouldn't clear the skirt.

Would the suggestion be that they lift it on the chassis leg, and with the extra clearance use a block on the correct jacking point?

You need a low profile jack to get to either, so this is probably the issue. I’d go back with a couple of bits of plywood and drive onto them to give the required clearance to be honest.
 

Gazcw

Member
Messages
7,699
My jack cup sat around the jack point. I had to lay on the floor and ensure it did not pinch the side skirt but it fitted snugly around it without an issue. I keep meaning to get the right jack fitting just to speed things up.
 

Scaf

Member
Messages
6,512
Sounds like your fitters don’t have :
  • basic equipment
  • common sense
Clearly the best solution is two post lift or low profile trolly jack, but if have seen fitters drive a car onto a wooden block / 2x2 which gave the necessary hight to get a Jack under (had to do this with my sons lowered Golf).
I would be tempted to find another fitter
 
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conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Evening all,

...my local tyre fitters, the same place that changed a pair of rubbers on my GS recently... only when I turned up today I was advised that, due to the car being low and the prominent sideskirts and a lack of a 2-post lift (the sort with those moveable arms), there was no way they could safely get their trolley jacks under my car... the jack sleeve/arm would be rubbing against the sideskirt when raised

This is BS. I know their issue its the front. The simple route round this is to get someone to stand with their backside to the front wing and lift the arch enough to extend the pad so it does not touch.

If their pads do not extend enough, there are special tools called "bits of wood" you can use as packers

Muppets everywhere these days it would seem.
 

Gazcw

Member
Messages
7,699
I have a low profile and that used to get under the lowered QP no problem. We're they using a 4 ton commercial vehicle jack?
If they do not have a low profile Jack they should not be in the tyre business.
 

makeshiftUK

Member
Messages
1,089
Sounds like your fitters don’t have :
  • basic equipment
  • common sense
Clearly the best solution is two post lift or low profile trolly jack, but if have seen fitters drive a car onto a wooden block / 2x2 which gave the necessary hight to get a Jack under (had to do this with my sons lowered Golf).
I would be tempted to find another fitter
Unfortunately by association (and by not coming up with a resolution myself with the fitters) I also relegate myself to the position of lacking common sense :(

That said, my understanding is that a purchase via Blackcircles/BC doesn't net the chosen tyre fitter/garage as much money had I have bought them directly via the fitter, and thus maybe less inclination to 'help out'. Either way, I won't be taking the QP back there again - had a quick word my wheel refurb people nearby who will be fitting the tyres for me instead, they've refurbed all 4 of my QP wheels before and regularly do the same for all the exotic stock from nearby Romans International.
 

makeshiftUK

Member
Messages
1,089
I have a low profile and that used to get under the lowered QP no problem. We're they using a 4 ton commercial vehicle jack?
If they do not have a low profile Jack they should not be in the tyre business.
They have a low profile jack which one of the fitters bought himself to tackle similar jobs - but because it's not the garage's official equipment, he's technically not insured to use it. You couldn't make it up!
 

Cdn17Sport6MT

Junior Member
Messages
72
I would use the lower of the two wooden ramps to gain a bit of clearance.

Then again, I don't like to jack a corner by itself, so for a low slung car I came up with this latter arrangement... and then I have a 4 inch "deep" wide-flange section that spans rocker panel to rocker panel, and engages with my trolley jack. I use wooden packing on the top surface of this "I-beam" to be car-friendly.

Oh, I should explain: I use this arrangement so that I go easy on the clutch; this allows the car to climb the four ramps only one axle at a time; easier on the clutch .
 

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conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
When we have very low cars in we jack each corner and put wood under each wheel to raise it. Our wood has blocks front and back to stop the wheel from moving/rolling off.
 

TimR

Member
Messages
2,656
If they get paid peanuts because greedy Brits want it all yesterday, and cheaper than that, of course they aren’t inclined to risk some punters expensive car getting scratched or whatever...it’s more trouble than it’s worth...
Fitting, balancing and environmental disposal of old tyres....
You get what you pay for !
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,114
They have a low profile jack which one of the fitters bought himself to tackle similar jobs - but because it's not the garage's official equipment, he's technically not insured to use it. You couldn't make it up!
That's absolute rubbish as every workshop I have worked in I use my own tools and have done for 40 years.