Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: phil on Sunday,February 21, 2016, 06:18:14 AM
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Hello all,
Soon be time to get the TC back out on the road, I need to get it jacked up, I'm not really sure where the best places (front and rear) to position the jack would be, I dont want to put it under the fibreglass as recommended.
Could anyone show me where to do this please, a photo / drawing would be best as opposed to technical part details?
Thanks Phil
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Under the gearbox at the back is a good place. Under the metal plate at the front is OK as the front is very light.
I use a very low level trolley jack.
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Hi Phil,
Pretty much what 4129R has said, we all have variations on the theme, but low entry trolley jacks are a common point !
At the front I slide the jack under the middle of the car, in line with the central spine to get the pad directly underneath the front T section. I slide a piece of wood, roughly 18" long between the jack pad & the chassis. This comes just behind the 3 bolts holding the front closing plate to the chassis itself. You're lifting directly on the chassis front T section. If it's central then you can lift the complete front end quite easily from here.
At the rear I use the rear hoop, and again you can get both wheels up at once. I use a small block of wood with one side raised slightly to accommodate the difference in heights between the chassis mount and the rear plate. Not so much for actual lifting but if it rocks it's a more stable platform for the jack pad. A normal trolley jack is ok here of course, plenty of room.
I've never used the fibreglass body for lifting although that's the way you're supposed to do it.
Brian
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My method is very similar to Brian's. My floor (trolley) jacks don't fit under the car all the way to the 'T' section of the frame since I have a cow catcher chin spoiler so what I do is raise the driver's side (since it's easiest to get to in my garage) using the OE scissor jack (behind the front wheel in the approved jack position) high enough to get a jack pad to the 'T' section and then jack it up and set my stands. Then going to the rear, I usually jack it up at the tranny and put a prop of some kind under the rear hoop and lower the car onto it. "Dejacking" is basically the reverse.
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We used the gearbox in the rear, and then got a three foot board and placed it under the sill, and jcked from there. It spread the load enough that the fiberglass remained intact.
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I haven't hesitated to lift mine from just behind the front wheel wells and just in front of the rears. You can position the lift points so the vertical load is transferred up.
No creeks, no moans and the chassis has yet to drop out over night.
Dean
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Dean, are you using any boards to spread out the load under the rocker panel area or just the standard lift pads.
I plan on getting a full height scissors lift for the Europa and it's nice to know that the fiberglass will support the weight of the car.
Joji Tokumoto
Fallbrook, Ca
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Dean, are you using any boards to spread out the load under the rocker panel area or just the standard lift pads.
I plan on getting a full height scissors lift for the Europa and it's nice to know that the fiberglass will support the weight of the car.
Joji Tokumoto
Fallbrook, Ca
Bone standard lift pads. I was thinking about making a bridge/cradle but the car is so solid on the standard rubber pads that I just didn't think it was a good use of time. For the fronts, I am picking up the inboard side of the wheel well. And on the rears I am just behind the tanks on the vertical corner. If you do make a cradle, I would focus on the rear, but it is tricky to pick up the frame and still get it under the car as the frame is buried.
Dean
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Now THAT's the way to lift a car! Very nice! :beerchug:
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Jacking points are shown in the owner's manuals. I can only comment on the S1. Do not jack in front of the rear wheel! This is NOT a strong point in an S1.
Good points to lift an S1:
- between the two front wheels (use a length of 2x4 to spread the load).
- rear chassis hoop
- just behind the front wheel
- the jacking point using a pin adapter to engage the reinforced insert rather than the sill.
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The approved jack points on the TC are behind the front wheels and in front of the rear wheels.
Looking at the owner's manual for the S1, it also shows that you can jack what looks like underneath the rear edge of the door. Is that the jack point you're referring to? Here's a snip from the owner's manual.
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Yup, I have a modified alloy Porsche jack with a pin that fits perfectly into the jacking point receptacle.
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That doesn't look safe to me. I assume it is utilising the seat belt anchor point. I don't think I will be using that. I'm having some no Jack decals made which I will be sticking pretty much everywhere
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I can only comment on the S1 (the above photo is from the S1 owner's manual) and it is plenty strong. The jacking point/seat belt anchor is made of 3/16 wall steel square tubing, the sill is reinforced where it attaches and water and crap doesn't get at it, unlike the S2 and TC. I have jacked at that point with no problem and no creaks or cracks. When I removed it, it was absolutely fine with no corrosion whatsoever -- wish I could say the same of the chassis!
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I have used the fiberglass jacking points for removal of fuel tanks and door hinges. I just love the sound of crackling fiberglass on a warm day. I even added more stiffening when I rebuilt body parts, use a piece of plywood and still get some crackling sounds. If the manual says it's ok then...
Eddie Zuskin
2068R