How to Use a Car Jack

Learn how to use a jack for a car from the pros at Bettenhausen CDJR. If you need your vehicle lifted for your next weekend DIY project but have never used one before, it’s important to familiarize yourself with how to use a car jack, and maneuvering jack stands. We’ll walk you through the process of how to use a jack on a car step by step. You can rely on our service center located near Orland Park for any of your service-related questions and needs once you’ve mastered the fundamentals of jack stand use.

How to Use a Jack for a Car

Using jack stands to raise your vehicle may seem like a daunting task if you need to do so in order to do something as simple as changing a tire or inspecting its undercarriage. Here at Bettenhausen CDJR, we aim to simplify the procedure for drivers in Mokena with no prior mechanical knowledge. Listed below are the steps required to properly operate a car jack.

1. Put the automobile down on a flat surface. Using jack stands on soft surfaces like dirt or grass might damage your vehicle’s suspension and cause the lift to be uneven.
2. Put bricks, wooden blocks, or wheel wedges behind the wheels that are still making contact with the ground.
3. Ensure that your vehicle is in “park” and that the emergency brake is engaged. Put the car in first gear and set the parking brake if it has a manual transmission.
4. Your owner’s handbook describes how and where to position the jack stand under your automobile. A jack should be placed in the corner of the vehicle whenever possible, especially if only one wheel needs to be lifted. You should typically position the jack so that it is directly in the middle of the frame in the back of the car if you need to raise the trunk or cargo area.
5. The right end of the scissor should be inserted into the jack and the cranking motion should be initiated.
6. Insert the handle into the jack’s body, and pump the handle until the car is at the desired height if using a hydraulic jack.
7. The jack stand should be positioned under the car’s frame. Pinch welds are where the frame of your car is strengthened, so that’s where you want to position it.
8. Raise or lower your jack stand as necessary, then secure it in its new position. Make sure the car is resting on the jack stand by lowering it with the jack.
9. The jack stands safely support the car; you can now lower it.
10. After you’ve finished working on your car, lift it a few inches with the jack and then take it off the jack stand.
11. Once the car has been lowered to the ground, the jack can be taken away.
12. If you’ve been using bricks or wheel blocks to prevent your tires from hitting the ground, take them away.

You may confidently tackle your next service activity now that you know how to use a jack for a car. If you need any parts or components related to floor jacks or jack stands, our parts department can help you.

Have Your Vehicle Worked On in Tinley Park

Using a car jack might be dangerous, but now you should know how to do it properly. Reach out to the professionals at Bettenhausen CDJR for further service-related information and advice. If you have any questions about our services or would like to schedule an appointment on your way home after your New Lenox commute, please contact us today.