Where is the place for floor jack to lift car ?

[Merlin_83]

Greetings,

I have tried the search, did not really find anything. I need help:

I want to remove either individually each wheel on my M3 w/ZCP so I can deep clean the wheels and seal with AutoFinesse or Opti-Coat, plus I had new tires mounted and the tech left the hold double sided tape for the wheel weights adhered to the inside of the wheel rim. I also want to deep clean and protect the wheel well area.

1) where does the fllor jack go for lifting each wheel ?
2) what is the torque value for the lug nuts ?
3) what size metric do I need for the wheel lug nut ?

Thank You,
Merlin

I have another question about my recent dealer visit, but will ask in another post.

[Kurt_OH]

About a foot behind the front wheel arch there is a small open bottom plastic rectangle. You should use an cruel BMW specific jack pass, but I've heard a piece of 2x4 will work.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tech...ur_Vehicle.htm

[RD1M3]

1- there are jack points along the side of the car to the rear of the front wheel and in front of the rear wheel. Search "jack points" or look in the manual to find where they're located.
2- torque specs are roughly 88 lb-ft
3- 17mm

[fuddman]

I use these little gizmos

http://www.ecstuning.com/News/E82_E9..._F02_ES251251/

[Millie]

I use a hockey puck.

[7500rich]

Lift the front by the plastic pad directly beneath the engine, jack stands under the points mentioned above by others.

Rear lift by diff and jack stands under the rear pads.

Do two wheels at once.

[modkrazy]

Originally Posted by 7499rich

Lift the front by the plastic pad directly beneath the engine, jack stands under the points mentioned above by others.

Rear lift by diff and jack stands under the rear pads.

Do two wheels at once.

You lift by the diff? Doesn't seem prudent.

[Beemdog]

Originally Posted by modkrazy

You lift by the diff? Doesn't seem prudent.

+1... The finned aluminum diff carrier is fragile on these cars (unlike the old iron pumpkins on American musclecars).

[7500rich]

Originally Posted by Beemdog

+1... The finned aluminum diff carrier is fragile on these cars (unlike the old iron pumpkins on American musclecars).

I didn't say where to lift on the diff, but you do NOT lift by the fins.

In front of the fins is the diff casting and this is where you can lift the rear end from. I researched this before and used this method when getting the car up on jack stands to install my exhaust.

Where would you suggest to lift the rear of the car to get jack stands underneath the pads? Surely you wouldn't recommend the OP lift at the jack stand points with a hydraulic jack and then proceed to take the wheels off. Hydraulic jacks can fail and if the wheel was off it would cause serious damage.

Use jack stands OP prior to removing any wheels.

[Beemdog]

7499rich is right... you can (carefully) use the diff carrier to jack the M3 if you know what you're doing. I probably wouldn't recommend it to someone who was just getting into working on cars and a beginner using floor jacks.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by Beemdog

7499rich is right... you can (carefully) use the diff carrier to jack the M3 if you know what you're doing. I probably wouldn't recommend it to someone who was just getting into working on cars and a beginner using floor jacks.

This. The diff is fine if you know what you're doing. Aluminum diff fins, absolutely not. A hockey puck works fine under those plastic rectangles, but the ECS Tuning adapter is a cool thing to have. I have two to be able to lift both sides simultaneously.

[z3papa]

This is correct but it's typically a PITA to get a jack under there and lift up since the stroke of the jack is very limited.

[Nice Rumble]

Use the rear central jack point (rear subframe) to lift the car and place the rear jack stands under the rear side jack points. The location is just behind the fins on the diff. Credit billswebspace.





Lift the front using this location. Drive the car up onto Gorilla Ramps first to gain jack access. Using this technique you can place jack stands at the proper lift locations along the side of the car.



Bavarian Autosport sells these jack pad adaptors for $30.00.



Reverse logic sell these jack stands with the adaptors.

[pbonsalb]

Originally Posted by Millie

I use a hockey puck.

Hockey puck does not fit the stock lift points at each corner. You will crack those plastic lift points. No big deal -- you can buy new ones.

Best to just spend $50 on ebay for a set of 4 aluminum jack pad adapters.

[fuddman]

If you are, simply, removing one wheel at a time, then forget about jack stands and just put the thing up on a floor jack, take the wheel off, do your thing, ( change brake pads, clean or whatever) put the wheel back on, and do the next one. It's the same as if you were removing a flat and putting on a spare. Just don't start crawling under the car with just the floor jack holding it up. One other thing - after the bolts are off, the wheel may be very hard to take off. I use a rubber hammer and pound the inside of the tire while turning it. Careful, because when it decides to come off, that sucker will come off quickly and it could land in your lap. It's heavy.
Changing the oil is a bit more involved because you don't have a dip stick tube for sucking oil out; so, you have to get at that stupid bolt under the car. That's when you have to pay attention to all the other stuff like lift points, differential fins, Rhino lifts, jack stands and so on.

You are correct to be cautious about how a wheel shop lifts your car. Talk it over with them before you start. Assume they know nothing about your car.

[pooyab]

How are you supposed to put the jack stands if they go in the same place as the hydraulic lift?

Never mind, you would just lift the whole rear or front.

[pbonsalb]

I have put the stands under suspension mounting points.