Jackstand under control arm safe?

SuperBmw · 08-31-2013, 06:33 AM

Can I lower the car onto a jackstand placed under the lower control arm to spindle connection? I don't want to damage the arm.

I wanted to diagnose a rattle that can be heard while driving and the only way to replicate the sound is to bounce the car up and down.

With the wheels on it's very difficult to figure out where the sound is coming from so I wanted to remove the wheel and lower the car onto the jackstand under the control arm to load up the suspension. This way I could sit infront of the wheel well while someone bounced the car up and down and I could try and localize where the sound is coming from.

RallyRcrr · 08-31-2013, 07:09 AM

Its not a safe idea to place the jack stand on a control arm as a lift point because the control arm moves, and the mounting point may shift on you. The jack stand may shift and the car will fall off of the stand.

That said if you try anyways, place a stiff rubber block or even a block of wood between the control arm and the jackstand. It will help prevent marring and bending. Since each wheel is meant to handle significant loads, the control arm is pretty strong and you'll probably get away with it if the load isn't that big. Keep in mind the arm is only one weight bearing piece of the suspension as a whole. It still maybe possible to bend it if not done with care.

RallyRcrr · 08-31-2013, 07:11 AM

One more note. If you do give it a try, place the rear on jack stands also. Don't lift the front on control arms with the rear wheels on the ground. Even when used with the parking brake the wheels still may add a little bit of weight shift when bouncing the car up and down.

08-31-2013, 06:33 AM	#1
SuperBmw Lieutenant 68 Rep 511 Posts Drives: 07 E92 335i Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Toronto iTrader: (5)	Jackstand under control arm safe? Can I lower the car onto a jackstand placed under the lower control arm to spindle connection? I don't want to damage the arm. I wanted to diagnose a rattle that can be heard while driving and the only way to replicate the sound is to bounce the car up and down. With the wheels on it's very difficult to figure out where the sound is coming from so I wanted to remove the wheel and lower the car onto the jackstand under the control arm to load up the suspension. This way I could sit infront of the wheel well while someone bounced the car up and down and I could try and localize where the sound is coming from.
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08-31-2013, 07:09 AM	#2
RallyRcrr Lieutenant 35 Rep 480 Posts Drives: 2007 BMW 335xi Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Tacoma, WA iTrader: (9)	Its not a safe idea to place the jack stand on a control arm as a lift point because the control arm moves, and the mounting point may shift on you. The jack stand may shift and the car will fall off of the stand. That said if you try anyways, place a stiff rubber block or even a block of wood between the control arm and the jackstand. It will help prevent marring and bending. Since each wheel is meant to handle significant loads, the control arm is pretty strong and you'll probably get away with it if the load isn't that big. Keep in mind the arm is only one weight bearing piece of the suspension as a whole. It still maybe possible to bend it if not done with care.
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08-31-2013, 07:11 AM	#3
RallyRcrr Lieutenant 35 Rep 480 Posts Drives: 2007 BMW 335xi Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Tacoma, WA iTrader: (9)	One more note. If you do give it a try, place the rear on jack stands also. Don't lift the front on control arms with the rear wheels on the ground. Even when used with the parking brake the wheels still may add a little bit of weight shift when bouncing the car up and down.
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