Yes. Using two jacks on your car is indeed a possibility and it should be expected to happen as often as you imagine. You need two jacks (also called jack stands) to lift up just one end of your car safely.
When changing the oil of the car, or replacing the tires, you will need the services of jacks to lift the car, a foot or two off the ground so that the job is done more safely and more efficiently.
Jack stands are used to stabilize the jacks while the device is doing the heavy lifting.
To meet the safety requirements that will secure you a bit while you fix up your car, you need to use at least two jacks and/or jack stands to lift up just one end of your car while you are underneath.
To lift the entire car off the ground for proper maintenance, you will need to use fours jacks for the job.
It is not a strange thing for you to carry at least two jacks in your car because this is a proper car safety measure that should be observed by every driver on the road.
It is indeed very possible that you use two jacks on your car during repairs; keep in mind that this is just for lifting up just one end of your car.
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When do you use two jacks on one car?
Whenever you want to do some maintenance on your car, there is every chance that you will have to use about two jacks to lift the car off the ground.
Many drivers are often confused about this at first because their cars come with one jack that is the standard for lifting it up.
However, the best and the safest measure to take whenever you need to jack your car up is to use two jacks that are the standard for doing the job for your particular car.
Car manufacturers might soon have to start supplying their vehicles with two standard jacks so that everyone is aware of the right procedures.
Most car engineers are aware of this already and they will always make use of two jacks and two jack stands when they are about to do the heavy lifting of just one side of the car.
If there is any need to lift the entire car off the ground, then four jacks and four jack stands are used.
Jacks come with support points that will inevitably keep them stable enough as they lift the car off the level ground for work to do on it.
The affixation of jack stands underneath the jacks is for the extra stability and safety that ensures that the jacks don’t fail unexpectedly.
Once you want to jack a car up on one side only, you have to make use of two standard jacks that will safely carry the weight of your car.
Please be advised that your chosen jacks have to be the standard ones for your car so that complications do not occur.
The jack that came with your car should give you an idea of what kind of jacks you need to buy as extras. Place jack stands under your jacks to secure them further as you continue the work on your car carefully.
These days, most jacks are sold with jack stands already attached to them so you might not have to buy these car maintenance products separately.
Jacks, especially hydraulic jacks, can fail at any time no matter how new they are. You need to make use of these jacks stands (Fixed Steel Safety Stands) to further stabilize the whole frame of the car that you are trying to lift.
Safety is a very important value to consider when you are working on your car considering how heavy it is.
Your safety (and that of your mechanic as well) is further assured when you use two jacks and two jacks to lift up just one end of the car that you are doing some work on.
This is the standard.
Like we’ve established earlier, replacing your car tires or just changing the oil will require you to use jacks to lift the car off the ground.
Most cars will just require you to use the standard 2-ton jacks (and 2-ton jack stands – if they are separate) to lift them up appropriately.
You can also use 3-ton jacks and jack stands to run up the work well enough if your car so requires.
There are also bigger jack tons (like 6 tons) that will be able to do the job for bigger vehicles that need to be lifted up for maintenance.
For every car, it is best for you to use two jacks and two jack stands to lift up just one end.
If you want to lift the whole car off the ground, then you have to employ the use of four jacks for the operation to be smooth and efficient.
Be careful not to use just jacks to lift the car up while you work on it – this is a recipe for disaster.
Place jack stands underneath the jacks to secure them more firmly so that they will more stability and not fail on you unexpectedly.
Where can you use two jacks on a car?
When you want to lift just one end of your car, you should use two jacks to do the heavy lifting.
The lifting is done more efficiently this way and that is why it is considered the safest way for you to go about it.
Usually, the jacks are placed right in front of the two front wheels of your car. When balance is achieved doing this, you are then to proceed by placing the jack stands under the jacks before you start using them to jack the car up.
You can also place the two jacks in the middle of the front end of the car if you need to achieve a more efficient balance while you work on a particular point of your car.
Remember to always support your jacks with jack stands because these jack stands can fail at any time so you need to be very careful.
Every car has the suggested jack points for you to consider while you start the maintenance and/or fixing of several parts of your car.
You should thoroughly read the manual of your car in order to Do This Yourself in a way that your car – and you – will duly appreciate.
Apart from the suggested jack points that are surely listed in your car manual, you should really know the solid suspension points and individual frame points of your car as well.
You should then be able to successfully lift your car off the ground safely once you follow the safety precautions and capacity limits of your jack and jack stands.
When you have the following three in mind, you should truly know where to place your jacks and jack stands underneath your car:
- The Appropriate Jack Points of The Car
- The Solid Suspension Points of The Car
- The Frame Points of The Car
Things to consider before using two jacks on one car
Car maintenance is something that you need to approach with foresight and knowledge that will allow you to do the jobs you need to do carefully and accurately.
Without having the right things in mind, you might end up ruining some parts of the car, even risking your life in the process.
Before you use two jacks (and two jack stands) to lift up your car, you need to consider the following:
- The Type Of Car Maintenance to be done
- Your Personal Knowledge of Cars and Car Maintenance
- The Car’s Weight Distribution
- Lifting and Support Requirements for Your Car
- The Standard Tools You Need To Do The Job
- The Safety Measures For Using Jacks and Jack Stands
The type of car maintenance to be done
The kind of car maintenance you will be doing on your car will determine the amount of jacks and jack stands that you will need to use for working really efficiently on your car.
However, for most of the maintenance and repair jobs on your car, you will need two jacks and two jack stands to secure just one end of your car.
Using one jack and one jack stand to lift up an end of your car is not safe because these jacks can fail at any time and fall under the weight of the car.
Your personal knowledge of cars and car maintenance
How much do you know about cars? Can you really repair and maintain your car in a way that has it functioning well for a long period of time?
Does your car give you trouble even when you know the right ways to repair and maintain it?
You have to answer all these questions honestly if you are to proceed with jacking your car successfully with two jacks or more.
Knowing much about cars beforehand will give you all the edge you need to proceed with this using the right procedures.
If you have zero to little prior knowledge of car maintenance, you shouldn’t just jump into the use of two jacks and two jack stands to lift your car off the ground.
This is a serious maintenance procedure that could get you hurt if you are not sure of the processes.
The car’s weight distribution
Keep your car’s weight distribution in mind before you lift it up with two jacks.
For most cars, the weight will automatically be shifted to the front end so the backside can be stabilized with the brakes while you lift it.
If your car has a weight distribution that is unevenly directed to its back end, then that is where you should consider putting your jacks and jack stands so that you secure the weight of your car more securely and firmly.
Lifting and support requirements for your car
Thoroughly read the manual of the car to know all the things you need to know you jack it up and/or lift it from the ground.
This will give you the specific instructions and requirements that you need to have in mind while you do this job.
Every car has its suggested jack points, solid suspension points, and required frame points that you need to duly consider for the accurate jacking up and heavy lifting of your car.
The standard tools you need to do the job
Get the standard jacks and jack stands with the right capacity limits and quality for the particular car that you own.
Whenever lifting a specific vehicle, you need to use the right kinds of jacks and jack stands for the job so that you don’t have problems with the devices buckling under pressure.
The safe thing to do is get jacks and jacks stands that have the capacities to handle at least 50% of your car’s weight.
You should use quality jacks and jack stands to lift your car up at either end of it.
Apart from your jack stands that are used to support the jacks while they lift the car up, you should also consider using plywood to add some more balance to the jacks and jack stands if you absolutely have no choice but to work on grass and soft earth.
The safety measures for using jacks and jack stands
Keep the safety requirements for using the jacks whenever you want to use two jacks on your car.
Keep the two jacks at the same height and let them be fully supported by the two jack stands that you will need to place underneath them.
Park your car on level ground before you lift it up with the two jacks and jack stands that are the standard for it.
Once your car is parked, chock the wheels of the car opposite where you are lifting with metal, wooden, plastic, or rubber chocks.
Chocking your car is the right way to secure it and ensure that it doesn’t move backward or forward while you work on it.
Remember to jack the car up at solid jacking points that will secure it more securely and leave room for the jack stands to support the jacks and the car more efficiently.
Work on your car with a friend close by so that you have some extra backup in the case of emergencies and/or accidents.
Your car comes with one jack only but you shouldn’t consider using just that to do the job because the effects could be really disastrous.
Check your jacks and jack stands to make that they don’t wiggle under the effects of your car’s weight while it is being lifted.
Do you need to use a jack stand with a hydraulic jack and/or lifts
It is absolutely mandatory for you to use jack stands to support your hydraulic jacks and/or lifts while you lift your car up for some maintenance.
If you don’t do this, the hydraulic jacks are bound to fail without the extra support and balance that the jack stands give them.
Hydraulic jacks have every possibility of failing and buckling under the pressure of the weight of your car if you don’t make use of the proper jack stands that will get your car off the ground well enough while securing it firmly.
These hydraulic jacks use air pressure combined with their industrial strengths to lift the car off the ground in a manner that lets you work on it securely.
However, like most other jacks, hydraulic jacks are bound to fail under the car’s weight if jack stands are not affixed under them for more security and balance.
For safety reasons (and to lift your car up properly), you really need to make use of good jack stands to secure your hydraulic jacks while the job is being done.
If your jack stands are not in place, the hydraulic will be wobbly as you lift the car up with them and then they will eventually fail under the pressure.
This Hydraulic Jack is one of the best for you to consider in the market today:
Newtry 20T Low Profile Hydraulic Jack
Does Jacking your car damage it?
Jacking your car will not damage it if you follow through with the appropriate safety measures that are meant to protect you and your car from harm while maintenance is being done.
Oil changes, wheel changes, and engine recalibrations are all procedures that will require you to lift your car up using jacks and jack stands.
Jacking your car up is just a way to begin the maintenance and/or repairs that you have to do on it. It is not an avenue to destroy the car for you.
If you follow the right jacking instructions and lift your car up with the correct tools and equipment, you should have no problems with any damages to your car or your person.
Safety should be one of the paramount things on your mind as you work on your car using the proper jacks and jack stands.
Use the right jack stands to support the weight of the car and balance the jacks up while you lift your car for maintenance.
Remember that each car has the appropriate jacks and jacks stand for it. Keep the specifics in mind as you proceed to lift your car up for all the maintenance that it needs.
2-ton jacks and jack stands work for most cars; but to be on the safe side, you should get yourself some 3-ton jacks and jack stands so that you have the assurance that your car weight is properly lifted off the ground.
Once you jack your car up the right way, you most likely won’t damage it or run into any other problems like that.
Order for awesome jacks and jack stands like the following in order for you to do a great job on your car;
- Alltrade Black 3-ton Jacks
- Pro-Lift 3-ton Double Pin Jack Stands
- Big Red Steel 3-ton Jack Stands
- Torin Steel 3-ton Jack Stands
Related topics:
- How Much Weight Can Jack Stands Hold
- How Long Can You Leave a Car on a Jack
- How Long Does It Take to Change 4 Tires
- Do You Need A Torque Wrench to Change Tires