I\'m gonna have a go at an oil change and coolant change sometime soon, but have a C-West bodykit.
My question is - how do I go about raising up the front end of the car (safely) - it is an impossible task in getting the little jack in place even to change a wheel!
Am I right in thinking that a trolley jack is the way to go? If so, can anyone recommend a particular one or are they all the same?
If this is the right way to go, are there any safety tips for when the car is jacked up?
Many thanks
Tailz
If its so low you cant get a standard jack underneath then you will struggle with a trolley jack. Best thing to do is make a small ramp out of wood drive up and then you will get a trolley jack underneath.
By ramp i mean one piece of wood flat on the ground then another piece a bit thicker next to it, and then another thicker again, repeat process until its high enough to get a jack underneath, like a set of small steps basically.
Safety wise, DO NOT GO UNDER THE CAR WITHOUT SUPPORTING WITH AXLE STANDS FIRST!! and you should be fine.
HTH
Cheers
Donato
What Donato said is spot on.
You\'ll need a trolley jack AND axle stands. Don\'t trust a trolley jack when you\'re under the car. Axle stands are dirt cheap from Halfrauds as are the trolley jacks.
I can get the emergency jack under mine but not a trolley jack so I use that to rsie the car a fraction thenthe trolley and then pop the stands in place.
As for the oil change, it\'s a doddle - even I managed with no problems!
Iain
I\'ve got c-west too mate, yer in luck.. i made a guide :D
Link 4 u (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robert.pogmore/oil/oil/changing_oil.htm)
Thanks guys - a great help!
I have a few set\'s of axel stands some really meaty one\' s and pair of girly one\'s, if your not gonna be under the car all that often then get some of the smallish axel stands. I can get the car up high enought to get the small axel stands under on the small jack. Also I got a really small trolley jack (it was on offer in lidl):) that I can get in between the arch and wheel to jack the car up. If I wanna use the big trolley jack though its got to be driven onto a few blocks of wood.
Al