Why do our cars have those black plastic pads that say DO NOT LIFT HERE? What are they for?

 

i try to life there one time i didn't becuase it said not and it bent the bottom bit of my frame/door metal.

 

I assumer you're talking about the pads right behind the front wheels. I dont usually jack from there ever, but I do put my jackstands under the pads. I believe that message is just so you dont jack in front of the pads under the body panel/door so you dont mess that up.

 

Do not place the jack under the sheet metal rocker panel next to the pad. It is fine to use the pads for a chassis lift, jackstand, etc. If you jack the sheet metal, the fender bends out ward, as noted in the post above.

 

Injuneer. Can you show us where would be the safest place on both front and rear of our vehicles to jack up the cars to keep from damaging them!

If you have pictures that would be great. I worry everytime I take my car to a garage or dealer that they will ruin my car. I also worry when I need to change brakes where would be the best place to jack up the car without harming anything.

Thanks Lee!

 

You're supposed to jack under the k-member in front or the pumpkin in the rear.

 

Go to this tread: http://web.camaross.com/forums/showthread.php?t=285020
Look at the first pict., this is where you want to jack. Not under or around the pads!

 

What about the rear anybody have any pictures?

THanks Lee!

 

The purpose of the pad is for jacking. You do want to use them. The "do not jack here" refers to the lip of the fender attaching point, and outside of the pad (much like Injuneer said).
If you have a floor jack, you can lift the rear under the center of the pumpkin.

 

To raise up the rear you just slide a jack under the rearend and then place jack stands beneath the 2 underbody supports that look like the cars frame.

As for the comments about not jacking under those black pads... those are in place for car lifts and work prefectly fine ONLY using a lift but jacking up 1 side at a time in that location will definitely create some issues.

 

The back of the car is easy... the subframes are very strong. You can put a jack or stands under the boxed section just before it goes up over the axle, or the smaller box that holds the body end of the LCA. And that's only if you want the wheels to drop away from the body. To raise the entire back end, jack directly under the center of the pumpkin. Put jackstands under the rear axle tubes. I have also put them under the rear sway bar caps, but I hyave heavier than stock caps.

Same in the front... jackstands under the plastic pads, under the boxed sections of the subframes, under the caps for the sway bar. Jack under the center of the K-member, toward the front where it is "rolled", not on the real flat, thin part in the center.

http://cjcfo.fbody.com/members/injun.../DCP03551a.jpg

http://cjcfo.fbody.com/members/injun.../DCP03553a.jpg

http://cjcfo.fbody.com/members/injun.../DCP03545a.jpg

http://cjcfo.fbody.com/members/injun...A/FuelPum2.jpg

http://cjcfo.fbody.com/members/injun...A/FuelSys2.jpg

http://cjcfo.fbody.com/members/injun...osB/RrAllR.jpg

D@mn, that car spends a lot of time on jackstands......