Safely jacking up the car

[Numero9]

Read a number of threads across various VW forums about jacking up the car on axle stands and was hoping to get some help to clear things up.

The jack which comes with the car is designed to lift from the reinforced sill. I can buy an adaptor for the trolley jack which hopefully will stop the sill from folding and being damaged long term. https://www.amazon.co.uk/PLANGER-Trolley-Universal-Protects-vehicles/dp/B01MS1TO1P/ref=asc_df_B01MS1TO1P

There also appears to be jacking points with plastic covers. I've read some people use them & some say these are not meant for jacking long term. Is the consensus that these are okay?

Ultimately I want to be able to jack up the car and put it on axle stands in the event I need to take a wheel off and therefore can't use the drive on ramps I have. Do people have images of where they place the axle stands? Again seems to be a mix of where people put them and what is deemed as safe.

Before I can place the axle stands I need to make sure I'm lifting the car safely. Advice is much appreciated.

[Clarkj93]

So just to clarify when jacking up at home or when it's not an emergency don't use the widow maker scissor jack, they're for emergency use and not great. They often slip/fail. Unless I've read it wrong get yourself a proper jack, 30 quid from halfords will do but 100/120 odd quid will get you a really good heavy duty twin piston one that will last year after year, depends how much use you get out of it.

The axle stands go on the reinforced part of the seams and under the wishbone rear bracket. So personally I always jack from the reinforced seam at the front of the car and place an axle stand then under the rear reinforced seam and one under the front wishbone rear bracket and then you have one side completely lifted and safely supported.

This thread has all the pics you should need to understand https://www.golfmkv.com/forums/index.php?threads/jacking-up-car.59716/

[Clarkj93]

Ah misread some of your post turns out. I have a powerflex adapter which only works with a big jack as its quite a large adapter but nothing wrong with using it, will protect it from getting roughed up, I don't use it now as mine is too low to get it underneath but so I just jack up now with a small thing rubber pad on the jack  for grip and some protection. The reinforced seam is strong you are not going to damage it with with trolley jack. If it's metal on metal you may scratch it up a bit and take the seam sealer off like I did which is to protect it from corrosion but its relatively thick strong steel so is not going to rust off anytime soon. I also jack mine up 2 times plus a week almost every week for the last 18 months and still no issues. Garages will jack it up on that reinforced seam whether it's a trolley jack or a lift also.

[LC5F]

There are OEM jack pads available but are pricey for the Mk5.
They fit into existing openings with a rubber bung and a hard plastic insert that locks it in place, the front ones have a section that replaces a panel of underbody aero.
I have had too many VAG cars with f*cked up sills from bad jacking - so fitted them to mine, they are good and I am confident jacking from them - Only criticism is they are a good distance inboard, to locate the jack onto the jack point I have to lie down to get it into position.

Powerflex do a kit, but unsure how the work with the underbody aero covering the front locations and they don't look too secure : https://decimaltenths.co.uk/product/jacking-point-insert-kit-of-4-volkswagen-golf-5/

[pudding]

Yeah they're the TT jack pads.  I have my doubts about them!  I had the same on my MK4 and they just caused the panel they were clipped into to collapse over time.

I personally think those are just for the factory jig to move the car around the plant, and not intended for long term jacking.

I've lost count of the times I've jacked mine up on the sill and they still haven't folded over.

The problem there is.....and this might shock some people.....some folk either don't know what the arrows on the sill covers mean, or even know they're there.  Therefore they don't jack in the very specific strengthened area and fold em' over like a slice of edam.

[rich83]

Just use a jack with a flat rubber top instead of the metal cup of doom and you’ll be fine to jack up on the chills where indicated.

[LC5F]

the jacking points are really for 2-post lift use, so using one point at a time is going to put more pressure on a panel, I am still going to keep well away from the sill.
I tend to lift with the jacking point and then throw axle stand under the subframe for front or trailing arm for rear.

I got a job lot of Hockey pucks years ago - I throw one on top of the trolley jack to lift.

[pudding]

I tend to do what the dealers do.  They have very trick mega money hydraulic rams that rise up out of the floor, and they use thick rubber blocks (about 4" thick) on the sills.

What makes me whince is when people try and jack the car up in the middle on a cross member, or jack up on the front sill so that both wheels lift off the ground.  Ultra chassis flex    I'm one of those saddos that jacks up both sides an inch at a time to try and mitigate that bodyshell twist.