Ok, I'm prompted to ask this as it came up in another post.

Often when you go for a pink slip, blue slip or get tyres the mechanic typically places the jack under the floor near the footwell.

My car like many Minis has a huge lump in the floor from 40+ years of mechanics trolley jacks.

I even had someone once nearly lift the car with the sump.

So... if a mechanic wants to jack up a Mini, and typically they have one of those huge trolley jacks, where should/can they place it?

Cheers

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68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)

Under the sump is quite ok as long as the contact point with the car has a large enough surface area.

I usually go under the subframe near where the drive-shaft goes through the subframe.

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ok,,, this may become a bit contraversal but still here goes

i prefer to jack them up under the correct jacking point, under the floor cross-member... but a decent sized piece of wood or rubber is needed if you don`t want the floor to buckle

if your floor is rusty,,, then forget it

now,,, in saying all that, & """IF""" your floor isn`t rusty, then ---> the floor cross-member has 2x "down" pieces (if you get my drift) it`s a box & we want to jack up under the vertical pieces of that box

it`s under one of these (or both if you can spread the load) is where you want to lift at & it will lift the whole side of the car really well balanced

if you have a hoist then i suggest right at the very front of the floor,,, & again,,, under the "Down/vertical" panel at the inner guard , there is a very short flat section in-front of the foot-well but at the bottom of the rear-part of the inner guard

at the rear... it`s a case of under the subframe channels or under the little metal "Tabs" (body alignment tabs), or at the very rear-most part of the floor just infront of the subframe mounting point

ok now,,, go on,,, fire away

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

I prefer under the sump, I tell them to do this then they can also check the engine mounts at the same time (then you get a look of 'Oh, yeah, I knew that!).

I do sometimes jack under the floor, not my prefered method. Right on the edge of the wheel well is fairly strong. Use a block of wood between the jack and the car.

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What about your axle (jack) stands? Are they fine on the subframe?

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"I'm sorry, but a lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part!"

Yeah, I usually place mine under about where the drive shafts go through. There is a lump of weld that nicely catches the stands.

Or, if I'm not messing with the suspension, then under the lower arm, right against the subframe.

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if your going to jack under the sump, put a block of wood on your jack, enough pressure on the right point in the sump and the jack will punch through. Havent seen it but few people have told me its happened.

i prefer the front tie rod end on the sub itself. for the rear its light enough just to go in the centre of the sub frame at the rear.

there is a post on the forums explaining how to cut a block of wood to fit in the front sub especially for jacking, but this isnt likely something you would carry out of your garage.

and if your mechanic even tries to jack using the body, yell WHAT THE F are you doing.

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Aussie Leyland, Aussie Factory, Aussie Mini S.

I used to like using the front tie-bar mount points, but, I only do this if I really have to now, as the chance of accidentally putting pressure on the tie-bar with the cup of trolley jack (& then bending it) is too great. Plus I've seen subframes crack badly at this point so I don't like stressing it.

My normal/favourite at the front is under the subframe on the flat section just under the bottom arm pin as described by GT Mowog, yes with a bit of wood to spread the load.

The rear is the subframe again, on the flat sections (I find the rear crossmember section too weak).

I avoid the floors at all costs, but maybe that has to do with the state of the floors/sills on most of the cars I've had!

cheers

Jacob

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'72 Clubman Van - 1022cc, 295 head, 731 cam - Daily Driver
'69 Morris 1100 S - Dinged by a bus, in shed under repair
'64 Morris 1100 - Early 1100, long term project

On each corner on the floor of the 1275LS is a raised bit of metal. I assumed this was there for the purpose. Mind you it hasn't stopped someone at some stage doing it about 4 inches inside this and bending the passenger floor a little.

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Cheers
Alec
1275LS - July 78 - XNFAD18Y/102918

There are not jacking points, but were used to secure the bare body to the assembly line. They are not really rated as a car lifting point.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

On this issue i have thought about making an adaptor so a trolley jack can lift a mini from the original hole in the sill (considering rust).

Otherwise, on a hoist i use the back edge of the front guard/subframe and the front of the rear subframe.

Jacking, like most others i try to jack under the broad flat bit of the front subframe and put stands under the back of the front sub.
The rear is easy, go from the back and don't f**k the battery box

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Dean Hutton's first car was a Mini.