Hello,
I know this sounds like a true newbie question but I am a new owner of a 2011 Radical SR3 and since my Radical does not have air jacks I was wondering what the most effective/safest way to lift up the car would be? All four wheels off for general nut/bolt. Doing some searching online some people use wood horizontally underneath the car after only jacking up the rear of the car on the jack point but I didn't know if anyone else had any other successful ideas???
I come from production cars where you can lift on the frame or jack points but want to see what the correct way since the car doesn't have air jacks.
Thank you for the help in advance and thank you for this incredible resource! Being a new Radical owner the information on this site has been very useful!
-Nic
Congratulations on the new car! Your question is a good one. Unfortunately I can’t help,too much on this one because the Radicals I have owned had air jacks. I have heard the board technique works, but I have never seen it done. I know a lot of people like the quick lift style jack like this.
I have to say that I really like the air jacks. I bring a small nitrogen bottle to the track and use the air jacks to inspect the car between sessions. I may know of a good used set if anyone is interested.
Charley
Charley thank you for the quick response and insight. Roughly what does a used set of air jacks cost? Once a person uses the quick lift style jack where specifically do you place that underneath the car? Do you go right underneath the main cockpit area and lift there? Or under front axle area? I just don't want to break/wreck anything lifting the car.
Thanks,
Nic
I've been using the air jacks to get the car high enough to slide a standard hydraulic roller jack underneath each end so I can't fully comment on the initial ground clearance lift. If mine didn't have the jacks I'd do the 2x4 trick (or race ramps) to get enough clearance for a roller and then you can lift right at the junction where the front splitter attaches to the chassis underside (there's a cross member here) if you have a long enough jack or you can jack up under the splitter right at the tow ring if you have a shorter jack that won't allow you to get far enough under the car. I've had the crash structure and splitter off and can verify that the structure is more than sturdy enough to lift the front of the car at the tow ring point.
The splitter mounts to the frame at it's back edge and to the crash structure (what the tow ring is attached to) so the spitter will flex a tad but not damage anything/be damaged when you do start jacking it up. You can always put a 1 foot square piece of .5" plywood between the jack lift point and the splitter to spread the load. If you do this carefully you'll not hurt anything yet. I've been using this point for my first "session" of jacking the front up w/o any issues. It allows you to get the car high enough that you can then move the jack inward to the cross member at the rear of the front splitter.
Once the front end's up high enough, put a set of short jack stands under the edge of the chassis between the lower wishbone mounts or, if you've taken the wheels off, out under the outer steering pivot points at the end of the a-arms.
Now that you have the front end up to the height of unextended short jack stands move to the back and there's a jack point in the middle, just behind the trans - it's a piece of metal tubing that points down. Jack up at this point, then put stands under the same places as up front - between each wishbone mounting point at the edge of the chassis.
Once you get the car up in the air you can then start adding a piece of 4x4 on top of the hydraulic jack for another few inches of height and repeat front and rear lifts and extend the jack stands appropriately.
It takes me three rounds of this before I have the car sitting on four on fully extended jack stands. Take your time and you'll be fine.
If you happen to have an engine hoist you could throw a strap between the two wheel tie downs and lift that strap - but once again you'll need an initial 6" or so of clearance to get the engine hoist under the chassis.
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming 'WOW-What a Ride!'"
I can't imagine my car without the air jacks. Like Charley, I take a bottle of nitrogen with me to the track and use it constantly. At home, I use the air jacks to lift the car high enough to get it on my lift, and then the car is a dream to work on.
Charley thank you for the quick response and insight. Roughly what does a used set of air jacks cost? Once a person uses the quick lift style jack where specifically do you place that underneath the car? Do you go right underneath the main cockpit area and lift there? Or under front axle area? I just don't want to break/wreck anything lifting the car.
Thanks,
Nic
I have a set of air jacks that I would sell for $1,000. They were originally in a Prosport where the air inlet is in the back, so you would have to get some more braided line to put the air inlet in the proper position for your car. You would also need to purchase and Air lance which I believe is ~$250 from Lister in the UK.
Charley
Thank you everyone for the help!
Richard thank you for all the information. This is exactly what I was looking for! I didn't know exactly where would be a safe place to jack up underneath the car but now I can confidently raise the car up to work on it!
Charley I will probably hold off for now on those air jacks (but it sounds like a great deal) until I get a handle on the car but it is good to know who I can contact for a used set.
I appreciate everyone's time and help! Having this site as a reference makes owning and working on a Radical much easier!
Here is one more piece of information. The latest version of the Radical Owners manual shows the recommended jacking and lifting points. The Manuals can be found in the Radical Resource Library.
Charley
Thank you Charley for sharing that document. After getting the car up in the air I now fully understand the underside of the car. Also by looking at your document it is good to see where the air jacks would have gone in my car. Radical did a nice job of placing the jacking point in the rear, very accessible!
-Nic H
If it helps, I've raced a similar car for the last 4 years and used a low lift jack as Charley linked and the attached stands I welded together from 1" square stock.
Just lift the front of the car slide one in, then the rear and slide the second in. The car is now high enough to do pretty much any maintenance and is rock solid steady.
Full disclosure, I don't own a Radical but I am in the market for one. I drive a Formula car with very low clearance. I have used this jack for the past five years and it works great. It will get the car high enough for floor stands. Hope it helps.
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=872
Easy way to jack the car up... Use the rear jack point, raise the car up until the front splitter almost touches the ground.
Then, take a pair of race ramps (scissored together to make a block) or 6x6 wood and lay them under the front or middle frame cross-member.
Lower the jack and now all four wheels will be off the ground.
To revive an old thread on proper jacking points, I would rather ask the same newb question to avoid costly damage. I have the jack stands below and want to place them under the car.
After reading the thread above, would these be the recommended places to put the jack stands?
@tommymills, these should work fine but be aware that the center of gravity of the car is just in front of the engine so it is important to have the rear support as far back as possible. When you look under the car you will see there is a flat section under the cockpit and behind that you will see where the fiberglass diffuser starts. You want to put the rear stand just in front of where the diffuser starts. Even with the stand so far back it is a good idea to keep a jack under the rear jack pint to keep the car stable. The balance point gets worse if you have the front wheels off while the rears are still installed.
Charley
