Look At The Way This Mechanic Jacked Up My Car

[sonicz]

That was months ago. Yea thats pretty much 3 wheels of the ground. I got under the car over the weekend and I noticed the side where he jacked it up looks like the hulk punched it in. And theres rust around.

Any idea what to do about stopping the rust from spreading under there?

The right side of the car he didn't touch

The left jacked up side.

Edited April 23, 2013 by sonicz

[ZRBE]

Lol wow.. I am no mechanic but been around cars a lot.. I was told to never jack up left or right side, only front and rear

[StevenCJR31]

jeebus! dont go back to that mechanic! you will need to rub that rust back at treat it with a rust neutraliser if you dont want it too spread

[zoomzoom]

I cant see any extra support on that car, who is the crazy bastard under the engine?

[xntrq]

That sort of rust would have been accumulated over time. Won't only be from that guy but yes he shouldn't have done it like that. I wreck these cars all the time and they are actually a very common thing where people assume that is the only jacking point and jacks it up there when that point is only really for the little scissor jacks with the indent for the rail to slide into locking position.

I usually jack it up from the chassis rails, though they are very soft and should only be done in a certain way at the hardest point, usually where the two pieces join together. Though because I wreck these cars, I don't give a shit where it gets jacked up since the shells are to be scrapped anyway, unless its a straight and good one.

Best way to stop the cancer is to get a wire brush, saftey glasses, mask and scrub it off with the brush, spray degreaser over it to get the rust dust off and spray some rust guard etch primer over it to stop it from rusting again. Rust Guard primer is available at Bunnings in their paint section.

Though there may be better ways to go about doing it, but that would be the cheapest and quickets way.

[gtr jet]

I reckon 25% of the underneath of my car looks like that. I'm even starting to get holes in some places and most of it is from being jacked in the wrong place.

My chassis rails are crushed from it too. It would cost me a fortune to get it repaired so I don't bother. Probably cheaper to just buy a new shell...

[sonicz]

I cant see any extra support on that car, who is the crazy bastard under the engine?

You cant see any extra support because there isn't any. It was a mobile mechanic that was called out to diagnose a non start problem.

He seemed to be working ultra fast so he just put the jack on the side, and kept jacking jacking jacking...

That sort of rust would have been accumulated over time. Won't only be from that guy but yes he shouldn't have done it like that. I wreck these cars all the time and they are actually a very common thing where people assume that is the only jacking point and jacks it up there when that point is only really for the little scissor jacks with the indent for the rail to slide into locking position.

I usually jack it up from the chassis rails, though they are very soft and should only be done in a certain way at the hardest point, usually where the two pieces join together. Though because I wreck these cars, I don't give a shit where it gets jacked up since the shells are to be scrapped anyway, unless its a straight and good one.

Best way to stop the cancer is to get a wire brush, saftey glasses, mask and scrub it off with the brush, spray degreaser over it to get the rust dust off and spray some rust guard etch primer over it to stop it from rusting again. Rust Guard primer is available at Bunnings in their paint section.

Though there may be better ways to go about doing it, but that would be the cheapest and quickets way.

Thanks for the info.

I've never had to deal with rust on a car before. How far would I have to scrape the rust of? All the way Until I see nothing but bare fresh steel? Just keep digging on the finger width rusted section or everywhere around the rust? Wouldn't spraying degreaser stop the primer from sticking to it?

Also how long would something like that take to rust through and if left for say for a further 5-10 + years would it cause an issue.

Lastly would there be any structural damage from jacking the car like that? Chassis feels pretty loose even though I've asked several mechanics to tighten chassis bolts etc

Edited April 23, 2013 by sonicz

[xntrq]

You cant see any extra support because there isn't any. It was a mobile mechanic that was called out to diagnose a non start problem.

He seemed to be working ultra fast so he just put the jack on the side, and kept jacking jacking jacking...

Thanks for the info.

I've never had to deal with rust on a car before. How far would I have to scrape the rust of? All the way Until I see nothing but bare fresh steel? Just keep digging on the finger width rusted section or everywhere around the rust? Wouldn't spraying degreaser stop the primer from sticking to it?

Also how long would something like that take to rust through and if left for say for a further 5-10 + years would it cause an issue.

Lastly would there be any structural damage from jacking the car like that? Chassis feels pretty loose even though I've asked several mechanics to tighten chassis bolts etc

You won't get it all off unless you use a angle grinder with a wire brush wheel. It may be possible with a wire brush by hand but it'l take a loooooonnnngggggggggggggggggg time before you get bare metal. I'd just brush off as much as I could and just spray it over to slow the rusting. Rust Guard over rust that's been brushed off, should stop it from growing further if not slow it down.

Each car is due to be scrapped sooner or later, but it will definitely be long after you sell the car. I wouldn't worry too much about it after brushing it off and rust guarding it.

I'm not a smash repairer but I doubt theres any structural damage to be concerned about. It's only the floor pan so its fine. If it was like the chassis rails that's rusted at the joints, thats a different story.

[dyl33]

Nice of the mechanic to jack it like that.

I would get drill and wire brush and saftey glasses and clean it up.

Panel shops charge around 2k to replace sills worse case, Prob not feasible tho

[niZmO_Man]

I reckon 25% of the underneath of my car looks like that. I'm even starting to get holes in some places and most of it is from being jacked in the wrong place.

My chassis rails are crushed from it too. It would cost me a fortune to get it repaired so I don't bother. Probably cheaper to just buy a new shell...

Same here, all jack points are crushed plus rails dented. Didn't check the bottom of the car before buying. Oh well, doesn't affect performance.

[luke gtr]

I have jacked cars like that previously.

with no damage to the rails.

are you sure the rail wasnt bent prior to the jacking?

my skyline, all 4 jack points were crushed before I got it, and the chassis rails were very slightly indented.

how many jacks did he have?

how low is the car normally?

skylines have long noses, most the time you can't get to the steel subframe.

I know mine is close to standard height, and I have to drive onto bricks to get a jack under the front.

when youre in a jam, a bent sill may be the price of a running car?

just a couple of things to think about.

[Hanaldo]

I have jacked cars like that previously.

with no damage to the rails.

are you sure the rail wasnt bent prior to the jacking?

my skyline, all 4 jack points were crushed before I got it, and the chassis rails were very slightly indented.

how many jacks did he have?

how low is the car normally?

skylines have long noses, most the time you can't get to the steel subframe.

I know mine is close to standard height, and I have to drive onto bricks to get a jack under the front.

when youre in a jam, a bent sill may be the price of a running car?

just a couple of things to think about.

Even so, it would take 5 minutes to jack the car up properly and avoid potential damage, plus be able to support the car on axle stands rather than getting under there like that. Jeez, the engine builder I go to for advice sometimes almost took my face when I stuck my head under the car to look for a spot to position the axle stand...

[xntrq]

I wouldn't pay that, but good idea with cleaning it up, if that's possible.

Just buy a new good shell and swap it over for the same price, better structural integrity as well.

[sonicz]

I have jacked cars like that previously.

with no damage to the rails.

are you sure the rail wasnt bent prior to the jacking?

my skyline, all 4 jack points were crushed before I got it, and the chassis rails were very slightly indented.

how many jacks did he have?

how low is the car normally?

skylines have long noses, most the time you can't get to the steel subframe.

I know mine is close to standard height, and I have to drive onto bricks to get a jack under the front.

when youre in a jam, a bent sill may be the price of a running car?

just a couple of things to think about.

I've been under the car about 5-10 times before that and I remember both sides being about the same as the other side picture I posted, normal "wear and tear". So I'm fairly sure it was from that event but of course cant be 100%.

When you say how many jacks are there I assume you think there is something more to the pic you can see? There isn't.

The 3 wheels are of the ground from that single jacking point you can see, the only wheel still on the ground is the rear right.

Anyway the car is no pretty baby, I am not all worried about cosmetically bent sills. What worries me is as he was jacking it I hear POp POP Pop. I'm not sure if it was my strut bar but now every time I jack up my car properly down the cross-member and go for a drive afterwards there is creaks and pops before it settles again.

Edited April 24, 2013 by sonicz

[luke gtr]

When you say how many jacks are there I assume you think there is something more to the pic you can see?

I meant how many did the mechanic have with him?

only 1 jack and no stands then thats the only option.

if he had stands, I would have thrown them under.

[zoomzoom]

I meant how many did the mechanic have with him?

only 1 jack and no stands then thats the only option.

if he had stands, I would have thrown them under.

The other, most sane option is to not get under a vehicle held up on a single jack.

[PN-Mad]

If you look carefully, I think there is a stand under the chassis rail.

Its not best practice sure, but all your issues were there before he started working on your car.

You see rust, the paint is red, so its a re-spray to black. There is a saying - you can hide a multitude of issues with a cheap re-spray. That, my friend, is what you bought.

[sonicz]

I meant how many did the mechanic have with him?

only 1 jack and no stands then thats the only option.

if he had stands, I would have thrown them under.

He had a second smaller red jack in the van as well. I didn't see any jack stands.

If you look carefully, I think there is a stand under the chassis rail.

Its not best practice sure, but all your issues were there before he started working on your car.

You see rust, the paint is red, so its a re-spray to black. There is a saying - you can hide a multitude of issues with a cheap re-spray. That, my friend, is what you bought.

I'm well aware the rust was there beforehand. I would like to get rid of the rust either way, but what I'm saying is I'm pretty sure the area wasn't bent in. Its hard to see in the pics but if you get a first person look you can see a fist sized indentation inward.

I don't think that single side jacking point is designed to support almost the entire weight of the car?

Couldn't he just have jacked up the front of the car in the middle of the cross member. Thats how I do it.

Yes I know some idiot has had the car badly resprayed, but I traced it back to only a few years ago when the car and and remarkably clean and looked after (saw pics). The rest of the car is in good nic for its age.

In hindsight was the starter motor wiring anyway. Jacking it up was unnecessary

Edited April 24, 2013 by sonicz

[RBMunkie]

I'd be pissing myself laughing if the jack suddenly dropped. (That's mean and horrible, I know, but damn, what a f***wit.)


He's a frigging idiot - he should have jacked the cross member and put stands under it.


My R32 has crushed sills because I can't get any jacks under under the front (too low for my ones at work), and it has minor surface rust.
As everyone said, wire brush, goggles, Por50.

If you have damaged sills at all, get a wood block and a decent weighted small hammer and straighten them by hitting the wood block against the sill, but don't force them - you don't wanna compromise the strength a sill is supposed to have. And as for the area that is bent in, again - wood block, lay it flat on the carpet above it (if the dent is into the floor inside) and give it a decent bloody hit. Problem solved.

And no, the triple fold sills, independently are NOT meant to support that weight (especially of an R33.)
Even on the Jig - we had the four sill clamps, and a jack under the front and rear crossing subframes.

(probably all been said already by people above.)

After all that it was starter motor wiring?
wow. How long was he there for?


The idiot should not have been under it with what appears to be a supercheap jack - or ANY jack for that matter, bar a screw clamp jack.

[sonicz]

Yea i figured its not meant to hold the weight, but worst case scenario its only cosmetically bent sills right, no loss in rigidity, bent frame etc? Any idea what all the popping noises were then...

I got my hands on a proper torque wrench. I'll be taking of my control arms soon to replace the bearings.Anyone know the torque specs for the bolts around that area.

Lastly, after I'm done putting new bearings in and torquing the control arms, where can I take the car to get the body bolts tightened?

My previous car, a much nicer mazda, one of the services the dealership, provided was "chassis bolt tightening". The car felt new again, insta response like a go kart, whereas previously it was sloppier. Thats how my R33 feels atm, like jelly.

As for your questions, he was there about 20 minutes. He checked the right stuff as far as we knew, key barrel, etc but he worked very very fast and roughly, scraping plastics, jacking cars up by the wing so to speak. He got me going by telling me to bridge the starter motor while the key is on "reds". Thats how I drove it for a while.

Edited April 25, 2013 by sonicz