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MG MG Y Type - Jacking Points

Can anybody tell me the best points to use a trolley jack and axle stands on my YA, both front and rear.
Andrew Adamson

If the jackall system is still in place, the best jacking point is the foot of each jack ram front or rear.

For a central location - directly under the diff housing at the rear, and under the front crossmember at the front.
Tony Slattery

Andrew,
as Tony says, it's best to use the foot of each jack ram. However, from previous experience, I would be very wary of using the differential housing as a jacking point for the back of the car. Before you do this, thoroughly check out the condition of the rear chassis cross member (the cross tube at the very back) - particularly the condition of the spring hangers at each end.
In my haste to get the rear end jacked up, I used the diff. as a single jacking point only to discover that the brackets that hold the spring hangers were not as sound as I had thought and one broke away from the chassis under the strain imposed upon them when the back axle rose upwards.
I'd had these welded during my restoration so had assumed that they were sound.
These days I always use a jack on each side of the car beneath the rams.
Jack
J.L. Murray

Thank you Jack - I have just installed a 2-post lift in my workshop and was thinking about where to put the pads when lifting the Y - you have answeresd that one for me!

Paul

PS Any Y owner who wants to can pop in with their Y and use it free, anytime - I like the Y companY!
See you all soon!
Paul
Paul Barrow

Yes to all of the above, but just to add a couple of points:
- at the front of the car, the Jackall units are on the chassis: if you are jacking the car up at the front to lubricate the suspension, as I have been recently, the best place is under the spring pans each side (with a block of wood between the jack and the pan to prevent damage). This takes the spring loads off the front suspension links, and allows grease to penetrate better into the load-bearing areas. It will also allow you to spot wear in the kingpins or trunnions, and is exactly what the MoT inspection does.
- at the rear, as the Jackall units are on the axle, using them as the jacking point will maintain suspension at normal load. If you want to examine or lubricate the springs for any reason, the safest way is to jack under the main chassis member at its lowest point (again, using a piece of wood to spread load and avoid damage).
Tim Griggs

Jack

Loading on the suspension due to jacking under the diff housing is no different than using the jackall jacks. Load is still transmitted from the axle to the body in the same way. If jacking under the differential housing caused a failure consider yourself VERY lucky. Consider the consequences of that failure, and what would have happened if the same failure had occured due to a pothole in the road at speed.

FWIW

Larry
49 YT
Larry Hallanger

Larry,

you're absolutely right regarding the rear jacking points. In fact, I usually put wooden blocks below the rams and use them to raise the car before placing axle stands under the chassis. Much the best way of lifting the car.
I also often reflect on the good fortune that my rear spring hanger went to heaven in my garage and not out on the road.

Jack

J.L. Murray

This thread was discussed between 23/05/2005 and 26/05/2005

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