Jacking Point Damage

[Roker]

This must have happened to others and is very annoying. I was approaching my Octy. from the side and notice that the under sill was damages. On inspection the edge where the jack is located has been bent at right angle for about 6 inches in length. This must have happened within the last week when I had either a tyre replaced or had the brakes pads renewed at the dealers. I think I may be able to bend it back but any paint damage will cause rot in this area. We must be vigilant when others do work on our cars, there is no excuse for this damage by what is supposed to be trained people.

[bpm]

I had something similar happen to mine, but unfortunately it was my doing...the jack slipped off (obviously the jack point had bent back so far and released the jack, this in turn tore a luump of underbody seal and dented the sill. I;m gutted.

does anyone know where to get this sort of thing repaired or is it an easy job?

[jonnycatbiscuit]

The sill lip must be quite soft on these cars because I've always used this area to jack up previous cars and never had any problem, although when I did it on my Octy the lip started to bend.

Why do they make cars out of cheese these days??

[Fastkwak]

Because cheese is light maybe ....or for the streamlining effect of gorgonzola ?????????

[jonnycatbiscuit]

not for the smell then??

[David 8]

not for the smell then??

No ........HTH:rofl:

Mine are completley farked due too me driving of a huge kerb about two days after getting the car.

I was upset for ages about it, but as they say time is great healer and nowdays I couldn't give a ****

[RobClubley]

Mine was bent a bit by Kwik Fit.

But worse, when I imported it to NZ the import checkers lifted the car using a forklift blade !! Each side had a huge bent over section in the lip but fortunately no sill damage.

[Bodge]

Mine are folded at the front too (think they have always been like it), so I never jack on the front of the sills. The rear is fine to take the load at the jacking points, because it weighs naff all.

I always have to tell tyre places where to jack the car. There's a channel set back from the sill under the car which I use.

I went somewhere at the weekend who was convinced that he was going to jack on the sills, and that "it would be fine, I do it all the time". After he tried to explain that the weight of the car would be spread evenly over all four jacking points, I realised he was a retard, and drove off.

Some mechanics scare me with their stupidity!

[mannyo]

its a common issue on the mk1 octy, my old vRS was the same, bent at right angles for a short length. if you use the factory jack in the correct place then there is no problem as thats designed so that the sill bit sits in a slot on the jack. The issue occurs when the car is jacked incorrectly on the sill using a trolley jack. A trolley jack or simillar should not be used on the sill, but in the appropriate places under the car.

[Zero]

Yup, the same thing has happened to mine.

But looking back on it every time the car has been jacked up by whoever they have always known not to do it on the sill, maybe i'm lucky!

[trundlenut]

Mine has suffered from this too. When I jack it up with a trolley jack I have a bit of wood I cut a slot into and I use that on top of the trolley jack.

The sills do seem to be made of chocolate though.

[Jimbo vRS]

A trolley jack or simillar should not be used on the sill, but in the appropriate places under the car.

Anyone got any pictures of these appropriate places? Cheers.

[ultra_joel88]

My Fabia has one on the passenger side, its from jacking it in the wrong place where the reinforcement isnt strong enough.

If it has taken some of the underseal off, might be worth buying a tin of waxoyl and brushing/ spraying that on as a way of protection, thats what I've done.

[DGW]

Anyone got any pictures of these appropriate places? Cheers.

Have a look at page 187 in the official Owner's Manual which is downloadable via the Skoda-Auto link below.

http://ws.skoda-auto.com/download/4all/Documentation/en/OctaviaTour/0609/manual/A4_OctaviaTour_OwnersManual.pdf

[Roker]

I managed to bend it back, but not as good as original. I used an adjustable spanner and cut a piece of plastic milk bottle to fit in to the jaws,after bending back I then put some thick roof sealer on the area underneath in case there was damage to the metal, The area already seems to be thick of underseal. The sill is soft as stated, I think Scoda should have a think about this, or use a couple of RSJs.

Edited 5 September, 2009 by Roker

[richardsfavorit]

I had this problem with my last car, just getting the wheels balanced. Saw the mechanics jacking the car on the sill and thought no problem - the Felicia was always ok in this position, and then noticed the sill bending :thumbdwn:

[octydan]

I wondered why my sill was bent! I had a feeling that some numpty had jacked it up incorrectly. Seems I was right. Good to see Im not the only one thats suffered this. So what was the verdict on bending it back the other way? Is it likely to snap...?

[Interphase]

Add me to the bent sill list - OSF in my case, happened before I owned it.

[ExAudiSi]

The lips on both of my sills were flat when I bought the car. I've since improved them significantly with a pair of mole grips and some cardboard to protect the underseal.

[RobClubley]

All fixed now by the bodyshop

[Jimbo vRS]

Have a look at page 187 in the official Owner's Manual which is downloadable via the Skoda-Auto link below.

http://ws.skoda-auto.com/download/4all/Documentation/en/OctaviaTour/0609/manual/A4_OctaviaTour_OwnersManual.pdf

That just show the points on the sills to use the supplied jack against. I was after a list of other points under the car that trolley jacks and axel stands could be used.

I'm just trying to check that the places I use are suitable and that I'm not going to do any damage if I keep using them.

[soviet]

It would be good information to know.

[Roker]

I just went to the tyre place to get my wheels re-balanced, and he was going to do the same again with the jack, so I asked him to use the correct jacking points. It seems that his brand new hoist come jack which lifts all 4 corners at once, was not able to do it. Eventually he was able to adjust the distance front to back, but the rubber blocks that they use could not dodge the front mud flaps. I had previously cut some 2 x 3 timber blocks with a slot in to take the sill ridge which we had to use on the front. This worked perfectly but there is some lack of communications here between Skoda etc and the hoist manufacture.

[Bowders1]

Bent my front sill lips back a few times now after numpty tyre places jacking the car up on them. They are soft and can be bent back with no cracking, apart from the underseal may split.

I have repainted the lips and undersealed underneath and not really noticable now.

I use a racing jack with a solid rubber disc to jack up from the chassis rail when ever lifting the car up now. Unfortunately Garages don't spend enough time checking the correct places which is not many on the Octy. The Chassis rails are quite well into the car, so without getting on the ground the garages will not see them.

[Bodge]

All fixed now by the bodyshop

Bloody hell! I think that would have made me cry!

Looks like they used a shotgun to jack the car up! Bad times...