Does anyone have any images of points that axle stands can be used, front and back. The general consensus seems to be not to use the sills and I dont want to turn anything fragile into a load bearing structure, being a non-mech nothing really leaps out at me so am err'ing on the side of caution.

Anyone?

There's quite a few points you can use, but like you i'd avoid any welded seams for the axle stands. Fine for jacking the car (with help of a strip of wood to spread the load along the jacking point) but i'd be worried it bent / buckled if i lowered the car onto axle stands there.

That being said, it's mostly because my axle stands are flat cups, if i had the halfords stands with the wee slit in the middle of the saddle i'd have no issues popping them under the sills at the jacking points.

For jacking up i normally just use the sills at the pinch weld / reinforced bit with a strip of wood 6 inches long to spread the load along the reinforced bit of the sill. Sometimes i'll jack it up using the lower spring cup at the rear (directly below the spring there's a cup it locates into with a hole in the middle, i just line up so im on the metal edge of that cup and not in the centre of the spring where the hole in the cup is. At the front it's almost always going to be the reinforced bit of the sill with some wood, my floor jack's too tall to slide under from the front of the car which would be ideal to lift both sides / whole front of the car in one go.

For axle stands at the front i locate either under the lower suspension mount that the wishbone plugs into or with a wee block of wood to spread the load a little i'll put them under the chassis rails near the front end of them.

For axle stands at the rear i'll put the under the spring lower cup or... can't think off the top of my head what else is available at the back in case doing suspension work.

I'll try to post some pics later on.

There's quite a few points you can use, but like you i'd avoid any welded seams for the axle stands. Fine for jacking the car (with help of a strip of wood to spread the load along the jacking point) but i'd be worried it bent / buckled if i lowered the car onto axle stands there.

That being said, it's mostly because my axle stands are flat cups, if i had the halfords stands with the wee slit in the middle of the saddle i'd have no issues popping them under the sills at the jacking points.

For jacking up i normally just use the sills at the pinch weld / reinforced bit with a strip of wood 6 inches long to spread the load along the reinforced bit of the sill. Sometimes i'll jack it up using the lower spring cup at the rear (directly below the spring there's a cup it locates into with a hole in the middle, i just line up so im on the metal edge of that cup and not in the centre of the spring where the hole in the cup is. At the front it's almost always going to be the reinforced bit of the sill with some wood, my floor jack's too tall to slide under from the front of the car which would be ideal to lift both sides / whole front of the car in one go.

For axle stands at the front i locate either under the lower suspension mount that the wishbone plugs into or with a wee block of wood to spread the load a little i'll put them under the chassis rails near the front end of them.

For axle stands at the rear i'll put the under the spring lower cup or... can't think off the top of my head what else is available at the back in case doing suspension work.

I'll try to post some pics later on.

Much appreciated

Sorry Rhoobarb, i never did get around to taking those pics. Was just looking at Tsi upgrade pr0n on JKM's site and came across this pic. Better than i'd manage without a ramp. It's a bit underexposed and difficult to see some of the points, but this picture printed out while having a look under your car should make it clear.

Link to Photo on PicasaWeb

The two long thin red jacking points i've made long and thin to try and emphasise you really want a strip of wood to spread the load when using the "chassis rails" located there.

The green axle stand points right next to them are supposed to signal putting the axle stand under the circle-of-metal-round-the-black-circle in the centre of the squares.

Between these points that gives a jacking point and an axle stand point for every combination whether you're working on suspension or need clearance for a specific operation.

Edited 1 June, 201016 yr by Mute

Sorry Rhoobarb, i never did get around to taking those pics. Was just looking at Tsi upgrade pr0n on JKM's site and came across this pic. Better than i'd manage without a ramp. It's a bit underexposed and difficult to see some of the points, but this picture printed out while having a look under your car should make it clear.

Link to Photo on PicasaWeb

The two long thin red jacking points i've made long and thin to try and emphasise you really want a strip of wood to spread the load when using the "chassis rails" located there.

The green axle stand points right next to them are supposed to signal putting the axle stand under the circle-of-metal-round-the-black-circle in the centre of the squares.

Between these points that gives a jacking point and an axle stand point for every combination whether you're working on suspension or need clearance for a specific operation.

Thanks for this it will help come this weekend, I ended up taking the plunge after I couldnt bear the brake squeak any more and 'guesstimated' the strongest points, thankfully I placed them where you put the green squares on black circle in metal circle. (about as technical as I get ) Looked like a strong joint. Glad I did

Again, thanks

Edited 1 June, 201016 yr by Rhoobarb