the factory spare tire jack

[bmman93]

man i hate that thing! i hope its just not me but that think was a paint in the butt to use! im a bigger guy and it was hard for me to get that thing moving! god help it if there was a younger women tryin to do it!

im not the only one that had a hard time right?

[Rivman]

???????????????????????????????
Used it 1st time to change over to snows and it was real easy to use !
I had absolutely no problems at all ! (flash)

[bmman93]

wow n e one else? it seemed like it was just hard to get the car in the air

[Olestra]

No not that bad, just had to spin it a tons of times, it's a really small jack.

[bmman93]

damn it wears the wd40 at

[ottawaP5]

Just go and buy a hydraulic one for $30, totally worth it!

[Falconx84]

its a royal pain in the ass!!!

I just switched over to my winters and damn was it a bitch. The rear was marginal, but the weight of the motor made the front a bitch. I spent 20 min on just one of the front wheels and still didn't get it off. I ended up twisting the ring on the s-bar (for lack of better term) and went and borrowed a friends floor jack. Once we had the floor jack it took 15 min for the remaining 3 wheels

And this was in my driveway, I'd hate to be stuck on the side of the road with that POS

[Olestra]

Tell me about it. =(
I had to change a flat in the middle of winter with that little jack. It took pretty long and it was freezing. It works, it just takes many turns... Luckily I wasnt too far from home. Didnt help that the wheel was frozen to the hub...

[Falconx84]

don't we have roadside assistance for like 2-3 yrs? Have to check the manual...

[Olestra]

Yeah 3 years, but I didn't want to call Roadside for a flat....
Ended up doing it anyways b/c I couldn't get the wheel off. The roadside assistance guy ended up knocking it off with a 2x4...

[Mocoso]

Be carefull with the factory jack.... last time at the track a Mazda employee on his MS3 was changing tires and the jack tipped all on its own... he had "just" finished putting new tire on but it would have been ugly to see the rotor smaking the ground (or worse)

[Sacrilicious]

it's easier and safer if you break the lug nuts loose before jacking the car up. that way, you don't get yourself into a dangerous situation where your trying to kick the nuts loose while balancing the car on a toothpick...^^;

[Hirudin]

The couple times I used the jack it was very easy (I noted to myself: "hey, this is easy!"), but I only did the right-rear. I'll get to do the engine side soon though as I have to change my oil soon.

[Falconx84]

rear wasn't bad for me.... but the engine side was a real bitch... advance auto has a hydraulic floor jack for $17.77 on sale thru christmas, and also has a jack w/ stands for like $26

I would highly recommend the investment. Believe me, I bent the S-bar when I tried to use my factory jack. I suspect they use the same jack for the reg 3 and the weight is not all all the same

[Mocoso]

The couple times I used the jack it was very easy (I noted to myself: "hey, this is easy!"), but I only did the right-rear. I'll get to do the engine side soon though as I have to change my oil soon.


Please DO NOT use the jack that comes with the car to get under it to get to your filter, etc... spend the money on a nice floor jack and jack stands - call it cheap insurance - really dont want to be putting a post on a "we lost a forum member tonight who was squashed by an MS3"

[AutoXRacer]

The couple times I used the jack it was very easy (I noted to myself: "hey, this is easy!"), but I only did the right-rear. I'll get to do the engine side soon though as I have to change my oil soon.Please DO NOT use the jack that comes with the car to get under it to get to your filter, etc... spend the money on a nice floor jack and jack stands - call it cheap insurance - really dont want to be putting a post on a "we lost a forum member tonight who was squashed by an MS3"

(mswerd)(stupid)(iagree)
Don't use the floor jack for anything other than changing a flat on the side of the road. (headshake

Go to Advanced Autoparts, AutoZone, Pepboys, Walmart, and buy yourself a jack with stands. Don't get under the car with only a jack either!!

[flipstylex]

weird....my wife can change my ms3 tires.....eh... oh well

neways, yea, get a carjack, u don't want to squash ur head , not worth it dude. .....hold up, i think i have a vid on youtube of sum guy that got stuck under the car hehe ...

[Sacrilicious]

Please DO NOT use the jack that comes with the car to get under it to get to your filter, etc... spend the money on a nice floor jack and jack stands - call it cheap insurance - really dont want to be putting a post on a "we lost a forum member tonight who was squashed by an MS3"

+2

an ounce of prevention...

[Falconx84]

... beats a pound of cure (figured I'd finish it)

on another note, the jack that came with my honda had heavy yellow grease on it. My ms3 jack is completely dry. Any idea what type of grease/lube I should put on it? (as I figure that was prob part of the issue with trying to jack it up. Not only was I trying to defeat gravity, but friction as well)

[dan1101]

Can the $17 Advance Auto jack lift the whole side of the car at a time? Is there a safe jack point to do that?

[Falconx84]

yeah, use the front jack point. The motor is so damned heavy that it helps balance the hatch!! That and I did it on an empty tank so maybe that helps, lol

[dan1101]

Heh, sounds good. Maybe!

[Hirudin]

I had an opportunity to use the factory jack to lift the front of the car a couple days ago... I was trying to get it high enough to get my jackstand underneath. I gave up on the first attempt after the jack was leaning at about 8º front to back. Then I angled the jack to compensate, but gave up after one set of the jack scissor things was nearly straight and the other side was at about... 55º or so.


Please DO NOT use the jack that comes with the car to get under it to get to your filter, etc... spend the money on a nice floor jack and jack stands - call it cheap insurance - really dont want to be putting a post on a "we lost a forum member tonight who was squashed by an MS3"
GOOD ADVICE!

I don't want to get into the details, but as someone who's been lying under a falling car (I noticed and got out in time): wobbily fucking piece of shit jacks (like this one) are the LAST thing I want to trust my life with! I think 2 floor jacks and 4 jack stands* will be purchased, by me, in the very near future...

*I have a couple, but they seemed tall (especially when the jack is trying to tip over). I'll see how mine compare to others at the store...

I see I got the same advice a few more times... Very glad to see that! When I get under a car to change the oil it's: get in and GET THE FUCK OUT! Even with those wheel ramp things. I think I know how claustrophobic people feel...

[robin2660]

man i hate that thing! i hope its just not me but that think was a paint in the butt to use! im a bigger guy and it was hard for me to get that thing moving! god help it if there was a younger women tryin to do it!

im not the only one that had a hard time right?

The handle is a little short and therfore doesn't give great leverage. It could also use a plastic sleeve so it rotates easily in your hand. I borrowed one from my '95 Camry and it is superior.

I imagine it'd be really cheap to get one from the junk yard. It won't fit your mold though.

The actual jack isn't any more junky than others I've known.