I have another thread discussing choice of jack stands with the Nissan recommended lift/stand points. However, from other threads and from replies, I learned that people are using the points labeled in this diagram as "Ben's stand points":

The picture is not exactly a 5th gen.
I'm trying to figure out alternatively where to put jackstands in the front.

I was just looking under the car at the front and there is a silver arm with 4 huge bolts bolted to the underbody, then there is a space where you can see black metal with a seam (slightly rusty in my car) in between, then there is a silver 'U' shaped collar with huge bolts that holds the other part of the arm.

Where in this area are people putting the head of their jackstands?

 

i jack up my car from where it says bens stand points, and i place the jack stand where it says safety stand points

 

I've always liked positioning the stands on the frame rails where you see the two little tiny holes on each side just behind "Ben's points." I don't like putting them under Nissan's recommended points up front unless I'm using the stock jack (which is never). For rear, I'll use Nissan's reco'ed points. If you use Ben's rear points, you may need a block of wood.

In general, I try to avoid jacking the car's front-end due to our weak front rad supports. You can hear the groans as you're jacking, so I usually just raise 1/4, even when doing brake service, or I'll use two jacks, one for each side.

 

I jack the car from the front jack point. I put my jack stands on one of the bolts right next to the round collar.

The assembly with the bolts and the collar is the lower control arm and the round collar is the LCA Bushing. I think the one in that diagram is the 4th gen LCA which I don't believe has the Bushing.

I independently chose that point because it does not allow any part of the stand to hit the underbody - that would be bad. It is also the strongest because it must hold the LCAs.

The reason I don't use the safety stand spots is I don't have the correct adapter to go with my stands. So, when I put the stands there they don't align correctly and put some pressure on the body - I was afraid that over time I would damage the body. I have used the jack stand points with no problems however. That metal is stronger than it appeared and there was no damage.

And, you are making this way too hard on yourself.

 

Max,

Thanks for the info. I'm not trying to make this hard. As far as the lower control arm area, I have no clue which part should be strong enough to support the weight of the car and not deform.

I can guess, but who wants to bend the undercarriage with a bad guess.

I used to be trying to put the jack stands along side the pinch weld, but the jack kept on tipping every time I lowered the car, so I decided that was not a good idea.

 

tomcat,

I have used the Esco flat headed jackstands I bought (http://revlimiter.net/blog/2010/07/m...tand-review-1/) positioned over the oval cut out you show in your second picture. However, most people have V-neck type jackstands and depending on the geometry of your stands they may or may not be stable if you can get them to straddle the area around the oval. I wish Nissan made it easy for us by still selling the adapters they show in the fsm for jackstands, but they don't anymore.

 

I too bought some Harbor Freight jackstands but ultimately went and spent the money on the Esco's. The V head jacks I think are better suited to straddling some kind of channel, but I don't trust them at the factory side jack point.

 

I feel like you guys are making this way more complicated than it should be.

I have a "V" shaped jackstand and put it right under those cut outs. Once the weight of a car is on them it won't move. There are other spots but that is the one I use usually.

 

I do it where the "safety stand" points are in that drawing. I had a buddy use his LCA which I told him I wouldn't do.

 

I think that spot would be fine man.

 

Is this the correct Ben's stand point on the front?

 

I put my jack stand under the lower control arm bracket that is just to the left of the spot you marked in your photo.

 

ok, thanks.
One more question. Do you use the Nissan's safety stand point to jack up the car?

 

Most of the times. If you use the joke... oops, I mean jack that comes with the car, those safety stand points are where you position the jack for raising the car.

But before you use a hydraulic floor jack and use those spots to jack up the car, be aware that you can't do that unless you have some sort of adapter for the jack. If you look at the Nissan emergency jack, it has a groove to fit over the lip of metal that points down. I use a piece of 2x4 lumber that I cut a 1/2" groove in.

Nissan lists an adapter in the FSM (page GI-45) but they are for safety stands and won't work with a floor jack. This subject has come up several times, but no-one has ever gotten their hands on one.

 

Yes, I know the thread is 4 years old.

Glad I found this, since my lower radiator support has a massive hole in it, so I need to jack the car up in a different spot.

 

If you are using floor jack, another spot you can jack up the car with is on the control arm just behind the ball joint. I use a piece of 2x4 to "cushion" between the jack and the control arm, buy other have said that they don't. Just be careful positioning the jack because you could catch the tie rod.

 

I was gonna use the jack on thw frame rail and then put the stand on the LCA bushing.

 

there should be a "nub" on either side of the vehicle. This "NUB" is right behind the seam along the rocker panel. This is exactly where the emergency jack is illustrated to be placed.
Turn the jacks side-ways place them under the "nub". Load folded cardboard between stands and nub then lower car down very easily!