Lifting the Z (or any vehicle with pinch-welds)

[ZillaZ]

So I have been afraid to use the pinch weld blocks I have because as I show in A the blocks would actually be resting around the pinch-weld, see the blue arrows. The 3 times I have lifted my Z I have done option B. The blocks are a hard rubber so they have a very small amount of give to them.

My question is option A OK to do even though the bottom of the pinch weld would not be resting on the block or should I continue to do option B below. Side note Option A works on other cars I use these blocks for as the pinch weld hangs down far enough to meet the block where the red circle is.

I am finding conflicting information about this so thought I would ask here.

Also I know on the Z where the blue arrows would meet on A there is some plastic body panels there too but right behind that is the frame... I think...

 

[D2M]

I would stay away from jacking on the surrounding metal as sometimes its just one layer of sheet metal and can bend in easy as opposed to 2-3-4 layers on the pinch weld itself. I always just use hockey pucks on my jacks and jack stands as not to have any metal to metal contact. The pic is not a Z but just an example.

I also just lift the car high enough by the pinch weld so I can get a jack under the front and use the main center jacking point on the front subframe. With the rear I just slide the jack under and hit the Z1 diff brace jacking point. Once I have the car high enough I put the stands with hockey pucks on the pinch weld areas.

 

[ZillaZ]

That makes sense thanks.

I am using my QuickJacks so I am lifting the entire car up into the air at the 4 points every time I do this. So the weight shouldn't be as much at each lift point but what you are saying here makes me think I should continue with diagram B.

 

[trackratZ]

Some cars are safe to use blocks like in diagram A, surrounding areas are thick enough, others not. About the Z, we need confirmation from those who know about the surrounding structure. I hope the slotted pucks will work as I have those.

 

[ZillaZ]

Some cars are safe to use blocks like in diagram A, surrounding areas are thick enough, others not. About the Z, we need confirmation from those who know about the surrounding structure. I hope the slotted pucks will work as I have those.

Agreed and I don't want to be the guinea pig

I hope that A is viable as I feel it would be a more stable lift. I am fine doing B for now though but my blocks are getting indents in them. Better the blocks getting indented than the metal pinch welds bending so I am fine with it.

 

[Who.Am.Eye.2716]

I have been using the rubber hockey puck with a slot for my jack stands on every car I owned and the Z is no different. The rubber puck gives under compressed weight

For the front, I slide the jack stand and the rubber puck furthest forward point of the pinch welds before hitting the plastic side skirt. I have done this multiple times with no imperfections to the pinch weld area, or body panel. The puck is pliable enough to compress under weight. I notice the pinch weld slightly indents inside the slot of the rubber puck.

For the front lift point. I jack my car with rubber hockey pucks from the front subframe plate. There is a nipple I line up the slot to. No damage to the plate

For the rear lift point. I jack my car with rubber hockey pucks from the rear diff. There is a fin on the diff I line the hockey puck slot to. No damage to the diff

 

[trackratZ]

I have been using the rubber hockey puck with a slot for my jack stands on every car I owned and the Z is no different. The rubber puck gives under compressed weight

For the front, I slide the jack stand and the rubber puck furthest forward point of the pinch welds before hitting the plastic side skirt. I have done this multiple times with no imperfections to the pinch weld area, or body panel. The puck is pliable enough to compress under weight. I notice the pinch weld slightly indents inside the slot of the rubber puck.

For the front lift point. I jack my car with rubber hockey pucks from the front subframe plate. There is a nipple I line up the slot to. No damage to the plate

For the rear lift point. I jack my car with rubber hockey pucks from the rear diff. There is a fin on the diff I line the hockey puck slot to. No damage to the diff

Same here, just about any car owned, the puck deforms and still rests on the pinch weld AND stabilizes the surrounding area. Looks perfectly safe for the Z, as long as placed at those notched pinch welds.

 

[MacCool]

Most of the time I use the slotted hockey puck method too, although I'm confident that the car can be lifted with the jack or lift sitting directly on the notches of the pinch weld. The local Nissan dealer is fine with using them during oil changes at my request and has that preference noted in their software so that hockey pucks become part of the service order when I bring it in.

One thing that has been helpful ... I drilled 1/2 inch holes into the hockey puck so that I can glue in some neodymium magnets to hold the puck to the frame. Works great, except that the magnets hold really well and they often pull out of the puck when removing the puck. I haven't found a good glue for metal to rubber.

 

[ZillaZ]

So here are what my blocks look like with the car lifted and then after, just leaves an indent in the blocks.

It really bums me out that my pinch-weld blocks have too deep of a slot in them. I may just try them sometime and lift the Z very slowly.

 

[MacCool]

Couple of quick passes with a table saw or radial arm saw and you'll have a nice groove cut for the frame pinch welds.

 

[MacCool]

Saw this short on Facebook....

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1119939432986451

 

[ZillaZ]

Yeah those looks really cool but I believe would have the same problem as diagram A, the slot is too deep. I don't know - just looks that way to me. And being metal with no give on the parts around the pinch weld kind of scares me.

 

[Thefunk]

I've been placing the jack puck just inside the pinch weld mark on a flatter surface of the frame. For the stands I've been placing them right on the pinch weld.

 

[bpeckham]

Off topic, but every time I see the title of this thread, it makes me think of the Fairlady X. ?

 

[MacCool]

Yeah those looks really cool but I believe would have the same problem as diagram A, the slot is too deep. I don't know - just looks that way to me. And being metal with no give on the parts around the pinch weld kind of scares me.

I agree, just ran across the ad and thought appropriate to toss into the discussion, For my part, I like the way that the non-metallic hockey puck distributes the load to the frame and doesn't let it all focus on just the pinch weld. Plus...it's cheap....$3 for the puck, plus a 4-pack of 1/2 x 1/2 magnets and some Shoe Goo.