Jacking up rear of Mk2 Golf

I didn't insult anybody. If I had insulted you, you would know about it because it would include the word c*nt somewhere in the sentance.

Jacking on the rear beam is a common practise, but I dont like it, I don't agree with it, and I make sure my local garage dont do it.

I checked as much as I possibly could when I got my car. Granted I didnt take the rear beam off put a level meter etc on it, but I did inspect it enough to see it wasn't visually damaged by impact/rust or bent to the point it was noticably visible by eye.

If you have a 3 tonne jack it will lift the car up plenty enough to throw some axle stands under it. Mine is lowered 60mm and I still lift it high enough to get 4 stands under it to spend 2 hours on Saturday laid underneath renewing brake lines and lubing up/greasing up everything to make sure it doesn't perish sooner than it should.

My new tip. Ratchet axle stands

 

ratchet axle stands?? Like axle stand cross jack?

 

Oh, I can lift it high enough alright - no problem there. But it would still take lifting so much that the body would twist considerably, and the car would be in danger of falling off.

Like I've mentioned earlier: I find that much more likely to occur than to bend the rear beam from jacking on it. I have been jacking both my Golf's and my retired Jetta on the rear beam for several years now - the GTi being jacked more than a couple of times a month for various checks, mods, etc. I have never bent a beam...

 

I've jacked up every vw i've owned yet on the rear beam and never had any probs, just like the rest of you that do it...jack up on centre of beam, axle stand under each side and your away, **** ****ing about doing one side at a time, the rear beam is STRONG...mega STRONG and is designed to take some bloody abuse!!!!!!!!

 

Considering everyone's saying not to use the rear beam, there haven't been a lot of alternatives suggested...I've been using the beam and then putting axle stands under the side jacking points as soon as it's up to support the weight.

The Haynes manual says 'Always use the recommended jacking and support points' but only shows the side areas, not a central place. However, on the box of the axle stands I have it says not to jack it up a side at a time but to jack it up centrally and get both axle stands under at the same time. The only place that I can see that makes sense is the rear axle, but then I haven't done a lot of work on cars.

 

just stick it on some ramps and drive it up - no jacks, no axle stands and gotta be quicker.

 

Haha - yeah. But that not really an option if you want to say.... service the brakes, exchange the shocks, exchange the rear beam (being bent from some apparently silly sod raising it on the middle - though that still hasn't happened to me ), or just plain change the wheels .

 

ha ha yer ya got a point there!

ok, new plan.......become rich, and buy some two poster hydraulic ramps!