Jack of Death Pt 94

[David's8]

Thought I would remove front offside wheel to clean it as I had cleaned/waxed t'other when sorting the ABS sensor. (30min job at lunchtime so I thought). Well it was until, without any undue force exerted, the jack folded up and the car dropped onto the (new) disc. Fortunately I had no part of my body under the car so escaped lightly. The drive is fairly level with the slope towards the nearside. Car was in Park and brake was on. Now I know why it is referred to as the "Jack of Death". What a design! It took some long levers and a trolley jack to get it sorted out. Need to go and test the hub/disc/caliper assembly now - carefully - to see if anything is out of alignment. :-(

[Adrian E]

Yikes! Much damage done underneath?

I'm still in the habit of sticking an axle stand in somewhere under the car when working on it - just in case!

[David's8]

No apparent damage (I havent stuck my head under yet to establish that!) but the wheel is spinning freely on the hub. Need to take the car out now for a drive. I do have axle stands but they are too tall for this car and I have never worked out where they should go on the 8 anyway when the jack is in the way of the jacking pad point(s)

[The_Laird]

I havent stuck my head under yet to establish that

Don't do that without an axle stand! :D

I'll point out the areas that I use tonight before the BBQ. I also tend to throw an old tyre under the sills just in case

[PsYcHe]

Even with my trolley jack, I still slide the wheel I've taken off under the sill.. Just in case.

The D3 jack seems to be a much better design.

[Dezzy]

Glad you're ok David could have been nasty. I've had mine off the jack as well and it's not nice is it?

You might have seen this when i posted it but this is what i made to go in the boot for use in the event of a flat after i had my problems.
Jack (http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5437&highlight=jack)

I reckon your disc will be alright.
Axle stands can go under the subframe mount for safety.

David the CREW are ready here with pitch forks and zimmer frames, if you need them to take this issue to Audi direct thery're ready to go.

And BBQ eh? Don't seem to have an invite for that one, must have missed it.

[David's8]

Glad you're ok David could have been nasty. I've had mine off the jack as well and it's not nice is it?

You might have seen this when i posted it but this is what i made to go in the boot for use in the event of a flat after i had my problems.
Jack (http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5437&highlight=jack)

I reckon your disc will be alright.
Axle stands can go under the subframe mount for safety.

Yes, i saw your post this afternoon when looking at previous issues with this piece of crap. The problem with my axle stands is that the car needs to be so much higher than the normal jack goes to get them under the sub-frame. Perhaps I need smaller stands? I'll check with The Laird tonight. He has also got a heavy duty jack so he tells me (presumably for the armoured version of the 8). He also has a "spare" normal jack if I want it...... :(

[Dezzy]

Keep the old jack David and i'll make up a "man's" jack with the parts and you can have that.
Have you got any breeze blocks or hard wood blocks lying around?
I use a trolly jack at home, that'll get the car high enough for support under.

[David's8]

Keep the old jack David and i'll make up a "man's" jack with the parts and you can have that.
Have you got any breeze blocks or hard wood blocks lying around?
I use a trolly jack at home, that'll get the car high enough for support under.

Thats a kind offer mate. +++
Plenty of wood though - that's how I managed to lever the car up enough to get the trolley jack in!
A trolley jack was on my tools wish list. Its now at the top. SWMBO also said I can have a garage with a flat floor and a pit! Not sure that'll I'll swing a two poster lift though!

[PsYcHe]

Though..On a related 'jack of death' story.. the Mk1 Mondeo had a similar jack, and if I hadn't been wearing a chunky wedding ring, I'd have had a fairly messed up hand when it fell backwards off the jack while I was putting the new wheel on. Trapping my fingers between the tyre and the arch, managed to slide the fingers out to see the car sitting with the ring between the arch and tyre, even managed to get the ring back in one piece when the RAC guy finally turned up.

So marriage isn't that bad after all lol.

[The_Laird]

Keep the old jack David and i'll make up a "man's" jack with the parts and you can have that.
Have you got any breeze blocks or hard wood blocks lying around?
I use a trolly jack at home, that'll get the car high enough for support under.

I also have a spare jack similar to the one Dezzy used to bolt the head off the A8 jack to, so if' you'd rather have one like that, David, you're welcome to it - I almost threw it out in the great garage clear out!

[Dezzy]

Hey just looking at your photo's there David and that jack that folded on you is different than mine, are the jacking points different on the FL than PF or that jack you have is from an A4. The jacking point has some steel in it and the locator on the jack has a magnet so it's easier to keep it in the jacking point. Not that it makes much difference as the 8 ones fold aswell, but i don't think that's the jack for the car.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=6402&stc=1&d=1374129125
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=6403&stc=1&d=1374129166

I also have a spare jack similar to the one Dezzy used to bolt the head off the A8 jack to, so if' you'd rather have one like that, David, you're welcome to it - I almost threw it out in the great garage clear out!

The reason i used the SAAB jack was the 9000 is similar in weight to the 8 and it has a flat surface on top for bolting your locator to, i did have another but i think it came from an Astra so didn't thnk it would be up to it. Just be careful brothers, don't make the same mistake Audi did.
Had a quick look on ebay and there are a couple of 9000 jacks for sale, also scissor type jacks with a 1.5 ton rating but same problem with modifing it to suit the cars jacking point.

[David's8]

I think that the body is the same but I can see that the "groove" which positions on the jacking point is continuous on mine but shorter on your jack. The jack is (was!) rated at 1000kg. Jim has kindly let me have his old jack +++ as he has the up-rated version which looks more substantial.

[Dezzy]

Thats what made me think that jack was not for the 8, the 8 jack dosent have a groove it actually protrudes out and sits inside the cup on the underside of the car, the part that is gray and looks like a groove is the magnet.

You can get bags that fill from the exhaust, they were used a lot by off roaders for recovery and on soft ground where you would just jack a jack into the ground. I thought about putting one in the boot of the 8 but wasn't sure how soft the underside of the cars is.
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=6404&d=1374134054

[The_Laird]

David, are our/your 2 jacks identical? If so, it's highly unlikely that we both had the wrong jack isn't it?

[David's8]

Thats what made me think that jack was not for the 8, the 8 jack dosent have a groove it actually protrudes out and sits inside the cup on the underside of the car, the part that is gray and looks like a groove is the magnet.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=6404&d=1374134054

The jack I got from Jim is exactly the same as mine (with the groove in the top) and the part number is the same - 4DO 011 031D. It also conforms to the pictures in the handbook. With the FL the jacking point is a ridge on the sill adjacent to the jacking pad point used by 2-poster lift arms. The handbook identifies these both quite clearly labelling the pad as "Jacking Point for Workshop Lifting Platform" and stating that the vehicle jack should not be applied here. So it would appear that there is a difference in jacks and jacking points between PF/FL.

[Adrian E]

Looking on ETKA there are 4 part numbers for jacks, depending on year and spec, as follows:

Up to chassis number 4D-x-005 950 is 4D0 011 031C

From 4D-x-005 951 is 4D0 011 031D

There are then 2 alternatives for the heavier cars. Jack listed for the 3.3 diesel and 6.0 W12 is 4D0 011 031F

Jack for armoured model is 4D0 011 021B

Thought those might be helpful for people hunting for a stronger/replacement jack. Or wanting to ID what they're got already.....assuming the part number is actually stamped on the jack!

The 2 stronger options aren't shared with any other Audi - didn't check the standard jacks but guessing due to weight and material they won't be either.

Adrian

[HPsauce]

My late FL jack looks (if my memory is working) very much the same as my PF one, and I wouldn't ever use either!
Part number stamped on it is 8D0 011 031C, which may actually be from an A4? :Confused:

No magnet, just a big nylon lug with a groove in. Rated 1000kg as usual.

[Dezzy]

Ah right then there you go, slight difference to design between PF and FL.

So it was a redesigned jack that was as rubbish as the one it replaced. Well at least the designers were being consistent.

[David's8]

....I wouldn't ever use either!
.

Its bad enough using them under "ideal" conditions - what about trying to change a wheel on the motorway with the buffeting from the traffic? That'll be enough to put sideways force on the jack and collapse it. The trouble is, what do you use instead of the jack provided? I dont want to be carrying around a trolley jack. The armoured vehicle up-rated jack (4D0 011 021B)
(as Jim has) seems to be a better option and it fits in the stowage.

[The_Laird]

Just checked the part number on mine - it's 4DO 011 031F, the one for the 6L W12, not the armoured version

[David's8]

Just been on to our sponsors and they have no armoured vehicle jacks available but they did have the uprated one for the 3.3 diesel/W12 (4D0 011 031F) - thats now in the post to me! From the description it sound like the armoured vehicle one that Jim has - a straighter, shorter body.

[HPsauce]

what do you use instead of the jack provided?
Breakdown cover. Worth a short wait.;)

I've never, ever attempted to change a wheel on a major road or motorway, just called out AA/RAC whatever. They have a big van with loads of warning lights etc. etc. and of course do it for you with the right tools. +++

[David's8]

Breakdown cover. Worth a short wait.;)

I've never, ever attempted to change a wheel on a major road or motorway, just called out AA/RAC whatever. They have a big van with loads of warning lights etc. etc. and of course do it for you with the right tools. +++

Thats a fair point regarding doing such work on a main road/motorway but its ok for you home counties guys (anywhere sarf of Manchester in my book) ;) but up here you can be miles away from the service provider (= long wait ) and, I guess, the point is that the tools provided by the vehicle manufacturer should be the right tools in the first place.

[The_Laird]

If anyone wants a W12 version like mine:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Audi-A8-4D-4X4-Wagenheber-4D0011031F-/171068219076?pt=DE_Autoteile&hash=item27d475dec4

[Adrian E]

My trolley jack won't fit under the jacking points without driving up onto blocks of wood first - but it is a pretty chunky effort. I considered it to have a pretty low level when down when I bought it though! It fits under my A6 Sport just fine....

I've used my factory jack twice and the first time it did start to move as the ground wasn't level - had to drop it down, re-centre, and have another go before I was happy it was stable to lift right up.

In future I think I'll just use the factory jack to get it up high enough to get the trolley jack under it (only needs lifting an inch or so so really only taking some of the load of the suspension)

[PsYcHe]

That's where the D3 is great.. Pop it into lift mode and plenty of space :) (just remember to put it into jacking mode too or it'll drop right down on the jack).

[HPsauce]

My trolley jack won't fit under the jacking points
My tyre man has "airbag" type jacks that also don't really fit under the car unless it's lifted slightly. A manual "heave" on a wheel arch is sometimes just enough. :rolleyes:
If the ground isn't entirely level he usually finds a corner with more clearance and lifts it a bit with one jack then slips another in further along to get going. :ROFL:

[ainarssems]

Thats what made me think that jack was not for the 8, the 8 jack dosent have a groove it actually protrudes out and sits inside the cup on the underside of the car, the part that is gray and looks like a groove is the magnet.

You can get bags that fill from the exhaust, they were used a lot by off roaders for recovery and on soft ground where you would just jack a jack into the ground. I thought about putting one in the boot of the 8 but wasn't sure how soft the underside of the cars is.
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=6404&d=1374134054



Be careful with bags:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Dz-gHqtcSek