This is going to generate tons of debate. If you don't agree with what I've posted here, or think that modern cars are made of cheese, that's great. This method is not for you & feel free to move on. If you want to give this a shot, and you actually know what you're doing, go ahead. But you're obviously at your own risk, which I feel silly even pointing out, because you're taking advice from some random person on the internet.
So here it is.
The first thing I'll say is that the Model 3's jack points are absolute garbage. They're very thin aluminum, and the Dual Motor is 4K+ lbs. This tragic realization came to pass the very first time I used the dumbass "RennStand by SafeJack" jack stands that I got shortly after I bought the car. Using these immediately began severely deforming my jack points. So I don't know whether this method will damage your jack points, since mine were already messed up, thanks to a half-baked product designed by someone who didn't thoroughly test or think it through.
Anyway, the first thing you're gonna need is a set of Esco 10498 jack stands (best jack stands ever), and high-quality "puck" adapters that fit into the jack points of the Model 3. Note the pucks aren't needed under normal circumstances, but I'd say they are, here - reason being that this at least somewhat "locks" the car to the jack stand to some degree. Without this, I'd be extremely wary of the car sliding off at some point during lifting. With this, there's a positive connection between the car and the puck, and the puck and the jack stand saddle.
So without further ado... Step 1: Lift the car by one of the rear jack points - enough so that you can get a jack stand + puck adapter under the front jack point on the same side. Lower the car onto this stand & remove the jack - the rear will remain in the air:
Step 2: Remove the left rear plastic spring arm cover - one 10 mm bolt. If you can't do this or don't know what I'm talking about... "take it to the shop bro." My finger is pointing on the part of the arm where you're going place the jack. Use a hockey puck or something to lift up the car by this point, just enough to get the second jack stand underneath the adjacent rear jack point.
Wow!
Step 3: This is where it gets a little dicey, so be careful. You're going to repeat the same procedure on the other side... BUT, think about it - you're basically lifting a very well-balanced & rigid square on a flat plane. So, once you start this next step, you're most likely going to start lifting the car off of one of the jack points on the other side. So there will be at least a brief moment where the car is basically "balancing" on two opposing jack points. Go slowly and pay attention. Note that this is exactly the same thing that happens when using the overpriced "RennStands," as illustrated by plenty of YouTube videos and confirmed by my own personal experience. That's the nature of this method - if you're not comfortable with it, "take it to the shop bro." I risked trying it this way, it worked, I got comfortable with it, and have proceeded to lift the car this way dozens of times without any issues. I'd even bought a QuickJack but returned it, since lifting the Tesla was the only reason I got it. Note this method is also used by racing teams & other car communities where central front/rear jack points are nonexistent.
Anyway, you're going to have to lower the car very slowly, while making sure that the opposing lift point that you "inadvertently" lifted is going back into the correct place. You can actually see a bit of that happening here - look at the light peeking through on the left rear jack point between the pad & jack stand:
Step 4: See Step 2.
Step 5: Complain on the internet.
Happy wrenching.
(And a shameless plug: I'm selling the Forgestar wheels & Eibach sway bars (version 2) pictured on this car - see my sig. Feel free to PM me if you're in the Seattle area, I'm willing to do a *bit* of driving to make it happen.)
So here it is.
The first thing I'll say is that the Model 3's jack points are absolute garbage. They're very thin aluminum, and the Dual Motor is 4K+ lbs. This tragic realization came to pass the very first time I used the dumbass "RennStand by SafeJack" jack stands that I got shortly after I bought the car. Using these immediately began severely deforming my jack points. So I don't know whether this method will damage your jack points, since mine were already messed up, thanks to a half-baked product designed by someone who didn't thoroughly test or think it through.
Anyway, the first thing you're gonna need is a set of Esco 10498 jack stands (best jack stands ever), and high-quality "puck" adapters that fit into the jack points of the Model 3. Note the pucks aren't needed under normal circumstances, but I'd say they are, here - reason being that this at least somewhat "locks" the car to the jack stand to some degree. Without this, I'd be extremely wary of the car sliding off at some point during lifting. With this, there's a positive connection between the car and the puck, and the puck and the jack stand saddle.
So without further ado... Step 1: Lift the car by one of the rear jack points - enough so that you can get a jack stand + puck adapter under the front jack point on the same side. Lower the car onto this stand & remove the jack - the rear will remain in the air:
Step 2: Remove the left rear plastic spring arm cover - one 10 mm bolt. If you can't do this or don't know what I'm talking about... "take it to the shop bro." My finger is pointing on the part of the arm where you're going place the jack. Use a hockey puck or something to lift up the car by this point, just enough to get the second jack stand underneath the adjacent rear jack point.
Wow!
Step 3: This is where it gets a little dicey, so be careful. You're going to repeat the same procedure on the other side... BUT, think about it - you're basically lifting a very well-balanced & rigid square on a flat plane. So, once you start this next step, you're most likely going to start lifting the car off of one of the jack points on the other side. So there will be at least a brief moment where the car is basically "balancing" on two opposing jack points. Go slowly and pay attention. Note that this is exactly the same thing that happens when using the overpriced "RennStands," as illustrated by plenty of YouTube videos and confirmed by my own personal experience. That's the nature of this method - if you're not comfortable with it, "take it to the shop bro." I risked trying it this way, it worked, I got comfortable with it, and have proceeded to lift the car this way dozens of times without any issues. I'd even bought a QuickJack but returned it, since lifting the Tesla was the only reason I got it. Note this method is also used by racing teams & other car communities where central front/rear jack points are nonexistent.
Anyway, you're going to have to lower the car very slowly, while making sure that the opposing lift point that you "inadvertently" lifted is going back into the correct place. You can actually see a bit of that happening here - look at the light peeking through on the left rear jack point between the pad & jack stand:
Step 4: See Step 2.
Step 5: Complain on the internet.
Happy wrenching.
(And a shameless plug: I'm selling the Forgestar wheels & Eibach sway bars (version 2) pictured on this car - see my sig. Feel free to PM me if you're in the Seattle area, I'm willing to do a *bit* of driving to make it happen.)
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