Tire Rotation

[robl45]

So after calling around and getting prices that weren't cheap and not a great confidence on whether a place could do the rotation correctly, I went out and bought the jack below. I've needed a jack anyway so now I can easily get tires off to plug as well as rotate the tires etc.

1.5 Ton Aluminum Rapid Pump® Racing Floor Jack

Anyway, I haven't done on the Tesla yet. Everything I've seen says you do front to back so I guess I will do that, I'm not sure I could even do side to side as I don't have an extra tire. Wifes tire on her Infinity suv has the same bolt hole, but the spare was at least 2 inches higher.

Anyway. I have this jack and I have a scissor jack from either of the other two cars as a backup emergency jack. Plan is to jackup with the jack above and then throw the scissor jack on the other jackpoint just as an emergency jack.

As you can see on the jack above it has a rubber face. I test fit the jack and it just slides under my car. Like the rubber compresses ever so slightly to get it under. The rubber appears to be higher than the metal sides of the jack cup, can I just lift on this or should I try to wedge some cardboard in? I could get a couple of hockey pucks and make some lift adapters but if they aren't needed in my application i'd rather not. Plus with the lift adapters I'd definately have to drive up on 2x4s and even then I'm not sure I would clear.

 

[patrick40363]

Americas Tire rotates mine for free.

 

[TypeRx]

Just toss a hockey puck on the rubber face and make sure you are well lined up under the chassis jack area before lifting the vehicle. If you want to spend some money and have an even better fit, you can get a jack pad designed for Tesla's. They are generally similar to a hockey puck with an extra cylinder that protrudes out and ensures you are centered with the chassis jack area.

 

[robl45]

Do you need the puck?

 

[Dolemite]

Do you need the puck?

Depends on the jack, but why not? I've used the same hockey puck for 10+ years. I recently got a Model 3-specific adapter just to make it a little bit easier, but really wasn't needed.

The service centers only use the pads that are built-in on their lifts - no adapters or anything. But, they are very wide so it easily covers the entire Model 3 jack point. There's a chance the rubber on your jack may get compressed enough to where metal meets metal... but you won't know until you try. It's not the end of the world if that

Also, if you're simply doing front-to-back rotations, the car is so stiff that you can just lift one side entirely in the air by one jack point, swap the tires, and repeat. That's what the mobile techs do.

 

[robl45]

Depends on the jack, but why not? I've used the same hockey puck for 10+ years. I recently got a Model 3-specific adapter just to make it a little bit easier, but really wasn't needed.

The service centers only use the pads that are built-in on their lifts - no adapters or anything. But, they are very wide so it easily covers the entire Model 3 jack point. There's a chance the rubber on your jack may get compressed enough to where metal meets metal... but you won't know until you try. It's not the end of the world if that

Also, if you're simply doing front-to-back rotations, the car is so stiff that you can just lift one side entirely in the air by one jack point, swap the tires, and repeat. That's what the mobile techs do.

As said above, If I do use the pucks, then I would have to drive up on 2x4's or whatever, the jack itself just clears under the pad. i would probably put a little cardboard or something just to make sure I don't damage the rocker panel.

Plan was to just lift from one jackpoint, but god forbid when I'm changing the wheel and both tires are off and the jack drops, I'm thinking its safer to have another jack there. am I just being paranoid? I have the scissor jack so its not a big deal, plus with the flat head of the scissor jack, I can just put some cardboard just in case the other jack fails and not damage anything versus getting a jackstand that probably won't be low enough and then really needed a pad or something because of the way the jackstand is shaped.

 

[TW14 9LF]

X2 for Discount Tire / America's Tire. They do it for free. Only reason to do it myself is so I can clean the inside of the wheels.

 

[mrau]

I use the same Harbor Freight floor jack along with a jackpad that fits into the jackpoint. Insert the jackpad first, then put floor jack under jackpad to lift. No need to put the car on 2 x4 boards. After I lift the car I put another jackpad with a jack stand under the other jackpoint (same side of the car) and then lower the car a bit so it is supported on the jack stand and the floor jack. That way if the floor jack should unexpectedly lower itself, the jack stand will still support the wheels off the ground. Swap tires front to back.

Some type of jack pad is needed for the floor jack. Good investment for a Tesla owner. The thin rubber pad that comes with the floor jack is not enough.

Here is a photo of what they look like. You may be able to find them cheaper elsewhere.

 

[robl45]

I use the same Harbor Freight floor jack along with a jackpad that fits into the jackpoint. Insert the jackpad first, then put floor jack under jackpad to lift. No need to put the car on 2 x4 boards. After I lift the car I put another jackpad with a jack stand under the other jackpoint (same side of the car) and then lower the car a bit so it is supported on the jack stand and the floor jack. That way if the floor jack should unexpectedly lower itself, the jack stand will still support the wheels off the ground. Swap tires front to back.

Some type of jack pad is needed for the floor jack. Good investment for a Tesla owner. The thin rubber pad that comes with the floor jack is not enough.

Here is a photo of what they look like. You may be able to find them cheaper elsewhere.

View attachment 534153

My car is lowered, it would definitely need the 2x4's if I go with the jack pads.. I'm thinking I might just put some cardboard on top of the jack face or some other rubber and see how that works.

 

[mrau]

I agree, you'll need 2 x 4's if the car is lowered. At least you have some options.
Let us know how it works out.

 

[robl45]

did one side just now no issues.just used jack with rubber that came on it. used front point as its offset more than back one

 

[robl45]

Second side done, no pads, no issues. I'm not saying do major work like this, but with the rubber on the jack pad, no damage was done. did have another major issue though and will probably return the jack so maybe I can get one with a little better tolerances. The jack would go up, but then wouldn't go all the way down, it would get caught on the side of the jack. I couldn't get the jack out just now and had to use the safety scissor jack to jack the other point up a bit to pull the jack out. I was also very impressed that every bolt appeared to be torqued to the correct strength going by the fact that I didn't have to stand on the breaker bar I was using when I took the bolts off my prius.

 

[coleAK]

As said above, If I do use the pucks, then I would have to drive up on 2x4's or whatever, the jack itself just clears under the pad. i would probably put a little cardboard or something just to make sure I don't damage the rocker panel.

Plan was to just lift from one jackpoint, but god forbid when I'm changing the wheel and both tires are off and the jack drops, I'm thinking its safer to have another jack there. am I just being paranoid? I have the scissor jack so its not a big deal, plus with the flat head of the scissor jack, I can just put some cardboard just in case the other jack fails and not damage anything versus getting a jackstand that probably won't be low enough and then really needed a pad or something because of the way the jackstand is shaped.

I don’t think cardboard will do anything to protect the car. I use hockey pucks and they cover the jack points well. If you are lifting both wheels on one side a jack stand is the safest measure. A scissor jack could provide similar support as long as its rated to enough weight. The Alcon 2.5 ton XL I have goes under the Tesla with hockey pucks easily as well as lifts my 200 series land cruiser on 33’s.

here is a video I made of jacking the 3 last fall with pucks

 

[JBT66]

Still on my original OEM set. Spent $30 at Costco. Pretty sure it’s free if I were to purchase tires from them.

 

[XLR82XS]

Depends on the jack, but why not? I've used the same hockey puck for 10+ years. I recently got a Model 3-specific adapter just to make it a little bit easier, but really wasn't needed.

I got the Seven Sparta pucks and they're worth every dollar. Makes things EASY when lifting the car.

 

[robl45]

Honest opinion if you are lifting up the side,, with the angle its going, the pucks aren't needed if you have a rubber pad on the jack. The thing the pucks are needed for though is it makes life 20 times easier to actually be able to find the jack point. So I would recommend pucks to people if they want to spend the money and if they can fit them with the jack. To rotate tires once or twice a year, I don't know that its worth it.

 

[jaysunice]

I use the same Harbor Freight floor jack along with a jackpad that fits into the jackpoint. Insert the jackpad first, then put floor jack under jackpad to lift. No need to put the car on 2 x4 boards. After I lift the car I put another jackpad with a jack stand under the other jackpoint (same side of the car) and then lower the car a bit so it is supported on the jack stand and the floor jack. That way if the floor jack should unexpectedly lower itself, the jack stand will still support the wheels off the ground. Swap tires front to back.

Some type of jack pad is needed for the floor jack. Good investment for a Tesla owner. The thin rubber pad that comes with the floor jack is not enough.

Here is a photo of what they look like. You may be able to find them cheaper elsewhere.

View attachment 534153

Not trying to resurrect an old thread, but I can't seem to find a definitive source on how to do this. How exactly are people positioning the jack stand with a jack pad? Doesn't the typical v-shape notch / crescent / half-moon shape of the jack stand make this all a little risky/wobbly/unstable? Doesn't the "V" just dig into the jack pad?

Can you set a model 3 on a jack stand without the jack pad?

 

[jrweiss98020]

Can you set a model 3 on a jack stand without the jack pad?

IF the pad on the top of the jackstand fits EXACTLY within the "clean" area of the jack point, you MIGHT try it. HOWEVER, the rubber jackpad gives you more assurance that you will not impinge on the battery.

I jack the front, using a low-profile jack under a rubber pad. When it gets high enough, I put another pad in the rear jack point, and slip a stand or another jack under it.

 

[MG535]

Mavis Tire has coupons on their website for free rotation. Didn’t need to show it at “checkout” either, the guy had already applied it.

 

[jaysunice]

I think I'm just going to use a flat-top jack stand (like the ESCO) with a jack pad. I've seen a few people fabricate solutions for the traditional Y-shaped jack stands via welding or other gadgets to make them "flat", but it still looks/feels unsafe to me.