New D3 bottle jack

I made a jacking pin attachment for a hydraulic jack out of wood. Alas, it was burnt along with my stolen D3 so no photos. It was a 20mm x 40 x 40 piece of Jarrah. Drilled a 20mm dia hole about 1/2 way through the middle of the wood, then drilled a 6mm hole all the way through the wood, inserted a 6mm dia bolt into it (head end thereby recessed into the wood) and glued in the bolt. The jack was in contact with the bolt which inserted into the D3 frame, so the wood didn't compress.

Slightly OTT - I also painted the end of the jacking pin attachment and the 4 jacking points on the frame a discreet orange. This was to help reduce the chance of SWMBO, etc from jacking the compressor housing.

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Originally Posted by Dingmark Jim

This was to help reduce the chance of SWMBO, etc from jacking the compressor housing.

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Been there, done that:angel:

Okay - so let's see if we can nail the detail of this: the book says to use off-road height for wheel change, so does anybody know what the minimum clearance from jacking point to ground is with a flat? This would establish the maximum minimum height of the bottle jack + jacking plate / block, if you get what I mean!

Then what is the minimum total lift required to get the beast up high enough to fit the spare? This would establish the minimum maximum lift of the jack (pretty cool how those words work, hey?:)).

I've been lookoing at a few options, but have concerns that some may require use of the screw out extension to get the lift - but that this would then mean the thing would be too tall to fit under the deflated jack point (with the screw thread up). May need to rely on the hydraulic lift component only. I have found a 6 tonner that is a little shy of White's baby - but may do the job, pending knowing the figures. I guess if push comes to shove I can go out and deflate a tyre etc etc - but that seems a bit OTT. So let's see if someone knows...

Jesse,

I'm not about to go out and induce a flat :eek: so how about raising the car to offroad height, measure th distance from the chassis rail to the ground then deduct the tyre wall.

The problem is getting a 4t jack with a 430mm lift (from memory) that is small enough when down. Mine will do it, but as I said in this or another thread recently, I'd go for an exhaust jack next time.

I carry a "dual purpose" block of hardwood about (by memory) 100m x 100m x 300m. The length was made to just fit under the D3 (and my soon-to-arrive D4:D) frame when at extended height. I used it to then attempt to lower the suspension to normal height, but the frame hits the wood block and the suspension raised up to emergency height. The block is also a good height for slowly driving a flat tyre up on, thereby raising the flat corner of the car by 100mm. This makes it easier to get the hydraulic jack started, and less jacking is required.

PS: I've guessed at the exact dimensions as the block was in my stolen and burned-out D3, and I don't yet have a D4 to make another one for.

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Originally Posted by Dingmark Jim

I carry a "dual purpose" block of hardwood about (by memory) 100m x 100m x 300m. The length was made to just fit under the D3 (and my soon-to-arrive D4:D) frame when at extended height. I used it to then attempt to lower the suspension to normal height, but the frame hits the wood block and the suspension raised up to emergency height. The block is also a good height for slowly driving a flat tyre up on, thereby raising the flat corner of the car by 100mm. This makes it easier to get the hydraulic jack started, and less jacking is required.

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Jim - you mean fit under the vehicle in off-road height, don't you? I thought the only way into extended was to apply the trick you refer to (lower onto a block / pretend grounding) - then it would go up to extended, from where you can then select emergency?

If this is the case, then the block would need to be about 280-290 mm, because I just measured from chassis rail to ground in off-road, and got 290 mm clearance (with tyres at road pressures). I imagine this height would increase once you go up into extended or emergency, by about 30-40 mm in each case.

Given that you're going to lose +/- 100 mm with a seriously flat tyre, there's no way any bottle jack I've seen advertised or in shops is going to fit underneath from off-road height - as the chassis to ground clearance would then be down to around 200 mm, and most bottle jacks are around 220/230 mm minimum height. Maybe they'd fit in extended or emergency, and with the drive-onto-the-block trick included then they'd go under - which then just leaves the question of how much actual lift is required to get the spare on okay?

The two-stage 12 tonner that WhiteD3 mentioned gives 250 mm lift (without the screw extension, which could not be used anyway, given the clearance issues) - but it is 230 mm min height, while another 12 tonner that I've found gives a bit less than that but is lower to start with (205 mm) which would help with getting the thing underneath. Sorry about the long post, and all the figures - but I reckon that before people go out and buy bottle jacks they should know what the issues might be with any particular model they choose. As yet it would seem none of us have found one that will do everything - fit under chassis from off-road height with a flat, and then lift enough to get the spare on. Not without blocks, or tricking the suspension upward anyway.:(

Just to add to this debate, I did get caught out with the bottle jack once. Coming back from Rover Park last year I had a slow flat in the rear which, due to the air suspension self levelling, didn't notice until the D3 had had enough, dropped into limp mode and I pulled over.

Of course in this mode there is no way the bottle jack will fit. So I had to use the scissor jack. Luckily I was on flat bitumen at the time. But don't start me on having to unload the car to get to the spare wheel ratchet:mad:

FYI at the time I could not get the D3 back into normal mode, then offroad mode to change the tyre as normal. Although it sorted itself out once I changed the tyre, repacked the car, cursed the kids, LR and the world in general.

In hindsight, and after some comment from other D3ers here, I should have taken the key out, then tried again.

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Originally Posted by WhiteD3

My one reservation re an exhaust jack is the jacking point. I say this in ignorance as I've never used one but the compressor is adjacent the rear jacking point under a plastic guard, the compressor itself is held in place by a diecast bracket. Would the wide top of the jacking bag exert pressure on this bracket?

Don't know.

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I use my exhaust jack in front of the compressor on the sill. It lifts front and rear wheels off the ground at the same time. That way there is no risk to the compressor.

Or make sure you only puncture the other side...

Cheers, Steve

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Originally Posted by 300+

Or make sure you only puncture the other side...

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Excellent............not

Steve, does the exhaust jack bag touch or distort the plastic panel covering the sill?

It does touch it but the load is over a smooth and large area so I'm not worried about damage. I'm sure the cover would be bending a little if I watched closely enough. There is no visible damage after use.


Cheers, Steve