Jacking up a car from the front starts with the designated front lift point in the owner’s manual.
Whether you’re swapping winter tires, changing the oil, or doing brake work, jacking the front of your car is a basic skill. The process is straightforward, but the safety rules around it are absolute. A jack is for lifting; jack stands are for holding. Here is the exact sequence that keeps you and the car safe.
Safety Rules That Apply Before You Touch the Jack
Before raising anything, prepare the car and the ground. Most incidents happen not during the lift, but because the car rolled or the ground gave way.
- Park on firm, level ground. Avoid inclines and hot asphalt, which can sink or shift under the jack’s weight.
- Secure the car. Put the transmission in Park (automatic) or 1st gear (manual) and set the parking brake firmly.
- Chock the rear wheels. Lifting the front takes weight off the rear, making the car more prone to rolling. Place chocks on both sides of at least one rear wheel.
Australia’s vehicle-jacks guidance adds two rules worth remembering: confirm the jack’s rated capacity exceeds the vehicle’s weight, and never allow a person or pet to stay in the car while it’s being raised.
Where to Place the Floor Jack Under the Front
The single most common mistake is lifting from the wrong spot. The jack must sit under a reinforced structural point, not sheet metal. On most cars, that’s the front subframe or crossmember; on many unibody cars, it’s a reinforced pinch weld behind the front wheel. Your owner’s manual is the final authority, as the approved front jack point varies by make, model, trim, and suspension design.
To locate it: look for a flat, reinforced area of the frame or a small notch in the pinch weld. Position the jack saddle squarely under that point, centered and stable. If the saddle won’t seat cleanly, raise it a little to check contact before committing. Never place the jack under body panels, plastic covers, or suspension arms.
The Step-by-Step Sequence for a Front Lift
Once the car is secured and the lift point is confirmed, the mechanical sequence is simple. Go slow, check each stage, and never rush the load.
- Position the jack. Center the saddle under the approved front point and confirm it’s stable.
- Raise the car. Pump or crank slowly until the front tires clear the ground and the car is high enough for your task.
- Set the jack stands. Place stands under the manufacturer-designated support points — these are usually the same reinforced areas as the lift points, sometimes slightly further inward.
- Transfer the weight. Slowly lower the jack until the car rests fully on the stands, then give the car a firm push to verify it’s stable before working underneath.
Never work under a car supported only by a jack. If a floor jack fails or loses pressure, the car drops with nothing to stop it. Jack stands are the only acceptable support for a human underneath.
If you’re shopping for a new floor jack or stands, a quality unit with adequate capacity makes the whole job safer. Here’s our edit of car jacks we’ve actually tested for stability and reach.
Lowering the Car After the Work Is Done
Lowering is the reverse of lifting, done with the same caution. Slightly raise the vehicle with the jack until the stands are free, remove the stands, then lower the car slowly and evenly. Keep hands and feet clear of the jack’s moving parts. Once the car is on the ground, remove the wheel chocks last.
References & Sources
- Product Safety Australia. “Vehicle Jacks Guide.” Official guidance on jack capacity, lift points, and the rule never to work under a car held only by a jack.