Jack Pad design available

[JohnFoxeSheets]

I was asked if I would try to design a jack pad that could be installed permanently at each of the jack points on the Mach E. The goal is to make a pad that will fit with (hopefully) most floor jack saddles and can be left on the car at all times. While I've not made samples, I have made sufficient measurements that I'm fairly confident that this design will work. That said, I make no guarantees.

If anyone is interested in this design, I'm happy to make the 3D CAD files available. DM me if you're interested. If you have any ideas for improvements, please let me know.

This is the Jack Pad. It is used in conjunction with an Anchor which holds it permanently to the jack point. You would install four Pads and Anchors, one set at each jack point.

This is the anchor (not to the same scale).

Here are the Pad and the Anchor along with the screw that prevents the Anchor from slipping out.

This is looking "inside" the frame to see how the Anchor works during installation; it fits into the jack point hole and the Pad and Anchor are then slid so that the screws are against the edge of the hole.

The screws are then tightened and a third screw is installed to prevent the assembly from slipping.

There are two threaded holes in the Pad. The one closer to the double set of holes is for the front jack points, while the one further away is for the rear jack points with their slotted holes.

Sponsored

 

[Space_Pony]

I like this design better than anything else that I have seen, specifically the corvette pucks or the pucks with o-rings. If Eft has a link to a better design, please post it.

 

[RickMachE]

I can do 3D printing at our library, for free. What material is this made from?

 

[generaltso]

I'm not a MME owner (but I have slept in a Holiday Inn numerous times)

Good one.

 

[glenthompson]

Since the bolts are only to keep the pad in place and don't bear any weight, nylon bolts could be used which would eliminate the corrosion issue and would break off easier than metal bolts.

 

[21st Century Pony]

John et.al., what are your ideas about the potential material for these jack pads? Aluminum? 3-D polymer(s)? Rubber? Nylon maybe?

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Thanks guys. My original design used M4 bolts but I beefed it up to M6 (M8 just won't fit) because of concerns about shearing in case the jack put lateral force on the puck (which of course it shouldn't, but shit happens). So we have two conflicting desirements: shear in case hit while driving vs don't shear in case of collision. I'm not sure which is more important, though I guess the design could support either simply by allowing the user to decide which they want to protect against using either metal or nylon bolts. As for corrosion, I was thinking it would use stainless steel.

I like this design better than anything else that I have seen, specifically the corvette pucks or the pucks with o-rings. If Eft has a link to a better design, please post it.

Thank you!

I can do 3D printing at our library, for free. What material is this made from?

Rick, I was thinking that it would be made in CNC machined aluminum, but obviously one would want to start with 3D printing a sample. For fitment testing purposes, pretty much any 3D printing material would work as long as it is dimensionally stable. However the threaded holes would need to be tapped after printing since the resolution of the printer isn't going to be able to handle the threads...

I'm happy to make a fitment test version that is honeycombed to use far less material. That's what I did for my cargo ring bracket fitment samples...

John et.al., what are your ideas about the potential material for these jack pads? Aluminum? 3-D polymer(s)? Rubber? Nylon maybe?

I'm not a materials expert, so I'd have to get help from others on that point. As mentioned above, I was assuming CNC machined aluminum, but doubtless other materials would work as well.

 

[circatee]

As much as I think it makes sense to install a permanent jack pad, I do think it might be unwise.

Why?

Well, surely Ford made those 'jack holes' for a reason, no (other than for jack pads)? If one puts in a permanent fixture, and then the car needs service where Ford needs to access those locations, that would be an issue, no?

Alas, those more in the know than me, can steer me in the right direction. Thanks

 

[VaporTrails]

As much as I think it makes sense to install a permanent jack pad, I do think it might be unwise.

Why?

Well, surely Ford made those 'jack holes' for a reason, no (other than for jack pads)? If one puts in a permanent fixture, and then the car needs service where Ford needs to access those locations, that would be an issue, no?

Alas, those more in the know than me, can steer me in the right direction. Thanks

I was pondering if these jack pads could be made to snap in to the frame rails when used, and snap into holes under the luggage board when not used(supporting it in the process.). If made to be 3-D printed, might consider a SS bolt just to add shear strength all the way to the interface to the car. The question must be asked…under what conditions would I bet my life on a 3-d printed part?

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

As much as I think it makes sense to install a permanent jack pad, I do think it might be unwise.

Why?

Well, surely Ford made those 'jack holes' for a reason, no (other than for jack pads)? If one puts in a permanent fixture, and then the car needs service where Ford needs to access those locations, that would be an issue, no?

Alas, those more in the know than me, can steer me in the right direction. Thanks

All I can say is that my HVBJB was replaced with the Corvette jack pads permanently installed and the dealership didn't mention any concerns.

I presume the holes are used in the factory, but I've not heard of any other systems that use the holes post manufacturing. That said, I'm no expert...

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

I was pondering if these jack pads could be made to snap in to the frame rails when used, and snap into holes under the luggage board when not used(supporting it in the process.). If made to be 3-D printed, might consider a SS bolt just to add shear strength all the way to the interface to the car. The question must be asked…under what conditions would I bet my life on a 3-d printed part?

Fascinating idea. Are there existing holes in the cargo area that could be used? That said, I think the spacer/support needed in the cargo area is quite a bit taller than what a jack pad would typically be. It might make the pad less stable. If you can provide photos and measurements, I'm happy to consider it. (I'm recovering from hand surgery, so I can't do any lifting or measuring right now.)

Regarding a 3D printed part, there's a huge range of 3D printing technologies, some of which could never be used for anything requiring durability, while others could be just fine. There are even 3D printing processes that make metal parts... (That said, CNC machining is typically cheaper than 3D printed metal for a part like this.)

 

[SWO]

This design is exactly what I am looking for.

The non-permanent design is useless to me because my wife drives the car most of the time and the use case for having the pucks would be an unplanned trip to the tire shop. If she gets a flat she's not going to be pressing pucks into the frame rails at the tire shop, lol.

 

[circatee]

All I can say is that my HVBJB was replaced with the Corvette jack pads permanently installed and the dealership didn't mention any concerns.

I presume the holes are used in the factory, but I've not heard of any other systems that use the holes post manufacturing. That said, I'm no expert...

...understood. And, to be clear, I am not knocking or criticizing your ideas/suggestion/creation.
I do wish Ford had thought better about how the car could be jacked up in real world use case.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

All cars a designed to be lifted using professional automotive lifts that all dealerships and independent shops use to perform underbody services. That is the engineer's real world use case.

The chevron markings on the chassis are a SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) specification to mark the chassis lift points for service technicians to place the arms/pads of the lifting apparatus they use to lift the vehicle.

Hmm, I don't think the MME has such markings, but I'm not 100% sure. All there have are this triangles on the bottom of the rocker panel trim. (I added the sticker)

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

A triangle is also known as a chevron (V symbol).

Not to be pedantic, but a chevron in an inverted V, not a closed ended triangle.

Chevron:

(Isosceles) triangle:

Sponsored