Jacking / Lifting Mach-E

[markboris]

For Costco members, they are also selling quickjacks right now on sale. Still pretty pricey compared to a regular floor jack. Don't think I can justify that for just wanting to do tire rotations.

5000TL for $1299.99 ($1650 on quickjack site)
7000TL for $1499.99 ($1815 on quickjack site)

I agree if it is just for the Mach-E, then a QuickJack or post/scissors lift, might be more than one would want to spend.

I have a BendPak mid-rise scissors lift (MD-6XP) which was just under $3K when I bought it a few years ago (https://www.bendpak.com/car-lifts/mid-rise-scissor-lifts/md-6xp/). It was probably the best investment I've ever made for my cars/trucks. I have a 9 foot ceiling garage and changed my overhead garage door opener to the wall mount type (Chamberlain) so there would be nothing above a vehicle when raised. This mid-rise lift raises up a maximum of 4 feet. I had two RaceRamps on each side but wanted a more permeant ramp (you cannot bolt them to the floor as they are made of foam). So a friend of mine custom made two aluminum ramps that are 18' long by 18" wide and 2 1/2" tall. Had them coated with Rhino liner. The lift is about 5" tall when collapsed and would not need the ramps if it was just for the Mach-E or any of the trucks but for the Focus RS and GT500 with a ground clearance of 3.5", I needed ramps.

While I thought I would use the lift for just changing oil and brakes pads (I cannot rotate tires on any of my cars as they all have a staggered setup) I found I use it for much more. I really like cleaning and detailing my cars on the lift. Much easier to detail all the lower trim, wheels/calipers, exhaust tips, etc. Also was much easier for me to change out springs/shocks/struts on my Premium Mach-E and GT500 and applying the tint on the reflectors when they were at eye level. Being 67, it is not so easy for me to kneel down and work in that position anymore. ?

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[RMoore]

What do you do if you have a standard floor jack and 4 jack stands? There's no central place in the front or rear to jack up the MME and then put jack stands. Do you jack up one side first (e.g. left or right), put jack stands on the front and back on that side, and then do the other side? Also, will that hockey puck shape on the jack (similar to the ones Mark shows in the pics above) mate nicely with the appropriate spots on the MME?

 

[metoo]

What do you do if you have a standard floor jack and 4 jack stands? There's no central place in the front or rear to jack up the MME and then put jack stands.

I have no idea. Kinda sucks. I have the situation with our Model X. The Jack points are also where the jack goes. On other cars, I lifted at the control arms so that I can use the jack points for the jack stands. I may have to drop that $1500 for the Costco lift.

 

[louibluey]

What do you do if you have a standard floor jack and 4 jack stands? There's no central place in the front or rear to jack up the MME and then put jack stands. Do you jack up one side first (e.g. left or right), put jack stands on the front and back on that side, and then do the other side? Also, will that hockey puck shape on the jack (similar to the ones Mark shows in the pics above) mate nicely with the appropriate spots on the MME?

Ask @Murse-In-Airy, I think he knows how to do what you are asking about.

 

[markboris]

This floor jack crossbeam is what I have used along with the QuickJack blocks to lift up one side if I quickly need to without having to use my larger BendPak lift. It works really well and while the blocks are just inside of the recommended lift points on the Mach-E, I highly doubt that would be an issue since you are lifting the entire side up at once. The rating on mine is 4000 lbs which I think is sufficient for lifting one side and I haven't had any issues. You can very quickly lift one side up, put the jack stands exactly where they go and you're done. Mine was $45 when I bought it several years ago but they have gone up a bit now. https://www.harborfreight.com/steel...MI7YyFnejj9QIV7yitBh0q_AnXEAQYAyABEgIZJvD_BwE

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

What do you do if you have a standard floor jack and 4 jack stands? There's no central place in the front or rear to jack up the MME and then put jack stands. Do you jack up one side first (e.g. left or right), put jack stands on the front and back on that side, and then do the other side? Also, will that hockey puck shape on the jack (similar to the ones Mark shows in the pics above) mate nicely with the appropriate spots on the MME?

I used a block of 2x4 to keep the jack from pressing against the battery rail. Then just jacked the car one corner at a time, placing the jack stand at that corner and moving to the next corner.

 

[RMoore]

This floor jack crossbeam is what I have used along with the QuickJack blocks to lift up one side if I quickly need to without having to use my larger BendPak lift. It works really well and while the blocks are just inside of the recommended lift points on the Mach-E, I highly doubt that would be an issue since you are lifting the entire side up at once. The rating on mine is 4000 lbs which I think is sufficient for lifting one side and I haven't had any issues. You can very quickly lift one side up, put the jack stands exactly where they go and you're done. Mine was $45 when I bought it several years ago but they have gone up a bit now. https://www.harborfreight.com/steel...MI7YyFnejj9QIV7yitBh0q_AnXEAQYAyABEgIZJvD_BwE

Thanks Mark, that's a nice trick and I suppose not too expensive an add on to my jack (I think I have the 2.5 ton one from Costco). I just had a few follow up questions: what do you mean by blocks being inside of the lift points? So if they are not sitting directly on them, what are they sitting on? Also, when you say you lift one side up and place the jack stands, do you mean left side/right side, or front/back? I am guessing this isn't wide enough to use to lift front or back.

 

[RMoore]

I used a block of 2x4 to keep the jack from pressing against the battery rail. Then just jacked the car one corner at a time, placing the jack stand at that corner and moving to the next corner.

I was actually wondering about that. Does lifting one corner at a time put too much of a twisting force on the car? I'm asking because one of the reasons I might jack the car up is to help install a tow hitch, not just to swap tires. The two hitch lifting would likely be higher than just clearing the tire and I worry about excessive torque/twist on the car.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

I was actually wondering about that. Does lifting one corner at a time put too much of a twisting force on the car? I'm asking because one of the reasons I might jack the car up is to help install a tow hitch, not just to swap tires. The two hitch lifting would likely be higher than just clearing the tire and I worry about excessive torque/twist on the car.

It’s a VERY solid car. The frame doesn’t really flex. I found with the balance and rigidity, and the front jack points being fairly far back…. Lifting the front tire on one side ALMOST lifts the back tire on the same side. By the time you lift the third tire, all 4 are off the ground.

 

[Gixxer750]

I agree if it is just for the Mach-E, then a QuickJack or post/scissors lift, might be more than one would want to spend.

I have a BendPak mid-rise scissors lift (MD-6XP) which was just under $3K when I bought it a few years ago (https://www.bendpak.com/car-lifts/mid-rise-scissor-lifts/md-6xp/). It was probably the best investment I've ever made for my cars/trucks. I have a 9 foot ceiling garage and changed my overhead garage door opener to the wall mount type (Chamberlain) so there would be nothing above a vehicle when raised. This mid-rise lift raises up a maximum of 4 feet. I had two RaceRamps on each side but wanted a more permeant ramp (you cannot bolt them to the floor as they are made of foam). So a friend of mine custom made two aluminum ramps that are 18' long by 18" wide and 2 1/2" tall. Had them coated with Rhino liner. The lift is about 5" tall when collapsed and would not need the ramps if it was just for the Mach-E or any of the trucks but for the Focus RS and GT500 with a ground clearance of 3.5", I needed ramps.

While I thought I would use the lift for just changing oil and brakes pads (I cannot rotate tires on any of my cars as they all have a staggered setup) I found I use it for much more. I really like cleaning and detailing my cars on the lift. Much easier to detail all the lower trim, wheels/calipers, exhaust tips, etc. Also was much easier for me to change out springs/shocks/struts on my Premium Mach-E and GT500 and applying the tint on the reflectors when they were at eye level. Being 67, it is not so easy for me to kneel down and work in that position anymore. ?

View attachment 52280

Very nice setup! What brand garage door opener did you go with?

 

[Motomax]

I was actually wondering about that. Does lifting one corner at a time put too much of a twisting force on the car? I'm asking because one of the reasons I might jack the car up is to help install a tow hitch, not just to swap tires. The two hitch lifting would likely be higher than just clearing the tire and I worry about excessive torque/twist on the car.

You’re way overthinking it. Cars aren’t fragile like that.

 

[markboris]

Thanks Mark, that's a nice trick and I suppose not too expensive an add on to my jack (I think I have the 2.5 ton one from Costco). I just had a few follow up questions: what do you mean by blocks being inside of the lift points? So if they are not sitting directly on them, what are they sitting on? Also, when you say you lift one side up and place the jack stands, do you mean left side/right side, or front/back? I am guessing this isn't wide enough to use to lift front or back.

Sorry, sometimes I don't do well explaining things. What I meant by the blocks being just inside the lift points is that the crossbeam is not wide enough to fit right under the lift points that Ford recommends to jack up the car. The crossbar places the blocks just inside on each one (closer to the center) however this allows you to place both jack stands directly under where Ford wants the car to be supported. Hopefully that makes sense and yes left/side, right/side, not front or rear. I guess I could jack it up on one side with the crossbeam and QuickJack blocks and take a photo if you want to see it.

Very nice setup! What brand garage door opener did you go with?

Thanks. The garage door opener I went with is a Chamberlain wall mount. Super easy to install (I think it took me about an hour for each door) and I didn't attach the electric deadbolt lock it comes with as you cannot open the garage door once it is closed anyway. The opener is very very quiet and the electric deadbolt lock makes a very loud noise when locking and unlocking. I guess for extra security one could install it but not necessary for me. When I bought them about 6 years ago they were just over $300 now they are quite a bit more. They are wi-fi enabled so I just use Siri to open and close the door. https://www.amazon.com/Chamberlain-...ocphy=9032290&hvtargid=pla-573636753344&psc=1

 

[RickMachE]

A setup like that would rot in a place that has winter.

 

[markboris]

A setup like that would rot in a place that has winter.

Rick, are you talking about my setup?

 

[RickMachE]

Rick, are you talking about my setup?

Yes. After a nice drive in winter in Michigan, our floor is very wet.

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