Beware the Widow Maker!

[leicesterboy15]

Last night I got a puncture (3rd one in the last 12 months) so I had to change my tyre. I loosened the bolts, jacked the car up using the e34 jack and started taking the bolts off, then out of the blue the car slipped off the jack! Luckily the wheel was not off yet so I bolted it all back and moved the car so it was jammed up against the kerb and did the whole lot again, I was extra cautious the second time, I even went across the road to confirm there was no gradient and that the jack was straight, this has happend to me once before so I'm extra careful when using this jack. As an extra precaution put the spare tyre under the car as soon as its high enough! now I know why they call it the widow maker.....

http://www.designbolt.com/thestore/e32carjack/1.jpg

[Tiger]

Parking brake must be ON to use these jacks.

[Omega]

You should chock one wheel using the chock thats supplied with the jack in the boot (trunk).

I always throw the spare tire under the chassis unless the cars on stands, I have seen hydraulic jacks bend and fail with the same consequences.

[Tiger]

I don't even know if there is a chock in my car... where did they put it?

[whiskychaser]

I don't even know if there is a chock in my car... where did they put it?
I cant find them either: should be 2 - car can rock on jack forwards or backwards?;) Jacks that come with cars are crap. Get the very nice man from the AA to change your wheels

[Jehu]

Parking brake must be ON to use these jacks.


I thought I read in the Owners Manual the parking brake must be OFF when using the jack and you put the supplied Wedge under the one of the other wheels.... its just held onto a screw behind the panel near the jack with a Big Wing Nut..you're either just overlooking it or its MIA.

[Dom]

Jesus you can't even put a rock under the opposite wheels and jack the sob up???
Haven't you ever changed a tire. Next time you'd better call autoclub.
Seriously.

[Ferret]

Jesus you can't even put a rock under the opposite wheels and jack the sob up???
Haven't you ever changed a tire. Next time you'd better call autoclub.
Seriously.

Charming.

On a slightly less inflammatory note, I've nearly been caught out by one of these before. They're lethal, and this one was attached to the jacking point so it shouldnt have escaped. But it did.

You have to be so careful with these jacks because they're lifting a car with minimal size pressure points, the jack to car pressure point is tiny, but the jack to floor pad was what caught me out, the tarmac compressed at one edge and twisted the jack. Car fell off the jack while I was still rummaging in the trunk!

Hate these b*stards, I tend to carry a trolley jack in the boot with me now because of that little incident.

[leicesterboy15]

Jesus you can't even put a rock under the opposite wheels and jack the sob up???
Haven't you ever changed a tire. Next time you'd better call autoclub.
Seriously.

I don't carry bricks around in my pockets :) Believe me I looked around for one but when you're on a busy street in the middle of the city rocks and such like are a bit thin on the ground.

I went to get my wheel chock as well and it was then I discovered that I didn't have one so I used the kerb instead.

I thought the parking prake is supposed to be off when you use a trolley jacy but not for one of these although I'm not sure? Anyway as you jack the rear of the car up the hand becomes less effective.

[leicesterboy15]

Charming.

On a slightly less inflammatory note, I've nearly been caught out by one of these before. They're lethal, and this one was attached to the jacking point so it shouldnt have escaped. But it did.

You have to be so careful with these jacks because they're lifting a car with minimal size pressure points, the jack to car pressure point is tiny, but the jack to floor pad was what caught me out, the tarmac compressed at one edge and twisted the jack. Car fell off the jack while I was still rummaging in the trunk!

Hate these b*stards, I tend to carry a trolley jack in the boot with me now because of that little incident.

I've had the same problem, I used one on a blocked driveway once and I stupidly didn't put anything under the jack to spread the weight so the brick sunk! The car didn't fall off but as I was lowering it the jack began leaning into the door and there was no way it was coming down without hitting the door so I had to jack it back up and but some bricks under the tyre so the jack could be freed sooner, it got me out of my pickle.

If you look at this jack though the top part of the bit that fits into the jacking point is rounded which makes it more unsteady in my view, I don't understand why its not flat or rounded upwards making it harder to roll off.

Have they changes the design for the newer BMWs?

[Tiger]

So where is the supplied wedge?

[whiskychaser]

So where is the supplied wedge?
No comments about the boot needing a clean after I took the trouble to get the photo!:

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll280/whiskychaser/chock.jpg