Short version of my question: I want to jack up the front of my Caravan - where do I put the jack?

Long version of my question: I have a 99 Corolla whose oil I am able to change. I would like to start doing my own oil changes in my 2001 Caravan.

When I look under my Corolla, there's a nice little bump on the frame under the engine where the jack is supposed to go. I can jack up the front end and it is perfectly balanced side-to-side, and I put the jack stands behind the front wheels.

I couldn't find a "bump" under the motor of the Caravan. The closest thing I could find looked like maybe a motor mount or something. I didn't want to chance it. So I placed the jack behind the driver's side front wheel on the little ridge and got it up high enough to put a jack stand behind the jack. When I set the van down on the jack stand, the ridge crumpled up pretty bad. Same for the other side.

I was able to get the oil changed but I thought I better get some advice here on how to properly jack up the van.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm hoping to get a reply before my next 3000 miles. : - )

 

For the front you can use the cradle bolts. You likely penetrated the rocker panels, perhaps they are rusty, Any pictures??

For the rear use the front supports for the leaf springs.

The jack points are actually the standing seam on the rocker panels where there are two tabs front and back. Only problem is that shops wrongly use their hoist jacks in these locations and the tabs get bent out of sight and the area compromised. Since the tabs are important to the Owner in the event of a flat tire, shops should not be damaging them, but they do. The lazy loafs, can't be bothered to bend over find another location.

 

Thanks for the speedy reply. There is no surface rust but its 11 years old, its surely not as strong as when it was new. Now that I've read your explanation, I realize that I had the jack in the right spot behind the front wheels, but when I put the jack stands behind that, they were too far back. Apparently it is only reinforced sufficiently in that one spot.

So the cradle bolts for the front.... can you tell me what and where the cradle bolts are?

 

The large vertical bolts with the thick rubber/polyurethane bushings that help hold the lower framework support (cradle) for the drivetrain. You can use the vehicle frame in that area as well, especially where it is reinforced. The horizontal steel connectors between the frame and rocker panel also. Stay closer to the frame and use a thick block of wood to distribute the load.

 

Get yourself some fiberglass ramps and drive the front wheels up on them. Much eaiser than jacking it up. Plenty of room then to get under the front end to change the oil. The drain plug is on the rear of the pan on my 3.3L, so not need to worry about getting it unlevel.

 

Ditto on the ramps. I have steel ramps but commonly use 10" wide planks on top of a 4"x4"x12" pieces of treated wood (green) for changing oil.

 

I have a set of plastic ramps that I use for all oil changes in my house. Makes it nice and easy, just throw jack stands under the proper points for safety's sake once it is up on the ramps.

 

I have had terrible luck with ramps. I have a set of steel ones and they just slide on my concrete floor. I had some left over carpet and set the ramps on that and it helped somewhat, especially if I get a tiny bit of a run-on, but even so I'm still scared ****less that I'm going to overshoot the ramps and really mess things up. Trust me, that would not be the stupidest thing I ever did. For example when you asked for a picture earlier in the thread, I started to look for my match.com pic before I clued in. (Hell yeah I'll put out for some help! jk )

 

If you are worried about slipping then they make some ramps out of recycled tires, they weigh about 30-40lbs each but are usually rated for ~5000-10000lbs each and don't slip around at all.

Another option is a set of plastic ramps similar to mine, they have a grated top for grip and rubber feet to keep them from sliding, I just drive into the garage, put them under the front right against the wheels (so I know I am going up them evenly), kick them under to pinch them in and the rubber foot grabs and then drive up. They have never slipped on me at all.

Again, no ramps are perfectly safe, you should still set jackstands under the van even when on ramps.

 

So your ramps are elusive.
They should work fine if you follow zero10's advice above.
Perhaps the front valance is hitting the ramps as happens with my steel ramps. If the valance is hitting the ramps, a short piece of 2"x4", preferably 2"x6", immediately in front of the ramps will raise the front up enough to avoid the contact. Good luck.