How To: Jack Up Your RSX

Two of the most important tools in most mechanics' toolkits are the jack and jack stands. They allow you to remove wheels, work underneath the car, and do a lot of other things that are required to maintain a car (especially if it's lowered). This article will show you how to jack up your RSX using the factory jack points to do work underneath or remove the wheels.

Harbor Freight's Dayton Low Profile, Long Reach, Floor Jack

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Required Tools

• Jack Stands
• Floor Jack

 

There are 3 commandments to safely getting under a car you've jacked up:

1. Jacks Are Only For Lifting; Do Not Get Under A Car Only Supported By A Jack, It Can Kill You (Use Jack Stands)
2. Only Jack Up A Car After You've Put On The Parking Brake And Chocked Off The Wheels
3. Only Jack Up A Car On Flat Ground

Scissor Jack - One Came With Your Car Probably, This One Is From Harbor Freight.

There's a couple different styles of jacks. You're probably used to a scissor jack, like the kind provided with most cars for changing a tire. While these are helpful for removing a wheel, they are not to be considered safe and stable enough to crawl under the car while it's being held up by one. Still, in case you want to use it for the proper purpose, here's a diagram showing it.

Pinch Welds, Circled. These Are On Both Sides of the Car.

The pinch welds shown in this diagram are the perfect points to jack the car up using a scissor jack. These points are also where you put jack stands if you jack the car up using a floor jack. We'll cover that next.

Pinch Welds Look Like Folded-Over Metal. They're About The Same Distance From The Wheel Well On Either Side. The Same Goes For The Rear Pinch Welds.

Floor jacks are much better tools for the DIY mechanic as well as the professional. Floor jacks can lift the entire front or entire rear of the car all at once, with minimal effort, and to greater heights while maintaining more stability than the scissor jack. When the car is in the air, you can put jack stands at the pinch welds to make sure you're safe to go under the car. Never go under a car only supported by a jack of any type. Here's a picture showing you the floor jack points for the RSX.

Service Manual Jack Points; A - Front Crossmember, B - Rear Tow Hook

The following two images show the front crossmember, the jack point for the front of the car. It can be hard to see if your car is lowered, as a lot of RSX's are. Before you jack your car up, look at it from multiple angles to make sure that you have the jack centered properly. It's very easy to eyeball it and then jack up in the wrong place, leading to catastrophe.

The Middle Of The Front Crossmember. It's Blocky, And Has A Hole In It.

Here's Another Angle. It's Behind The Bumper, But In Front Of The Oil Pan

I jack up from the rear a little differently than the manual shows. I prefer not to use the tiny contact point of the tow hook to lift it up, and use the bar between the rear lower control arms so I have more "room for error". Either one seems to work well, but when in doubt, follow the service manual.

A - Factory Jack Point, B - Where I Use

If you don't own a floor jack or jack stands, I'd highly recommend getting some. They're essential to safely working on your car.

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