This may seem like a daft question but what is the best way to jack the car - suspension raised or at access height?

I am going to change my rear pads tomorrow, so don't really need much ground clearance, just getting the wheels off the ground. No longer FF owner but still interested. Present car Jaguar XE
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Previous car Td6 SE
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Previous LR- Disco 300TDi Auto

Never jacked up the L322. On my P38 though I left it in access mode with the boot open as this prevents any movement in suspension. Present :2008 TDV8 HSE
Gone Audi A5 2.7TDI
Gone Discovery 3 HSE
Gone Mercedes CLK
Gone Range Rover 2.5 DSE

For the rears, I put the hydraulic jack under the air spring with the car in standard height and put an axle stand under the side jacking point for safety.

in any height, if you jack it up it will just use up all the suspension travel. Annoying.

Keep a door or the tailgate open apparently prevents this. Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

RRUK wrote:

Keep a door or the tailgate open apparently prevents this.

Decent trolley jack under the lower suspension arm. Never failed me yet.

Can you not lock out the suspension from inside the car (like I have to when going into a multi-storey car park) "On first name terms with my local Dealer......now."

'61 Plate 5.0SC Autobiography - in Black ——— Gone
'53 plate 4.4V8 Vogue Bonatti Grey inside and out. ----- Gone

Yes you can but I'm not sure if this works for wheel changing.

The last time I swapped all my wheels over all I know is that it nearly broke me. I tried access height and off road height, the jack broke and bent and when doing the last wheel up it gave way and car dropped down!

Scary

sometimes its worth getting a greases monkey with better tools to do some things for the sake of a few quid. Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB

yep - have to agree - I keep an original LR bottle jack in the car (has a welded cup on the top to stop it slipping) that has enough lift to raise the car easily. I definitely don't trust the scissor jack. Must have a look for the 3ton trolley that is often mentioned on here. "On first name terms with my local Dealer......now."

'61 Plate 5.0SC Autobiography - in Black ——— Gone
'53 plate 4.4V8 Vogue Bonatti Grey inside and out. ----- Gone

A 3 ton trolley is the key. I bought the Costco one not so long ago. It took less than thirty minutes to change all four tyres and I wasn't rushing. What would be helpful is some means of easily lining the wheels up with the hub and I may give Red Bull a run for their money. 2012 4.4 TDV8 Westminster
2007 3.6 TDV8 Vogue - gone!
2003 V8 HSE (LPG) - gone!
2018 F-Pace 25t Portfolio
1974 LR Series III Lightweight FFR
2014 BMW 640i Gran Coupe

Use a trolley jack, my scissor collapsed at its first outing dumping the car on its disc

as it happens, i had a blowout on the december salisbury plain trip and the scissor jack worked remarkedly well..but i think i was just lucky cos they are really...

Well in the end, I put it at max height and used a trolley under the suspension. Interesting to read the different theories on height for jacking though. No longer FF owner but still interested. Present car Jaguar XE
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Previous car Td6 SE
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Previous LR- Disco 300TDi Auto

i really dont think it matters what mode the suspension is in ..i've jacked in all 3 and had no problems...it doesnt say in the manual either ....

I know, just wondered that it might make a difference to how much you need to jack to lift the wheels off the ground. It isn't really relevant if you use a trolley jack, but using the flimsy scissor jack in an emergency, you wouldn't want to have to lift such a heavy vehicle too high. No longer FF owner but still interested. Present car Jaguar XE
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Previous car Td6 SE
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Previous LR- Disco 300TDi Auto