Honestly , i am tempted to do this, to lift the mini from it's nose up. i am just worried about a tremendous amount of leverage that it is putting on the mounts. But since azborg showed it, i will start doing it that way...and also azborg and i are both from Arizona, i know he won't tell me things that will hurt our beloved arizona minis.

The reason why i do not use Hydraulic jacks (aligator jack or Bottle jacks) is because there is a good chance that it will fail because only pressurized oil holds it in place. Unlike the rotary jack(the one that you screw to go up) which i have, it never fails unless the threads strips which will never happen., and with rotary jack, there is no need to use jackstands or whatever. it is already a jack stand by itself.

And eurokraft,yes you are forgiven, and yes i understand, i mean if the jack fails ,it fails...using a jack stand would help yes, but if you are underneath the car, you want something rigid and a trusty jack to begin with. My practice is, whenever i need to do something underneatht the car, i see to it that the wheels that i removed goes underneath, or i lay flat two trailer wheels underneath for max safety. And if i am working in the engine bay, i DO NOT let someone sit on the drivers sit,much less crank the car, for safety purposes. i have 21 fingers all in all, i want it to stay that way until i die.

Mr Specialist 
Im sorry, i was under the impression that everione knew by now that you should NEVER go under a car supported by a jack only.....Chinese or not.
Please DONT fo that ever
Minis are small but could do some damage
Cheers

If someone is "Special" enough to crawl under a car held up only by a hydraulic jack without stands, ...maybe they should be crushed

Or you can use one of these...

No Joke: I once lifted the back end of a Mini estate, one side at a time, while my little sister put blocks under the rear subframe. Just put my back against the car, gripped the wheel well and lifted with my legs. 40+ years on, I can't do that now... my excuse is my current car has plastic wheel arches. Don't think I haven't been tempted to try!

I doubt it. The subframe's main connection to the body is at the tower mounts and to a much lesser degree the frame extensions under the floor pan. The front two bolts between the subframe and the front panel do not support the car - they tie the front corners of the car to the subframe to keep the bodywork from flexing. This is proven by the fact one can fine-tune the shape of the front wheel arches (to reduce or eliminate wheel rub) by adding or removing shims between the subframe and body panels.... as was done in the factory. Another example is that one can completely remove the front clip and the car will stand up.

I have a couple of blocks of wood, 2 x 10 x about 14" long that I drive the car onto before I try to slip a jack underneath.  I also have a 2  x 4 that fits the front subframe right to left to spread out the weight on the front edge.  

On the rear of the car, I usually put the rear wheels up on the 2 x 10's by driving or pushing it, and then use another wide panel, 3/4" plywood and place the jack under the battery box.   


If it will be up for a while, it ALWAYS goes on jack stands.  2 at the front under the lower control arms or side of front subby, and 2 at the rear again on the side rails of the subframe.


be safe when working under a car.  Don't depend on the hydraulic jack alone.

Harbour frieght products are pure chinese made products,  let me ask you, would you work underneath a car lifted by a chinese made HF hydraulic jack????? If the hydraulic seals fail , the car will fall on you for sure.  All because of this "not expensive" HF jack?????  That's why you really need to choose the best  jack for your mini. 

You guys are kidding right? All this talk about a jack to lift a mini?  Wow 
Get one off those blue aluminun ones frim harbour freight, the small one, light abd low and its not expensive.
Really guys, why make things so complicated????

I always jack em up on the sump...........If the mountings break they were knackered anyway......................

I bought an AC Hydraulic DK20Q jack which comes down to 80mm (3"), lifts to 19½", as well as their T3 cross beam adapter,  a full compliment of the GS1 rubber pads and some FSD2 and FSD3 rubber pads. 

Very well made, robust and does the job nicely.  When you think about how much you'll use it, you'll be glad you bought a good one.


Images from an American supplier's website (linked below) shows the jack with the T3 cross beam adapter.

//www.acjacks.com/acjacks_003.htm 

Dk20Q:     

Its an opinion,, like everyone else is saying including haynes are all opinions.  The only way to make it a fact is when you actually experience it and prove it. 
The only FACT in this world is the Bible,,, i know sir Dan will agree with me. 

Is this a statement of "fact" or just an opinion you tout as fact? 

sir Dan, that will put toooo much tension on the connection between the subframe and the lower body underneath. i never do that on my mini. i lift one wheel at a time.

To lift the front of my car, I use a steel jacking bar that clips onto my front subframe. Others use a wooden version that is shaped to fit the subframe. Once lifted, the car is placed on jack-stands under the subframe and the hydraulic jack removed.
In the photo, there is ample clearance between the jack saddle and the transmission. The grimy look isn't leakage, but sprayed-on rust inhibitor.

True there are no jacking points for a floor jack, though there are sill jacking points/pockets (on some at least) at the ends of the floor cross-member. They were intended for a specific jack to raise the side of the car to change tyres etc., not much more. In the attached photo you can see the end of the cross-member and the remnants of the jacking pocket. You can see it is a great entry point for tin-worm (rust). At the right, the blocks of wood are supporting the car via the sub-frame. The squashed-looking metal bracket on the sill is one of four factory assembly clips too often mistaken for jacking points. More properly described as floor-deforming points.

Specialist's 2nd photo with a jack stand circled is mis-informative (and he's "Wrong Again!")  - obviously the jack stand is sitting beside the car and not under it.

best way is by jacking up by suspension mounting points.

You have to raise it by suspension mounting points in my opinion. Only place to do it

I have that same blue Harbor Freight jack.  But it was too short to reach my RSX front jack point and be able to move the handle.  I also don't like the lift height.  Didn't lift enough to get my Expedition wheel off the ground without having to use a bit of 4x4 for extra help.  I ended up getting one of the HF gray jacks with the long low profile head and it works a treat on all three vehicles.

That being said, if you are around Seattle and would like to buy my blue jack for your gift I'd sell it for $50.  Cheaper than the HF price and almost never used.  Just dust and cobwebs on it, but I'll clean it up.

There are no jacking points on the body to jack the car up using a floor jack without using something to spread out the jack's force. Minis were never made with any, and that's why you see so many Minis with big upward dents in the body. Well, that and lifts being used incorrectly in the same incorrect places.