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need to keep the mx up on stands to complete some work, this may take 10 to 12 weeks depending on the funds available, they are new kingchrome stands rated to hold 1000kg, it is on a level concrete floor in a garage, the stands are position where you would normally put the jack if changing a wheel, is it safe to leave the car like this----don't want to cause any damage to it

It should be fine Ross.
It might even be better if you can source some bits of old tyre to put between the stand and the pinch weld seam at the jacking point to act as load spreaders.
I use blocks of 2x4 hard wood wood that have a groove routed in them for the pinch weld area to sit in as a a load spreader. They work on both the MX-5 and the Mazda6.

JBT wrote:It should be fine Ross.
It might even be better if you can source some bits of old tyre to put between the stand and the pinch weld seam at the jacking point to act as load spreaders.
I use blocks of 2x4 hard wood wood that have a groove routed in them for the pinch weld area to sit in as a a load spreader. They work on both the MX-5 and the Mazda6.

Don't use stands on the pinch weld. That doesn't actually hold any weight when you jack the car up with the scissor jack, it's just a slot. The load is taken inside the sell on the wider flat part of the jack head. They can fold under the weight of the car if you use axle stands on the pinch weld. There are reinforced sections just behind the slots to indicate where the jack would normally go, put the axle stands under these instead. Page 3 of this PDF illustrates it more clearly. http://www.metzair.com/downloads/Raise_Your_Miata.pdf

There, it'll disperse the load across 1 or 2 square inches, instead of focusing it on a vertical piece of metal a few millimetres thick and 2 inches long. Perfectly safe to leave it there.

Agreed that you need to avoid direct load on the pinch weld.
That's why I use the routed blocks of hardwood about 100mm long.
The load is then taken on the area inside of the pinch weld over a bigger area than the jack uses.

BTW, I've left both the MX-5, Mazda6 and my daughter's Astina on the the jack stands on the pinch welds for hours while working on them and nothing has bent.
I feel more comfortable now with the wood adaptors though.

I use the same hardwood blocks with the routed groove as JBT - my pinch welds still look great.

Ie. USE THESE ALWAYS

Been meaning to make some blocks from wood. Is interesting to see that others do this also.
Can we expect a turbo conversion or hypo N/A or am I just getting too excited?


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Is there anything wrong with the link to the US site- it seems a sound approach.

In the past I've left Mexie, and now my NB, on stands on the pinch welds for weeks, including climbing in and out of the cars to work on interior and electrical and stuff, and never bent anything.

But those blocks are a good idea. I have some hardwood lying around, so will make some up.

I use axle stands under the inner ends of the suspension, plenty of good hard points there. This means the car is slightly less stable laterally - I wouldn't get in the car, for example. But then, I would avoid getting in the car (or similar loads) regardless of where the stands are.

Mr Morlock wrote:Is there anything wrong with the link to the US site- it seems a sound approach.

No, but they seem to have some flat plate type of adaptor/cover for the top of the stand which is necessary to prevent damage to the underside body work.
I'm keeping a lookout for a chunk or four of truck tyre so I can use the tread groove for the pinch weld and the car support pad area will sit on the rubber.

I just use them on the pinch welds.

After all these years the pinch welds are flat and the problem has solved itself.

hks_kansei wrote:I just use them on the pinch welds.

After all these years the pinch welds are flat and the problem has solved itself.

Only problem with that is the drains for the windscreen are located in the front jacking point pinch welds, hope you haven't blocked them......

The place to lift on pinch welds is where the maker recommends. Pinch welds are definitely not intended for stands and that applies to any car. The grooved wood may be ok but a more solid area i.e. not sheet metal is a better plan.

The groove in the wood is just to simplify locating the support. The car rests, as it does with the factory jack, with the jack point pads (as shown in the PDF link) on the wood block.