Loud BANG when jacking up car

[Hatchi]

Hey all, was installing Rally Armor rear mudflaps (had the fronts on for a while just didn't wanna take off the back tires to do the installation of the back) and while jacking up from the driver rear jack point, I walked to the back of the car to put a jack stand underneath the rear jack point and heard what sounded like a literal gunshot coming from the floor jack/jack point currently lifted.

I stuck the jack stand under the rear jack point and went and lowered the floor jack ASAP, nothing seemed busted, floor jack works just fine, etc. I haven't driven the car around yet, but I'm obviously worried. Any places under the car I should check specifically or sounds/feelings I should try to feel for when driving? Car has 890 miles on it for reference.

NOTE: The floor jack doesn't even go that high (and I didn't even have it at the max height for this), FlyingGato has a video where he does the same deal and he can lift the entire side of the car off the ground, mine is just high enough to work basically.

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[NapalmEnema]

Sounds like you just settled / slipped off the rail if that's what you were jacking up from. You need to jack up from the center middle, with a low profile jack, or the rear has a super easy to get to jacking point right inside the bumper. Be safe but if you don't see damage in and around the jackpoint you should be fine.

P.S. Unless I really had to like road hazard, I would always try and jack from the center middle or rear back - the car is so low I have to drive the front two tires up onto a 2x4 then slide the low profile jack under there. I use my camera phone to get it situated well then jack up slowly / check positioning / then complete jacking it up. The rear is much easier - I had all four corners up with this method just the other week

 

[Hatchi]

Sounds like you just settled / slipped off the rail if that's what you were jacking up from. You need to jack up from the center middle, with a low profile jack, or the rear has a super easy to get to jacking point right inside the bumper. Be safe but if you don't see damage in and around the jackpoint you should be fine.

P.S. Unless I really had to like road hazard, I would always try and jack from the center middle or rear back - the car is so low I have to drive the front two tires up onto a 2x4 then slide the low profile jack under there. I use my camera phone to get it situated well then jack up slowly / check positioning / then complete jacking it up. The rear is much easier - I had all four corners up with this method just the other week

I figure that's what it was too. And I'd love to, but the jack I have is a low profile jack that doesn't lift the rear high enough to get jack stands under the car. I'll probably end up getting a second floor jack to avoid having to use "X" method or "Y" method to lift the car, just do it the good ol' 2 jack way.

where exactly was this?

Driver side, rear jack point. About a foot before you get to the wheel well.

 

[BoostedDreams]

Could also be the jack “settling”. Mine does a loud sound like that too as you’re putting more weight onto it.
I also, installed my rally armor flaps a couple weeks ago. Definitely don’t need to remove the wheels for this.

 

[NapalmEnema]

I figure that's what it was too. And I'd love to, but the jack I have is a low profile jack that doesn't lift the rear high enough to get jack stands under the car. I'll probably end up getting a second floor jack to avoid having to use "X" method or "Y" method to lift the car, just do it the good ol' 2 jack way.



Driver side, rear jack point. About a foot before you get to the wheel well.

Yeah, I'd just pony up and get some proper hardware and a jack that meets your needs. (you really only need one) You don't need to spend a ton of money, but cutting corners when jacking up a car? Um... no thanks.

Be safe, but don't sacrifice safety over a proper low profile jack and solid jack stands.

 

[Hatchi]

Yeah, I'd just pony up and get some proper hardware and a jack that meets your needs. (you really only need one) You don't need to spend a ton of money, but cutting corners when jacking up a car? Um... no thanks.

Be safe, but don't sacrifice safety over a proper low profile jack and solid jack stands.

Agreed, I dished out decent money for good jack stands, but went cheap-ish on the floor jack. I'm gonna get a standard height floor jack too so that it can get the back lifted effectively, no worries!

 

[Hatchi]

Update for anyone who see's it, took the car for a drive earlier and no weird sounds, gave it a full road "inspection". Tight corners, WOT, every drive mode, and going over speed bumps etc to listen or feel anything weird. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Likely just what everyone thinks, just the car settling itself onto the jack. Thanks!

 

[Gruber]

Nothing should break when jacking up at the side jack point and even a slight settling slip can make a loud sound.

What I'm curious about is what kind of jack stand were you putting under the rear jacking point.

 

[AdamD19DFK8]

I just installed my rally armor with the car on the ground lol. Probably would have been easier lifted up to get all the pop clips.

I need 2 jacks for this car. (Except for the rear I can use 1 on the point just left of the exhaust). For the front I need one to lift up from the side point so I can fit my bigger Jack in to hit the point behind the front wheels.

At my apartment (usually go to my parents garage to use my Jack's) one time I used 2 scissor Jack's, one from my Si and one from the gf's car and I raised the car up fine on the 2 front side points, but lowering it I did one side too much compared to the other and the jacks both slipped to the side and the car dropped some. I near had a heart attack thinking I damaged the undercarriage, like the Jack penetrated something, but luckily no. I knew starting off that I shouldn't have done that, but was too lazy to go drive across town for a proper set of jacks. Got lucky

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