Replacing springs and shocks on my 325xi wagon. Front is done (finally). but before I start the rear, I need some peace of mind about the proper way to jack the rear end to be able to support it with jack stands on each side. Is there a central location in the rear to use a floor jack to lift it?
There is a nice meaty cross-member under the differential. I routinely use that to lift the car, then support it on stands at the rear jack pads (under the rocker panels just forward of the rear wheels). Safe and solid. Use a small wood block in the jack cradle to spread the load to avoid denting or bending the support. I lopped the corners off a 4" piece of 2x4 to make a rough octagon--fits well in my floor jack. And of course, be certain you're lifting on the cross-brace NOT the differential case! Edit: Oops, just noticed you said "wagon." The above applies to the sedan. It's probably true of the wagons also but please take a close look and be sure I'm talking sense before you lift.
