How do you lift a Subaru Legacy/Baja?

[jseabolt]

No, I'm not talking about what Scott did to his Brat. Nice job on his work none the less. I was impressed at Carlisle.

 

I'm talking about where do you place a floor back if you want to raise the front end of the ground on a Legacy/Baja so you can slide ramps under the tires or put the car on stands in order to rotate them or change the oil?

 

Every car I've seen has a crossmember wheather front of rear wheel drive where you can place a floorjack. On my Baja the closest thing that looks like a crossmember runs side to side under the firewall. There is no way I can get a jack there.

 

Also on the rear. Once again there is usually a differential or some sort of obvious jacking point. But just like the rear I can't find a suitable spot. And I didn't want to start jacking on the differential (if that's what it's called).

 

Last time I put the front end on ramps, it took me longer to do this than it did to actually change the oil. Well actually I rotated the tires while I was at it. I had to put the floorjack under the mounts commonly used when changing a flat tire and raise each side one at a time. Very time consuming.

 

All I could find on jacking points had to do with the spare tire jack.

 

Anyone got any photos with arrows pointing to the spots they could send me?

[wrxsubaru]

For the rear i usally jack the car up from the rear diff, i have had no problems yet, and i have jacked my SVX up, which should weigh a little more than the Baja, ecpecaily in the rear. I use the front sub frame for the jack stands in the front.

[myles]

You probably don't need to lift the front end to change the oil (I don't lift my '02 Legacy for oil changes).

 

If you do need to raise the front end, place the jack beneath the front crossmember. When raising the rear end, place the jack beneath the differential case.

[jseabolt]

You probably don't need to lift the front end to change the oil (I don't lift my '02 Legacy for oil changes).

 

If you do need to raise the front end, place the jack beneath the front crossmember. When raising the rear end, place the jack beneath the differential case.

I'm a fairly slender guy (got a 34" waist) but it's still much easier to lift the car up at least 6". The oil filter is not as easy to get to like my Fiat Spider or Ford Fairlane because of the splashshield.

 

First time I changed the oil I neglected to read the owners manual and changed the filter without raising the car or removing the splashshield!

 

Now the question is, is the crossmember your referring the bar that runs underneath the firewall? This is the first car with a boxer engine I've ever owned and the crossmember is not in the typical place. My floorjack can't reach the firewall from the front of the car.

[rigfennid]

Why bother lifting it? Seriously, these cars are super easy. Here's what I do:

 

Oil Filter

cut the bottom out of a 1 gallon milk jug but leave the cap on. position it under the oil filter. unscrew it and let it drop in to inverted jug. done.

 

Oil drain

Buy a Fumoto Valve made to fit Subarus. I have the front skid plate and the oil drains out fine without dripping on the plate, right in to my catch pan. I'm about your size and have zero problems getting under my Outback for this, but maybe the Baja sits lower? Give it a shot. I need no tools other than my hands to do an oil change, unless you count the key to open the door and work the hood release!

[subarubrat]

You know, if you did lift it, say 8 inches, and go with some MT Baja Belted 29~30s you could do it from a comfortable seated position.

[rugbyben]

You can always save some trouble and get a set of ramps at WalMart. i think there like $20. that will give you an easy 8" its safer then a jack for you and your car.