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[Oleg]

Guys be very careful with a BMW jack - today was the first time I ever used one - borrowed it from 5 -series - and the car slipped over backwards once I started to tighten slightly the lug nuts on an installed wheel. Granted the wheel was on and not too high from the ground! BMW jack is a joke it is so unstable, that a tiny push is enough to make the car fall!

Yes I probably may have been not careful and started tightening it too strong before putting it to the ground but the design alone gives a clue that the jack stand bottom is not stable. On my previous BMW I always used nissan's old jack that is stable enough in every direction.

[wrickem]

I found the opposite to be true of the BMW accessory jack and usually use it instead of my floor jack. Did you have the wheel choked?

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Originally Posted by Oleg

Yes I probably may have been not careful and started tightening it too strong before putting it to the ground but the design alone gives a clue that the jack stand bottom is not stable. On my previous BMW I always used nissan's old jack that is stable enough in every direction.

I think you are right in your last statement. Only snug the nuts making sure the wheel is securely mounted, then lower the car to the point that the wheel touches the floor for final wheel nut tightening.

Plenty of help on this subject on the Internet, here is one example

PS. I always let my BMW Tech double check all wheel nuts for the correct torque, they do have the best tools for the job. I'm not being charged for that service. Remember a over-torqued wheel nut is no longer a safe wheel nut in the long run.

[ellipsis212]

chock the opposite wheel and make sure you're on an even surface. never use any torquing force on a wheel lug when that wheel is off the ground...hand tighten all 5 with the socket and then lower it. from there you may tighten them with the wrench.

it is theoretically an emergency jack so no Nascar-style pit stops should be attempted

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Originally Posted by ellipsis212

chock the opposite wheel and make sure you're on an even surface. i've never had any problems with mine.

it is theoretically an emergency jack so no Nascar-style pit stops should be attempted

+1

and as such one uses it with extreme caution (only on the road).

For changing my wheels on my cars spring and fall I use a proper floor jack (it stays in the garage for that purpose only.

Tip, I use my stoppers for proper positioning of my car in the garage since I back in with my toy and drive in front first with my other car always have. So the stoppers are used year round

[Oleg]

ok I was replacing the passenger rear wheel, and the front drivers wheel was braced.
Honestly I was not doing it too strong just firm enough. Besides the wrench rotation was towards the front of the car, and the car slipped moving back. Luckily the wheel was only 1 inch or less off the ground. I always raise it just enough to clear the ground. In the past I did a lot of suspension work that would include removing the wheels, so I know what I was doing.

Guys please refrain from posting videos on how to change the wheel. This post is not about how to do it. Yes it was my mistake but:
The bottom part of the bmw jack is very narrow and is not stable enough to withstand a tiny wave or push. The design is pretty and compact enough to nicely fit in the trunk but it is not stable enough

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Originally Posted by Oleg

ok I was replacing the passenger rear wheel, and the front drivers wheel was braced.
Honestly I was not doing it too strong just firm enough. Besides the wrench rotation was towards the front of the car, and the car slipped moving back. Luckily the wheel was only 1 inch or less off the ground. I always raise it just enough to clear the ground. In the past I did a lot of suspension work that would include removing the wheels, so I know what I was doing.

Guys please refrain from posting videos on how to change the wheel. This post is not about how to do it. Yes it was my mistake but:
The bottom part of the bmw jack is very narrow and is not stable enough to withstand a tiny wave or push. The design is pretty and compact enough to nicely fit in the trunk but it is not stable enough

Sorry, just trying to help.

The fact remains the jack you used is only meant to be a emergency jack (light weight) for the road. I included the video just to support the written word, as the old Chinese proverb goes "A picture is worth a 1000 words" I always used pictures whenever I could in my technical reports.

So again, I was not trying to offend, just trying to help.

My apologies if it came across in any other way.

[PeteW84]

Interesting, I used the OEM jack two weeks ago, when I was swapping to my winter setup and haven't had any problems. It worked flawlessly....

[MOTO69JOE]

Dude you must just be buff....

[Oleg]

Originally Posted by MOTO69JOE

Dude you must just be buff....

thanks)

[fdriller9]

I bet you didn't use the wheel chock that BMW provides with their kit.....fail on your part.

I would find this scary if you DID use the wheel chock but you didn't mention that which implies you didn't use it.

EDIT: BTW, you NEVER tighten (or loosen torqued) bolts with the wheels off the ground. You can hand-tighten them using your fingers but no lever.

[Oleg]

Originally Posted by Oleg

ok I was replacing the passenger rear wheel, and the front drivers wheel was braced.

the chock was on the front drivers wheel, the rear pass wheel was off the ground, when you lift one corner diagonally opposite corner supposed to be chocked, that corner gets the most load

lets just put it this way instead fingers I was using the wrench because the nuts a too deep to reach there with the fingers
I was not tightening it just turning it slightly until it stops

[fdriller9]

^ohh I missed that second post. So I agree the diagonal side should be chocked.

So it rolled back, like away from the chock? The only way I can see this happening is if you were on an incline.

Like you said the diagonal corner has the most load. So how can it roll back? Also did the jack fall with the top end toward the rear or front?

I don't mean to argue but I've had the jack "fail" on me before. However I was an idiot and on a very slight incline which I did not believe would affect it. I was wrong and it rolled back on me...luckily I wasn't working under my car but behind it, on the EVAP carbon canister. The wheels were still on.

When used correctly, aka on a level surface, the jack is fine.

I used the BMW jack to replace my rotors and pads on the rear. My hand brake was up so I could loosen the lugs before hand but I was an idiot and tried removing the rotor with the handbrake engaged.

Long story short, I spent like a half hour beating my rotor in every way possible: front back, under,over, side you name it. My car didn't move much.

[jopa489]

I've had no problems with the BMW Accessory Jack. It's small but very stable and easy to use with the ratcheting handle. Honestly, it's about as fast as a floor jack and gets the job done just as well.

[flawlesskid]

I've always had good experience with BMW jack. Its quick and easy to access and use. I've actually had more problems with my floor jack than i have my emergency jack.. Its a cheap floor jack, but by design it should be better than an emergency roadside jack. Granted, since i got rid of the e46 i don't have an emergency jack, but they haven't changed it. Its a good jack.

[pruettfan]

I suspect the issue is trying to tighten the wheel bolts while in the air. Just make them snug while up and then torque them on when the car is on the ground.

[ShastaMan]

ALWAYS chock the front & back of the wheel, not just one side. Otherwise the slightest bump may make the car roll.

[Oleg]

Originally Posted by *********

^ohh I missed that second post. So I agree the diagonal side should be chocked.

So it rolled back, like away from the chock? The only way I can see this happening is if you were on an incline.

Like you said the diagonal corner has the most load. So how can it roll back? Also did the jack fall with the top end toward the rear or front?

I don't mean to argue but I've had the jack "fail" on me before. However I was an idiot and on a very slight incline which I did not believe would affect it. I was wrong and it rolled back on me...luckily I wasn't working under my car but behind it, on the EVAP carbon canister. The wheels were still on.

When used correctly, aka on a level surface, the jack is fine.

I used the BMW jack to replace my rotors and pads on the rear. My hand brake was up so I could loosen the lugs before hand but I was an idiot and tried removing the rotor with the handbrake engaged.

Long story short, I spent like a half hour beating my rotor in every way possible: front back, under,over, side you name it. My car didn't move much.

the car rolled back away from the chock and the jack fell towards the rear, probably there is some incline not visible to eye

as I mentioned before I used a Nissan jack multiple times before and it would let even shake the car without falling, bmw jack is so sensitive, talking about roadside emergency where you will find an ideally flat surface???

[fdriller9]

Originally Posted by Oleg

the car rolled back away from the chock and the jack fell towards the rear, probably there is some incline not visible to eye

as I mentioned before I used a Nissan jack multiple times before and it would let even shake the car without falling, bmw jack is so sensitive, talking about roadside emergency where you will find an ideally flat surface???

No I do see your point. Sounds like you had a similar situation as I did.