sorry if this has already been commented on or posted but i tried searching under skirts and lifts and couldnt find anything.

i noticed at my local mazda service they have only those rotary lifts with the arms that go under the car from the sides to raise the car to do maintance and service on.

if a vehicle has a body kit with side skirts and maybe even lowered with springs, how would they do service or maintence on it?

 

hmmm
well i hope mazda thought of this when they made the mazdaspeed kit for the rx8.the side skirts is a good question.
anyone know if blocks of wood is needed ?
im might jsut ask my service guys they are so cool at wayne mazda.

 

Not sure about the mazdaspeed skirts, but the Veilside GT kit doesn't actually lower the side of the car. The lowest edge runs flush with the lowest point of the body anyway. It just looks lower as it doesn't curve inwards like the body does.

The rear section is partially lower than the body, but no lower than the little rubber deflector thingy at the front of the rear wheel arch.

(This is all with reference to a stock, no lowered car)

 

Have them take a regular jack, then come in behind it with the lift?????

 

I have one of those lifts in my barn, i know i know.

anyhow, the discs that actually touch the bottom of the car on mine can be adjusted for hieght from the arms. its a screw mechanism. we have never had any trouble with my brothers gay *** celica lowerd with a kit.

 

I have the MS sideskirts AND Tein H-Tech springs, so I can definitely say that yup, they are needed - or at least useful. I have two little blocks in my trunk for just this reason, provided to me by a helpful Mazda service tech.
Good question, mrtux.

 

I use short 2x4 blocks in order to clear the side skirts. At one point I also had to drive the car onto 2x6 planks in order to make the low-height jack and block fit underneath. Naturally dealers have a more sophisticated method to do all this.
________
How to roll blunts

 

Yes, the car must be blocked before any two post lift arms will fit under the car...

 

I took my car to tustin mazda one day after getting the aerowerks mazdaspeed kit and they didn't even blink

I got a oil change no problem

 

My cougar is lowered and it has a kit. I took it to 3 places and they couldnt fit it on an alignment machine.

I had to take it to TK Performance (Tire kingdoms new performance shop) and they had a pit. So they did it no problem.

 

The Veilside D1-GT body kit is lower than the stock. If you sleeped one of these lifts under it and lifted it would crack your side skirts.

 

makes me wonder i just didnt spend the money and get tein coilovers at the time.
all these situations when i get my m/s bodykit is coming back to haunt me.

 

Nah, it's not that big of a deal.

 

I have Tanabe springs and M-speed skirts and I now have t do the service myself. Won't fit over the lift at the dealer.

 

Took mine in yesterday for service (oil change) and got denied They said to come back next week and they would figure out what they needed to do -- I suggested wood blocks and they looked at me like I was crazy. When I jack my car myself I use the stock jack to lift about 6 inches and then put the big floor jack under the car. The stock jack will work with the side skirts but of course a big floor jack won't. I would just change the oil myself but darn it -- I got free maintence so I want to take advantage of it.

 

Take four 2x8x12" pieces of limber with you next time. The drive the car up on the wood, and there'll be enough room to swing the arms of the lift under the side skirts.

 

Omi -- my dealer measured 2.5 inches needed to clear the side skirt -- I may need to raise my coilovers in order to use the wood blocks.

 

Maybe some "ramped" 4x8x12 then instead? Not sure if this is a common size or not... but I'm sure you could make something up with 2x8 and 1x8 laid on top of each other, at least.

 

got oil change done at my dealer... no prob

 

Had my car in to sort the Borla rattle on the heatshield, they couldn't get it on the ramps as the one set are too steep, they managed to block the front up to get the bumper up, but the skirts were going to foul on the ridge of the ramps...

They tried their flat ramp and the ridge bars down the edges fouled on the skirts too, they said they didn't know what to do when it needs a service.

I suggested a couple of planks of wood and they looked stunned as if it was rocket science! Anyway they plan to get some wood and reverse the car onto the ramp, up over the wood so it raises the height up and it will go on their flat ramp!

 

I realize these aren't cheaper than wood, but something to give a thought to, since they seem to have been designed with the lowered car in mind...

Ramps