So, serious damage to my NSX occurred recently when the jack slipped and the car fell to the floor... the head of the jack crushed the rocker panel and the bottom of the door sill, and scraped all the way up the door to about knee high... all this in my shop, on my jack, by my hands. Self-inflicted to the max.
"Is this guy a total noob?", you're thinking?
Actually, no I'm not... hence this post... the point is, it can happen to the best of us, so CHECK YOUR JACK!
I've been doing all my own NSX service for years, and I continuously work on several fully track-prepared NSXs. I've jacked 'em up successfully countless times. I use high-quality motorsports-style low-rise floor jacks on very good casters. I always use the built-in factory jack points on the bottom of the frame rails.
On the occasion in question, I was preparing to do brake and tire service, and jacked up the passenger side, using the center point under the door. Got the car to desired height on the jack, and turned away briefly to get the jack stands and position them under the jack points at the ends of the rail, next to the wheel openings. In that moment, the car came crashing down and the damage was done. How? After dispelling my total stunned disbelief that this could happen, a little forensic reconstruction revealed that the rubber pad on the jack plate had some lubricant spilled on it. The pad is black, the lubricant could not be seen on casual inspection. As the car was tilted up on one side (driver's side wheels on the ground, passenger in the air), the lateral load on the jack was right on the area where the lubricant was spilled. It slipped. The passenger door is ruined, and cannot be repaired because it is caved in on the bottom door sill. The rocker panel was a hundred shards of urethane scattered across my shop floor. With OEM replacement parts, and careful work by a bodyshop that I've been using for years, it will be restored for $5,000. [it's not just bolting on a new door... de-trim/re-trim R/R rocker panel, blend paint work into fenders fore-and-aft, and more. it's about 30 lines to describe the scope of the work] It's fully insured (less deductible). And, naturally, all enthusiasts should always take the oppty for an upgrade when you can... so, I'll get the whole front end freshened, to erase years of track chips on the bumper, headlight covers, hood, etc...
When all done, it'll look better than it's looked in years.
So, the lesson: OBSESS about your jack placement, and check the jack pad for contaminants! EVERY TIME!
"Is this guy a total noob?", you're thinking?
Actually, no I'm not... hence this post... the point is, it can happen to the best of us, so CHECK YOUR JACK!
I've been doing all my own NSX service for years, and I continuously work on several fully track-prepared NSXs. I've jacked 'em up successfully countless times. I use high-quality motorsports-style low-rise floor jacks on very good casters. I always use the built-in factory jack points on the bottom of the frame rails.
On the occasion in question, I was preparing to do brake and tire service, and jacked up the passenger side, using the center point under the door. Got the car to desired height on the jack, and turned away briefly to get the jack stands and position them under the jack points at the ends of the rail, next to the wheel openings. In that moment, the car came crashing down and the damage was done. How? After dispelling my total stunned disbelief that this could happen, a little forensic reconstruction revealed that the rubber pad on the jack plate had some lubricant spilled on it. The pad is black, the lubricant could not be seen on casual inspection. As the car was tilted up on one side (driver's side wheels on the ground, passenger in the air), the lateral load on the jack was right on the area where the lubricant was spilled. It slipped. The passenger door is ruined, and cannot be repaired because it is caved in on the bottom door sill. The rocker panel was a hundred shards of urethane scattered across my shop floor. With OEM replacement parts, and careful work by a bodyshop that I've been using for years, it will be restored for $5,000. [it's not just bolting on a new door... de-trim/re-trim R/R rocker panel, blend paint work into fenders fore-and-aft, and more. it's about 30 lines to describe the scope of the work] It's fully insured (less deductible). And, naturally, all enthusiasts should always take the oppty for an upgrade when you can... so, I'll get the whole front end freshened, to erase years of track chips on the bumper, headlight covers, hood, etc...
When all done, it'll look better than it's looked in years.
So, the lesson: OBSESS about your jack placement, and check the jack pad for contaminants! EVERY TIME!
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