CX-5 Jack points, Pinchweld Heights, Bottlejacks and Pucks

[Zig613]

I used two pucks. I sliced one puck into two pieces on the band saw, and then glued (cyanoacrylate glue) and screwed the sliced portions onto the top of the second puck. This gives you a thicker pad with a one inch (depth) slot. It works well on my floor jack for both my CX5 and MX5.

Another option is the jack pad from Flyin Miata. It has a slot depth of 7/8” Make it easier to lift your Miata without damage! The second generation is now available.

 

[Jack Rabbit]

I used two pucks. I sliced one puck into two pieces on the band saw, and then glued (cyanoacrylate glue) and screwed the sliced portions onto the top of the second puck. This gives you a thicker pad with a one inch (depth) slot. It works well on my floor jack for both my CX5 and MX5.

Another option is the jack pad from Flyin Miata. It has a slot depth of 7/8” Make it easier to lift your Miata without damage! The second generation is now available.

Thanks. That's a great idea. Didn't know you could glue rubber to rubber so gonna try that 2 puck idea for a second set.

 

[mazdamazdac]

Ok. Been almost 25 years since had a vehicle that used stupid pinch-welds jackpoints.

Didn't think about it when purchased CX-5 vehicle.

Anyways, usually try to lift with floor jack by crossmembers or pumpkin but that's not always possible.

Learned more about pinch-welds.
Appears they are spot-weld at factory then an adhesive is melted along the welds to fill in any gaps.

No wonder these areas rust out so easily. Just one more reason to use Fluid film on the vehicle and coat the rockers and pinch-welds liberally. Might have to go out and fluid film them again today. Careful jacking of the welds is also best to avoid any damage or bending which would allow water intrusion

I need to use the pinch-welds for jackstands placement, emergency jacking or when my garage is full(which it is full until spring, thus not able to use my floorjack). Therefore am looking at everything as far as pinchweld points.

The Mazda supplied scissor jack does not touch or lift the pinch-weld itself but the wide area of the jack contacts and lifts the car by the inner flat portion of the weld while every single jack pad sold is meant to lift by pushing on the vertical pinch-weld as the slits are only 0.5 inches deep.

My hockey pucks are too thin so a store-bought jack pad of 1.3 inches thick is needed. By using a saw to deepen the slits to 0.65 to 0.75 inches should allow the pad to contact the cx-5 flat inner area for proper support. The jack pads are more expensive than hockey pucks but imo, the extra thickness is needed.

Pucks still used for pumpkin and crossmember lifts but think the thicker jack pads are needed for the pinch-welds and should work great once modified with deeper slits to possibly place on bottlejack.

Has no one run into this issue yet with the pinch-welds? Are you all modifying your pucks?

Also have to wonder if Mazda designed the scissor jack to lift by the inner flat area but
then the garages use 2-post lifts to lift vehicle by directly under the vertical pinchwelds, is it damaging the welds ???
Maybe it's opening up the gaps in the welds ever so slightly ? thus all the more reason to fluid film the welds thoroughly.

Hello, 0.65 inches wont get you the contact against the inner body rail. You would be still pushing against the bottom of the pinch weld. I just wasted 20$ following a suggestion by a forum member saying it is a perfect fit. Did a physical fit test, looks like 0.9 - 1 inch clearance.
Shops are lifting on the welds, no doubts. They are not changing the jack pads to accomodate each and every model coming in thru the door.

Damaging? Sure. Slow and repetitive strain on the elements not designed to withstand it. Metal weakness development, micro disintegration, moisture, rust.... you know the rest

 

[mazdamazdac]

I used two pucks. I sliced one puck into two pieces on the band saw, and then glued (cyanoacrylate glue) and screwed the sliced portions onto the top of the second puck. This gives you a thicker pad with a one inch (depth) slot. It works well on my floor jack for both my CX5 and MX5.

Another option is the jack pad from Flyin Miata. It has a slot depth of 7/8” Make it easier to lift your Miata without damage! The second generation is now available.

Great idea. Thanks for sharing. Does 1 inch suffice with CX5 application? How this set up holding up after the actual use? Any signs of disintegration or holding up strong ?

 

[Zig613]

Great idea. Thanks for sharing. Does 1 inch suffice with CX5 application? How this set up holding up after the actual use? Any signs of disintegration or holding up strong ?

No issues at all. After using them for a couple of years they are holding up great. The 1 inch slot is more than enough.

 

[mazdamazdac]

Ok. Been almost 25 years since had a vehicle that used stupid pinch-welds jackpoints.

Didn't think about it when purchased CX-5 vehicle.

Anyways, usually try to lift with floor jack by crossmembers or pumpkin but that's not always possible.

Learned more about pinch-welds.
Appears they are spot-weld at factory then an adhesive is melted along the welds to fill in any gaps.

No wonder these areas rust out so easily. Just one more reason to use Fluid film on the vehicle and coat the rockers and pinch-welds liberally. Might have to go out and fluid film them again today. Careful jacking of the welds is also best to avoid any damage or bending which would allow water intrusion

I need to use the pinch-welds for jackstands placement, emergency jacking or when my garage is full(which it is full until spring, thus not able to use my floorjack). Therefore am looking at everything as far as pinchweld points.

The Mazda supplied scissor jack does not touch or lift the pinch-weld itself but the wide area of the jack contacts and lifts the car by the inner flat portion of the weld while every single jack pad sold is meant to lift by pushing on the vertical pinch-weld as the slits are only 0.5 inches deep.

My hockey pucks are too thin so a store-bought jack pad of 1.3 inches thick is needed. By using a saw to deepen the slits to 0.65 to 0.75 inches should allow the pad to contact the cx-5 flat inner area for proper support. The jack pads are more expensive than hockey pucks but imo, the extra thickness is needed.

Pucks still used for pumpkin and crossmember lifts but think the thicker jack pads are needed for the pinch-welds and should work great once modified with deeper slits to possibly place on bottlejack.

Has no one run into this issue yet with the pinch-welds? Are you all modifying your pucks?

Also have to wonder if Mazda designed the scissor jack to lift by the inner flat area but
then the garages use 2-post lifts to lift vehicle by directly under the vertical pinchwelds, is it damaging the welds ???
Maybe it's opening up the gaps in the welds ever so slightly ? thus all the more reason to fluid film the welds thoroughly.

Do not laugh. Not tested. Two packs on Gorilla glue x 1 1/2 screws

 

[mazdamazdac]

No issues at all. After using them for a couple of years they are holding up great. The 1 inch slot is more than enough.

Do not laugh. Will call this a "prototype". Any suggestions to improve the design?

 

[Koko_Bandit]

Do not laugh. Will call this a "prototype". Any suggestions to improve the design? View attachment 323600

I would run the screws from the bottom so there was no way the screw heads could contact the the car.

 

[shrimpsiumai]

So I researched hydraulic bottle jacks versus scissor jacks versus the Toyota mechanical jack and decide on the Toyota jack that @Jmaz recommended.

Now converting it for the pinch welds in the Mazda. Cut a 3/4 inch slit in regular hockey puck so the flat portion will catch the frame but barely any puck left.

May have to buy the mass produced jack pads which are 1.3 inches thick and deepen the slot from 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch.

Do you have a link to the one you got? Looking for the same thing. Thanks