Neighbor dropped his car on his rotor

So I get a knock on my door and it’s my neighbor saying he needs help with his car. I go outside to see his car sitting on the front driver’s side rotor. Apparently he had a flat and the car tipped over while on the jack. I say no worries and roll my floor jack out there. I set up the jack but the frame and the rocker panels are both about 3 inches from the ground and can’t slide the jack under the car. Even his stock jack needed about 4 inches and I couldn’t find a safe jacking point at least 4” high. I’m a relatively good problem solver but I was stumped. Sat there scratching my head for 5 minutes and finally thought of using the jack from my Lotus. Thank goodness it’s a super low profile jack and it barely fit going in through the wheel well.

Once I got the car up in the air, he gets the wheel on and starts tightening the lugs with the car up in the air. Now I’m starting to understand how this could’ve happened. Had to tell him to wait to get the car on the ground before fully tightening the lugs. And also had to tell him to tighten in a star pattern. Just stuff men should probably already know.

Just curious, if I didn’t have the low profile jack, what else could I have done? Was there any other way to jack this car up? Only McGyver idea that popped in my head was to pull up another car next to it, put a big 2x4 under both cars and try jacking it up with my Hi-Lift jack. Not sure how safe that would’ve been though. Lol.

 

I’ve had similar situations.
Start at a spot along the frame or a crossmember where you’re able to fit your jack in and after lifting there, block it up and move the jack over. Maybe you have to do it several times

 

Burke bar and some 2x4s.
Get one and you will wonder how you ever lived without it.

 

Pull your fork lift that you have parked next to your Lotus out of the garage and use it to lift the entire car.

 

Funny, first thing I asked was... “You have AAA?”

 

Looking up Burke bar now.

 

So pry the car up? On the frame??

 

Im really not sure if it would work but it would be worth a try...leverage.
Iv never tried a car like that...just an idea.
The bar that i have is a Kraft HD Big John Pry Bar. I have moved sheds, 2400 lb safe, 1800 lb safe and large industrial machinery with just my wife and the bar. Its great for demolition...any thing big you need to deal with.

 

I actually think it would’ve worked. Only needed to get the car up about an inch to get the jack under.

 

Couldn’t get it under the frame anywhere on the front half of the car. It was a pretty low Lexus.

 

Pictures of said Lotus needed please...

 

Why didn't you just deadlift it so your neighbor could slide the jack under the car?

 

If you have to start at the rear axle or the opposite side it is still usually a solution. In other words, it’s not needed to start at the front half.

 

What kind of Lexus? I would jack it from the rear driver jack point. I can lift entire cars up front any side. If not slide a stand in then relocate your jack.

 

Exactly what I was thinking.

 

It’s old, dusty and currently under a ton of cardboard boxes. Used to be my DD about 15 years ago before I got married. Actually haven’t even really driven it since having kids. Here’s an old pic.


After putting a lot of work into it.

 

What do I look like the Incredible Hulk?

 

When I was 17 (young and stupid) I did the something similar. At that time I knew about breaking the bolts while it was on the ground, the star pattern, etc., but really thought the scissor jack would support the car if I were to open/close the door. NOPE!

Fortunately nothing important was under the car. The scissor jack that came with the car slid under the frame and I was able to get it back up. If I remember correctly the scissor jack went down to about 3" or so.

My parents divorced when I was young and I would try to do everything I could with my dirt bikes/vehicles myself, but often lacked having someone to show me the correct way. Even at the MX track when I was young it was usually just my mom and I. My friends' dads would do all their bike maintenance whereas I had to learn it all myself. I was able to rebuild a top end in H.S. though.

A lot comes down to if someone was taught properly, and I hate to say it but if they have common sense, haha.

I learned a big lesson that day!

 

That pos out there. What is that, a older GS?

 

Problem was the rotor was on the ground and I just figured raising the back any would just put more weight on the rotor.

 

Just pick it up by hand and slide the jack under!

 

That’s a pos ES. ES300 I think. Oh well lol. Good thing he had you to help.

 

Put wood blocking under the subframe ahead of the “front axle” fitted as tightly as possible, then jack up the rear or the car, and support with a stand. By then, you should have plenty of room for a floor jack under the back of the subframe.

 

This happened to me once, kinda.
My GSA got a flat and the shitty jack that came with the car wouldn’t fit under it at any decent spots to I had to literally jack it up a fraction of an inch at a time.
Ruined my day, it did.

God speed to anyone who finds themselves in this position.

 

Daaamn.
That’s sweet dude. I feel like that’s something you’d see Tom Sellick whipping around circa 1980s.

Reminds me of the Lambo Countach.

 

He bought it after he saw Julia Roberts all over it....

 

I got to drive a Lotus Europa once when I was 17. It was in 1973 or 74. the last year they made them was 75. I'll never forget it. Great handling car.
What model is that?

 

90 Esprit SE turbo. Same car as Pretty Woman and Basic Instinct.

 

To get in those tight spaces. Or if you're on unstable ground i.e. sand.

ARB 72X10 Orange Bushranger X-Jack Kit

https://www.amazon.com/ARB-72X10-Orange-Bushranger-X-Jack/dp/B007RY5NTK