Any tips from existing Q5 DIY'ers on jack points, pads and otherwise
 

For the Q5/DIY crowd, what are you doing for jack points and/or any jack pads to be used with typical floor jacks? I have the winter wheels to go on shortly (CA coastal weather, but they go on before first winter Sierras trip).

In the rear, I have the factory hitch so can see (and use) the hitch itself rather than the somewhat dicier under the rear diff support approach that I use on my other quattro's with a soft and flat jack pad center. The front is harder though with all the cladding and front belly pan.

Looking at it, I'm surprised what I'm seeing is basically the underbody seaming point along both sides and not much more. I really don't recall seeing that basic of a set up since my first generation 1973 100LS about 5 Audi's ago. On my more recent Audi's, a sturdy part of the engine subframe at the main bolt up points that is not covered by the belly pan usually makes the front easy and with no risk of jack issues, but not so here.

Anyone with practical experience on jackpoints beyond the front and rear points used for the (flimsy) factory jack along the seams near the front and rear wheel wells? Anyone using a jack pad--probably with basically a wide lateral grove in it--from a particular source? The only thing I found so far on a quick AW Q5 forum, eBay and ECS search besides a custom/DIY pad reference is something for the RS5, but looked like screw it on the car body type stuff. Alternatively, are folks removing some part of the underfloor cladding or the forward belly pan to get at some part of the subframe or something similar up in the front?

I bought one of these for use with the standard jack points:

http://www.purems.com/Products/PROTE...-Lift-Jack-Pad

Works great. Bought one large enough for my floor jack saddle. I wish these were around years ago.

I like this one:

http://images.palcdn.com/hlr-system/...b-f85bce91925f

Available from the legendary (in Canada anyway) Princess Auto:
http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/F...ddle/1090014.p

It's cheaper, and they will also ship to the USA. :)

I use a hockey puck with a groove cut in it for the pinch seam to fit in.
Works well and cheap.

I use my 3-ton floor jack without a jack pad at each of the 4 factory jack points because it already has built-in grooves. This is the one I have:
http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pro...cc24f_1000.jpg

Do other floor jacks usually have a different design? I never noticed since my floor jack works fine on both of my vehicles.

That works, but then it's metal on metal contact which is just crazy talk! :p

A standard floor jack with a large craddle/pad is sufficient. The hockey puck with a groove cut in it also works. Use the designated jack points as indicated by the "arrows" in the rocker panel.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mo...-0091036p.html

It was a surprise to me when I first put the q5 up on the jack stands as my 08 RS4 had gone to a flat lift area and then when I saw our 011' Q5 had gone back to the welded seam requiring the use of the pad with groove again.

didn't know we could use the hitch as a rear jacking point! good to know.

I use a hockey puck without a groove cut in it. And this jack:

http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/s4/mi...ages/jack2.jpg