How To Properly Jack Up a Porsche 911 (996, 997, 991)

Posted on by ecarguidesllc
Porsche 997 on Jack Stands

If you plan to do your own maintenance and repairs on your Porsche 911, you will inevitably need to raise the car off the ground. This comes in handy for routine maintenance jobs like oil changes, spark plug replacements, and various fluid changes. While raising a Porsche 911 onto jack stands isn’t difficult, it does require a specific procedure.

Before you get started, check out this tutorial video from Car Fanatic:

Tools You’ll Need

ESCO 10499 Low Profile Performance Jack Stand (Pair) 4 Jack Stands: You will need 4 high quality jack stands. We recommend the ESCO 10499 Shorty Jack Stand because its unique flat top design works perfectly on the Porsche 911.
Big Red Torin Racing Floor Jack 2 Floor Jacks: If you are going to lift your Porsche 911 onto four jack stands, we highly recommend using two floor jacks like this Torin aluminum floor jack. While you can use just one floor jack, if done improperly, the car could slide off the jack stands.
Wheel Chocks 4 Wheel Chocks: When raising your car, you will need to use wheel chocks like these to prevent the car from rolling.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Park your vehicle on a flat and even surface.

Porsche 997 Parked on Flat Surface
When working on cars, it is an absolute must that you park the vehicle on a flat and even surface. This will help prevent the car from rolling or slipping off the jack stand. In addition, be sure to apply the parking brake before you get started.

2. Chock off the wheels

Porsche 997 Wheel Chocks
Now, let’s get started with the procedure. To prevent the car from rolling, start by chocking off the wheels on the side opposite to which you will be lifting first. Place wheel chocks in front of and behind each wheel.

3. Set the jack stands to the appropriate height

Set of 4 ESCO 10499 Jack Stands
Set all the jack stands to the same desired height, so you don’t have to fiddle with them while the car is in the air. Make sure the jack stands are all set to the same height, so your car is lifted up evenly.

4. Jack up one side of the vehicle using the rear jack point

Locate the rear jack point just in front of the rear wheel and along the bottom of the rocker panel. Because the vehicle is so stiff, you can raise an entire side of the vehicle via the rear jack point. Raise the rear until you can set a jack stand under the front jack point. To increase grip and prevent jack point damage, use a hockey puck, jack pad, or piece of wood.

5. Lower the car onto the front jack stand

Porsche 997 Front Jack Point
Once the car is raised high enough, place a jack stand under the front jack point located along the bottom of the rocker panel and behind the front wheel. Lower the car until it is sitting firmly on the front jack stand, then lock the floor jack to keep the rear end of the car supported.

6. Keep the rear end supported using the floor jack

Porsche 997 supported by Floor Jack
Don’t lower the floor jack all the way. Instead, use the floor jack to keep the rear supported at the same height as the front. This will make it easier to get the rear jack stand in place.

7. Raise the rear of the car using the rear subframe

Porsche 997 Alternate Rear Jack Point
Since the main floor jack is underneath the rear jack point, we will need to jack up the rear using an alternate point. On the Porsche 911, as shown in the picture, there is a strong part on the rear subframe that we can use. Lift the rear up at this specific point and use a jack pad, hockey puck, or piece of wood to prevent damage. DO NOT jack up the rear using any other component.

8. Lower the car onto the rear jack stand

Porsche 997 Jack Stand on Rear
Slide the main floor jack out, then slide a jack stand underneath the rear jack point. Lower the car until it sits firmly on the rear jack stand.

9. Repeat the steps above on the other side of the vehicle.

Porsche 997 on ESCO Jack Stands
You now have one side of the car supported by jack stands. To raise the other side of the vehicle onto jack stands, simply repeat the prior steps on the other side of the vehicle. Once your car is on all four jack stands, give it a strong shove to make sure it is secure. We also recommend throwing spare wheels underneath the car as an extra precaution.

10. Lower your car

Getting Porsche 997 Off Jack Stands
When you are done working on your car, you can lower it back onto the ground following the prior steps in reverse.

Conclusion

As you can see, the process for getting a Porsche 911 onto jack stands is a bit more complicated due to having only four jack points. However, once you learn the process, it is straight forward to get a Porsche 911 onto four jack stands. Here at eCarGuides, our goal is to help car owners make the best decisions possible when it comes to maintaining their vehicles. For more tips, check out our detailed DIY guides or find a highly-rated Porsche mechanic near you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I just support my car with floor jacks?

NEVER! Floor jacks are designed for lifting and not for prolonged supporting. Never get under a vehicle that isn’t properly supported by a car lift, jack stands, or vehicle ramps. If you are unsure on how to properly support your car, we recommend you visit a professional.

Which jack stands do you recommend?

Jack Stand Comparis0n

Because the Porsche 911 uses flat jack points, the ESCO flat top jack stand works best. The built-in rubber pad also adds grip and prevents damage to the lift points. Other common jack stands are the ratcheting and aluminum racing styles. We don’t recommend these other types of jack stands because their saddle designs aren’t ideal for the Porsche 911’s flat jack points. As a result, we only sell the ESCO jack stands on our website.

What if I just want to get the front on jack stands?

Getting just the front of a Porsche 911 onto jack stands is even easier. Starting on one side, jack that side of the vehicle up using the rear jack point. Slide a jack stand under the front jack point and lower the car down until the front is supported by the jack stand. Repeat this on the other side and you’re done!

What if I just want to get the rear on jack stands?

Chock off the front wheels. Then raise the rear of the vehicle by jacking up one side the rear subframe member. Place a jack stand under the rear jack point and then lower the floor jack until the car is resting on the jack stand. Repeat this on the other side.

3 comments on “How To Properly Jack Up a Porsche 911 (996, 997, 991)”

  1. Neal Prabhu says:

    What if I just want to get one side up on jackstands? Can I use a jackstand on the front and leave the locked Jack at rear?

    • ecarguidesllc says:

      Yes you can. If you want to get a jack stand on one front corner, jack up the rear corner on that side of the vehicle, place a jack stand under the front corner, and lower the jack down. Do the opposite if you want to get a rear corner up.

  2. Craig says:

    Hi, Just wondering if you have a picture for rear structure for 2017 cayman to use as jacking point? I’m looking to get all four tires off a the same time.

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