How to avoid side skirt damage lifting a Kia Stinger

[theoreck]

you don't understand the design of a unibody structure and your statement is outright false.
The little folded section bending a little or getting slightly dented is totally meaningless. That's not how the structure works.
If that entire seam were not acting as a structural beam that can support the weight of the vehicle it would literally bend down with a full car of passengers and the doors wouldn't open. That's it's entire design, period.

No, I've worked in the autobody field for the last 22 years. I understand unibody structure. But I also understand that the pinch welds will fold over if you try and jack anywhere other than the designated jack points. I like many others, assumed the pinchwelds were safe like most of my other vehicles. When I tried to jack on the pinchwelds on my stinger, it folded over. Sure... It's purely cosmetic damage... But I don't like the look of folded over pinchwelds even if they're on the underside of my floor.

 

[rtv900]

No, I've worked in the autobody field for the last 22 years.

Sure... It's purely cosmetic damage... But I don't like the look

SMH
ummm, ok, so your first sentence says that I am wrong, "no, I worked in the autobody field"
So what exactly is the autobody field btw? Like exterior body work?

regardless, then at the end you state exactly what I just said, that it is purely cosmetic. Correct. That's why in my previous post I said this doesn't do any harm, the structure is safe and can easily handle this, but if you want everything to remain looking perfect even if you lay down on the ground to view it then this option isn't for you because there will be cosmetic issues.
Looks like we agree.

That rail is 100% legit to support a jack right on center. Not only have I done it countless times, I've even opened the doors with the car lifted on center to verify that there is ZERO deflection. They open and shut 100% normally in every way. Even the slightest deflection would prevent their function

 

[theoreck]

SMH
ummm, ok, so your first sentence says that I am wrong, "no, I worked in the autobody field"
So what exactly is the autobody field btw? Like exterior body work?

regardless, then at the end you state exactly what I just said, that it is purely cosmetic. Correct. That's why in my previous post I said this doesn't do any harm, the structure is safe and can easily handle this, but if you want everything to remain looking perfect even if you lay down on the ground to view it then this option isn't for you because there will be cosmetic issues.
Looks like we agree.

That rail is 100% legit to support a jack right on center. Not only have I done it countless times, I've even opened the doors with the car lifted on center to verify that there is ZERO deflection. They open and shut 100% normally in every way. Even the slightest deflection would prevent their function

Just to be clear, no disrespect intended. I'm saying No, You're wrong about the first sentence where you state "You don't understand the design of unibody structures" I've been a body tech, painter, a service writer, a GM, and am currently a corporate trainer. I'm I-Car platinum certified working in the collision auto repair field. No, I'm not an automotive engineer, but I'm very familiar with structure, frame, & unibody. I have repaired all kinds of pinch welds, including my own Stinger because like you, I had assumed I could jack up my Stinger in between the front and rear axles using a floor jack and V Puck when I installed my Front and rear sway bars. I use the pinchwelds to work on my STI all the time and NEVER had an issue on a "lighter car". Nope, the pinchweld folder over almost immediately on the Stinger.
That's why I stated earlier in my comment "Ask me how I know" because it literally happened to me. Which is why your statement about being able to jack "Anywhere" in my opinion is not accurate. Sure you can put your jack anywhere on the pinchweld, and you'll not compromise the structure of your car. Sure it will still drive straight, and your doors will open and close just fine... However you will damage the pinchweld cosmetically. That's why I suggested you SHOULD use the jack points to avoid damage to the pinch welds. Why cause damage to your car if you don't have to? If you don't care about them folding over, that's your choice. I can't tell you how to live your life but I don't even like seeing rock chips on my car let alone damage to the underside. Some may say "no-one will ever know" But I will always know and that's why I'll always use the the jack points when lifting, or just some simple ramps & never a random point on the pinchwelds again.

 

[theoreck]

The Stingers roadside scissor jack does lift from the BLUE points in this image (adjacent to the actual pinch weld).

Virtually all hoists will lift from the RED arrow (on the pinch weld directly).

Both are perfectly fine, and plenty strong for lifting.

View attachment 87437

So it looks like the hoist feet are flat against the pinch weld, rather than straddling either side of it. Are our pinch welds intended to bear the weight of the car?

I thought the reason for the split in stock scissor jacks, and in rubber hockey puck adapters, was to sidestep the weld itself and lift the car from either side of it (ie within the rectangular cutout), to avoid mangling the pinch welds which is a common issue on other cars.

Or is the split in our jack just to locate the weld? (I'm not sure which bottoms out first, the weld at the bottom of the slot, or the sides)

View attachment 87435

If you're lifting an AWD 3.3 on a two post or other type of lift, sure the pinchwelds are strong enough because you've got x4 points of contact lifting simultaneously. If you're using a road side jack and lifting just a single point of contact, No the Pinchwelds are not strong enough and will get mangled like Thomby mentions. When using a roadside or floor jack with only one point of contact, you should still use the jack points or something stronger than the pinchwelds unless you don't care about the visual impact of a pinchweld folded over and potential future rust damage because of lost corrosion protection.

 

[JSolo]

As I mentioned in post #9 in this thread, I use one of these to lift each side before placing the jack stands at the factory lift points.

One pad of the bar above gets places behind the front jack point, the other about 3' away, roughly near the rearward edge of the front door. Been doing this since I got the car some 4 years ago (as of 8/2). Nothing is folded over.