How to Jack Up the Car & Remove the Wheels
1990-1994 Lexus LS400

You will have to remove the wheels for many of my tutorials so it's important to know how to do this basic procedure right! In a pinch you can change a tire using the factory tools & jack in the trunk. However, this goes a step further than that. I'll show you the proper front and rear jack points. You'll probably notice I've got my car jacked up pretty high...wheels about a foot off the ground. I was just testing my new jack, it's got a 21" lift!

• Screwdriver (in trunk tools)
• Tire iron (in trunk tools), or impact wrench with a 21mm impact socket
• Jack
• 2-Ton jack stands
• Wheel chock
• Torque wrench that reads to at least 76 ft-lb

1) If you have air suspension, turn the height control switch in the trunk to OFF.

2) Block the wheels opposite those you will be removing. If you are only removing one wheel, block the wheel diagonal to the wheel you will remove.

3) Using a screwdriver, remove the wheel cap. Tape the screwdriver if you don't want to scratch the rims.

4) Before lifting, loosen the 5 lug nuts, but do not remove them. Use the tire iron or an impact wrench with a 21mm impact socket to loosen each lug nut a half turn. The reason for loosening the lug nuts before jacking is to give you the most leverage. With the wheel off the ground it will either spin or push on the engine.

5A) Jack up the area of the car you need to work on. This pic shows the proper rear jack point, the differential carrier.

5B) The proper front jack point is the center of the suspension crossmember as shown.

6) Once the front or back has been jacked up place it on jack stands. Position the stands inbetween the notches as shown on both sides of the car. Then slowly lower the jack onto them, you may have to adjust the jack stand position as the jack lowers.

**DO NOT WORK UNDER THE CAR WITH ONLY A JACK FOR SUPPORT, USE JACK STANDS!!!**

If you are only changing a tire you can position the jack under the jack point as shown here.

7) Now fully remove the lug nuts using the tire iron or an impact wrench with a 21mm impact socket. Remove the wheel and set it aside. Do whatever you need to do.....

8) Install the wheel back onto the bolts. Tighten the lug nuts by hand as much as you can. Once you have all 5 on wiggle the wheel as far back as you can and tighten them some more. After that I usually tighten them a bit with the tire iron or impact wrench, just a little.

9) Remove the car from the jack stands and then slowly lower it all the way down. Now tighten the lug nuts in the order as shown in step 7. Important: Torque each lug nut to 76 ft-lb (10.5 kg-m, 103 Nm). Put the wheel cap back on.

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