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Have a 2013 Nissan Leaf.

Curious if anyone has done tire rotation with a scissor jack stacked 2x4 cuttings as a jack stand(s)? I thought of it, but if you are using a scissor jack on the jack points on the side of car, once you have it up, there is no obvious other point to put the jack stand - it's where the scissor jack is! Don't think we should put the jack stands other than those designated support points.

I could borrow another scissor jack and forget the jack stands, this way I could raise the left front, right rear, do the swap, then the next set the same way. Is this a good idea? What about torquing the chassis diagonally like this - is it OK?

Anyone gone through this process without buying a floor jack and 4 jack stands?

EDIT: The Nissan Leaf does not come with a spare tire...!

EDIT 2: The Leaf doesn't even come with a scissor jack, had to use the one off the other car I had...

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  • Where did you buy the tires from? Some of the major chains in the US will rotate tires for free if you purchased them there. Even if you have to pay, the saving in hassle is well worth it - plus the garage will check for any obvious maintenance/repair issues while the car is in the air.
    – PeteCon
    Commented Sep 28, 2019 at 14:06
  • @PeteCon: one issue, especially with FWD cars like the LEAF, is that tire shops are generally now refusing to rotate less-worn tires from the rear to the front. See e.g. mechanics.stackexchange.com/questions/29079/…. The easiest way to rectify the situation is to rotate the tires oneself (I have had limited success having an independent mechanic, not tire store, do the rotation, but even that is iffy depending on the local mechanics available.)
    – Peter Duniho
    Commented Mar 26, 2020 at 19:32

4 Answers 4

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You can do the whole thing with one jack and no axle stands.

Just rotate each wheel using the spare wheel, temporarily.
No need to torque up the spare wheel nuts, it's not staying on.

Spare to front, front to back, back to front.
Same thing with the other pair to swap.

Then put away the spare wheel.

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  • 3
    Great idea, but the Nissan Leaf does not come with a spare!!!
    – hder
    Commented Sep 27, 2019 at 23:15
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    @hder then get one or get a wheel to fit temporarily..
    – Solar Mike
    Commented Sep 28, 2019 at 4:38
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Do not use make shift jackstands such as 2x4's, concreteblocks etc. It is extremely unsafe. Trying to use two scissor jacks on diagonal corners of the body is also unsafe. The car can fall onto the unsupported corner. A service manual (not to be confused with the owners manual) will show jacking and support points. This involves using either a suspension support or unibody-frame member. A search of Nissan Leaf jack and support points shows several diagrams. However you need to be familiar with what you are viewing to place the stands correctly. Also be sure to use a tire chock block on the end of the car not being raised.

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Strange that you get a jack, but no spare tire.

I would try getting/borrowing a spare tire (even just the space-saving one as a stand-in) as you rotate the road tires using the pantograph-type jack.

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  • The question says that you do not get a jack.
    – Chenmunka
    Commented May 14, 2022 at 8:12
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I would not stack 2X4 higher than 3 pieces ; they are not stable enough for any side force. I have screwed 3 pieces together for stability . Brick and cinder block are too brittle . I have cracked both. I recommend thicker wood or jack stands. I found some short lengths of 8X8 wood that work well ( 2 piece stack, max). Also additional jacks like hydraulic, and screw , not bumper jacks. I have done this several times , however jack stands and floor jack were on the team. I had a car fall in about 1955 and decided not to do it again.

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    Sorry, but I downvoted this. Correct stands and supports are cheap compared to the damage you can do on a car (and compared to the healthcare costs if you're underneath)
    – PeteCon
    Commented Sep 28, 2019 at 14:04
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    How can they be cheaper than free 8 X 8 lumber ? No one said anything about going under a car to change tires.
    – blacksmith37
    Commented Sep 28, 2019 at 16:22

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