I am trying to find a replacement for my conventional saddle jack stands with something a bit more stable and less damaging. I am open to suggestions for some flat top stands or even a different jack point set-up like the TSW aluminum ones or something similar.
Here ya go... Automotive flat top jack stands from ASE Certainly are not your $19.95 set of 4 JC Whitney specials.
Those AC Hydraulic stands were on my long list for a few years...guess the ASE/ESCOs take their place. Still can't justify replacing the ones I have though (the Torins mentioned by PGT...though mine came free with a jack) just to make things work a little easier.
I thought that I have also seen, somewhere (probably an ad in Roundel), a converter that fits in to the rectangular jackpoint for BMWs (same as ours) and presents a flat disk for a floor jack or jackstand.
That would be great. I cut four rectangular pieces of oak that fit snugly up inside the jackpoints and extend a bit below the plastic edge to sit on the flat part of the top of the Torin stands.
And in fact, didn't the GP's come with these in the tool kit? I'll bet either you can get them from MINI or from someone who sells Mini/MINI parts....
I did the same, plus I temporarily tape them on with some masking tape. This makes the stands fit better without messing up the plastic parts.
I'm going to be getting myself a set, should I be looking for flat top stands for the MINI, versus any other particular top?
Again, why does it matter what shape the top of the floor jack stand looks like? Is it for stability or avoidance of damage?
With a flat top -- esp. with a rubber pad like those ASE/ESCOs -- you have the best and most stable distribution of weight across the base of those plastic jackpoints under your MINI. Most jack stands I've seen have some sort of saddle shape that makes it a challenge to get the car sitting evenly on them, and the contact area isn't large enough to distribute the weight evenly. If you don't get them oriented just right you risk damage to the plastic bits and/or instability.