How to Safely Jack Up a Tesla: Jack Points, Pads & Tools (2026)

Published Sep 2, 2026 · 12 min read

Rotating your tires, mounting winter rubber, or just crawling underneath to inspect the undercarriage all start with the same step: getting your Tesla up in the air safely. And here is the catch that surprises a lot of new owners — you cannot lift a Tesla the way you lifted your old gas car. The flat battery pack forms the entire floor of the vehicle, and jacking in the wrong spot can crack a battery case that costs five figures to replace. This guide walks through exactly where the jack points are, why a $25 set of jack pads is non-negotiable, and the short list of tools that turns a nerve-wracking job into a 20-minute driveway task.

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📋 Contents

1. Why lifting a Tesla is different from a gas car
2. Where are the Tesla jack points?
3. Jack pads (pucks): the one part you cannot skip
4. The home lifting kit: tools that actually earn their place
5. Step by step: how to lift your Tesla safely
6. Torque specs and the mistakes to avoid
7. When to let a shop (or Tesla) handle it
8. Frequently Asked Questions
9. The bottom line

Why lifting a Tesla is different from a gas car

On a traditional car, you slide a jack under a steel pinch weld along the rocker panel and lift. Teslas are built differently. The high-voltage battery pack is a large, flat structural slab that doubles as the floor of the car, so almost the entire underside is a surface you must never touch with a jack. Put a jack saddle against that pack and you can dent or puncture it — and a damaged pack is not a warranty repair, it is a very expensive out-of-pocket one.

Instead, Tesla engineers four dedicated lift points into the frame rails — one behind each front wheel and one ahead of each rear wheel. They are reinforced to carry the car’s weight, and they are the only spots you should lift from. Because the underbody is otherwise flat and smooth, those points can be hard to find by feel, which is exactly why the small rubber adapters below matter so much. If you are also thinking about seasonal rubber changes, our Tesla winter tires guide pairs naturally with learning to lift the car yourself.

Where are the Tesla jack points?

All current Teslas share the same four-point layout, but the exact spot and the car’s weight vary by model. Here is a quick reference so you know what you are working with before the car leaves the ground.

The single best way to confirm the exact locations for your car is to open the vehicle’s own documentation. Tesla publishes free, detailed lift-point diagrams in the Model 3 service manual and mirrors the guidance in the in-car owner’s manual under Wheels and Tires. Read it once before your first lift and the whole process stops feeling like a guessing game.

Jack pads (pucks): the one part you cannot skip

Tesla jack pads — most people call them “pucks” — are hockey-puck-shaped rubber or polyurethane adapters with a groove that seats onto the frame jack point. They do three jobs at once: they locate the correct lift spot, they spread the load so the jack saddle never bites into paint or aluminum, and they keep the car from sliding on a smooth steel saddle. Skipping them to save $25 is the most expensive corner you can cut, because the failure mode is a cracked battery case.

A dependable four-piece set covers all four corners so you can put the car on stands at all four points for a full tire rotation. The APDTY 4-piece Tesla jack pad set is a long-running, widely used option that fits the Model 3, Y, S and X lift points and runs in the low-$20s — cheap insurance against a catastrophic mistake. Whatever brand you choose, buy solid rubber or hard polyurethane; the flimsy foam versions compress and are not worth the risk.

If you would rather never handle any of this yourself, that is a completely valid choice — but even then it is worth keeping one puck in the frunk so a roadside tow operator or tire shop lifts your car correctly. Speaking of the trunk, if you are still deciding what to keep on board, our Tesla flat-tire and spare-tire guide covers the emergency kit side of things.

The home lifting kit: tools that actually earn their place

You do not need a professional shop. A modest driveway kit handles tire rotations, seasonal swaps and under-car inspections for years. Here is what pairs well with your pucks, with realistic price ranges.

• A hydraulic floor jack. The scissor jack that came with the car is for roadside emergencies only. A proper trolley jack lifts smoothly and quickly. A 2-ton unit is plenty for one corner of a Model 3 or Y — the BIG RED 2-ton hydraulic floor jack (with a carrying case) sits in the $40–70 range. For a Cybertruck, step up to a heavier-rated jack.
• A pair of jack stands. Never — ever — work under a car held up only by a jack. Rated steel stands are the difference between a routine job and a tragedy. A set of BIG RED 3-ton double-locking jack stands ($30–50) has the capacity headroom you want even for a heavier Model X.
• A torque wrench. Re-tightening lug nuts by feel is how wheels get warped rotors — or come loose. A click-style TEKTON 1/2-inch torque wrench (25–250 ft-lb) covers Tesla’s spec with room to spare and runs about $40–60.

That is the whole list. Add the pucks and you have a complete kit for well under $150 that pays for itself after two or three shop tire rotations. If you are a brand-new owner still building out the garage, it is worth noting that ordering a Model 3, Model Y or Cybertruck through a Tesla referral link currently includes 3 months of free Full Self-Driving (Supervised). For everything else on the DIY maintenance ladder, our DIY cabin filter and wiper guide is a good next project.

Step by step: how to lift your Tesla safely

1. Park on flat, hard ground. A level concrete driveway or garage floor — never grass, gravel or a slope. Put the car in Park; it applies the electronic parking brake automatically.
2. Chock the wheels staying on the ground. If you are lifting the front, chock behind the rear wheels, and vice versa.
3. Seat a jack pad on the frame jack point. Find the reinforced point behind the front wheel (or ahead of the rear), press the puck into place so its groove locks onto the frame.
4. Raise the jack until it just contacts the puck. Double-check alignment — the saddle should press the puck flat against the frame point, not against the flat battery floor.
5. Lift, then place a jack stand. Raise the corner (or both corners) enough to clear the tire, then slide a rated jack stand under the same frame point and lower the car onto it. The stand carries the weight; the jack is only a lifting tool.
6. Do your work. Rotate, swap or inspect. Never put any body part under a car resting only on a jack.
7. Reverse the process and torque the lug nuts to spec (below) in a star pattern once the wheel is back on the ground.

Torque specs and the mistakes to avoid

Across the Model 3, Y, S and X, Tesla’s lug-nut torque spec is 129 ft-lb (175 N·m) for all factory wheel sizes. Tighten in a star (crisscross) pattern in two passes, and always do the final torque with the wheel back on the ground so the hub cannot spin. Re-check the torque after roughly 50–100 miles — this is standard practice any time a wheel comes off. The most common driveway mistakes:

• Lifting on the flat battery pack instead of the frame point — the single costliest error.
• Working under a car on the jack alone, with no stand.
• Over-torquing lug nuts with an impact gun and no torque wrench, which warps rotors and can strip studs.
• Using thin foam pads that crush under load. Buy solid pucks.

Regular rotations are not busywork — evenly worn, properly inflated tires stretch your range and your dollars. The U.S. Department of Energy’s fueleconomy.gov and NHTSA’s tire safety pages both underline how much correct inflation and even wear matter for efficiency and safety. If you are chasing every extra mile, our Tesla maintenance and service guide ties tire care into the bigger ownership picture.

When to let a shop (or Tesla) handle it

DIY is not for everyone, and there is no shame in outsourcing. If you do not have a flat, hard surface, do not want to store the gear, or simply do not trust yourself under two tons of steel, book a mobile tire service or a Tesla Service appointment through the app. Just make sure whoever lifts the car uses proper jack points — hand them a puck if you have one. And if you are shopping for your next Tesla while you read this, ordering a new Model 3, Model Y or Cybertruck through a referral link currently adds 3 months of free Full Self-Driving (Supervised) on top of the standard trial — a small perk worth grabbing before you start collecting driveway tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the scissor jack that came with my Tesla?

Only for a roadside emergency to change a flat, and only at the correct frame jack point with care. Scissor jacks are unstable for any extended work. For rotations or inspections at home, use a hydraulic floor jack and rated jack stands.

Do I really need jack pads, or can I lift without them?

You need them. The frame jack points are small and the surrounding underbody is the battery pack. Pucks locate the point, protect the surface and stop the car from sliding on the jack saddle. At around $25 for a four-pack, they are the cheapest insurance in your garage.

What happens if I jack up a Tesla in the wrong spot?

Lifting on the flat underbody presses directly on the high-voltage battery case, which can dent or crack it. That is not covered as a warranty repair and can cost thousands. Always lift only at the four reinforced frame points.

What torque should Tesla lug nuts be?

129 ft-lb (175 N·m) for the Model 3, Y, S and X across all factory wheel sizes. Tighten in a star pattern with the wheel on the ground and re-check after 50–100 miles.

How much does a full home lifting kit cost?

A four-piece puck set, a 2-ton floor jack, a pair of 3-ton jack stands and a torque wrench together run well under $150 — less than the cost of two or three professional tire rotations.

Is the Cybertruck the same as other Teslas for lifting?

Same four-point concept, but it is much heavier (~6,600 lb), so use a higher-capacity jack and at least 3-ton (6,000 lb) jack stands, and confirm your pucks are tall enough for its ground clearance.

The bottom line

• Never lift a Tesla on the flat battery floor — use only the four reinforced frame jack points.
• Jack pads (pucks) are mandatory, not optional; a solid rubber four-pack is about $25.
• A complete home kit — pucks, a 2-ton floor jack, 3-ton stands and a torque wrench — costs under $150.
• Always support the car on rated jack stands; never work under a jack alone.
• Torque lug nuts to 129 ft-lb (175 N·m) in a star pattern and re-check after a short drive.

Information current as of September 2026. Weights, specs and Tesla programs change — verify torque and lift points against your car’s own owner’s manual and Tesla’s official service documentation before working on your vehicle. This article is general guidance, not a substitute for professional service, and some links are affiliate/referral links (see our disclosure page). Explore more in our Tesla Accessories section. Image credit: “Tesla Model 3 aero wheels” by Saucy, licensed under CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.