Jacking up my rusty Yaris

[YarisIsLife]

Hey!
I'm very new to fixing cars (and completely new to the forum), but I'm determined to get it done. In short, I need to raise my Yaris' rear on jack stands to fix rust damage and to check the brake drums.

I tried to use the actual jacking point protrusion in the rear, but it only pushed itself in... I thought about using the other points (that I believe are used for towing), but one of those is uncomfortably connected (in my opinion) to the rusted (horizontal, rear-front axis) "beam" I must repair. Therefore, I fear that using that towing point to lift the car could result in serious damage.

I have searched online to the best of my ability for proven alternatives, but I have found nothing that makes me feel confident.

Do you have any ideas / sources / links? Please include reasoning :)

Thank you for any help you can give!

[ex-x-fire]

If you jack under the long channel called the stub frame you can lift the whole side of the car.

[Lucar]

Originally Posted by YarisIsLife

Hey!
I'm very new to fixing cars (and completely new to the forum), but I'm determined to get it done. In short, I need to raise my Yaris' rear on jack stands to fix rust damage and to check the brake drums.

I tried to use the actual jacking point protrusion in the rear, but it only pushed itself in... I thought about using the other points (that I believe are used for towing), but one of those is uncomfortably connected (in my opinion) to the rusted (horizontal, rear-front axis) "beam" I must repair. Therefore, I fear that using that towing point to lift the car could result in serious damage.

I have searched online to the best of my ability for proven alternatives, but I have found nothing that makes me feel confident.

Do you have any ideas / sources / links? Please include reasoning :)

Thank you for any help you can give!

Welcome. First thing I’d say is: don’t use the towing eyes/loops as jacking points. They are designed for pulling the car horizontally, not for taking the vertical weight of the car on a jack. If one of them is connected to a rusted section you already need to repair, I definitely wouldn’t trust it.

Also, if the factory rear jacking point has pushed in, that’s a warning sign. It usually means the sill/pinch weld area is weak or rusted internally, not just surface rust. I wouldn’t put an axle stand there until the metal has been properly repaired.

The safest way is to use the jacking points shown in the owner’s manual or workshop manual for your exact Yaris generation. On many small Toyotas, the rear suspension mounting area or axle beam area can look like a tempting place to lift from, but you need to be very careful not to lift on thin floorpan, brake lines, fuel tank areas or any rusted structural member. For reference, this rear axle beam category is useful to understand the kind of component people often refer to around the rear suspension area, but it should not replace the correct jacking-point information for your exact car.

My practical approach would be:

1. Stop using the collapsed rear jacking point until it has been repaired.
2. Don’t use the towing points for lifting.
3. Inspect the rear sill area, floorpan, rear axle beam mounts and suspension mounting points carefully.
4. If the rust is near a load-bearing section, get the car checked before crawling underneath.
5. Use a proper trolley jack with a rubber pad and heavy-duty axle stands, never just the jack.

Since you’re new to this and you’re already dealing with rust, I’d honestly ask a local garage to put it on a lift once and show you the safe points on your specific car. That small cost is worth it, because a bad jacking point can turn a simple brake drum inspection into a very dangerous job.

In short: if the proper jacking point crushed, treat the structure as suspect. Find a solid factory-approved point or have it lifted professionally before working underneath.