R2 Jack Point Design - Potential Issues / Challenges

[MrHockey17]

This is the new jack point for the R2. The 2"×4" high‑density polymer pad is the designated load surface, and the cavity in the center is difficult to justify from a functional standpoint. Nothing outside that small rectangle is weight‑bearing, which means no traditional floor jack or bottle jack can properly interface with it. From a serviceability perspective, it’s an unusual choice.

Rivian uses a small‑diameter round aluminum puck with a cross‑hatched top for lifting, and as a vendor, I’ve seen both that puck and the service‑center lift adapter firsthand. This design has the potential to create real challenges for tire shops and general service facilities unfamiliar with the R2’s lift geometry, as well as the DIY crowd.

When speaking with the Rivian team, they noted the jack point was optimized for their service centers. Even so, the R1 design is significantly more forgiving when it comes to locating and securing a jackpuck (lift adapter). Below is an example (photo taken by me) of the cross‑hatch imprint from the production R2 lift puck provided by Rivian Engineering.
Doesn’t the new compact spare tire come with a jack? It must work with this jack point?

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[MXA121]

I've got "pucks" for every single vehicle I own. It's a common automotive practice unfortunately.

 

[kanundrum]

Wonder if this is choice to simplify worldwide production/service

 

[Zathras]

The 2"×4" pad is the only load‑bearing surface, and it’s a slick high‑density polymer, so magnets are off the table. The cavity helps with rough location, but the rounded corners make it less than ideal. With no magnetic coupling, every puck has to be hand‑held or placed on a floor jack and guided precisely onto a very small contact patch, which I can do readily at home. The question is. Can a tire shop do this reliably?

For our business, the R1 design would have been ideal. Ultimately, we will have a product for this, but it isn't as practical (as R1) is my foundational point. I imagine people will end up with a 2.5" diameter piece of high-density rubber (Tesla style) and call it a day.

Good to know. Too bad it can't be as elegant a solution as the R1s.

 

[Gen(R3)Xer]

That is correct.

Rivian, what the hell are you doing? Make things standard, so we can go to tire shops and other service centers without an issue. If there were an abundance of Rivian SCs then it wouldn’t matter, but there aren’t. Please stop making this proprietary nonsense. Thanks for (not) listening.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

The mandatory annual Massachusetts state vehicle inspection requires lifting of the front end to check the suspension. It's a pain to find a shop that will use my pucks to lift the vehicle correctly, as the Rivian service centers won't do the inspection. This will make it an even more stressful annual experience.

Not talked about in nearly all owner manuals of any car, but often done at tire shops and by tow operators... The vehicles can be lifted from the lower suspension control arms, below where shocks/struts are mounted to it. These points are strong enough to support dynamic weight of vehicle when driven. They are strong enough to support static weight of vehicle. Just need to place something between the control arm and jack saddle is that is non-slip and non-marring.

 

[Riviot]

I'm guessing the decision for this lift point design was completely cost driven. My 2 cents, ha!

Service center revenue be like

 

[DuoRivian]

Service center revenue be like

Unfortunately service centers can’t do state inspections so this is a yearly issue.

 

[tkauftheil]

Couldn’t an inverse block be made where the touch surface is 100%. Basically a block with a hump on the top and the base with a hole for a bottle jack and an outer shape conducive to a floor or lift jack. And make the surface that interfaces with the vehicle have similar non slip grooves?

sure. It’s a pain that Rivian altered the method to lift, and it’s yet another thing that can’t transfer to the R2, but we gotta make do with what we got.

 

[Mark_AZR1T]

Couldn’t an inverse block be made where the touch surface is 100%. Basically a block with a hump on the top and the base with a hole for a bottle jack and an outer shape conducive to a floor or lift jack. And make the surface that interfaces with the vehicle have similar non slip grooves?

sure. It’s a pain that Rivian altered the method to lift, and it’s yet another thing that can’t transfer to the R2, but we gotta make do with what we got....

We will have a solid solution and have made two designs already, so I'm not concerned about that. It's like you say, "we gotta make do with what we got..."

 

[savethemanual]

Service center revenue be like

Haha, I was talking about reducing/streamlining production costs.

 

[mkhuffman]

Unfortunately service centers can’t do state inspections so this is a yearly issue.

They can in Virginia.

 

[HaveBlue]

Have none of you ever seen a mercedes or BMW jack point?

Exactly what I was thinking...
Though a regular flat pad floor jack works fine in that spot on BMWs too.

 

[JWreck]

Not clear in the picture but it appears that you could lift it with a standard floor jack without the use of pucks. The required use of pucks for R!’s is always a LIMFAC on who can service these, both in training and equipment.

Yeah I read through this thread and all I could think of is seems normal to me… I also have a different puck adapter for every car I own.

 

[DuoRivian]

They can in Virginia.

Good to know, just wished PA could.

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