Be careful out there!

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1973dust

1973dust

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
Joined
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Location
Illinois
I'm posting this just because I figure if it makes one person think more about safety it's worth it. I was jacking the frontend up to remove the front wheels and tires a couple of nights ago and was in a hurry. I figured I didn't need to mess with jack stands as I "wouldn't be under the car". I assume, after the fact, that I didn't have the jack back far enough under the k-frame. A couple of minutes after pulling the second wheel off, while my back is to the car, I hear and feel a crash. I initially thought that the cylinder on the jack had failed but then realized that the jack had squirted out the front of the k-frame. I had the cross beam on the jack so it caught the car right under the radiator, smashing the bottom of the core support and separating one bracket from the top tank. At least I was nowhere near the car when it happened but it was definitely very eye-opening. I'm sure like most of you, I've been tinkering with cars most of my life and knew better. The damage to the car could have been much worse as I fortunately had the hood open or the radiator would have possibly bent the front of the hood. It also didn't seem to damage anything but the very bottom of the core support and I had 2 of the Rallye wheels under the car towards the rear and they were not even touched. I am curious what would have happened if I wasn't using the crossbeam as the crank pulley would have caught the car instead of the core support. Bent or broken crank? Again, I know we all know better but I also know we all get in a hurry at times. Stay safe.
 
I was helping your neighbor change the spring hanger brackets in his Ford Explorer, we didn't have an extra Jack so I had them hook a tow strap to the side by side he had and had him try to pull the axle back. Well, I got this feeling of vertigo, and movement in my peripheral..... I looked up, seen the frame sliding across the jack stand..and then hopped back! he ended up dragging the damn thing off the jack stand, the entire truck......
 
Ironracer said:
I was helping your neighbor change the spring hanger brackets in his Ford Explorer, we didn't have an extra Jack so I had them hook a tow strap to the side by side he had and had him try to pull the axle back. Well, I got this feeling of vertigo, and movement in my peripheral..... I looked up, seen the frame sliding across the jack stand..and then hopped back! he ended up dragging the damn thing off the jack stand, the entire truck......
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I'm sure I'm probably missing something obvious but do we know each other? "your neighbor"??? Or are you just referring to him having the same lack of intelligence I displayed. :)
 
Thanks for sharing this, I dont like getting under my Dart even when I have it on jack stands. There just isnt alot of frame under there to get hold of. I'm glad your mishap didnt result in injury to you. Maybe we should get a lift?
 
RatRod said:
Thanks for sharing this, I dont like getting under my Dart even when I have it on jack stands. There just isnt alot of frame under there to get hold of. I'm glad your mishap didnt result in injury to you. Maybe we should get a lift?
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No lift in my future. I think I just have to take the wake-up call to be sure to use the brain God gave me. I normally am anal about using jack-stands along with the jack as a backup but was in a hurry. "It will be fine." I guess it only takes letting your guard down once. I still think the biggest problem was that I didn't adequately verify the position I had the jack in before I started lifting. I've always lifted the front by the center of the k-frame and have never had any issue. I certainly didn't save any time in the long-run.
 
I sure am glad you are OK. My Dad taught me that getting something done in a hurry usually means throwing safety out the window, don't do it!
 
I've been to many sudden death calls in my career where safety precautions were disregarded. I only wish the "lessons learned" were not so permanent.
 
Had to help remove a fellow worker that had his head squashed like a melon from a van rolling off the front of a drive on alignment rack, his head was smashed between the transmission crossmember and the front rolling jack. Always use care when lifting a vehicle.
 
Awful sorry that happened, but I'm really thankful you weren't hurt.
 
When i was a young punk had just bought the 67 gt vert it had 13s on it i decided@12am to jack it up in the street using the bumper jack and put the 235 60 14 on. Jacked it up got the wheel off the car started to fall forwards jumped to the back grabbed the jack pulled it back. My brother had just got home drunk 5 mins before the 235 60 was 1/2 in the wheel well could not reach to kick it out. I was screaming for my brother for seemed like forever atleast 20 min the windows in the house open he was out. I knew i could not hold the car much longer. I pulled the car all the way back and just kicked the rim out car crashed to the ground was awful no damage i woke up my brother and want to kill him. Now jack stands and wheel chocks
 
Glad you're ok. I never feel comfortable under my car and I've spent far too many hours under my Valiant recently. I always use 2 jack stands as well as a jack under the k frame. What do you think about jack stands under the rear axle as well for extra clearance.? It was suggested as I was stuffing the Lenco back in. I don't like the idea. Do people do that? 2 under the axle and 2 up front? Just wondering. Glad you're ok. Live and learn.
 
Back when I was in high school I had my 72 dart on ramps while working on the transmission. Out of nowhere the ramps collapsed and the car went rolling. I saw it happening and layed as flat as I could. I got a few scrapes on my chest and covered in ATF when the pan spilled.
 
66Valiant528 said:
Glad you're ok. I never feel comfortable under my car and I've spent far too many hours under my Valiant recently. I always use 2 jack stands as well as a jack under the k frame. What do you think about jack stands under the rear axle as well for extra clearance.? It was suggested as I was stuffing the Lenco back in. I don't like the idea. Do people do that? 2 under the axle and 2 up front? Just wondering. Glad you're ok. Live and learn.
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I use jack stands under the rear axle all the time and always have with no issues. Although, I'm obviously not the safety police after my stunt.
 
MoparMike1974 said:
Back when I was in high school I had my 72 dart on ramps while working on the transmission. Out of nowhere the ramps collapsed and the car went rolling. I saw it happening and layed as flat as I could. I got a few scrapes on my chest and covered in ATF when the pan spilled.
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Wow, that is terrifying! I do have wood blocks that I place under my ramps whenever they are used because I've always worried about that happening.
 
Back in the early seventies, my cousin owned a 69 Dart Swinger 340. Had some kind of transmission issue, so he parked it on a slope next to a drainage ditch, then jacked up one side of the car (not sure how, think bumper jacks), then got under it to check the trans. Car fell on its side into the ditch while he was under it. Fortunately, it fell away from him instead of on him so he was fine. Messed up one side of his car though.

That car went through hell. Finally, someone stole all four wheels/tires off it as it sat in his yard and he practically gave it away. Was in great shape when he bought it, sad ending to it. Amazingly, he is still alive and in great health all these years later.
 
My next door neighbor was a master mechanic. He agreed to teach me during my rookie days. He emphasized safety and gave me some tips. To this day I still use wheel chocks and a pair of roller tires mounted on steel rims that go under the car once I get it high enough to crawl under it or remove the wheels.
 
I'm very glad that you are not injured. The car can be repaired. I have a friend who always used jack stands skip them just once and the car came down on him. Luckily one of his kids was home and could call 911 as his chest was partially crushed and he could not breath fully. He was a couple minutes from dying when he was finally rescued. But many of us probably skip the extra support when just changing tires so thank you for the reminder!
 
DFX 340 Duster said:
My next door neighbor was a master mechanic. He agreed to teach me during my rookie days. He emphasized safety and gave me some tips. To this day I still use wheel chocks and a pair of roller tires mounted on steel rims that go under the car once I get it high enough to crawl under it or remove the wheels.
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I'm trying to imagine what your "roller tires mounted on steel rims" actually looks like? Could you post a picture? I'm intrigued.
 
Thanks for the great reminder post. I don't care how old you are or how long you've been working on cars, a little safety :poke:every now and then will at least make you stop and think. I've worked at the power company as a lineman my whole adult life, and have never forgotten a saying my first boss had. His saying was "Shortcuts can make short lives!"
 
When I was in the Navy, NAS Miramar, I had a part time job at the auto hobby shop. One day I was out in the lot, and here was a guy laying under a 57 Chev working on it. Now, bear in mind that when you checked in you got a shower curtain ring with a number of (10?) "chits" or tags. If you wanted an item from the toolroom, you traded a "chit" with your stall number on. You could easily get a jack or jack stands, other tools

BUT THIS GUY had the 57 jacked up with a pair of bumper jacks, each jammed up against the big "tits" on the bumper

I just reached down and grabbed his ankles and skidded him out of there

This was a civilian job, so I was out of uniform. He had no idea I was an E-5 and he was an E3. He wanted to fight.

I told him he had two choices---leave, or go up to the tool room and get some jackstands. And if he wanted trouble, I could fix it so he could not come back.

Last I saw of him, he was headed for the toolroom
 
@67Dart273 Good for you Del. With the kind of work you did, you may have heard the poem below.

I could have saved a life today
but chose to look the other way.

It wasn’t that I didn’t care.
I had the time, and I was there
but I didn’t want to seem a fool
and argue over safety rules.

I knew he’d done the job before.
if I called it wrong, he might get sore.
The chances didn’t seem that bad.
(I’ve done the same. He knew I had.)

So I shook my head and walked on by.
He knew the risks as well as I.
He took the chance, I closed my eye
and with that act I let him die.

I could have saved a life that day
but chose to look the other way.

Now every time I see his wife
I know I should have saved his life.
I see his kids and feel so sad.
They cry at night. They’ve lost their Dad.

That guilt is something I must bear
but isn’t something you need share.
If you see a risk that others take,
that puts their health or life at stake ..

… The question asked, or things you say
could help them live another day.
If YOU see a risk and walk away,
then hope YOU never have to say

I could have saved a life today
but chose to look the other way.

Author - Don Merrell
 
1973dust said:
I'm posting this just because I figure if it makes one person think more about safety it's worth it. I was jacking the frontend up to remove the front wheels and tires a couple of nights ago and was in a hurry. I figured I didn't need to mess with jack stands as I "wouldn't be under the car". I assume, after the fact, that I didn't have the jack back far enough under the k-frame. A couple of minutes after pulling the second wheel off, while my back is to the car, I hear and feel a crash. I initially thought that the cylinder on the jack had failed but then realized that the jack had squirted out the front of the k-frame. I had the cross beam on the jack so it caught the car right under the radiator, smashing the bottom of the core support and separating one bracket from the top tank. At least I was nowhere near the car when it happened but it was definitely very eye-opening. I'm sure like most of you, I've been tinkering with cars most of my life and knew better. The damage to the car could have been much worse as I fortunately had the hood open or the radiator would have possibly bent the front of the hood. It also didn't seem to damage anything but the very bottom of the core support and I had 2 of the Rallye wheels under the car towards the rear and they were not even touched. I am curious what would have happened if I wasn't using the crossbeam as the crank pulley would have caught the car instead of the core support. Bent or broken crank? Again, I know we all know better but I also know we all get in a hurry at times. Stay safe.
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Dang, be careful. Lucky you weren't hurt. Here's a friend that was just kind of lucky. He's alive but damaged. Yep just slide underneath quick. It will be ok. Ouch! Makes my head hurt just looking. You are one lucky man Brad.

Brad.jpg


Brad2.jpg
 
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