Jack stands, be careful!

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AdamR said:
................. I have a set of ramps I use when ever possible.
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And many ramps are not really up to the task, either. Mine weigh about twice what they did, due to gussets and material underneath to spread the weight on ground
 
AdamR said:
And use quality stands, Not the cheap $10 a pair ones. I have a set of ramps I use when ever possible.
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X2

I bought a set of full length ramps and I love it. I can actually use a creeper with plenty of room to move around under the car.
 
Sorry to hear this. I hope it turns out ok.

I've never had a close call, so I must be doing something right. I am pretty careful.

Its funny, the race car was so rigid that it was hard to get 4 stands on it where they were supporting weight. Never knew the garage floor wasn't quite level.

Even with the subframe connectors, I've never had that problem with the dart...LOL
 
I have six pair of stands us them all when i can. Buying cheap stands is like buying cheap life jackets.
 
Badsport said:
I haven't used them, so I couldn't say. When I buy mine I look at construction, thickness of metal and welds. The bigger the base lessons the risk of tip over obviously. Northern tool has some nice ones in the pro series.
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Not just the base, but the tops, too. My business partner, Lew, just bought a set of aluminum Blue Points off a buddy is his who needed cash. Lew can use 'em all he wants, too. The set pads are so small that they actually won't cradle a typical frame rail. Just the very curled top edges would make contact. Guess you could use 'em on the pinch welds, but seen those crumble too many times. I can see the car slipping off if you jar it too much.

No way in hell I'll use 'em. We've got two lifts, but sometimes I might have that emergency job come in that I have to do it on the floor when the lifts are in use. My life isn't worth risking for a poorly designed stand.

To the OP, my prayers go out to your buddy.
 
yeah, happens. few years back my neighbor jacked his truck up with a high lift(like house jack) and the truck was a duelly and had a full load of wood. well, he's not living anymore. I just hate companies that sell crap stands,,, Like CHINA!!
 
I used to be bad for lifting a car with a bumper jack and crawling under, but I've gotten smarterer as I've gotten olderer.


But I'll still lift my Stealth with just a floor jack to pull the oil drain plug. If that heavy-*** b*tch fell on me there wouldn't even be a grease smudge left:tard:
 
Yes, be very careful

"Elvis" the guy working on my Daytona Shelby was killed in
his garage when his street rod fell on him. His wife fell
asleep on the couch while he was in the garage. She found
him the next morning. We all pulled our cars out of storage
for the funeral. We followed him to the grave site in cars
that he had helped restore.

Thank you for posting.....Prayers are on the way.

Please be careful.
 

Attachments

Stands, chocks, and the floor jack for insurance. I've never had luck with ramps, as they always try to slide when I'm trying to ease up on them. I'm cursed with a waterslide steep driveway, and if the rarity arises that I need to jack up something due to lack of space in the garage, I use all three of the above with two 40mm grenade cans loaded with cement alongside my body and a full time spotter.

My well wishes to your buddy.
 
Stands,chocks,leave jack under car i never use ramps don't like them as bushman said they are a pain. Told my son when he gets his work shop first thing to invest in is a lift.
 
Good points given on the ramps. I had a set of shorties that would move around when I tried to get the car on them.

I went and purchased a set of Kwik-Ramps a few years back that do the job nicely. They don't move at all when I drive on them. They are strong enough to support my C-body sled and I don't have to put cardboard down on the garage floor to insulate my back.

I have had jack stands move and shift under the car while I was working on it. I had one heavy duty stand out of a set that bent. It just got too fatigued over time and started to give up the ghost. I always used spare tires mounted on rims under the frame as added insurance but I never felt as safe as with the Kwik-lift. Yeah, it is a pain to move but I figure it is a pain that is easier to deal with than the pain I would get if the car came down and still touched me after bending the safety tires.

Maybe some day a hydraulic lift will be in my future.
 
Badsport said:
Whoa. I always think about that when I'm working under the car.

I usually get mine set and shake the crap out of it first to make sure it's solid.

Wishing him well.
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Yes but if the garage door is open a gust of wind could cause problems. Be careful prying on anything while under the car
 
I have a set of those cheap stamped steel ramps and very seldom use them, one of them alsways seems to slide. I too use jack stands, shake the car, use tires and wheels under the farme rails, and leave the jack under the car with slight pressure on it. If I need just a little more room than I chock the rear tires and set bridge plans (6X12)under the front tires.
 
Someone asked about the HF stands. I just got 4 of their small 3 ton stands. I got them to hold up this Chevelle frame while I put it back together. I am impressed with them. 21 bucks a pair. Plus I had a coupon for 25% off. Just inspect them real close, even if it is just the display set, because they are all probably made real close to the same. The welds are good and they seem to be made well. Some stuff you just gotta stay away from at HF.
 
1968FormulaS340 or OP do they know what happened? Did they tip? Were they on an uneven surface? Did the stand fail? Was it not "locked in"? Just curious as every once in a while I get the "Willys" while under my vehicles. I also always use stands on a good floor and leave the jack in place as well whenever possible. I have claustrophobia so my close to 300lbs under a car with jack stands and my chest touching the car can be uncomfortable for me. Thanks

oh and I am glad your friend will be OK. I hope it is a full and relatively quick recovery.
 
these are the stands i built. i trust these with my life and i still have a set of stands under the car just in case.

 
Those are really cool. You could make add on ramps.....if you already haven't.
 

michformulaS said:
1968FormulaS340 or OP do they know what happened? Did they tip? Were they on an uneven surface? Did the stand fail? Was it not "locked in"? Just curious as every once in a while I get the "Willys" while under my vehicles. I also always use stands on a good floor and leave the jack in place as well whenever possible. I have claustrophobia so my close to 300lbs under a car with jack stands and my chest touching the car can be uncomfortable for me. Thanks

oh and I am glad your friend will be OK. I hope it is a full and relatively quick recovery.
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This thread is old. I never did get all the specifics but I do know he only had the truck supported with floor jacks.

He is up and around again but was in a back brace for a long time.
 
I cringed last week watching "Chasing Cars" when Wayne went under a Cobra to patch a hole in a fuel tank with only a hydraulic jack....BIG NO NO!...My friend's dad passed away when he used jack stands on his car and the jack part slid back down some how.
If I have to get under any car its either car ramps or jack stands at their lowest level, anything else and I send her to the shop. Too many horror stories, I got bills to pay and family to care for, call me paranoid!..lol...
 
A friend had the back of his Plymouth up high to change the center section with good jack stands under the axle at the perches and the front tires chocked. While he was under the car on a creeper disconnecting the driveshaft the passenger side torsion bar snapped and pinned him under the car. He wasn't hurt but couldn't move and had a hard time breathing. I arrived shortly after to find him pinned and used the floor jack to raise the front of the car and pulled him out. After that we always raise both the front and rear of the car just for safety and never work under the cars alone. After we replaced the torsion bar a through inspection revealed no visible flaws. Dan
 
I had a friend killed when I was a teenager.... the car fell on him and his parents found him under the car in the driveway when they came home.......Let me give everyone an awesome tip I still use to this day.....I had a auto mechanics teacher in Vo-tech back in the early 80s who told me this and he is right.....9 times out of 10 when you jack up a car you are going to pull off a wheel & tire.....Instead of throwing the tire outside, lay it down and put it under the frame or suspension where you are going to be working.....It is about a little more than chest thickness and could save your life.....Now, this does not take the place of a good pair of jack stands!....It is just an extra precaution.....Also, sometimes I know room is needed to work around and the tire can be an extra thing to contend for room, but I work around it,,,Just a good habit to get into
 
bbrroowwnn said:
Instead of throwing the tire outside, lay it down and put it under the frame or suspension where you are going to be working.....It is about a little more than chest thickness and could save your life.....Now, this does not take the place of a good pair of jack stands!....It is just an extra precaution.....Also, sometimes I know room is needed to work around and the tire can be an extra thing to contend for room, but I work around it,,,Just a good habit to get into
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Funny you mention this. It's exactly what I have been doing for over 20 years.

It gets the tire out of the way and will keep the car from going all the way to the floor.
 
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