Tom400CFI

Bingo. In addition to these sound practices, you can always throw the wheels that you've removed, under the car. They aren't going to collapse.

OldPoop55

Exactly what I did while changing the fuel filter today.

JrRifleCoach

Barely enough room to get that front spring out.
Never trusted this setup enough to crawl underneath.
But it did work and with some attention to details all turned out well.
Jack stands work just fine..

antfarmer2

My butt hole just puckered.

8valve

I am a retired fire chief. In 31 years of service, we responded to 2 calls of a person trapped under a car. In both cases, when we arrived, the blood was still running out from under the car. The car was up on jack stands, and they kicked out crushing the person. They died a horrible death.

I never use jack stands. The higher you raise the vehicle on jack stands the less stable. I use 6x6" pressure treated blocks and crib them up. Its not coming down.

Sorry for the caps, for some reason, my computer is stuck on caps this morning.

8valve

Joe C

I use 3 or 4 devices to support a car before I get under it. usually I drive one end up on ramps, and use (2) floor jacks on the opposite end to lift and hold, and support with jack stands. I put blocks of wood under the wheels, or frame section if i'm under the car. my blocks are made from five layers, stacked of 2x10x18. even on my floor jacks, I use a home made safety device - a section of 2x4 to lock the lift. it's held in place with a short bungy cord and a couple eyebolts. not that I do, but I can unlock the jack hydraulics, and the 2x4 locks the jack in place. just a little extra safety.

VikingTrad3r

I LAUGHED OUT LOUD when i read this. I WAS HAVING THE SAME REACTION.:***** :


edit: i don't mean to make light of a dangerous situation. just grimaced and lol'd when i saw this comment.

VikingTrad3r

thanks for this. after reading many of the experienced guys here i have changed my ways under a car. when i was a noob, i got under the car and was reefing on things with only 4 jack stands on the 4 corners. wheels hanging. im glad i made it through my first year of learning to wrench alive. now, i used blocks under all 4 tires and my jackstands pretty much do nothing even though they are still in place.

i thank all of you who share the stories of people sadly losing their lives while enjoying a hobby. but, their lives can be honored by saving others from the same fate if we adjust our ways. i sure did.\

cheers all.

ElisTwoCents

I have a pair of 6 ton jack stands, a pair of 4 tons, a pile of pressure treated wood blocks, chocks and a few floor jacks. Regardless of how safe I think I make my ride while up in the air, there's a certain level of puckering while under

JrRifleCoach

CentralCoaster did a write up on lowering the front. His photo of the jack stand arrangement is equally disturbing. Just need to take your time and think things through. BTW those jack stands were embedded into the wood ramps to avoid any slipping.

If I had to do this again I would find a lift. For a number of safety reasons and the assembly process would be much easier.

dizwiz24

heavy duty jack stands and wheels (if removed) under the low spots of the frame.

if wheels are not removd, i slide ramps under the wheels while its up on jack stands.

i do not like the jack lift idea as a backup. mine will bleed down after time and you think its safe, but it will fall once weight goes on it.

hcbph

I'm planning on making some interlocking cribbing to put under the wheels. Additionally I've already started making some (hopefully) non-slip pads that will fit on top of the jackstands. I've already started them but they aren't there yet. Something that will fit on the top of the jackstands and can't slip off along with having some form of rubber surface to add the non-slip to the bottom of the car. Additionally I keep around a couple of old snowtires on rims that I throw under the frame of something while I'm under it in addition to keeping the jack in place.

I agree that the older you get, the easier it is to get butt pucker under a vehicle for any reason.

antfarmer2

Try cutting a notch in a hockey puck.

JrRifleCoach

Does this have anything to do with butt pucker?

tony58

Yes but:Everything is made in China now.Do those capacities really mean anything in the NEW world?

Tom400CFI

They do to me. Certainly, more so than the "engineering" and "capacities" that went into some of the "safety" devices many have concocted in this thread.

I think anyone claiming that 4 stands that have a total rated capacity of 24,000 lbs, may not hold up a 3000 lb car....because they're made in china; I think that is a real stretch.

If they were rated that high...yeah, I'd trust them to hold up 1/8th what they're rated to do.

VikingTrad3r

just because its made in china doesnt mean its totally bogus. the days of cheap knockoffs are mostly, mostly, over. and mant components are in fact made overseas and assembled, and even then, assembling already assembled assemblies.

i agree that skepticism is good, though i also do not think with something as mission critical as a jackstand, that they would overstate the capacities.

id prefer the tires mounted on a 6x6 block any day though over jackstands.

im trying to convince myself to buy a max jaxx.

Mishawaka

Cribbing is the only way I will go.

VikingTrad3r

i guess if u need more height?

i put 2 pieces of 6x6x12 timber side by side to make a 12x12x6 square. i guess sometimes a guy needs more height. this is about the same height as my red ramps were but they just looked so wussy i didnt even trust those so i went to solid wood blocks.

cribbings seems like a great idea.

dont like max jaxx? something about the actual max jaxx or lifts in general?

Tom400CFI

IDK about about bow tie guy, but I don't like Maxx Jaxx b/c for ~$600 less, you can buy a REAL LIFT that you don't have to stoop the entire time that you're working under a car.