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I picked up this set from Northern Tool a few years back and find the jack stands to be more than adequate to support any of my cars.
I place them strategically so they are supporting the frame. When on the ground and supporting a car I keep a floor jack under the frame in a good spot under slight tension. If something should go wrong it's in position to quickly lift the vehicle.
I also keep a few 8" X 8" blocks of pressure treated wood, along with smaller sizes, around the garage and place them under the frame, out of the way on whichever side I happen to be under for additional security.
Redundancy is one option. There are places that rent rack time. Another is to pay for that work. I'm sure they figure it out....
Come one now....all the posts you see on here about people doing brake jobs, axle shaft u-joints, suspension, wheel bearings, shocks, springs/lowering etc etc etc...and the response I get as to how they do this is "renting rack time, paying for work??" Let's get real here. If jack stands are so unsafe, how are the people of this forum doing their corner work? They aren't doing it on home-made cribbing under the wheels...that's for sure.
I was under a 2013 Chevy 2500HD Caterpillar service truck the other day, on jack stands, and i didn't die.
A vehicle setup PROPERLY on jack stands, she is NOT going anywhere. Even if one stand failed, the vehicle should not fall. I can actually sit my Miata on three stands, its that stiff. I wouldn't work on it like that but when jacking that is how it goes.
Oh and make sure your on LEVEL concrete floors. I'm willing to bet 99% of deaths/injuries occur from IMPROPER use of stands or stands on unsuitable floors/earth.
Throw a couple wheels under the sides if it makes you feel better.
Remember a car on jack stands is really NO different than on a 2 post, 4 point contact lift. Same contact points.
I also made the 2x10 board ramps. Yes, they are heavy, but they do stand on their ends in a corner of the shop nicely for storage, and I have been able to deal with not having much 'side access'. They also don't work too well when you need to turn the wheels for access to stuff in the wheel well area. I've had the whole ramp move with the turning wheel. I also had the put a more acute angle on the end of the first board since mine had a tendency to get pushed by the tires when driving up on them due to having a smooth concrete floor. But even with the lower angle I sometimes need to put tacky shelf liner under them so they stay put when driving up on.
Jack up the car, place the jackstands, and then stand beside the car and try to shake it. It won't move unless you haven't done it right. Better for it to fall off with you beside it instead of under it.
Once you get over the angst about supporting the car, a little hint for the draining of the trans (if manual) and the rear end - make sure you can get the fill plug off before you take off the drain plug. Draining and not being able to fill is a bummer!
Jack up the car, place the jackstands, and then stand beside the car and try to shake it. It won't move unless you haven't done it right. Better for it to fall off with you beside it instead of under it.
Once you get over the angst about supporting the car, a little hint for the draining of the trans (if manual) and the rear end - make sure you can get the fill plug off before you take off the drain plug. Draining and not being able to fill is a bummer!
Good luck.
walt z.
thanks - angst is a good word for it - I will be sure to try the fill plug first
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Man seriously. I’m building 2 a these. Thanks
I made a pair of these a couple of years ago. My C4 rolls up just fine, as does my old E320 wagon and my 328i. I made mine just one board higher than the one pictured and put some rubber pads underneath to keep the from sliding on the concrete floor.
working under a car - i'm overly, safety ****. ramps, jack stands, jacks (w/safety locks) and big wooden blocks (my last line of defense). I would not feel comfortable with only jacks and/or jack stands. everyone out there, stay safe -
Race ramps if its just to get under the nose without removing wheels, otherwise 4 Duralast 4-ton stands and I leave a jack up in place. I've left the car like that weeks at a time so I don't have any issue getting under there if I need to.
The only issue with Harbor Freight jack stands are the roll pins that hold the wedges to the shaft. Drive them out and put in decent ones. I have their standard, 6 ton and 10 ton jackstands. A roll pin failed on a 6 ton within the 1st year. The design doesn't let them fall, the wedge, wedges regardless.
I am with everyone else. I use jackstands and a combination of floor jacks as a safety catch. When I worked under our travel trailer to pull the axles out, I used the 10 and 6 ton jackstands and 3 6x6x8's 2 on the bottom, then 1 to give me room in case the trailer fell for some reason.
I am also on the redundancy team. Always lift, put the stands in place, the rest the weight of the car on the stands. I bring the jack back up in contact as well. If the wheels are off, I will also keep at least one near my body under a low point of the vehicle as an absolute "it may hurt me, but not kill me" back up.
I was working on a a set of headers once with a buddy under my Mustang. While trying to muscle things around the car actually tilted a stand while he was under it. Luckily it sat back down on the stand. Never again. The car was sturdy, but with the motor mounts unbolted and trying to shift the motor for clearance... we were pushing the car. Looking back, sure it was dumb, but you stop thinking about every detail when a bit of frustration sets it. Best to think about that upfront, not in the heat of the moment.
My ratcheting stands seem a little sketchy while jacking the car up but once the car is sitting on all four it doesn't budge a bit. I also use the jack, extra stands, ramps and blocks as backup.
I use the Harbor Freight 3-ton jack stands, they are ratcheting type. If the 4 stands can hold 12,000 pounds combined, then my 3500-pound C4 will be fine.
Also I take the wheels off and set them underneath the car as an extra layer of insurance, just a general practice. Move the wheels around as needed to gain access to the different systems being serviced.
08-17-2016, 12:03 PM
