So I just purchased four Sears Professional 4-ton Jack-stands.

I have quite a few automotive tools and pretty much wipe them off more than I use them.

Most of my Prof skills are in the Gunsmithing trade.

What is the scoop on Jack-stands?

Are jack-stands really safe?

I purchased the stands to do my future Borla Cat back install, oil changes, etc.

These Sear Pro models look to be of HQ.

Though, I have to admit I really don't know what to look for.

It seems to me that the design of Jack-stands has not changed in a gazilaon years so what is up besides paranoia working under a set of Jackstands?

You would think if there was a better design it would be out there by now.

I googled jack stand accidents and a bunch of stuff comes up.

Looking at these stands, my brain tells me that once the pawl is engaged to the the teeth, it would take the weight that is currently sitting on the stand to be aplied to the release handle to allow it to-Inevitably go down.......Correct?

The only concern I have is that you cannot really tell if your engaging the tooth on the shaft fully other than "feel" with you hand.

Correct?

Thanks~

 

I have use these for years and never had a problem.

 

I have never had a jack-stand fail, even some pretty flimsy-looking ones. Static loading of steel in compression is a pretty simple and well-understood engineering exercise.

That said, I think it's a good idea not to bet your life on any one device. I like to arrange redundant stands, just in case something slips. I also use the hydraulic jack itself as a failsafe, backed-off a 1/4" or so so the weight is on the stands.

If you're really paranoid (or really whaling on something with a 6' cheater bar and worried you're going to tip the car over), put one of the wheels on its side and slide it under the car. That thing isn't collapsing.

 

I had a pair of those flimsy looking jack stands just after I got out of college...they are no longer with us and only by the grace of God am I. I had just crawled out from under the car after tightening bolts on the halfshafts and the jack stands collapsed and were flattened like pancakes. Never again have I bought "cheap" jack stands...the 3-ton rating is with no horizontal loading and very little factor of safety. The jack stands the OP bought will tolerate side loading and the factor of safety is 5:1 meaning it will take 5 times the rated load before they fail.

To the OP: You have the right attitude, DO be paranoid when working under a car no matter what you have. I've seen so many cars fall off of jacks it's not even funny. I do what this guy does...two sets of jack stands, the hydraulic jack just touching the frame, and I also throw the wheels/tires under there too. The wheels may get damaged if an accident does happen, but I'll be alive to happily buy a new set. If you're working on gravel (or anything that's not "flat as a board"), put a piece of wood under the jack stands to prevent two "legs" from taking the entire load. Working on gravel was the root cause of the failure of my flimsy jack stands above. The extenuating circumstances were the low factor of safety, high load (they were supporting the front of a FWD 1970 Cadillac Eldorado with the 500 cu in engine) and side loading imparted by the bumper jack on the rear bumper. In a perfect situation, they would have lived...we don't live in a perfect world though so it's up to you to take the proper precautions.

 

Great Education on the use of Jack Stands...

When I go for my first trip under the C6 I may even break out my Blow Up girl and have her tag along right next to me.

It sounds like you can't be to safe.....

Thanks again for the Advice.

 

Better safe than sorry......

A an aside,I had a friend back in the day that used to change the tranny in his 70 Chevelle with nothing more than 2 bumper jacks No stands at all..............

 

I have a set of 6 ton ones. I like the over kill but im still paranoid as hell working under the car. Just dont get too nuts under there with a hammer or large tool and youll be fine. Ive done all the work to my car on jack stands and its a long list.