Double Locking Jack Stands

Tom Wesenberg said:
I bought 6 pairs of those cheap pieces of crap back in the 70's when K Mart had them on sale. Not only are 3 legs very unstable, but one of mine folded up and I was under the vehicle. Luckily the ground clearance was enough so I wasn't hurt. Those things need to be melted and made into Model A fenders.
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I have a set of what I consider to be very good and high quality jackstands. However, I am a belt and braces kind of guy. I always backup the jackstands with cribbing made by screwing together 2x8 or 2x6 lumber to an appropriate height to be placed under axles, hubs or frames as needed before sliding underneath. Takes a little longer, but I have never even been close to having an incident.

Ian
 
I've come close to catastrophe jacking a car. I had just finished jacking my modern car, and before I could get me axle stands under, it slid off the jack. Luckily, I was not under the car, nor had I yet removed the wheel. I did re-jack the car and successfully got the axle stands under the second time. I always shake the car after putting it on stands just to make sure it is stable on them. Re-jacking is easier when your not dead under the car if it comes off. I use 5 ton pawl and tooth lock stands I acquired from a defence excess stock auction. These work on load, and the heavier the load, the tighter pawl is held in the teeth.
 
I have the tubular stands I showed earlier and the $20 Roll-around pump jack sold at Kmart (or Harbor Freight today.) Actually TWO of the roll-arounds which go under the wishbone pivot/ball joints on the front of my modern car.

My methodology is to raise one end of the car using the jack - using both of them one to a side. Then put the jack-stands underneath at the best places I can find to put them. The roll-arounds support the load but the jack-stands act as security.

In effect four points of possible support for one end of the car.

I didn't realize it until my brother-in-law showed it to me, but the Prius has a single engineered lift point about centered between the two rear wheels on the rear. Still, I catch the bottom of the shock absorber connection to the rear wish-bones on each side with the roll-arounds. I just hate to reduce the number of support points even by one.

Joe K
 
Wheel skates are another good safe way to crawl under the car, if it doesn't need to be raised much. They would be OK to slide under and grease the car. They would raise the car a couple inches, and that easier than my loosing 30 pounds.:D
 
I have a of 3.5" x 3.5" posts that I've been saving... Cribbing as a failsafe seems like a good use for them.
 
Mike,
you dont need jack stands to put your new shocks on..

i just installed the set i got back from John Holland in my home garage no jacking needed..;)

just sayin
 
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H. L. Chauvin said:
Another most compassionate safety precaution for those who never drove vintage cars with tubes in the tires whereby flats occurred more often on back roads.

Anyone care to share experiences like jacking up a car with a jack on the shoulder of a highway, (hard surfaced or gravel), removing the wheel with the flat tire; then experiencing a large truck zooming by causing the raised vehicle to fall off of the jack?

Next, if it was not life threatening, the jack may not always fit under the lowered axle?

Just like an old Laurel & Hardy Cartoon ....... FUN, FUN, FUN!
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ive had a rew random flats in my s10, one was going up a rather steep hill (steep enough to require a truck lane) all i had was whatever GM had in the truck, i set the parking brake, left it in 1st, got out the ol scisor jack and GM in 94+ s10's and blazers have wheel chocks in the jack compartment. I put them behind both rear tires (front right was one that was flat) as i figured if its going to roll anywhere its going to be backwards down the hill. Used ye ol scissor jack, changed the tire, and was on my way in less than 10 min.

Now i did have to do this again but was rather hot day and fresh asphalt. got the flat rim/tire off the ground with the jack. rolled the fullsize spare around and couldnt get it to line up with the lugs. then i noticed the jack had sank into the hot asphalt a good inch...now always carry a 1foot square chunk of 3/4" plywood to slip under the jack.

yes i always support the vehicle on jackstands and leave the hydraulic jack under whatever i was lifting on as a backup. Or i crib up the frame rails with 4x4 posts about a foot long stacked like a jenga tower. Then ALWAYS give it a wiggle! id rather it fall without me under it.
 
SeaSlugs - I do the same as you. I use oversized jack stands from Hazard Freight. I jam 2 red bricks against both wheels opposite of the end of the vehicle I'm jacking up. I have a twist handle HF floor jack. After I place the jack stand under the vehicle, I make sure the jack stand is stable. I gently lower the jack, and push on a fender to make sure the vehicle won't drop. I raise the jack up to the level of the frame as a backup. The last thing I need is a car or truck landing on my head.
 
I don't like the ratchet ones, if there's casting flash in the way they don't fully lock. Also don't risk your life with cheap harbor freight stuff. Hand tools, some power/air tools are OK from there, but anything that puts you in harms way (IE hoists, jacks and stands) I don't buy. There's always good OLD sturdy stuff on craigslist, ebay or swapmeets. I did find that Autozone did have some jack stands with pins a few years ago.
 
I bought a Backyard Buddy four post lift in 1999 and based on all of the money I've saved avoiding ER visits, it has paid for itself several times over.
 

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