When using jack stands

[Yeller68]

I took a mechanics course years ago, and at least one safety tip stuck with me. Before I get under any vehicle that is on jack stands, I will try to push it off the jack stands. I would rather be standing next to a falling truck, then be underneath it.

[Joe67]

Yep, dad taught me the 'shake' years ago

[kndall]

I had to swap a fuel pump on my driver a few months back. My neighbor was standing there talking to me as I was putting the stands underneath the car so I could drop the tank. He asked why I was using stands and not just the jack. I answered "for safety in case the jack fails" He then asked why I was shaking the car back and forth before crawling under. I told him "in case the jack fails and the car shifts I don't want it falling on me. I am just making sure that it is solidly on the stands"
I thought this was common knowledge but I guess I was wrong.

[Billla]

When I was young and foolish I had a car fall off of a jack (single jack). If it had been 1/2 lower, I wouldn't be here...or at least wouldn't have a nose and teeth.

I put it up on stands, give it a good shake and as above if I can get a jack in somewhere as a backup I do that too. You only get to make one mistake...

[1969k10stepside]

I was putting the front tires on my K10 when the jackstand bent.I will try to get a pic of it.It had 4 lugnuts on it.Thank god the tires were on it. It went forward into my garage door.

[71SWBChevy]

Yeah I use to never check the jackstands I figured if they were under there then I was good, then the second day I had the 71 I crawled out from under it to get a drink, while I was taking a break my grandfather came over to borrow something and i started telling him about the truck he went to lean on the fender and as soon as he was putting some of his weight on it the truck jumped sideways and shot both jackstands out from under the truck, that made me a believer, I ALWAYS shake the hell out of the car now before I get under there, I love my truck but am not going to give my life for it.

[ratrod67]

Good post! Make sure you get quality jackstands. Not the cheap ones. This pic is off another board I visit.

[chevy_fatman]

Rocking a vehicle after putting on jackstands is just ol' common sense, if you don't have that common sense then you shouldn't be working in a car, period.
I always keep the jack under the chassis as a backup for the jackstands, I can usually work around these, I can't work under my truck if I have been crushed by it!! just ask this guy I know how he liked the ride in the EMS chopper to the hospital after he tried to wiggle his tranny out after loosening all the bolts, and this was under a lousy ford focus!

I had a cheap set of jackstands by Craftsman but they seemed kinda flimsy to me so I when and got me the toughest looking ones I could find at the time, I think they're rated at 6 or 7 tons.

You can't go cheap when we're talking about our own safety, remember our trucks are heavy, well I guess if you get a cheap set of jackstands you can then use the money you saved paying your medical bills after your vehicle lands on your ribs.

[Brainchild]

I passed a tire shop the other day,and this guy had a 3/4 chevy with a jack under the rearend,no jackstands,and both rear tires off,and this dude was changing the rearend cover as they mounted his new tires.I cringed,and drove on,prolly wouldn't have done any good to say anything.

My son-in-law was laying under his car the other day,with it on a jack,raised as far as it coiuld go,trying to unhook the wires to the TCC solenoid.No stands at all,and him under the middle of the car.I chewed him out really good,and made him put the stands under it.I about lost a thumb when I was 17 changing a tire,no need to relive that nightmare,or something worse (shudder)

[Chevrolet4x4s]

a few extra sexonds to do it safely can save your life.
Shane

[mbgmike]

We bought are stands from napa back in the early 70's. We understood safety before it became popluar .We were just dum ass farmer boys but we were into overkill. iNot sure we understood safety but these would hold up a semi truck. Made sense to us at the time. We looked at them and like holly%$#$#@ they will hold up anything. Not much science invoved. You buy cheap crap this is what you get. We never have and never will have our equpment fail.

[Chevrolet4x4s]

I have 4 5 ton Jackstands under an Elantra at Votech
Shane

[Bowed]

Most people I talk to feel 6 ton jack stands are the minium for working on trucks and 12 ton is much better . sometimes I use a floor jack to back up jack stands but prefer some steel rims that are welded together for a more solid back up . Floor jacks can "ROLL OVER" if the jack is sitting parallel to the vehicles swing because the narrow width of the floor jack will not hold back a vehicle that is falling and sliding at the same time . The swing will take the jack with it and I have seen this happen . You can weld 2 rims together , one horizontal for a stable base and the other vertical for height . I will put a couple of these under a vehicle in such a way that they will jam in to the underneath if something goes wrong . Sometimes I will slide a single steel rim under each of the wheels and then let the vehicle rest on them . They are easy to work around .

[COBALT]

The last time I swapped transmissions I built some stands that could go under the front and back wheels. I got tired of monkeying around with jack stands when I had to get the truck a couple of feet in the air so the transmission bell housing would clear the frame rails.

I used 2x4s laying on their flat sides spread apart, and then put two down on the corners spread apart and built them up 4 levels high, with the bottoms flat and the tops missing the side pieces so the wheel would sit down in the stand. I used 4 grade 8 deck screws in each corner. I also made them stackable, so I could put two under each wheel and get the truck up in the air. I forget the dimensions, but they were enough to firmly plant all of the weight each wheel was carrying directly to the shop floor. That, plus the e-brake on and that truck was going nowhere. No wobble. Nothing. You could climb up in the truck without any problems.

A guy I do business with at a local speed shop showed me his, since he doesn't have a lift yet, and I copied his design. If anyone's interested I'll post a pic and some dimensions.

[Bowed]

Originally Posted by COBALT

If anyone's interested I'll post a pic and some dimensions.

Yes , I'm interested . Years ago I made something similar for when I only needed a small amount of lift . On mine I used lengths of 4X4 pressure treated timber placed side by side and capped on top , bottom and ends with 3/4 plywood . I put handles on them so they would carry brief case style and they stacked well in a corner out of the way , So I know what you are saying about yours working well .Thanks


.

[COBALT]

Cool. I'll throw the dimensions and a pic on here later.

[COBALT]

Here's a plan. I used grade 8 3 1/2" deck screws to fasten them together for each layer. I also included some pics of them in action. I built 8 total so I could double-stack them.

[Bowed]

Interesting enough that I am going to build a set . Thanks for taking time to post pic's and the mechanical drawing .

.

[BrianJordan]

ok. i have a good one how many of you chalk your wheels, front and back when jacking up the vehicle.

[COBALT]

No problem!

I usually chalk the fronts when I'm raising the rear. Once the a$$ is in the air the truck can simply roll on the jack. That's bad.

Also, given enough force the truck can pivot forward or backward on the jack stands, so if the truck is only partially raised (especially in the back) chalks are a good idea in the front.

If I raise the front I just keep the e-brake on. However, once I did goof up (in my driveway in seattle) and forgot I had the e-brake off. I had the front chalked, but went to raise it with the jack. As soon as the tire cleared the chalk the whole business started rolling down the driveway to the street!

It took every bit of strength I had to hold it in place with my heels, lower the truck, and stuff a piece of wood under the driver's wheel. I threw out my back keeping the truck from rolling down into the street.

[COBALT]

Now that I'm thinking about it chalks are a good idea in the back too. Suppose you have enough slop in your e-brake, or driveline from the transmission! It could provide enough forward-backward motion to knock the truck off of the stands, and down comes the front of the rig.

Makes me queazy just thinking about that cross member looming over my head sometimes. It's like a giant hammer waiting to smash me - especially when the front wheels are off.

[XXL]

Originally Posted by Billla

I put it up on stands, give it a good shake and as above if I can get a jack in somewhere as a backup I do that too.

Yup, after the stands are firmly in place, I stick the jack back under something solid and give it just enough pumps so it's touching... don't want to disturb the jackstands having good contact, but if, for some reason they decide to disintegrate... I want that jack there too. I'm not a big fan of crushed ribs/skull/whatever. Call me old-fashioned.

[PonyX]

So I am in the market for a new floorjack and stands. Any recommendations for brands or where to buy. I am in canada. I was thinking I would check all the parts stores, Napa, Autosource, Princess auto etc. Do you really think I need 6 ton jackstands. The biggest I have seen were 3 ton. That was at Cdn Tire. Like I said I have not really shopped around yet.

[pat]

Thank God I wasnt under here. Lesson learned.

And when I switch tires I usually sit down and use my knees to lift up the tire onto the studs to save my back...

[68gmcdually]

I had my dually up all winter on 4 - 2 ton jack stands, now that it is time to work on it I have invested in heavy duty stands, although if my truck fell I should be fine unless I am under the rear end or the tires.