Re: Jackstands, Please Use Them
 

As a 16 year old kid I had a bumper jack fall over on a Lincoln when I was changing a starter. I was trapped and could barely breath. Fortunately a lady came along and I was able to tell her how to jack it up enough to get out. Lesson learned big time, I was extremly lucky to be able to get enough air until someone came along. If I weighed what I do now Id be dead !

Re: Jackstands, Please Use Them
 

I lost a friend of mine in 1986 who thought that concrete blocks were good enough. He was working alone and wasn't found until the next day.
It is a shame this has to happen over and over.

Re: Jackstands, Please Use Them
 

Anything can fail! Concrete, wood, logs, anything. How many times have you seen cars braced up off the ground by old wheels and tires set on top of each other? I have seen cars fall off of jack stands due to improper usage, but never seen one break or mechanically fail. Just like anything else, you must know how to properly use a tool! The jack must be on sturdy ground and have a good purchase point with equal weight distribution. Jim

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Re: Jackstands, Please Use Them
 

This happened here just yesterday. It's always a good idea to have help when doing heavy lifting.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bre...123336218.html

Charleswood man dies after backyard mishap

By: Staff Writer
Posted: 06/7/2011 7:50 AM

WINNIPEG - A 57-year-old Charleswood man has died from injuries he sustained after a rock slab fell on him Monday evening.
The man was performing yard work around 7 p.m. Monday and appears to have been moving a heavy object, possibly a piece of concrete, when he fell and became pinned underwater in a pond in his backyard, police said.
Family discovered the man later. He was taken to hospital in critical condition, but died Tuesday.
The man's name has not been released. Foul play is not suspected.

Re: Jackstands, Please Use Them
 

Very good safety message! I would only add, support the vehicle good enough to do the job....then double that and your ready to go to work. I use the jack stands with the floor jack in place. Place the jack stands, then lower the car till the stands make contact and are loaded and leave the floor jack in place. Also, do perodic assessment of the jack position and loading. You can use more than four stands, no rule aginst that. Sorry to here about everyones misfortune. One other side note: when you work alone, keep a cell or portable phone in your pocket....that's what I do...and like the jack stands, hope you never need it! My 35 years of race car fabrication as well as 25 years as a professional firefighter working on heavy rescue squads and ladder truck companies. I have learned from my mistakes as well as others.

Wade Mahaffey

Re: Jackstands, Please Use Them
 

An other helpful hint. Quite often (Always) our pit area is in grass. Take the time to weld a disk, or square on the bottom of your jack stands so they can't sink into the dirt. This works very well and can save you a bunch of grief. JB

Re: Jackstands, Please Use Them
 

My uncle and I were working on his '32 just a couple of weekends ago. We were doing some adjustment of the brake pedal pushrod which is under the car. After about 5 adjustments and then test drives, we were getting pretty sick of jacking the car up and putting the stands in place- then taking it down. You know the routine. On the sixth try, while jacking the car from the side it just slipped off the jack. Bang!! Just like that. We just looked at each other. Luckily no damage to either of us or the car, but it happens. Gravity wins.

Re: Jackstands, Please Use Them
 

I can't believe the number of people I've seen in the last 2 trips to the track either working under cars on a jack or warming them up in gear on just a hydraulic jack. Scares me and I'm reasonably fearless.

Re: Jackstands, Please Use Them
 

B.S.!!! These pictures show very well that jackstands are just an annoyance and take too much time and effort to perform simple maintenance procedures. Bunch of pu$$ies.

http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Humor/Wo.../ProppedUp.htm

Re: Jackstands, Please Use Them
 

See a lot of that , people just get lazy.:confused: