Jackstands, Please Use Them

Chad Rhodes · 06-07-2011, 05:15 PM

I've got some 16"x12" treated timbers in 24" lengths that work great stacked on top of each other. No possibility of failure

mtkawboy · 06-07-2011, 05:32 PM

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 !

Stock726 · 06-07-2011, 06:18 PM

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.

Jim Wahl · 06-07-2011, 06:29 PM

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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Winklovic · 06-07-2011, 08:04 PM

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.

Wade Mahaffey · 06-07-2011, 10:32 PM

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

Jim Bailey · 06-07-2011, 10:46 PM

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

69javman · 06-08-2011, 08:17 AM

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.

bigshow2966 · 06-08-2011, 10:42 PM

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.

06-07-2011, 05:15 PM	#1
Chad Rhodes VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Where the Green Grass Grows, AL Posts: 2,375 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Jackstands, Please Use Them I've got some 16"x12" treated timbers in 24" lengths that work great stacked on top of each other. No possibility of failure __________________ Chad Rhodes 2113 I/SA

06-07-2011, 05:32 PM	#2
mtkawboy Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Billings Mt Posts: 281 Likes: 183 Liked 54 Times in 18 Posts	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 !

06-07-2011, 06:18 PM	#3
Stock726 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 71 Likes: 24 Liked 13 Times in 9 Posts	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.

06-07-2011, 06:29 PM	#4
Jim Wahl Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 5,844 Likes: 666 Liked 683 Times in 129 Posts	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 . __________________ Jim Wahl....NHRA #2239 S/SS - IHRA # 8 Stock, D2 Stock Champion (forever I guess) 2019 Baby Gators Stock Champion 2009 NHRA D2 National Open Stock Champion 1982 NHRA D2 West Palm Beach LDRS SS Runner Up Past President, Southern Stock / Super Stock Association.

06-07-2011, 08:04 PM	#5
Winklovic Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba Posts: 270 Likes: 3 Liked 29 Times in 8 Posts	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. __________________ Brent Mazur Winnipeg, Manitoba

06-07-2011, 10:32 PM	#6
Wade Mahaffey Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 581 Likes: 0 Liked 17 Times in 7 Posts	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

06-07-2011, 10:46 PM	#7
Jim Bailey Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 674 Likes: 15 Liked 584 Times in 94 Posts	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

06-08-2011, 08:17 AM	#8
69javman Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 23 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	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.

06-08-2011, 10:42 PM	#9
bigshow2966 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: chicago Posts: 654 Likes: 672 Liked 180 Times in 55 Posts	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.