Getting a car up on high axle stands - safely!

[jazzdude]

I have a set of 4 tonne axle stands which at the lowest setting are about 55cm high and can go up to about 75cm. These would be great for working under the car without it being an inch away from my nose.

My trolley jack can get the car high enough to get these stands under the car on their lowest setting but the jack arm was practically vertical. The garage floor is smooth so the jack moves inwards as it lifts.

Getting my Mini up on these though today was nerve racking as when I jacked one side up to put two axle stands under it was literally standing on the sides of the tyres. When I jacked the other side up and it was level again it was rock solid but noneless, getting it down, although without incident, still looked extreme.

What do you do to get the car up on stands as high as these, safely?

[blueacid]

jazzdude said:

I have a set of 4 tonne axle stands which at the lowest setting are about 55cm high and can go up to about 75cm. These would be great for working under the car without it being an inch away from my nose.

My trolley jack can get the car high enough to get these stands under the car on their lowest setting but the jack arm was practically vertical. The garage floor is smooth so the jack moves inwards as it lifts.

Getting my Mini up on these though today was nerve racking as when I jacked one side up to put two axle stands under it was literally standing on the sides of the tyres. When I jacked the other side up and it was level again it was rock solid but noneless, getting it down, although without incident, still looked extreme.

What do you do to get the car up on stands as high as these, safely?

I've wondered this myself as well - my trolley jack only lifts it to the first 'rung' on my axle stands, so I'm brushing my face against bits of it at times!

[WinstonWolf]

Side to side Front to back man, front to back...

[PositronicRay]

I think I'd try to do it in stages, with a lower set of axle stands 1st. I hate working under cars like this though, if I can I pile up old wheels or ramps, anything solid under the sills just in case.

[NiceCupOfTea]

PositronicRay said:

I think I'd try to do it in stages, with a lower set of axle stands 1st. I hate working under cars like this though, if I can I pile up old wheels or ramps, anything solid under the sills just in case.

This. Last time I did any serious work under a car (clutch slave cylinder next to gearbox bellhousing on a TVR, so a low car and slave was up inside the spaceframe chassis), I got it up on ramps to begin with, then used a low entry/high lift trolley jack to get it up onto the axle stands. Left the trolley jack and ramps underneath as well as a spare tyre where I was under the car in case of slippage.

[jazzdude]

WinstonWolf said:

Side to side Front to back man, front to back...

It did look very wrong I must admit

So I should get a pair of low stands to start, get say the back on those, then move to the front, jack up and put the high ones on the lowest setting, then move back and put that on the high ones on lowest setting.... then what? My jack does not go higher.

[rallycross]

jazzdude said:

, then move back and put that on the high ones on lowest setting.... then what? My jack does not go higher.

Once you've done that just get some bricks, put the jack on top of the bricks and jack it up again to get the axle stand up to its higher setting.

Only kidding - DO NOT DO THIS = lethal.

[WinstonWolf]

jazzdude said:

WinstonWolf said:

Side to side Front to back man, front to back...

It did look very wrong I must admit

So I should get a pair of low stands to start, get say the back on those, then move to the front, jack up and put the high ones on the lowest setting, then move back and put that on the high ones on lowest setting.... then what? My jack does not go higher.

I tend to lift the heavy end first, get that stable then lift the lighter end. To do it safely you need a jack with a higher lift.

[jazzdude]

What about a block of wood on top of the jack to get the car up a couple of notches on the axle stands?

[dbdb]

My garage floor has a slight slope to it, which has always put me off putting it on stands.

[TwistingMyMelon]

I had issues when I had a MX5 as it was low, was a bit of a pita, I got loads of wooden blocks to put underneath the jack and wheels and work in stages, was a faff but at least it was a light car. I did it fairly often so had a little routine sorted

Never took any chances going under it though until it was very safe

[steveo3002]

i do side to side ..move to the rear same again until its on the lwest settings , then jack under a central point at either end and raise it more until its on max at the stands

if you need a bit more height use a stout block of wood on the jack saddle

to make a saftey back up bung some wheels under the car so it wont crash to the floor if it all goes wrong

[mygoldfishbowl]

Jacking beam if you can get one under.

[InitialDave]

I use a long-chassis jack that lifts pretty high, never had a problem with the stability of it while lifting.

Though you can add my voice to the "one end then the other, not one side then the other" chorus.

[paintman]

jazzdude said:

It did look very wrong I must admit

So I should get a pair of low stands to start, get say the back on those, then move to the front, jack up and put the high ones on the lowest setting, then move back and put that on the high ones on lowest setting.... then what? My jack does not go higher.

You could use decent sized boards under the jack so it performs as if it was on the ground.
Or you need a higher lift jack.
Something like this? : https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/ctj3000ql-3-tonne-...

[pits]

Buy a really good low level long reach high lift Nike Jack, love mine can near enough put a Defender front bumper on the floor with it.

Though I think Nike got bought out by someone, no idea who

[davepoth]

Last time I had to jack something really high I think it was some paving slabs underneath and a block of wood on top to get the extra height.

Please don't put both ends on axle stands though, it's not very stable. A set of ramps at one end would be a much better idea.

[B'stard Child]

davepoth said:

Please don't put both ends on axle stands though, it's not very stable. A set of ramps at one end would be a much better idea.

That's what I do - Wheel ramps one end and axles stands at full lift in the other end

Axle stands at all four corners is not that stable

[jazzdude]

B'stard Child said:

That's what I do - Wheel ramps one end and axles stands at full lift in the other end

Axle stands at all four corners is not that stable

That would mean one end is too low to work under wouldn't it?

[blade7]

Add as many levels as you need.