Getting a car up on high axle stands - safely!
Discussion
jazzdude said:
What about a block of wood on top of the jack to get the car up a couple of notches on the axle stands?
Thats what I did, I had three jacks (Two bottle and one trolley and got my Evo 6 up about 18" to underseal it a few Christmas's back. IIRC getting it down was far more hairy than getting it up
I lifted about 2" at a time , raised the axle stands , added another piece of 2x4 and and went up again
I'd really recommend bottle jacks as they raise up straight and you can put the blocks underneath
I didn't go under the car until I had at least 4 points of contact , I kept a bottle jack under the rear axle most of the time as well
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-Ton-Heavy-Duty-Hydraul...
I used axle stands like these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEAVY-DUTY-6-TON-TONNE-A...
Yes thats the way to do it if you need extra height.
From a safety perspective here are the simple things I bear in mind.
1. Never get under a car supported only by a jack.
2. Always use axle stands in pairs.
3. When jacking to put axle stands under always jack the end of the vehicle, never the sides.
4. A vehicle on 4 axle stands is not safe. It can still fall off the stands. Use ramps at one end and stands at the other if the whole vehicle needs lifting.
5. Always put something under the car so if a stand does fail it takes the impact before you do. If removing wheels put them under the car to give additional protection if the vehicle falls.
6. Always jack on hard, level surfaces. If necessary use a large 1" thick board under the jack if the surface is too soft.
7. Before getting under the vehicle give it a little shake to prove its stable.
8. Don't let anyone inside the vehicle whilst its supported and you're underneath. If you must have someone inside let them get in before you go under. Get out before they get out.
ETA! 9. Always, always chock the wheels on both sides of the car. Especially if lifting the rear as that's where the handbrake operates on on most cars.
From a safety perspective here are the simple things I bear in mind.
1. Never get under a car supported only by a jack.
2. Always use axle stands in pairs.
3. When jacking to put axle stands under always jack the end of the vehicle, never the sides.
4. A vehicle on 4 axle stands is not safe. It can still fall off the stands. Use ramps at one end and stands at the other if the whole vehicle needs lifting.
5. Always put something under the car so if a stand does fail it takes the impact before you do. If removing wheels put them under the car to give additional protection if the vehicle falls.
6. Always jack on hard, level surfaces. If necessary use a large 1" thick board under the jack if the surface is too soft.
7. Before getting under the vehicle give it a little shake to prove its stable.
8. Don't let anyone inside the vehicle whilst its supported and you're underneath. If you must have someone inside let them get in before you go under. Get out before they get out.
ETA! 9. Always, always chock the wheels on both sides of the car. Especially if lifting the rear as that's where the handbrake operates on on most cars.
Edited by lostkiwi on Thursday 26th November 10:27
lostkiwi said:
Yes thats the way to do it if you need extra height.
From a safety perspective here are the simple things I bear in mind.
1. Never get under a car supported only by a jack.
2. Always use axle stands in pairs.
3. When jacking to put axle stands under always jack the end of the vehicle, never the sides.
4. A vehicle on 4 axle stands is not safe. It can still fall off the stands. Use ramps at one end and stands at the other if the whole vehicle needs lifting.
5. Always put something under the car so if a stand does fail it takes the impact before you do. If removing wheels put them under the car to give additional protection if the vehicle falls.
6. Always jack on hard, level surfaces. If necessary use a large 1" thick board under the jack if the surface is too soft.
7. Before getting under the vehicle give it a little shake to prove its stable.
8. Don't let anyone inside the vehicle whilst its supported and you're underneath. If you must have someone inside let them get in before you go under. Get out before they get out.
Thats great thank you.From a safety perspective here are the simple things I bear in mind.
1. Never get under a car supported only by a jack.
2. Always use axle stands in pairs.
3. When jacking to put axle stands under always jack the end of the vehicle, never the sides.
4. A vehicle on 4 axle stands is not safe. It can still fall off the stands. Use ramps at one end and stands at the other if the whole vehicle needs lifting.
5. Always put something under the car so if a stand does fail it takes the impact before you do. If removing wheels put them under the car to give additional protection if the vehicle falls.
6. Always jack on hard, level surfaces. If necessary use a large 1" thick board under the jack if the surface is too soft.
7. Before getting under the vehicle give it a little shake to prove its stable.
8. Don't let anyone inside the vehicle whilst its supported and you're underneath. If you must have someone inside let them get in before you go under. Get out before they get out.
I am doing a chassis and wishbone refurb on my Chimaera so the wheels and suspension will all be off. While it is up on stands (about 60cm up) what else would you put under the car?
jazzdude said:
Thats great thank you.
I am doing a chassis and wishbone refurb on my Chimaera so the wheels and suspension will all be off. While it is up on stands (about 60cm up) what else would you put under the car?
If two wheels will fit I'd put them under. Even if only one will fit I'd still do that, maybe with a couple of bits of 4x2 laid across for a bit of extra height. Its just something to limit how much weight can fall on you and give you a half a chance of a survival space. I am doing a chassis and wishbone refurb on my Chimaera so the wheels and suspension will all be off. While it is up on stands (about 60cm up) what else would you put under the car?
The problem with stands is they are small contact points under the car and also usually have a fairly small footprint on the ground which can make them a little unstable.
jazzdude said:
lostkiwi said:
Yes thats the way to do it if you need extra height.
From a safety perspective here are the simple things I bear in mind.
1. Never get under a car supported only by a jack.
2. Always use axle stands in pairs.
3. When jacking to put axle stands under always jack the end of the vehicle, never the sides.
4. A vehicle on 4 axle stands is not safe. It can still fall off the stands. Use ramps at one end and stands at the other if the whole vehicle needs lifting.
5. Always put something under the car so if a stand does fail it takes the impact before you do. If removing wheels put them under the car to give additional protection if the vehicle falls.
6. Always jack on hard, level surfaces. If necessary use a large 1" thick board under the jack if the surface is too soft.
7. Before getting under the vehicle give it a little shake to prove its stable.
8. Don't let anyone inside the vehicle whilst its supported and you're underneath. If you must have someone inside let them get in before you go under. Get out before they get out.
Thats great thank you.From a safety perspective here are the simple things I bear in mind.
1. Never get under a car supported only by a jack.
2. Always use axle stands in pairs.
3. When jacking to put axle stands under always jack the end of the vehicle, never the sides.
4. A vehicle on 4 axle stands is not safe. It can still fall off the stands. Use ramps at one end and stands at the other if the whole vehicle needs lifting.
5. Always put something under the car so if a stand does fail it takes the impact before you do. If removing wheels put them under the car to give additional protection if the vehicle falls.
6. Always jack on hard, level surfaces. If necessary use a large 1" thick board under the jack if the surface is too soft.
7. Before getting under the vehicle give it a little shake to prove its stable.
8. Don't let anyone inside the vehicle whilst its supported and you're underneath. If you must have someone inside let them get in before you go under. Get out before they get out.
I am doing a chassis and wishbone refurb on my Chimaera so the wheels and suspension will all be off. While it is up on stands (about 60cm up) what else would you put under the car?
geeks said:
lostkiwi said:
4. A vehicle on 4 axle stands is not safe. It can still fall off the stands. Use ramps at one end and stands at the other if the whole vehicle needs lifting.
Not sure I agree with this!Experience is what you get when you don't want it.............
B'stard Child said:
geeks said:
lostkiwi said:
4. A vehicle on 4 axle stands is not safe. It can still fall off the stands. Use ramps at one end and stands at the other if the whole vehicle needs lifting.
Not sure I agree with this!Experience is what you get when you don't want it.............
HSE said:
For most axle stands you should use no more than a single pair.
B'stard Child said:
I fully agree with it - it's a heck of a clean up operation to sort it all out when it does - I wasn't under mine when it did - but cheap small footprint axle stands did have a bearing on the small amount of effort required to topple the whole lot over. It was in a garage with a level smooth concrete floor
Experience is what you get when you don't want it.............
Yep that's why i went for 6 ton axle stands on mine , nice big footprint and very stable, you need the proper kit , you can buy everything you need for less than £100 and sell it off after the job Experience is what you get when you don't want it.............
liner33 said:
B'stard Child said:
I fully agree with it - it's a heck of a clean up operation to sort it all out when it does - I wasn't under mine when it did - but cheap small footprint axle stands did have a bearing on the small amount of effort required to topple the whole lot over. It was in a garage with a level smooth concrete floor
Experience is what you get when you don't want it.............
Yep that's why i went for 6 ton axle stands on mine , nice big footprint and very stable, you need the proper kit , you can buy everything you need for less than £100 and sell it off after the job Experience is what you get when you don't want it.............
It was a few years OK decade and half - I replaced them with 3.5 Ton ones and a pair of heavy duty high ramps and a mate made me some extenders so they could cope with the LC being driven up them.
I never sell anything kit wise - hence why my house insurance premium covers rather a lot of garage tools and equipment... (Reminds me must get the plasma cutter on cover)
The Ors said:
Why should you not use four axle stands?
Is it because one of them could fail; meaning the car will then drop (whereas with ramps at one end if an axle stand fails the car will not drop as badly)?
As mentioned earlier.Is it because one of them could fail; meaning the car will then drop (whereas with ramps at one end if an axle stand fails the car will not drop as badly)?
A small contact patch with the car coupled with in most cases a small footprint relative to the height makes it relatively easy to push the vehicle off the stands.
lostkiwi said:
Ian Geary said:
hmm, they look handy. Any info on price? or availability?
http://www.cjautosheywood.co.uk/adjramp.shtml
Would solve a lot of nervous sliding under cars, hoping you've got everything stable enough.
Might start dropping hints, or maybe just treat myself in the new year
lostkiwi said:
Thank you for the link.Ive been looking for a good set of these for a while.
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