Shoddy Jack, be careful people.

[rumple]

So I've put my ten year old Trolly jack on my Diff and up she goes, I'm going to fit new rear springs, I've taken the wheels off to make sure I have a broken spring, then gone to fetch two lumps of railway sleeper to chock the car up, I came back to this.



The exhaust silencer is well mullered, can't see any other damge, pretty sobering thought though if my legs had been under it.

[NightRunner]

Do you service your jack?

[rumple]

Another view, its back on its wheels now, I did this on the pavement not the drive, this was lucky as it had fell across the kerb , this meant I could get the car jack under the drivers side.

[v8will]

rumple said:

pretty sobering thought though if my legs had been under it.

Why would your legs be under the car prior to axle stands?

[rumple]

NightRunner said:

Do you service your jack?

No and I've been meaning to replace it for years, totally my fault, very very slack drills

[r11co]

Lesson learned.

Jacks are for raising and lowering only. Get the axle stands under there immediately if you are planning to have the car lifted for more than a minute or two.

[Oldandslow]

This is why I have stands. Cars are strong and heavy, I am soft and squishy.

Did take some chances when I was young and stupid.

[rumple]

v8will said:

rumple said:

pretty sobering thought though if my legs had been under it.

Why would your legs be under the car prior to axle stands?

I wouldn't, it just hits home that's all.

[g3org3y]

Out of interest, how old is the jack?

Events like this highlight the importance of axle stands. Simply not worth the risk.

[redtwin]

Bet you never take the wheels off again before you place proper axle stands under the car. I have used blocks of wood in the past, but wood can dry out and split or rot and axle stands are so cheap now, no reason not to get a good set.

It is also good practice to put the wheels under the sills while jacked up too. I have to admit I don't do this as I use the wheels for sitting on while working.

[rumple]

Oldandslow said:

This is why I have stands. Cars are strong and heavy, I am soft and squishy.

Did take some chances when I was young and stupid.

I have stands, but I was going to use some cut off sleepers,the spring had been picked up on a service so I jacked it up and took the wheels off to make sure they were broke, took passengerside off spring ok, took drivers side off, saw the broken spring, pumped the jack to get some height, it looked and felt flimsy, that's when I went to get the sleepers as they are lower than the stands, walked back out to witness it go over, sort of in slow motion.

[Melman Giraffe]

g3org3y said:

Out of interest, how old is the jack?

Events like this highlight the importance of axle stands. Simply not worth the risk.

He mentioned 10yrs on his OP

[r11co]

Using a hydraulic jack as a support seriously shortens its life, incidentally....

[rumple]

Melman Giraffe said:

g3org3y said:

Out of interest, how old is the jack?

Events like this highlight the importance of axle stands. Simply not worth the risk.

He mentioned 10yrs on his OP

The jack is a shocker, should have known better.

[6fire]

Doing maintenance on the road/pavement and leaving all of your caggage lying around - could it be that a neighbour got peed off and let your jack down?

Pretty antisocial to leave a car jacked up an unattended on the road no matter which way you look at it.

Glad you're ok though ;-)

[soad]

r11co said:

Lesson learned.

Jacks are for raising and lowering only. Get the axle stands under there immediately if you are planning to have the car lifted for more than a minute or two.

[carreauchompeur]

Definitely. I went out to a very sad sudden death a few years ago when a chap was crushed whilst working on his car.

I just thought what a thorough waste it was, ending a father's life by being crushed under a crappy Xantia.

[Melman Giraffe]

soad said:

r11co said:

Lesson learned.

Jacks are for raising and lowering only. Get the axle stands under there immediately if you are planning to have the car lifted for more than a minute or two.

Otherwise your name could be Oscar before you know it

[g3org3y]

Melman Giraffe said:

g3org3y said:

Out of interest, how old is the jack?

Events like this highlight the importance of axle stands. Simply not worth the risk.

He mentioned 10yrs on his OP

Specsavers!

[bimsb6]

This thread is exactly why i always put the wheel under the car once it's off the axle , hope the fix is not too expensive !