Why isn't there a 'get under your car safe' trolley jack

[dieseluser07]

Why has a trolley jack not been designed which once pumped up to correct height can be locked in place with a safety pin of some kind so theres no chance of failing?

Its always axle stands or ramps but wouldent the above be an easier route

[Puddenchucker]

Probably not quite what you mean, but Sealey do jacks that can be locked in 3 positions:

[davepoth]

dieseluser07 said:

Why has a trolley jack not been designed which once pumped up to correct height can be locked in place with a safety pin of some kind so theres no chance of failing?

Its always axle stands or ramps but wouldent the above be an easier route

Propping a car up on a single point and then working underneath it is a bad idea regardless of how secure that single point is - it's pretty easy to get a car to fall off a jack.

[steveo3002]

jacks are on wheels ...would need to be lots of locking to make it safe when a £15 axle stand can be under there in seconds

[gforceg]

I imagine no company on Earth wants to risk saying their lockable jack is safe to use on its own. It only takes one fatal failure and it all goes south.

[InitialDave]

They do exist, I had one years ago, it had a ratchet mechanism that locked it at height separately from the hydraulic ram. However, I wouldn't trust it as the primary support, it wouldn't do a thing to prevent the jack moving sideways etc.

You can get ones in the US that are basically an axle stand with a built in bottle jack, but the form factor renders them only practical on things like 4x4s.

[Sad Ken]

I use a trolley Jack, Scissor Jack, Axle stands and a wheel or wheels placed strategically whenever working under the car....yes I am that nervous

I'd even want a backup if I was working under a hydraulic lift.

I think the only thing that wouldn't make me nervous would be an inspection pit.

[steveo3002]

Sad Ken said:

I think the only thing that wouldn't make me nervous would be an inspection pit.

what about if theres a flash flood

[dieseluser07]

steveo3002 said:

Sad Ken said:

I think the only thing that wouldn't make me nervous would be an inspection pit.

what about if theres a flash flood

What about if he spills his cup of tea in the pit aswell? 😂

[InitialDave]

You laugh, but we had to ban my dad from working in his pit while recovering from an op, as if he keeled over, my mum's too small to haul him out!

[Order66]

Sad Ken said:

I think the only thing that wouldn't make me nervous would be an inspection pit.

Many people have died in inspection pits due to asphyxiation or being incinerated.

[Sad Ken]

I meant nervous about a car landing on me, but fair enough haha

[With This Staff]

This is why you get someone else to do it!

[Jakg]

IIRC there is, and the AA / RAC use it.

[bristolracer]

Order66 said:

Sad Ken said:

I think the only thing that wouldn't make me nervous would be an inspection pit.

Many people have died in inspection pits due to asphyxiation or being incinerated.

They are not much use other than for “inspection”
Trying to change a ball joint or similar will still require the car to be jacked,pit or no pit.

[TooMany2cvs]

Something like this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003ULZGFU

[orhan]

Yes my work issued Jack has lock mechanism (AA) I still wouldn’t get under a car unless there is an axle stand as a back up. You would be a fool to do so.

[FourWheelDrift]

Sad Ken said:

I think the only thing that wouldn't make me nervous would be an inspection pit.

There are other dangers though - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjJaXgHUHR0

[Faust66]

TooMany2cvs said:

Something like this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003ULZGFU

Review don't look to positive for that...

It's a good idea in principle, but to me it comes under 'solution to a problem that doesn't really exist'.

How hard is it really to jack your car up, stick an axle stand in the correct place, lower the car on it and leave the jack in situ for added security?

Doesn't take long to do and it's a safe and secure solution (I'm only referring to jacking up one side of a car to change a ball joint etc. To lift the complete end of a car you'd obviously use multiple stands).

[996TT02]

Faust66 said:

TooMany2cvs said:

Something like this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003ULZGFU

Review don't look to positive for that...

It's a good idea in principle, but to me it comes under 'solution to a problem that doesn't really exist'.

How hard is it really to jack your car up, stick an axle stand in the correct place, lower the car on it and leave the jack in situ for added security?

Doesn't take long to do and it's a safe and secure solution (I'm only referring to jacking up one side of a car to change a ball joint etc. To lift the complete end of a car you'd obviously use multiple stands).

While the "solution" is completely useless in my case, "How hard is it really to jack your car up, stick an axle stand in the correct place," = impossible when the same jacking point is also the only place you can safely place an axle stand. Try jacking up a modern-ish Porsche 911 at the rear. This is why I had to make up a special jacking beam that I could use a trolley jack on and subsequently also place an axle stand under.