Jack failed!! Warning
Discussion
Another of my 'nine' lives used up last week, I hope nobody 'up there' is counting! I was due to go down to join Glen and party at Barn Farm. I had 'her' up on the trolley jack to adjust the new dampers....when the jack failed!!
The pins on my jack are held in with circlips, as they are on a lot of DIY trolley jacks. On examination, one of the circlip grooves was damaged, the clip had come off allowing the pin to slip out of the saddle, that allowed the saddle to tip over.
At the time I was just putting the second axle stand under. I got out with a bruised shoulder
but the axle stand went between the chassis and the diff on the passenger side.
Imagine my feelings as oil started to appear under the car. Absolutely gutted.
Without the jack I couldnt check on the damage or plug the leak.
After I borrowed a jack I found that the top of the axle stand had caught on a casting lug on the side of the diff, broken it off (leaving a small hole low down in the diff casing) and scored the diff side.
Disaster! But I realise it could have been worse; the stand had broken one clip on the petrol pipe but the pipe had flexed enough....good job, tank was full!
After cleaning the diff casing with thinners, I was able to use some of that fancy modern casting repair epoxy putty (Gary at my local garage is a very helpful man!) and repair it. Touch wood, the repair seems fine although I will be pretty nervous driving it for a bit and anxious to check under the car at every stop!
This is the failed jack (under load the angle was much worse) and the damage done to the axle stand, followed by pics of the hole and repair.
ADVICE: CHECK YOUR TROLLEY JACK: IF THE PINS ARE HELD IN WITH CIRCLIPS, TAKE THEM OFF AND WELD BOTH ENDS OF THE PIN IN PLACE!
The pins on my jack are held in with circlips, as they are on a lot of DIY trolley jacks. On examination, one of the circlip grooves was damaged, the clip had come off allowing the pin to slip out of the saddle, that allowed the saddle to tip over.
At the time I was just putting the second axle stand under. I got out with a bruised shoulder
but the axle stand went between the chassis and the diff on the passenger side.Imagine my feelings as oil started to appear under the car. Absolutely gutted.
Without the jack I couldnt check on the damage or plug the leak. After I borrowed a jack I found that the top of the axle stand had caught on a casting lug on the side of the diff, broken it off (leaving a small hole low down in the diff casing) and scored the diff side.
Disaster! But I realise it could have been worse; the stand had broken one clip on the petrol pipe but the pipe had flexed enough....good job, tank was full!
After cleaning the diff casing with thinners, I was able to use some of that fancy modern casting repair epoxy putty (Gary at my local garage is a very helpful man!) and repair it. Touch wood, the repair seems fine although I will be pretty nervous driving it for a bit and anxious to check under the car at every stop!
This is the failed jack (under load the angle was much worse) and the damage done to the axle stand, followed by pics of the hole and repair.
ADVICE: CHECK YOUR TROLLEY JACK: IF THE PINS ARE HELD IN WITH CIRCLIPS, TAKE THEM OFF AND WELD BOTH ENDS OF THE PIN IN PLACE!
Thanks, would you believe it dropped far enough and fast enough despite the wheels still being on! My jack was a Clark (Machine Mart) but that isnt a criticism of them, I have checked since and all the DIY jacks in that price range seem to be very similar, and there are certainly some over £100 that use circlips. But jacks with circlips are off my Christmas list!
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