Another Jack-off Accident

I think you missed the point.

 

I used a pair like that I borrowed from a friend when I put a T5 in my 57. They were from his Dads shop started in the late 40's. I used them in the lowest position under the axle housing but I still piled everything I could find under there in case something failed. After looking at some of the jackstands out there for sale I think I might take my chances on the old pair if the need arises.

 

I honestly dont wana know why your hands were lotioned up.....

 

WTF does that even mean?

 

Back in the early 70's I had a 62 Impala and was going through muncie 3 speeds at an alarming rate. I kept a spare one in the trunk all the time. Several times I changed one out on the side of the road or in a parking lot with just a bumper jack under the left front corner jacked up all the way. Luckily I'm here to tell the tale. I wont led my kids slide under a car with out stands now.

 

Also don't use jack stands on a black top surface on a hot day. Put a piece of plywood under the legs of the stands.

 

a small sheet of 1/4" plate under the legs works better than plywood.

 

About a week after I got my first car, a '57 Chevy 2 door 6 cylinder, the clutch went out. I set the front wheels on cinder blocks and proceeded to start pulling the driveshaft and transmission. I left it on the blocks overnight while I picked up a clutch the next day. Imagine my surprise when I got home from school the next day to find one of the cinderblocks in about 10 pieces and the left front tire setting on the ground. I borrowed the money from dad and bought some jackstands that day.

 

Yeah my Mom caught me once, real embarrasing ...

 

Does this mean to imply that someone who owns or works on a minivan gets treated differently than other DIY mechanics, or do you mean that minivans are OT on this forum?

If the former, I suggest you have some problems you need to resolve. If the latter, then I apologize for going OT and let the moderators decide if the thread is worthy.

 

I own 8 pairs of the six ton stands ( not all under the same vehicle) and use the floor jack and possibly the tire and rim under the vehicle for added assurance. You only get one chance, don't screw it up! You're not likely to have too much back up.

 

I've been saying this for years and did the same at my shop. It give you a place for the wheels, and allows for last resort crush space.

Even up on stands, I usually leave the jack in place (slightly lowered) and put the wheels under the car - then I shake the hell out of the car to see if it moves at all, only then will I get under it.

 

Jack stands shouldn't be used on blacktop anytime without something between them an the blacktop.

I'm not sure which is worse safety wise, the old bumper jacks we used to have or the scissors jacks that seem to come with most newer cars now.

I had a bumper jack kick out from under a car years ago when I was walking to the wood pile to get a big block of wood to put under the car because the ground was softer than I thought it was. A couple of years ago I had a scissors jack topple over under a car that I had jacked up in a wrecking yard when I stood up to get the cramps out of my legs. It was still laying right there when I left the wrecking yard.

 

When my mom was young and my dad was out of the country while serving in the Air Force, my mom attempted to fix her first flat using the typical bumper jack that came with a car in the 50s.

She got the jack situated on the bumper and jacked, and jacked, and jacked....

After a few minutes, one of the men from where she worked stopped to help, without saying a word, he grabbed the shovel out of the back of his truck and started digging out the 20 or so inches of the jack that had been jacked into the Arkansas dirt...

My mom had forgotten to put the foot on the jack....

 

Almost as good as Lucy Riccardo raising the jack through the top of the fender.

 

back when i was 17 or so i had a O/T mach one and i had just bought some i believe they were 295 50r15's so i could have the late 70's look this was in 87 (ive never cared for what was hot at the moment) well i was excited to get them on so i jacked up the car with the only jack i had at the time the fancy ford supplied factory sissor(sp?) jack i get the old tire off and grab the first 50 and go to put it on the car i get it just about up on the studs when im caught between a bfg radial and my 72 mach one and the ground im in the typical position with my legs on each side of the tire

luckly when the jack layed down the rear drum went inside the rim and trapped the tire on angle so i just had to push the tire up a tad and get out from under it with no damage done to me i went in a barrowed my granpas olds wagon (now mine) and drove to sears (i believe) and bought my first floorjack

but i have to confess even today sometimes when i jack up a car its only on the floor jack(unless i know im gonna be doing something big or long term) cause im allways in to big of a hurry .... yeah ... i know ...i know

i have like 8 pairs of jackstands ................

 

I bought some rims from a guy who worked at a local suspension shop,,called the shop a year later to contact him,,,he had passed away as a result of truck falling on him in his driveway due to insecure blocking/jacks...After you get the vehicle on stands put the safety measure under,,blocks of wood are my favourite..If you read the warning on a box of jackstands"do not go under vehicle when supported by stands" Not many people have read that..

 

here at work we had a guy named Jack

one day the boss walked up to another worker because he couldnt find Jack and asked .."Jack off today"?

the worker said...No..but now that you mention it.

 

I would like to add.
Never work under a car with airbags or hydo suspension without jack stands.
When i was younger I rolled under to tighten a loose hydo fitting, turned it the wrong way and down came the car. I was very lucky a quick fix could have killed me. Even if your repair isnt suspension related always use a jack stand.

Godspeed
MrC.

 

Back in the mid-60s, my Dad had an old handy-man jack that had broken the wooden handle, so he had used a piece of heavy steel pipe, complete with a heavy T joint at the end. The thing had lifted way too much, way too many times, so things were a bit worn.

My uncle had jacked up his loaded one-ton Ford pickup, maybe a 1950 model. My younger cousin, after being repetedly warned, bounced on the handle and it started racheting down by itself. He tried to grab the handle, but it caught him square in the chin, knocking the crap out of him, not once, but about 8 times before he finally fell away from it. He was definitely dazed and confused, lost several teeth, had a nice 2" scar from the pipe fitting on the handle.

But it was a learning experience for all of us kids, we wouldn't touch the thing. I bet someone is still using that old jack.

 

Haven't had that happen since High School! On a more serious note and slightly off topic but here goes: My buddy, who is a licenced and good machanic tried to start his own truck the other day and when it would even click (Ford Solenoid) he thought he'd jumper it out. Forgot he had left the key on and the truck in reverse. As soon as the wire touched the solenoid screw the truck started on fast idle and took off down his driveway mising three parked cars, two steel posts that his gates swing on, went across the road less than a minute after a cop went by, and jumped the ditch taking off out into a farmer's field about 40 feet before it got stuck in the mud. Never touched a thing including him, but it could have been a disaster! He drove the truck out of the field with so much mud and weeds under it it'll take til summertime to get it clean! Just a word of caution to be very careful out there!

 

The post isnt about what the man screwed up getting under ,its about how he screwed up,and how it could be prevented.Being safe and no screw ups is the key regardless of what your working on.......................YG

 

Lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hey,I had a camaro with a 454 and a t400...always changing starters ...had a floor jack in the trunk and a quick disconnect at the starter ,always trusted that hein warner,but not that chevy... sold that oil leaking P.O.S.(the chevy)

 

Also proper use of capital letters
Example: I helped my uncle Jack off his horse.
or: I helped my uncle jack off his horse.

 

I helped my Uncle Jack off OF the horse

 

"I almost had a straight, but I was a JACK OFF...... OWWWWW!!!!"

 

Next time wear a football helmet with face guard...I always do! Safety First!.....And, if your wife come home, just start calling audibles!

 

A friend of a friend died under his daughters car several months ago when he crawled under it to check for a noise.Jack stands were sitting a few feet away unused.
I could have been killed many times over by some of the stupid actions of my youth.