Here is a good story to read from our sister site the Garage Journal. Good as in learning what not to do. The kid died. http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=96976&highlight=jack+stands
2 jackstands and the the jack still there as insurance for me. and a good shove to make sure things are stable before I climb under. You got lucky. Jackstands are not a second line of defense. You should have that car off the jack and on jackstands before getting under the car
Why oh why can this many car enthusiasts be completely oblivious to basic safety. Every week there's one of these threads. How in the hell can this be so common? Seems like it would be common sense, perhaps common sense isn't as common as it used to be. Maybe its just the way I was raised that its just second nature to me Any one who thinks jackstands are a second defense must think the Jack is the first. Uhhh, how did that thinking work for you?
Don't feel dumb feel very lucky & play Lotto tonight. In all seriousness familiarity breeds contempt & sometimes being overly cautious is a good thing.
I always chock the tires, use jackstands and leave the floorjack under the crossmember with a little pressure on it and I still feel sketchy sometimes under the car. I have heard too many horror stories.
hard to believe there are people who get under a car without jack stands. I would be guessing that one of the first things I bought myself after getting my first car was a set of jackstands. I was a kid, with no one guiding me. just seemed like a good idea. as stated already... common sense ain't as common as it once was. I like these. got 4 just like them, and 4 others of equal quality but different. my original pair was not this nice... they went bye-bye at a swap meet 20 years ago
If I was stupid enuf to have this happen to me, I probly wouldn't have posted it here,...but then again, I'm glad you did; it just may save someone from a worse fate.
I do the same thing. I use jack stands, the hydo jack and a spare tire (or two stacked up) I met a guy in Antioch, Ca years ago that i had purchased a front end of an El Camino off of. He had a car fall on him and he was pinned under for a few hours before someone got out him out of there. He did not have the whole car on him. he had something the car was resting on that was just a little smaller than him so it did not flatten him...but just squeezed him engouh to mess him up pretty good.
Whoa! No need to call me stupid. My dad used to call me that before he fucked me up, I don't like it!!!! I made a mistake due to lack of good equipment. I admitted my guilt. Sheesh.
I was always stupid, and all the put downs. my old man used it to control me, so i wouldn't leave. worked me like a slave. i should have left years earlyer. I'm glad your alright
Yup, I do it a bit different though. I make sure the wheel and tire are laying close to me. At least that way I know I am only going to get crushed to the thickness of the wheel. I don't trust jackstands much either.
I always put the car on stands and give it a good shake , to make sure it's sound then go to work. Your a lucky man , glad your ok
Had a buddy just a few weeks back that used jack stands but did not block wheels or use park brake on a slanted drive. Of all things he was working on was his trans link. Well he shifted it out of park and there she went. The jackstand laying on its side gave him just the room he needed to come out of it alive.
I had a buddy in high school that had his 69 camaro up using a log as the jackstand. The car shifted, the log rolled and the chassis came down on his forehead, crushing his forehead and trapping him with all of the cars weight on his head. You ever hear those stories about super human strength where adrenaline takes over? He bench pressed the car up and rolled out from underneath. He ended up having reconstructive surgery. NHRA Rules state that anytime you are under your car using a jack in the pits, that it must also be supported by jackstands. One of the best rules in their book. You are one lucky Dude!
It's only natural selection taking place. BTW, I had a set of those "6 Ton" orange Harbor Fright stands. While moving them from under the car with it jacked up, I accidentally banged the curved release handle of one stand with the other stand, not hard either...the handle broke off clean up at the second radius! Chinese built again!! I showed it to a geezer that I know and he said ..."Yeah... probably made from a fuckin' melted down duece and a half !" (what the WWII guys called a 2-1/2 ton army truck).
Wow, close one. I had a friend injured when his jack let go. The rear end took a slice out of his ear but he's alive. I had an Uncle that owned a garage. He was working on a truck that was on the rack. The rack lost pressure and when it came down, it doubled him over. He other words, his head was touching his thighs. He was like that for hours because he was alone. He had a heart attack before he was freed. He had to retire after that.
The car dosen't have to fall off for you to get pinned. When I was young and dumb I was changing the starter on my camaro with only a cheap 2 ton floor jack. Well by the time I was finishe it had crept down enough to have me trapped. Took me about half an hour to pump up the jack with my foot. Oh ya chalk your wheels too.
checking out a leaking trans on a friends rig when it rolled off a set of ramps. mushed the wheel chock into the mud and whacked the rear ouarter of my truck. luckily i was inline with car or it would have run over my legs. k-member missed my face by a fraction! we were both shaken up pretty good. i double then triple check before sliding under now!
Glad you are ok. It always makes me nervous when I get under a car. I bought some of the 6 ton jackstands from CarQuest but they stick out to far when trying to roll under the car. Has anyone used, made, bought any of the stands that the wheels sit in as a safety backup? Hot Rod Garage offers these. They are a HAMB Alliance Vendor too. I think I'll buy a set for back up. Please be safe! DMC
And don't forget that jackstands are made to have a solid surface under them, like a concrete floor. They will either sink or tip over if used on dirt or gravel.
JACK STANDS man, and not those cheep pieces of shit sold out there like from Harbor freight.It is your life at risk here. Always buy good quality jack stands and floor jacks.
I am glad you are OK. I had a lowered '53 Ford truck fall on me, it pinned me under it hard. I had it on stands but bumped the shifter and it ran over the wheel chocks. I have never been so scared, it took a horizontally challenged (fat) neighbour lady standing on the other running board to scrape out from under it. Bruised my chest real bad. I am much more careful now and always slightly nervous under a car. Glad you are OK.
The VERY first thing I was taught by my father and that I taught my son when working on cars is when working under them ALWAYS use jack stands AND keep the jack on the frame of the car so at the very least you have two points of support and if possible three or four. Also please remember to always chock the wheels so there is now way for it to roll if you have a wheel/wheels still on the ground. Even if it is the cheap jack stands at HF are only $30, your life is NEVER worth what you save in doing a repair to a vehicle.
Or use the jackstands and put the jack under there with a few pumps also..same deal redundancy never hurts. edit: I guess its already been said but you get the idea, glad were not reading another "smoeone died" post!
I had to check the date on the original post, I didn't think anyone would ever get under a car without jackstands these days. Doesn't sound like anyone learns anything from other peoples fatal accidents.
I always use jack stands and if i take a tires off, I throw them under there as well. I'm a parrinoid SOB.
I think we need a listing of some good ole american made jackstands. I haven't been able to find any.
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