Lifting car onto jackstands

I would drive up on ramps on the front and the support the back of the car with jack stands. Then set up the front jacks on the frame behind the front tires to make it rigid but still leave weight on the ramps. Then you wont have to worry about the car moving as much if it was only on jack stands. Playing with that much weight in the rear and rusted bolts are always going to move the car around no matter if your on a lift or jack stands.

 

Make sure when you got it up on jack stands that you push on the car hard side-to-side in the front and back to make sure it's stable before climbing under it.

And leaving the jack in place (not supporting any weight but firmly set) is always a good idea for added insurance.

 

Does anybody know if any of the cinder/concrete blocks that have broken were oriented like the top row in the closest stack ? (Holes on the sides, not top and bottom)
http://www.marjoblac.com/images/slides/1-concrete-blocks.jpg

Wooden or even metal stands (or decks attached to houses) that don't rely on stacked construction are the source of sad news stories all the time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLQbv5Mcbtg
A you tube search for deck collapse gets About 27,800 results

 

Cinder/concrete/hadite blocks are for building walls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!NOT FOR SUPPORTING CARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even the solid type will not support the concentrated weight of a vehicle.

Jackstands are for supporting cars. If you have access through your network of friends and fellow gearheads, DOUBLE UP ON THEM. The point on the chassis immediately forward of the kick up over the rear axle....on my Willys, it's also an intersection with the legs of the X-member. And no, you won't crush or damage the frame rail(s).

Keep a telephone in arm's reach.

 

Just a suggestion,Safety blocks for use w/ jackstands. Get some 8x8 treated wood beams at menards or Home Depot and build some safety blocks much bigger than frame contact , 8x8x18-24 stacked as high as needed, nail or screw together. Place them at 45 degree angle to center of car so car can't tip them over if it shifts. 4 contact spots, you can move them out of way when you are not wrestling w/ car. Buy good heavy duty stands, your saftey is worth it. John

 

An 8" vertical core concrete block (CMU) properly positioned (vertical cores, 16" 2X10 board on top) has much more than sufficient compressive strength to hold up one corner of a car.

 

go for it !

 

As a nurse I saw one case of using cinder blocks on cars and working under it and they did not make it. As a neighbor I saw the result of using them and they lived. Has had multiple surgeries and his face is still flat from being crushed not to mention almost died. I don't use Jack stands if I am under a car/truck....I have 8x8 square timbers for this.

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I've read the directions on concrete blocks and for some odd reason, the instructions for their proper use as jackstands are conspicuous in their absence.
Very strange, huh?

 

OK everybody, I think the OP gets it ... no cinderblocks! LOL

One thing not yet mentioned ... make darn sure you are working on level ground. Not just the front to back tilt but the concern of side to side slope (as in the crown of the street) is often ignored.

 

OK....two in every crowd. What the frick is wrong with jackstands built for the job? DD

 

Why would a person that makes it a career or intense hobby of working on cars not have a decent set (4) of jackstands? .... your approach would work, in a pinch, if broke down in a Home Depot parking lot, but it is very difficult to concentrate on the repair when you are constantly and nerviously looking at your support device out the corner of your eye.

 

if theres one thing you can buy at harbor fright and not regret it , it's their solid rubber wheel chocks. use them in the front.

 

I can't believe the way some people on here give an answer to a question on here.




Ago

 

USE 6 JACK STANDS.MAKE A SQUARE AND PUT THE JACK STANDS on the frame in a square pattern IT WON'T CRUSH IT! make sure you leave your self room to work in the back. got to think ahead a little here.after I put stands under a car I get out and shake the car,don't try to pull it off the stands just shake a little. then put 2 more jack stand on the frame where the bumper bolts up. don't think the weight of the motor will make it pivot forward, but it might. the front 2 are so when you pull out rear it doesn't take a nose dive. not rocket science, but common sense . be safe.and NO BLOCKS

 

Ditto


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NEVER use cinder blocks for anything other than what they were designed for.
They are not strong enough!!!
years ago I was under a 69 chevy long bed taking the rear out, we had it supported by the rear bumper with wood and cinder blocks... the rear was out and I was sitting up indian style cleaning under there when I heard a slight cracking/spalling sound...I immediately dropped flat and rolled out as the frame slammed to the ground and scraped my arm as I rolled out on its way down.
I went and bought jackstands after that. NEVER trust cinder blocks!

 

As a person who witnessed the aftermath of someone Not properly supporting their truck, I err to the side of overkill. If possible I use ramps and then either jack the other end up and put on another set of ramps or the very heavy, not stamped, Made in USA! jack stands. Get, or make(like i did) a set of ramps that you can only carry one at a time. I've been using them for 24 years and smile every time I do. Treat it like a loaded weapon and do not try the "it'll just take me a minute so I'll halfass it" approach.
I do realize the OP has come back and let us know what he plans but these words are for the others that may read it.

Were you cinder block guys pulling his leg or will we soon be having a fundraiser for your widows?


Posted from my office while pretending to work!

 

Nothing, I was responding to comments regarding the strength of "cinder blocks" (which I do not recommend).

I also do not recommend this:

 

hey now leave me out of this , I had a hole in the gas tank and needed to weld it back up so I would have at least a half a tank ...

 

Rail road ties. 6x6 wood blocks.

 

Bingo... place under the frame in an area away from where you are working but where it will still help if the worst happens...takes 2 minutes and is like a life insurance policy for free.

 

I have used my engine hoist as an extra precaution, I bolt it to the bumper mounting brackets and put some tension on it, works great.

 

Railroad cross ties work well also when they are cut down to the into smaller pieces.

 

Holy shit- first this series, then tonite coming home from work there was a car on the side of he road, 1 wheel taken off, supported by a fuckin 5 gallon bucket. But, at least nobody was working under it.

 

Nobody mentioned checking to be sure the jack stands are properly set in the adjustment notches and set to the same height. Keep an eye on the stands while jacking up the other axle to be sure they are not tiping. While we're talking safety NEVER work under an open dump truck bed without a safety brace or wood block. Bob

 

one "simsons" episode showed homer working under his car held up by a wicker hamper.

 

Just a couple more tips. Adjust your jack stands so that they are bearing the weight of the car. Don't use the jack as your only means of support. As in jacked up with all the weight on the jack and the stands not touching the frame.Pump the jack up so that it is holding weight but not lifting the car up. The handle of the jack should be standing up not laying out horizontal. Too easy to trip over or some dumba$$ hit with a car backing out. Do the work on flat ground with no funny grade to it. If you chock the front wheels try letting a few pounds of air out of them. Really hard to roll forward then.

 

Like said on here before always put something else under the car (like the tires you just took off ) or blocks of solid wood just encase the car slips on the jack stands. Don't go under the car with only the floor jack holding it up. Your life is depending on the tiny o ring seal in the jack. Stop and think safety before proceeding.Sounds like you have ,thats why you asked the HAMB first. No question is too dumb when it comes to safety.

 

Can we get a pic of this?!

As far as inexpensive wheel chocks go, I bought these at harbor freight and they are great. The rubber grips the cement better than other chocks.

http://www.harborfreight.com/solid-rubber-wheel-chock-69326.html