i was just wondering what ppl use to work on there cars?
are car stands safe?
what other methods can u use?
thanks

 

i just have my buddies left up on one side, and i do the work reallly, really fast.

kidding--yeah, jackstands are safe, if you put them under the correct jacking positions, on even, solid ground

never, ever get under a car that is only under a floor jack or a scissor jack

 

My car has been on jackstands for I would say about 2 weeks now waiting for the new engine to come, they can be safe as long as you do what Goullish said, keep them on even, solid ground in the correct jacking posistions.

ALWAYS BE SAFE WHEN WORKING UNDERNEATH YOUR CARS!

My friend's Grandfather died when an improperly placed jack gave way and the car crushed his skull.

 

Ouch.

 

correct jack position?
the place u would put the jack when u were changing tires??

 

scary
This almost happened to me, we were doing a swap in my car and the car was being supported by scissor jacks on both sides because my brother was using the jackstands for his car.
While i was under the car tugging on the cv axle, I was pretty much right under the rotor and the header; my friend said that he didn't agree with what I was doing to get the axle out while the car was being supported by the jacks.
I listened to him and got out from under the car adn a couple of seconds later the passenger side jack got weak, adn bent and with not wheels on the car, it dropped ot the ground just after I got out.

I am forever thankful

 

what happened when the jack slipped and my car fell 1cm onto the blocks that i for some reason decided i should put there on this certain occasion, while i was under it trying to fix a exhaust leak

Always use jack stands.


[Modified by bretx0r, 7:21 AM 10/2/2002]


[Modified by bretx0r, 7:22 AM 10/2/2002]

 

i always use blocks.

 

[stupidquestion]

Where can I put the jack stands besides the jack points? Frame rails? If so...um...what do those look like? Because when I'm under there looking at the car I can't tell what is the frame and what isn't. And I don't want to set the stands under my floorboard

[/stupidquestion]

 

the frame man, the chasis, anywhere on the chasis.

 

You don't have frame rails, your car is a unibody (frame and body all in one).

Here's what I do... for the front, I jack the car up at one of the tow hooks in the front, and put the jack stand under the jacking point right behind the front wheels and let the car down on that... now I do the other side in the same manner. For the rear, I jack up at the single tow hook in the rear, and put both jackstands under the jacking points directly in front of the rear wheels and let the car down on them. Works like butter, and it's safe too. If you can't get a floor jack under your front two hooks because your car is too low, drive up on some blocks of wood first, works like a charm.

I've had cars fall off of jacks before... it's scary enough when it happens while you're NOT under the car... don't ever let it happen when you ARE under the car.


[Modified by matt-eg, 8:09 AM 10/2/2002]

 

I have allways wondered what would happen if i was under my car when a earth quake happened, i am a big buy 6'0 240, and when i am under my car i cant really move to quick.

 

Our cars are Unibody, as opposed to Body on a Frame like older domestics and current pickups etc.

BUT our cars DO HAVE FRAME RAILS.

 

hey thanks 4 the info, i was wonering if anyone had pics of there setup??

 

I had an Integra with no wheels on it, supported on jackstands for over two months use the chassis to support the car. I put 4 rims under it also just in case the car decided to give way from all four jackstands. I'm quite paranoid, but with good reason.

 

I've used a big floor jack to lift up the front of my del Sol and the jacking point I use is shown in the pic.....



See where the splash shield has a "cut out" for the chassis and there is a tab with 2 holes in it (directly up from the front of tire you can see). That lifts the front of the car almost evenly, so I can get jackstands under the side jacking points (behind the wheels). Then I lift the rear of the car using the little centered tow hook thing. I want to get a couple more jackstands to put under the rear jacking points, but I had the car up off the ground like that for 3 weeks without problems.

IMO, never use the crappy scissor jack unless its a roadside emergency. Too flimsy and too easy to shift. That's just dangerous.

 

damn.. I almost never use jack stands.. I usually just use the jack. I think I'll start using my stands from now on...

peaces.

 

yeah, start using jack stands bro.. i've had a friend's friend die cuz he was using just a jack while changing his alternator.. better safe than sorry

 

Always use jackstands. Get industrial streng if you can. You dont have to but I always try to get the best ****. Like shop jacks that cost $100+, not some Craftsman stuff. Jacks can always leak because of the hydrolic pressure inside of them.

 

Don't use jack stand on a incline (some driveways). Make sure your car stays level for safety.
Use the scissor jacks for the tires only. I almost killed myself too when my friend pushed my car and
I was under it. (2 scissor jacks in the front).

 

always use stands on concrete, level ground; this is the right way to do it. do not use woodblocks or jacks. i knew some one that was crushed under his car when it shifted b/c it was on blocks on solid ground, but not concrete. he suffocated under his car and he was under it for about 1-2 hours before someone found him. try to work under your car with someone to check on you every 10-15 min if you are working alone.

 

if your not pulling tires off,the best thing to use is ramps,get a set from walmart for $30,so easy to just pull up on them for oil changes and stuff,then put on your e brake and put a block behind the rear wheel.

 

Thanks to those who replied to my question.

A follow up to that is this:

The jack points on the car are not "tall" enough to fit into the "cup" at the top of the jack stand. What happens is that the edges of the "cup" hit the sideskirt-thing and the floorboard, and that's so it's not the jack point that is supporting the car.

This is really hard to explain, and I can't get a picture. Has anyone else run into this problem before?

I end up turning the jack stands sideways, but that doesn't seem that safe to me.

 

Good thread, always keep safety first and DO NOT BUY SECOND RATE PRODUCTS when it comes to personal safety or the safety of those around you.

 

...like guns

Use jack stands or the ramps or if you have access a lift is always good, and always use your e-brake