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Posted by: brubou Mar 25 2017, 08:05 AM

So ratcheting jack stands have always been sketchy, but we buy them and use them because all of the other alternatives cost way more. I got bitten when a jack-stand let go and my Legacy sedan crushed my right index finger into two pieces.
I was lucky in that my doctor was able to reattach it. I was again unlucky when my EX-girlfriend sat on my healing finger causing it to heal with an unnatural bend.



I think we all agree (should agree), that a non-ratchet stand works best, but the cheapest I could find was this, for $46 each with a lift height of 17". http://www.usatoolwarehouse.com/usatoolwarehouse/ESC-10499.html?gclid=CInjwsrk8dICFc6Eswod4tkIFw

I found these, a pair for $40. They have a lock and have a lift height of 23". When I first unboxed them, I lifted the ratchet so it wasn't engaged and slid the lock into position and I found that it wasn't going anywhere. With the ratchet and the lock engaged it is as solid as the above stands that sell for double the price. I've included a link below to where I bought them.




https://www.amazon.com/Strongway-Double-Locking-Jack-Stands-Capacity/dp/B00UAOKPTC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1490449821&sr=8-2&keywords=locking+jack+stand

Posted by: mepstein Mar 25 2017, 08:12 AM

Ouch!

Posted by: Mark Henry Mar 25 2017, 09:07 AM

Double ouch!

Happiest day of my life was when I got my two post lift and I tossed all my ratchet stands in the scrap pile.
I didn't even want to give them away.

Posted by: 914forme Mar 25 2017, 11:19 AM

Posted by: brubou Mar 25 2017, 11:33 AM

I've been dreaming of a lift for so long. I'm no longer in a gravel driveway though, so my work space is improving little by little.

Posted by: mepstein Mar 25 2017, 11:35 AM

Amazing the chances people will take working under cars. Even the kids at our shop will sometimes crawl under a car with just a jack. Owner set a new rule that if they do it they are fired. Didn't even do it for insurance, just didn't want them to get hurt. Talk to anybody who's been wrenching on cars for a long time and they have a story about a jack or jack stand that failed with no warning.

Posted by: green914 Mar 25 2017, 11:48 AM

Ouch!

Posted by: clapeza Mar 26 2017, 01:12 PM

I have four of the same jack stands with the pins. Reading some of the tragic stories here, I also bought four heavy duty SUV-capacity ramps as back up. The car hovers a fraction of an inch above the top of the ramps.
The ramps themselves are actually high enough to get under the car, but since I have to jack up the entire side of the car to get them under it, I put the jack stands under there to get a little more room, and to help keep the tires from getting flat spots.

Posted by: Amphicar770 Mar 26 2017, 08:40 PM

Many.of us do not buy them and do not use them because the price of an injury such as yours, or worse, far exceeds the cost of decent and safe stands. I threw away my ratcheting units years ago.

Posted by: tomh Mar 27 2017, 05:11 PM

We all shoud be finishing our cars by now and throw away all jacks and jack stands for good.
I did!

Posted by: Mark Henry Mar 27 2017, 09:04 PM

QUOTE(tomh @ Mar 27 2017, 07:11 PM)

Posted by: tomh Mar 28 2017, 02:56 PM

Ya got me!!!!!
LOL

Posted by: Justinp71 Mar 28 2017, 04:07 PM

These are great jackstands! I'd love to have a lift, but not in the cards yet...