Harbor Freight jackstands recalled!, Could collapse under weight! Options

[76-914]

https://youtu.be/G7_Aa8pbM7Y

Click bait video.

"ha ha it totally failed" -- After he hooked a pry bar under it and then exerted substantial force on the pry bar without measuring the force on the bar and calculating the total force exterted on the jack stand lever.

Later in the video he goes on to show that it isn't easy to accidentally release. What also isn't considered is that a failure of 1 jackstand probably won't kill you. Could it?

Yes, in just the right scenaro but the weight would not crush to the ground and the other 3 stands would still bear weight. Now if you're only using 1 jack stand and working directly below it, that is just asking for trouble. I almost always back up a single jackstand with another.

News Flash: working the the garage around heavy objects and power tools can be dangerous. Even full on two post and 4 post hoists have been known to fail unexpectedly. Extremely rare but it has happened. Standing under a two ton object is inherently dangerous to a degree.

If we don't take responsibility for our own safety and actions, expect a set of jackstands to soon cost $500 to cover corporate liability and the costs of frivilous lawsuits.

This sort of "experiment" makes a well proven jack stand design appear to be critically flawed though intentional misuse. Sort of like when NBC news was caught using ignitors to ensure that a "test crash" caught on camera would result in a firery crash.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-199...1335-story.html

Just for clarity -- I'm not against pin type either!

Well said. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Steve]

I know this has been discussed before with some gruesome pictures... but who in there right mind would use ratcheting jack stands? Most people use the ones with the pins. To easy to kick that lever and have the car fall on you.

Sorry if I ruffled any feathers!! Back in the late 70's with my first 914, I was very young and much skinnier. I remember using the lever type jack stand as something to push against with my foot to get leverage to break loose a frozen nut. I realized i was pushing against the lever with my foot. No the jack did not come down, but it freaked me out, so I bought the pin type. Even with the pin type I am still very careful not to rock the car or touch the jack. I also now have a Bendpack scissor lift, so i rarely use jack stands anymore.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif)

[Carbon-14]

Jackstands Recall
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/bu...-of-collapsing/
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act...t&id=359643
https://www.foxnews.com/auto/454000-harbor-...isk-of-collapse
My standard operating procedure was to wire them shut, with baling or fence wire.
I inspected every set I purchased, and found the manufacturing tolerances poor, the cast serrations and toggle interface too easily tripped by the slightest movement of the toggle handle.
Frightening to think of what could happen in a failure.
https://www.princessauto.com/en/search?Dy=1...;Ntt=jackstands
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911...er-porsche.html
Bags
https://www.santiam.net/matjack_low_pressur...fting_bags.html
https://www.holmatro.com/en/industrial/lifting-bag-hlb-16

[jdamiano]

Who needs expensive Harbor Freight jack stands anyways. These fine fellows surely don’t.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/2782174363052...e&ref=share

[Superhawk996]

Who needs expensive Harbor Freight jack stands anyways. These fine fellows surely don’t.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/2782174363052...e&ref=share

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/yikes.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/yikes.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/givemebeer.gif) Watch this (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif)

[Coondog]

[Cairo94507]

My brother had 2 of the 6 ton red/blk jack stands he bought from HF a while ago. Still looked like new. Went to HF in Pleasant Hill to do the recall and they said, "Those are not our jack stands"- despite having the exact same jack stands sitting on the shelf. He pointed that out and he said "Those are new ones. They have only been red for 90 days." He had bought mine from HF probably 1-2 years ago. He said, "Great. Thanks. Have a nice weekend." Went home and tossed them in the recycle can. He didn't want to give them to anyone that could end up being hurt if they failed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Rufus]

For anyone who’s interested, here’s a link to the recall:

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2020/RCLRPT-20E016-6561.PDF

[PlaysWithCars]

Who needs expensive Harbor Freight jack stands anyways. These fine fellows surely don’t.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/2782174363052...e&ref=share

, I've made some sketchy decisions in the past, but this one goes WAY beyond my ability to rationalize the risk.

I use the ratchet jacks, and will continue to when needed (although the 2-post I installed this weekend should minimize the need (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) ). I have had zero problems with the ratchet style for 20yrs until about 6 months ago when I discovered one of the stands I was getting ready to set the car onto wasn't fully engaged. Had never experienced this before but am very aware of it now and I suspect that what I experienced is the root of the problems others have had. When I raise the post on the stand the pawl ratcheted just as it always had, but it didn't drop all of the way back into the catch on the post. As I was setting the car down I noticed that the release lever on one stand was not in the same position as the other 3. Further inspection revealed that it wasn't fully seated. This was an older stand and some foreign material was creating drag on the release pivot so that gravity was not enough to return it to the fully engaged position. All of my stands received a thorough cleaning and lube following that. They are all now functioning as new, but I'll always check the position of the release lever before putting a load on them.

For what its worth, I've had similar experiences with pin type stands. After setting the height then moving them, the pin worked its way part way out and was only engaging one half of the stand. Same procedure with them now: make sure the protrusion of the pin is as expected before setting a load on them.

As Superhawk said, working under a load is dangerous and its up to the user to be aware of the proper operation of the equipment and check it before putting yourself in danger.

[VaccaRabite]

For what its worth, I've had similar experiences with pin type stands. After setting the height then moving them, the pin worked its way part way out and was only engaging one half of the stand. Same procedure with them now: make sure the protrusion of the pin is as expected before setting a load on them.

As Superhawk said, working under a load is dangerous and its up to the user to be aware of the proper operation of the equipment and check it before putting yourself in danger.

The pin types I have have safety pins on the pins so that can't happen.
Unless you don't use the safety pins.

Always check your load and gear!
Zach

[Root_Werks]

Just so we are clear, the guy that was under his 914 when a pawl style jack stand failed was a World member and Admin.

When Gint had his incident that was when I shoved my pawl types under a workbench and bought several pin types.

Zach

I remember that, also the day I placed my pawl types in the metal recycle and bought 4 sets of pin types.

[mountainroads]

Generally speaking you can't get the pin kind at Walmart, FLAPS, or Harbor Freight. And when you can they are way more expensive. To get the pin type you are suddenly bumped into shop tools, and they are out of the price range of the guy just wanting to change his oil.

So, the vast majority of people that use jackstands use the pawl type. And those people are better off then the even larger majority that don't use anything at all.

Zach

I MUST be missing something. How the hell can jack stands with a mechanical ratcheting mechanism be less expensive than stands with a simple pin? I have multiple basic pin-type sets that I've acquired over the years. None cost more than available ratcheting types. Frankly, I'm not a big HF fan for several reasons, unless you want a throw-away tool you can abuse a few times with a clear conscience and then toss when it craps out on you. Certainly nothing safety-related.

- MR

[beech4rd]

We don't need no stinking' jackstands! We're Porsche guys!

However, it's always a good idea to place the wheels below the car lest anything goes wrong.

[Unobtanium-inc]

Looks like the new ones aren't much better.

https://www.yahoo.com/autos/replacement-har...-180000215.html