Just a reminder to ALWAYS use Jack stands when working under your vehicles. Do NOT rely on your hydraulic Jack or tire Jack. One of my neighbors died under his mustang s few years back. Here is another local fatality.

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But let me go a step further

Have a back up to the jack stands.

Leave a jack in place - just in case. Or, leave a tire underneath. Something else to buy an extra factor of safety. Sometimes I’ll double up jack stands

I’m a scaredy-cat. I always shove something extra under the car. A couple spare tires or similar.

Super Beetle tried to kill me, now I chalk any tires still on the ground.

Should also add - no cinder blocks - EVER!

In case I wasn’t clear - cinder blocks are not a substitute for jack stands

Keep yourself safe

I don't trust the "tippyness"of jack stands.
I always block up with solid wood. I have foot long chunks of RR tie for that purpose.

Very unfortunate news. This is why I don’t have a drink until after the major work is done.


-Ed

Just today I went to slide under my teener that’s on blocks and thought I don’t need to spend the 5 seconds it takes to roll my floor jack 1’ and pump it up under my engine bar. But as always thought better of it and did, that’s no way to die for sure, poor guy and his family.

I use cinder blocks routinely but use a 2x10 or 2 on top never had a problem

Agree use both if you can.

pin-type stands too. avoid ratcheting ones...

You can never be too careful when you are about to crawl under a car. Even though the 914 is only 2,000 pounds....I can't lift it if it falls on me. I have a scissor lift and even when using it I always rest it on the steel locks and never leave it on the hydraulics.

There is a YouTube video that tests a story of a guy releasing ratchet stands accidentally while under a 914. He proves it’s possible. I ordered new ones with safety pins after watching it.

Or get a lift. It's a cheap insurance policy.

I hate getting under cars, even to just do an oil change. My jack stands are ratchet type and I've been meaning to get some pin-type stands. I do keep the jack up and place wheels under if I'm doing brake work since the wheels are off anyway. In general though I try to avoid going under a car on stands, just freaks me out even though I do it once in a while.

I've been jacking the car up, sliding ramps under the rear wheels, then also using jackstands and the jack. Still makes me uncomfortable...

After someone here on the forum recommended them, I got a set of these double locking jack stands. I really like them. Best of both worlds and very solid.

https://us.amazon.com/Torin-Big-Steel-Jack-...RXR6G5M5D7X6SPH

Guilty as charged on this one

Ranger can do a oil change with out jacking up the truck
But 07 focus needs to be lifted on 1 side for oil change
I use a 3 ton jack for a half ton job as a kind of safety measure and my jack stands are harbor freight
But i do still use them as a saftey catch
Going to switch to low profile ramps in the future


I helped my buddy do an oil change on his huge buick
La cross and it needed to be jacked up to access the bottom . just used the 3 ton jack ( and i was a bit nervous) but i guess a 1/2 ton focus will kill you just as quick as a 3 ton buick ......






Ive jacked up and jack standed the 914 only once to
Do the door close test . it passed
And 914 gets worked on at air cooled specialist
(never me)

What do you mean about chalk tires? Sorry if I am a newb.

Buck

Sure Grip Wheel and Tire Chocks Protect Against Runaway Vehicle Accidents for Trucks, Construction Equipment, Buses, Aircraft and other Heavily Loaded Vehicles.

makes it so the tires will not roll

Bob B

Would this be the same for a QuickJack since it already has positive locks at two different mounting heights off of the hydraulics? Or should you add jack stands as a secondary back up?

Me too. Big time wuss. Not a way that I want to go.

It never hurts to be extra cautious.
I always have something extra under the car when I’m under.
If you use a lift, you always want to lift a couple inches and bounce both ends to make sure it’s not going to slide off.
Also be aware of weight shift when you drop an engine.

Even with a lift set on the safety locks I put a pole jack under the transmission. It may not save the car, but hopefully I will get extra time to get clear if the lift fails.

Somebody needs to let Gint know about this thread. He has intimate knowledge and experience with this subject.

I put mine up on the newer plastic type ramps, is this considered very safe?

I have a Quickjack but also stick these under the tires. There used to level RVs
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Wheel chocks and Esco jack stands.

I trust my life with these things, they better be great quality.

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I always use jack stands except the other day I forgot and climbed under a car at work and it suddenly dropped about 2” while I was under it. The floor jack must be starting to fail. Took about 15 minutes for my heart rate to settle down before I could get back under it with jack stands installed. I was lucky.

Check out race ramps.
raceramps.com

And not just 1 jack stand, or any type.

Besides good jack stands, I always put the removed tire/wheel(s) under the car as a back up.

Nothing like that. Just for general maintenance and cleaning.

For oil changes and clutch cable adjustments and other small stuff I use ramps. Have pin jackstands when the wheels come off and always chock the tires. Got some great chocks at Harbor Freight. Also when the wheel/s are off, they go under the car for extra insurance. Life as you know it can change in a blink of an eye, don’t force the blink.

Or milk crates

I have a QuickJack and qlways use stands as a backup. Worth it for the peace of mind and extra margin of safety.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jp2DqnL3A1g

Not a bad idea

Disagree, I use them regularly but always have 2x12 on top so tires rest on solid wood.
When placed under tires, always have car in gear, emergency brake on and chicks.
I'm still alive !
Barefoot