Reminder - Axle Stands [Archive] - Saxperience

Paul

7th April 2010, 23:42

I'm constantly under the car. The other day i was tightening up the lower engine mount.

I always use axle stands but this time i decided its a two minute jobbie, so whacked the car up with the jack.

Luckily the wheels were on, i put two bricks under the front tyres and handbreak was off.

The jack failed (own fault for leaving it out over night like a nob :detective:) car fell down onto the bricks and started rolling forward (off the bricks) i managed to push the car backwards back onto the middle of the bricks. Wiggled from underneath, got handbrake on, and jacked it back up with a different jack.

Just an eye opener for everyone, it could of been much worst.

I normally always use axle stands but lately i have been getting lazy.

On the other hand, mint adrenaline rush! :panic:

From now on i will ALWAYS use axle stands.

Noddy

7th April 2010, 23:46

You were VERY lucky there! I always use stands for that reason, hope others now see that it can happen and will follow suit.

mardiGRANT

7th April 2010, 23:46

Swapped a gearbox over today no axle stands, fucking dumb and car kept moving. Eventually stuck the wheels that were off under the sills. But thats still not going to help a lot. Play safe kids

Saxo-SX

7th April 2010, 23:47

Debating whether to get some now, there only £15 in halfords. Unfortunately work dont sell any so no discount.

Will have all 4 wheels of the car tomorrow while im refurbing them. So the car will be left on 3 x jacks and one spare wheel.

Obviously I wont be underneath the car so no real danger, but still dont want to damage the car if any of the jacks fail (there all at least 12 years old)

mardiGRANT

7th April 2010, 23:53

The jack ive got at home was a christmas present this year but it still stilts because its not very wide,so I need to get some stands even though my jack is brand new.

LeeM

7th April 2010, 23:55

Paul

7th April 2010, 23:55

Can pick up axle stands for the price of a crate of beer these days.

Definately worth it guys :y:

I know when i was under the car and heard the horrible creaking noise i would of paid 10x the price for one axle stand lol.

Lee, you coming the b.pool meet tomorrow mate?

Saxo-SX

7th April 2010, 23:57

Yeh I think I'll go for the safer option. The jacks were from the megane and 2 saxo's so probably wont be the best anyway.

Can always put them back in the box and take them back after the job haha.

Saxo-SX

7th April 2010, 23:59

Is there anywere cheaper than £15 at Halfords that people know of?

Needs to be in-store not online because I need them tomorrow.

Paul

8th April 2010, 00:59

Have a search on google mate, you can pick them up for less than a tenner these days :y:

but the £15 halfords set is pretty decent price any how.

Barry123

8th April 2010, 01:18

fucking lucky there Paul. I still pap myself everytime I'm under my car, with axle stands or not.

Spanky

8th April 2010, 16:31

i allways use axle stands if im going to be under the car but just keep it on the jack if im doing the brakes for example

bide_furio

8th April 2010, 16:36

i use them if under the car! always! worth spendin 2 mins extra gettin ready if i could save ya life!

claff

8th April 2010, 16:40

jacks are so weak when your putting sideward force into the car like when your tightening a bolt or pulling something, theyre not designed for it.. i used to do work like oil change under the car with a jack but after some stories i heard its always axle stand jobby anytime im under the car.

s555dan

8th April 2010, 17:30

Bleeeding heck mate that was a close one! Makes you think twice eh.

My cousin works at a garage, he was under a car on the four poster and asked his colleague to lower the ramp while he was still under it. But the ramp failed and kept coming down, it crushed his chest but luckily enough his mate hit the emergency stop and saved his life!!!

Simo

8th April 2010, 19:09

Close shave there Paul - a useful reminder for everyone. Thanks for posting!

I too no longer trust jacks... not even the 2T trolley jacks. They twist easily too. I always use axle stands, or the 5T garage-style trolley jack, I bought from Halfords the year before last - that rocks! :A:

Axle stands can be a little dodgy too, especially if you're raising the car up HIGH, as when you get one under, the car will move when you jack the other side up.

Play safe...

Jordysport

8th April 2010, 19:26

i own 20 axle stands so i never run out!! :D

James106

8th April 2010, 22:45

Lol silly question.... But you know you jack it up on the jacking point... where to you put the stands?

As obviously the jack is int the way? lol

am i just missing the point or something?

Saxo-SX

8th April 2010, 22:58

Lol silly question.... But you know you jack it up on the jacking point... where to you put the stands?

As obviously the jack is int the way? lol

am i just missing the point or something?

If its the front wheels sometimes you can jack the back end up and get the axle stands under at the front. This wouldnt work with my jack because it wont go high enough.

I did mine today, and I jacked the car up using a bit that looked sturdy that was close to the jacking point. (Not recommended but I couldnt think of another way)

Thanks for the advice anyway Paul, the wheels were off for a good few hours and I dont know what state my car might have been in now if I had of left the car on old jacks. And for the sake of £15 im sure they'll come in useful in the future.

LSOfreak

8th April 2010, 23:09

deans2k8

9th April 2010, 01:54

i own 3 jacks, got 1 RAC one which is about 8months old...utter crap! doesn't go high enough, twists very easily..once one of the casters came off it! i hardly use this unless i have to, my other jack is a really old one never failed on me or my dad and it is about 25 years old goes high gets the job done and has never budged,twisted and always is reliable..left my car up on it outside for 3 days and still did not fail...will keep this jack as long as i have cars lol :)

craig180

9th April 2010, 11:59

I find reversing onto ramps then Jacking up the front and just using 2 axle stands the best way to work under mine.

Remember, if you're using 4 stands, the chances are only 3 are touching the car at any time unless it's on a perfectly level ground and the stands are identical in height adjustment.

Close shave dude.

I've had one of the saxo jacks fail on me before and bend sending the car sideways towards me. Not something you want to see when you're between that and another car on a narrow driveway.

DANKZii

9th April 2010, 12:17

Im looking to get the halfords kit later, with a trolley jack and 2 axle stands ...
Whats the best way/place to jack the car up and then put the axle stands under the rear?
Cheers.

Barry123

9th April 2010, 12:51

Axle stands can be a little dodgy too, especially if you're raising the car up HIGH, as when you get one under, the car will move when you jack the other side up.

This is my beef... I've had times where the axle stand was leaning on two instead of 3 legs... I've taken to just raising the car by one notch on each and continuously going round the car until the car is high enough to work under.

Take ages, but I don't fancy having my brains oozing out of my freshly squeezed head.

KamRacing

9th April 2010, 13:16

I use two trolley jacks at once, jacking each side up gradually, the trolley jacks are able to move as the car does. Easy :D

Kev

Saxo-SX

10th April 2010, 21:34

i look forward to tomorrows thread.

Hahahaha ..... http://www.saxperience.com/forum/showthread.php?t=304997

I had one side at the front on an axel stand, then I jacked the car up to put the front wheel back on and remove the axel stand from underneath the car.

As I did this, the jack tipped over, the car then fell down and knocked the axel stand onto its side and crushed it. Which left the front disc brake resting on the floor :wall:

Trolley jack is definately on the to buy list.