Axle stands

[premmington]

I do as @premmington does: proper axle stands, backed up by wheels placed under sills. And there's no point doing it occasionally: you need to do it every time or not at all. As he says, it may well allow time for someone to get the truck / car / trailer / whatever off you before you croak.

I even do it with light vehicles like a quad. More to retain the habit and to save the discs if I drop it, rather than it being necessary from a personal-safety perspective.

Tractor wheels are too difficult to manoeuvre so I use big oak blocks as back-up, like @8ob above.

Although beautifully made, I am slightly nervous of some of the hollow wooden boxes being used. However, perhaps they are appropriate for their use and I am just being a ninny due to my fear of getting a seven-ton tractor on my head...

Most railway sleepers were made from Oak.

The six blocks I got - I had cut at a saw mill on the Elveden to Culford road. Not sure if the saw mill still there...? I have had the blocks that long. Place had a tasteful wooden bungalow/house in front of it @Bornfree may know - he lives that way?

I remember the day I had them cut - old man came out in the yard asked me what I wanted - "I told him I wanted some wooden blocks of so and so dimensions in hard wood - not fussed on colour". He asked what I wanted them for - I told him...

Old man replied - "boy you need Lignum Vitae, wood as dense as Iron, I got some offcuts you can have cut to size for some cash".

Old man was right - I had never heard of Lignum Vitae up to that point - but these blocks are so heavy for the size it is unreal - I have had them for decades now - they have worn well - being dragged about. Be honest the wood is so dense - they don't really suck the oil and grease up.

 

[Bouledogue]

Most railway sleepers were made from Oak.

The six blocks I got - I had cut at a saw mill on the Elveden to Culford road. Not sure if the saw mill still there...? I have had the blocks that long. Place had a tasteful wooden bungalow/house in front of it @Bornfree may know - he lives that way?

I remember the day I had them cut - old man came out in the yard asked me what I wanted - "I told him I wanted some wooden blocks of so and so dimensions in hard wood - not fussed on colour". He asked what I wanted them for - I told him...

Old man replied - "boy you need Lignum Vitae, wood as dense as Iron, I got some offcuts you can have cut to size for some cash".

Old man was right - I had never heard of Lignum Vitae up to that point - but these blocks are so heavy for the size it is unreal - I have had them for decades now - they have worn well - being dragged about. Be honest the wood is so dense - they don't really suck the oil and grease up.

I am envious.

I've got a lignum vitae mallet somewhere that I inherited from my dad. He used it extensively and yet there are hardly any marks on it. The stuff is like steel.

It is also a very beautiful and expensive wood, isn't it? You should sell your blocks and retire a millionnaire to the Bahamas on the proceeds ...

 

[premmington]

I am envious.

I've got a lignum vitae mallet somewhere that I inherited from my dad. He used it extensively and yet there are hardly any marks on it. The stuff is like steel.

It is also a very beautiful and expensive wood, isn't it? You should sell your blocks and retire a millionnaire to the Bahamas on the proceeds ...

I can't recall them being expensive at the time - but I bought them in the late 80's - I really have had them that long.

I would agree with you on one thing @Bouledogue - the pictures of the nicely made softwood hollow blocks above - made me cringe a bit.

I want some solid church door grade timber blocks - between me and the floor if a motor comes off axle stands...

I have only ever had one vehicle off an axle stands in all these years - was levering a bottom ball joint down with six foot bar - mate was hitting hub with 4lb hammer - neither of us were under it - it came down on the "wheel under the sill" - held hubs off the ground.

 

[jimbo84]

Most railway sleepers were made from Oak.

The six blocks I got - I had cut at a saw mill on the Elveden to Culford road. Not sure if the saw mill still there...? I have had the blocks that long. Place had a tasteful wooden bungalow/house in front of it @Bornfree may know - he lives that way?

I remember the day I had them cut - old man came out in the yard asked me what I wanted - "I told him I wanted some wooden blocks of so and so dimensions in hard wood - not fussed on colour". He asked what I wanted them for - I told him...

Old man replied - "boy you need Lignum Vitae, wood as dense as Iron, I got some offcuts you can have cut to size for some cash".

Old man was right - I had never heard of Lignum Vitae up to that point - but these blocks are so heavy for the size it is unreal - I have had them for decades now - they have worn well - being dragged about. Be honest the wood is so dense - they don't really suck the oil and grease up.

I think there was some mention in a thread on here recently about lignum vitae being used for coppers truncheons.

I tried getting a new European oak sleeper cut to size at some local wood cutting places and even being new they refused incase any old nails/bolts etc wrecked their blades, fair enough on an old sleeper but they still wouldn’t risk it on the new one.

 

[Mick Annick]

My nearest sawmill specialises in oak railway sleepers, this lot cost me €5.00, they sell the offcuts by the IBC cage for firewood.

 

[harveyp6]

I think there was some mention in a thread on here recently about lignum vitae being used for coppers truncheons.

Lawn bowls used to be made from it as well. Even though they're not made from it now, they're still called "woods" because of it.

I think, possibly, maybe, could be 'appen...

 

[Seadog]

Most railway sleepers were made from Oak.

The six blocks I got - I had cut at a saw mill on the Elveden to Culford road. Not sure if the saw mill still there...? I have had the blocks that long. Place had a tasteful wooden bungalow/house in front of it @Bornfree may know - he lives that way?

I remember the day I had them cut - old man came out in the yard asked me what I wanted - "I told him I wanted some wooden blocks of so and so dimensions in hard wood - not fussed on colour". He asked what I wanted them for - I told him...

Old man replied - "boy you need Lignum Vitae, wood as dense as Iron, I got some offcuts you can have cut to size for some cash".

Old man was right - I had never heard of Lignum Vitae up to that point - but these blocks are so heavy for the size it is unreal - I have had them for decades now - they have worn well - being dragged about. Be honest the wood is so dense - they don't really suck the oil and grease up.

They're your pension fund

 

[Kram]

Its only a slight slope, and I will only be doing light works on it, tomorrow hopefully the exhaust replacement, weather permitting, its miserable out there at the moment!

I wouldnt be levering or hammering any suspension bits like that.


You all trust blocks of wood more than axle stands? Hmm I will grab some oak next time I work on one.

 

[premmington]

Its only a slight slope, and I will only be doing light works on it, tomorrow hopefully the exhaust replacement, weather permitting, its miserable out there at the moment!

I wouldnt be levering or hammering any suspension bits like that.


You all trust blocks of wood more than axle stands? Hmm I will grab some oak next time I work on one.

ECOSTAK 130 KIT 4 | Outriggerpads

www.outriggerpads.co.uk

You can go synthetic if you want but it is spendy.

Wooden blocks need rope handles threaded thru tubing or hose to make life easy...

 

[premmington]

I think there was some mention in a thread on here recently about lignum vitae being used for coppers truncheons.

I tried getting a new European oak sleeper cut to size at some local wood cutting places and even being new they refused incase any old nails/bolts etc wrecked their blades, fair enough on an old sleeper but they still wouldn’t risk it on the new one.

Not quite a "lead pipe" - but I would not want a lump of this dense wood around my head... It is really heavy and dense for a bit of wood.

 

[Bobupndown]

Not quite a "lead pipe" - but I would not want a lump of this dense wood around my head... It is really heavy and dense for a bit of wood.

Old school coppers used to drill the centre of their batons and fill them with lead.
Just writing that reminds me that I am now the 'old school copper', was issued with wooden baton when I joined!

 

[premmington]

Old school coppers used to drill the centre of their batons and fill them with lead.
Just writing that reminds me that I am now the 'old school copper', was issued with wooden baton when I joined!

This will make you laugh @Bobupndown - I try not to get fighting with a copper's ever.

You onto a looser - even if you sort the first van full out - they will just keep bringing more van fulls of them.

It's a numbers thing - if you work this out from the onset. Just smile - be nice and just let them nick you.

Be polite - name address DOB - no comment - tea no sugar.

Rolling round the floor - just gonna make it along day out...

 

[Bornfree]

Most railway sleepers were made from Oak.

The six blocks I got - I had cut at a saw mill on the Elveden to Culford road. Not sure if the saw mill still there...? I have had the blocks that long. Place had a tasteful wooden bungalow/house in front of it @Bornfree may know - he lives that way?

I remember the day I had them cut - old man came out in the yard asked me what I wanted - "I told him I wanted some wooden blocks of so and so dimensions in hard wood - not fussed on colour". He asked what I wanted them for - I told him...

Old man replied - "boy you need Lignum Vitae, wood as dense as Iron, I got some offcuts you can have cut to size for some cash".

Old man was right - I had never heard of Lignum Vitae up to that point - but these blocks are so heavy for the size it is unreal - I have had them for decades now - they have worn well - being dragged about. Be honest the wood is so dense - they don't really suck the oil and grease up.

The saw mill is still there. I think it has changed hands a couple of times. The house he built is amazing it's full wooden construction and built into the side of a hill. So the front has a high veranda and the back is at ground level.

 

[premmington]

The saw mill is still there. I think it has changed hands a couple of times. The house he built is amazing it's full wooden construction and built into the side of a hill. So the front has a high veranda and the back is at ground level.

@Bornfree - I do recall it was a smart wooden house in front of the saw mill...

Not been that way for years - used to go with Dad in a lorry to Bury livestock market (behind Woolworths).

Further on from the saw mill round a tight corner - dad used to point out a big flat roofed house and declare Telly Savalas the actor owns that one.

I like Bury St Eds. Me and wifey have had a few weekends away there over the years - Angel Hotel on Angel Hill - shopping/meals out - worlds smallest pub - day in the park is nice.

 

[Farside]

You all trust blocks of wood more than axle stands?

In the bus garage, the only stands were cubic lumps of timber. The buses were run over a pit and jacked up just a few inches, which was all that was needed for any job. Iirc, the cube lumps were about 15" a side.

 

[Cobbler]

I worked for a Morris dealership when I left school, when we took Mini engines & gearbox units out, we used to raise the front & stand it on big wood blocks under the floor. The floor used to deform a bit, so used to stamp it back straight.

 

[brightspark]

i use a big solid old epco jack and stands also chuck the car wheel under as well . my mates dad was crushed under a car without . found him 2 hours later

 

[Kram]

ECOSTAK 130 KIT 4 | Outriggerpads

www.outriggerpads.co.uk

You can go synthetic if you want but it is spendy.

Wooden blocks need rope handles threaded thru tubing or hose to make life easy...

Nope dont like the idea of that, a bit small compared to the wheels and no space for chocks, perhaps if it had a curved profile for the tyre to sit in, or the front brakes locked on? Atleast with axle stands nothing wants to rotate.

 

[premmington]

i use a big solid old epco jack and stands also chuck the car wheel under as well . my mates dad was crushed under a car without . found him 2 hours later

I personally know of no one - who has been crushed under a car. But it does happen - I have read the reports...

Sticking the wheels under the sills (or under the rear of the front subframe) - or an old set of narrow steel wheels - with tyres removed stacked and welded in pairs. Is just so simple. Use the axle stands for the main support and the wheels or blocks as the point of last resort. Steel wheels a nice solution - they got holes in the and don't catch water and they roll about with ease.

 

[Gritineye]

My mate working alone managed to get his head crushed under a car he was working on, trolley jack went down.

His head was quite a lot wider and funny colours till the swelling went down!

Very lucky chap.