Axle stands

[londonsean69]

OK, so me mum's fraud fester has a problem with the handbrake, and I need to get underneath the car.

I bought some nice new 3 Ton axle stands (2 pairs) with the idea of putting the entire car up on stands.

When I glanced at the destructions, they said you should only support one end of the car at a time, and not jack it up completely

Anyone know why, or are they just covering themselves?

Cheers

Sean

 

[fingers99]

There is a risk of it falling off the stands if entirely off the floor with a fairly gentle knock. If you do go ahead with that, put some crush protection (wheels, maybe) between yourself and the car.

But most of the time it's enough to just use two to provide access to one side (or one end) of the car.

 

[wildmalc]

I wont recommend using four stands, whilst working underneath the car. Its an accident waiting to happen.

However you can jack one side of the car up rather than the front or rear. That way you can get nicely underneath the full length of the vehicle and you should be able to check the cables running to the rear hubs easily.

Always use some form of crush protection, e.g. spare wheel etc. You'll only get this setup wrong once

Hope that helps

 

[malcolm]

Commercial axle stands don't seem all that stable. I made some of my own for my projects. Very often I have a chassis or a car in bits on 4 stands, but the car would fall off if someone leant heavily on one side. For repairs I'll only be working at one end or one side, and it's helpful to angle the car by using only 2 axle stands.

In either case it makes good safety sense to have a couple of wheels or a trolley jack underneath to catch the car if it falls.

Someone around here once dropped an Aston Martin off a set of stands. Sump and radiator cracked as it hit the ground. Fortunately his head wasn't underneath at the time so we only had to clean up 20L of oil mixed with a load of water. Even for lighter cars falling less badly there's a likelihood of being trapped and blood poisoning from the crushing.

The advantage of 2 wheels on the ground is you can chock them which adds to stability. Also it makes it easier to position the emergency car support as the car shouldn't move so far if it drops.

 

[fingers99]

On Cinqs (barely smaller than the Fester but much more powerful! ) I find I can easily replace handbrake cables with just the rear end in the air.

 

[zzr1200]

If you use good quality axle stands on a solid level surface with good positioning theres no reason why you shouldn't have it on 4 stands.

We used to leave vehicles totally supported on stands while we pulled all the wheels, axles, engine and gearboxes out.

 

[hareng]

Axle stands, cant be arsed to drag the robust ones made out of handrailing. Think the last time they were used was when made another turbo downpipe and twin exhaust.
Jack is sufficient for most things.
Got an XR4X4 handbrake rear cable doing nowt.

 

[jugs]

Axle stands, cant be arsed to drag the robust ones made out of handrailing. Think the last time they were used was when made another turbo downpipe and twin exhaust.
Jack is sufficient for most things.
Got an XR4X4 handbrake rear cable doing nowt.

No you should NEVER be under a vehicle only suported on a jack
They can collapse without warning. ( we've just buried a local lad who was "just doing a quicky")

 

[hareng]

You are right, they have mechanical rams with seals that theoretically could go at any time. Other than that they can twist and collapse known it for decades, all dependant on what needed doing.
I certainly wouldnt get under a machine in effect no difference, thanks for putting me right.

Can be a bit limited in that area, sods law where you slap the two stands is where you wanna be. Chock the front wheels as well. Carefull how you raise and lower one side when other on a stand, its most prone to movement.

 

[londonsean69]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I didn't realise it would be soo unstable, but having had a look at the stands, they aren't really the strongest looking in the world (OK for occasional use)

I'll just jack 1 side and see if I can get enough access.

If not, a friend of a friend is a tyre centre manager, so I'll chuck it up on their ramps.

Thanks again guys

Sean

 

[shenion]

If I need to raise the whole vehicle, I'll use ramps on one end and stands on the other. I usually put the jack under there somewhere too just in case.

 

[londonsean69]

If I need to raise the whole vehicle, I'll use ramps on one end and stands on the other. I usually put the jack under there somewhere too just in case.

Now 'that' sounds like a plan, as I do also have a set of ramps.

 

[drjim]

I tend to use ramps, four axle stands, and as I have a big wheeled gantry with chain hoist, a lifting strap under the car just in case. Then I take something big like some wheels under there with me as well.

At the moment my project is a bare shell that I can lift up one end single handed so the above measures are overkill. Will be gaining suspension engine etc soon, so precautions important once again.

 

[hotrodder]

If I need to raise the whole vehicle, I'll use ramps on one end and stands on the other. I usually put the jack under there somewhere too just in case.

Likewise. IMO the dangerous bit of using 4 jackstands is getting the car on the second pair- that's when it's very easy to knock it off. If i want to use 4 stands i put one end on ramps first and replace them with stands after lifting the other end onto stands

 

[Cran]

We used to leave vehicles totally supported on stands while we pulled all the wheels, axles, engine and gearboxes out.

That's fine if no one is going under the car...

If you want to work under it get something else under it to stop it crushing anyone if it does fall off. I use 2 spare wheels (with tyres) stacked on top of each other and slid under the car next to each jack/stand.

 

[zzr1200]

That's fine if no one is going under the car...

How do you think mechanics used to change clutches in (transit type) vans before vehicle lifts and transmission jacks were standard equipment in garages, on axle stands and on their backs....

If you want to work under it get something else under it to stop it crushing anyone if it does fall off. I use 2 spare wheels (with tyres) stacked on top of each other and slid under the car next to each jack/stand.

If professional quality axle stands are used on a flat floor and positioned correctly, it may move a little bit but won't fall off. Remember axle stands are designed to support the weight.

I've used axle stands for 35 years now to support vehicles from 3 pin plugs up to 8 wheel tippers with bodies partly raised and all wheels/hubs removed, plus differrent bits of plant. I've have yet too see a vehicle fall off a set of axle stands, fallen of jacks and even 2 post vehicle lifts, yes.

Use the right tool for the job, a set of axle stands on a level solid floor and positioned correctly will support a vehicle safely.