![]() Wheel chocks are cheap, but if you don’t have one, a block of wood will work. If you’re lifting the entire front of the car, put chocks behind the back wheels. For example, if you’re raising the left rear corner of the car, stick the chock in front of the right front wheel. Basically, you want to stop all of the wheels from rolling on their own.įor good measure, stick a wheel chock behind the wheel or wheels opposite from where you’re lifting the car. ![]() Also make sure the transmission is in Park, or in first gear if it’s a manual transmission. ![]() If you must work on dirt, I’ve used a piece of plywood under the jack to prevent the ground from swallowing it up. If possible, make sure you’re on a paved surface as well so the jack and jack stands don’t sink into the soft ground. To prevent this, park on level ground, not on a hill. You certainly don’t want the car to start rolling away when you jack it up. Again, choose a jack that can handle twice as much weight as you’ll actually be lifting. Sometimes you can buy a floor jack and a pair of jack stands in one convenient package. ![]() It will also lift higher than the jack that comes with your car. The one that comes with your car is fine for roadside emergencies, but a good hydraulic floor jack is much easier to use. While you’re at the store, invest in a decent floor jack as well. I have a pair of taller three-ton jack stands that I use for my van instead. Even though they can handle the extra weight of my Ford E250 van, however, they are too short to reach the frame, even at full extension. For example, my two-ton jack stands work great with my Mazda 6 as shown here. If you have a larger or heavier truck or van, consider something a bit stronger. Most jack stands support at least two tons or 4,000 pounds, which will be fine for any vehicle weighing less than 8,000 pounds, or roughly 2,000 pounds per corner. They come in different sizes and weight ratings, so choose a pair (or two pairs if you plan to lift the entire car off the ground) that’s not too big or too small for your car.įor safety, choose jack stands rated to handle at least twice as much weight as they’ll actually be supporting. You can buy jack stands anywhere that sells tools and auto parts. Jacks can fail, and if you’re down there when that happens you’re going to have a bad day. Never crawl under a car supported only by a jack. A jack will take care of that, but jack stands are critical for supporting the car and keeping you safe while you’re under there.Įven if you don’t need to crawl under the car, you should still use jack stands anytime you jack up your car. Most of us aren’t skinny enough to crawl under there, so we need to raise the car to reach these items. Many auto repair and maintenance tasks, from changing your oil to replacing your brakes or exhaust, need to be done from underneath your car. Always check the user guides for all of your equipment before use and follow all workplace safety guidelines.Want to stay safe while getting down and dirty with your car? Here’s how to put a car on jack stands before you dive in. Just because your jack hasn’t failed before doesn’t mean that it never will. While it may seem inefficient or even inconvenient in the moment, it is important to remember that jack stands are just as important as the jacks themselves. In fact, there are multiple fatalities reported every year that are clearly linked to the failure to use a jack stands. However, the cost of damage caused by one vehicle hitting the ground, or worse, a workplace injury would immediately negate any perceived benefit. They say that it is a waste of time (and therefore money) to properly set a load on a stand. The most common reason given for neglecting the use of jack stands is efficiency. Users that fail to utilize jack stands are risking financial and bodily harm by doing so. Jack stands, on the other hand, are purpose-built to reliably hold static loads during routine maintenance. The idea that you can leave a heavy truck on a jack for an extended period of time with no repercussions is a myth and one that could cost the user dearly. All it takes is one blown seal for the entire system to lose pressure causing the load to drop. They use hydraulics to lift and are susceptible to failure if left under constant pressure, especially if not properly maintained. Jacks are designed to raise a load not hold it. Jack stands are an essential part of vehicle lifting. That could not be further from the truth. They assume that nothing can go wrong and that doing something as simple as using a jack stand is just a waste of time. However, because of how reliable modern jacks have become, users frequently disregard basic safety precautions. They are powerful tools that make the task of lifting thousands of pounds seem mundane. Jacks are a staple of any workshop or garage.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |