This is why we always use jack stands

[topher5150]

COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP—

A 23-year-old man from Kalamazoo County was killed Sunday night when a vehicle he was working on slipped off the jack and fell, pinning him underneath it.

The Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Department says that Kustis Chaivre was working on the car at his house at 6538 East ML Avenue.

Family members left the house and came back at about 8:30 p.m. They found Chaivre pinned beneath the vehicle. They jacked it up, pulled him out and started CPR, but those efforts to save his life did not succeed. Chaivre was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:00 p.m.

Comstock Township Fire Department responded to the accident, along with the sheriff's office.

http://www.fox17online.com/news/fox...n-car-slips-off-jack-20110411,0,7396058.story

 

[chris2523]

its also why someone else is with you when your under a car..

 

[NoLimit95]

I hate getting under a car. Hate it! When I do, I have 4 ton jack stands under the front, 2 ton stands under the rear, blocks under the tires and the jack that got it all up there and another jack if it's not going to be in the way of what I'm doing.

If I'm ever in a shop with a lift, I refuse to walk under one. I have never heard of one falling but it would be my luck. I have been under the edge but if I hear a click, I'm out from under there with quickness. When I do get under one after I set it up, I always have a phone on me and bluetooth if possible. Sometimes those get in the way.

 

[BAD97LSC]

well a lift is much different because there are locks on all lifts so if the hydraulic system fails the car will only fall to the lock, which is usually only an inch or 2, a jack is much more unsafe to trust, i dont ever get under my cars if my jack is the only thing holding it up, i knew a guy in the lowrider scene when i was in it that trusted a jack only and the same thing happened to him, his truck fell on him in the garage he was face down against the garage floor and no one was home to hear him, by the time someone found him he was dead too.

 

[Calabrio]

I always throw the tires under the car with me for good measure too... If the stands fail, the wheels might get damaged, but there will be enough room to breath.

 

[n8bachelor]

I always throw the tires under the car with me for good measure too... If the stands fail, the wheels might get damaged, but there will be enough room to breath.

A great rule of thumb if you are working on one corner and don't need jackstands under the whole thing.

Even if you have it all up in the air it is wise to have some insurance!

 

[Bob Hubbard]

The only time I would use jack stands is if I am doing brake work.
Any other time working under the vehicle, I use 4 ramps, and it gives 24" of space to work on just about anything, and with good quality, correct load rated ramps, it is a lot safer than stands.
I have heard some say that ramps collapse.
That may be true in some cases, but I would venture to say the collapse was due to owner negligence in not using the correct load rated ramp for the weight of the vehicle.

Bob.

 

[Titan]

I like to slip the tire under the frame too, for one wheel stuff, but Bobs' right, it's nice to have a solid set of ramps under the wheels if your working under the car.

Being in California I get thoughts of "I hope we don't have an earthquake right now" sometimes though, regardless of how things are set up.

I was working in the basement of a three story apartment house in Valljo, built in the twenties, and looking at the foundation all I could think about was getting out of there ASAP!!!

 

[The omen]

This thread makes me remember about a guy at Amtrak (where I work) who was under a piece of equipment (100,000lbs) that fell on his head NOT a pretty site to say the least! I always take extra precautions when working under a car or truck.......but I haven't been able to do that since my accident

 

[isaiah3g]

Dang,that is horrible. My uncle was killed because someone else didnt place the jack stand correct on a firetruck they loaded onto an 18 wheeler trailer.

I also had a S-10 almost cut my legs off while doing a brake job on the front. the truck twisted on the jack and fell. scared the poopy out of me.

 

[mespock]

I've used Bob's method a few times ...

But here are a pic when a friend of mine tried to balance his pickup on two Jacks so he could rotate tires ...

When it tipped he was on a creeper trying to put a jack stand under it ...

 

[marked8]

If I'm ever in a shop with a lift, I refuse to walk under one. I have never heard of one falling but it would be my luck. I have been under the edge but if I hear a click, I'm out from under there with quickness. When I do get under one after I set it up, I always have a phone on me and bluetooth if possible. Sometimes those get in the way.

YouTube - Oversized Truck falls off of lift.

YouTube - Car Falls Off Lift!!!

YouTube - AFTER ALL AUTO REPAIR: VEHICLE FALLS OFF LIFT AND PINS A MAN: PART 1

This is my favorite:

YouTube - truck falls off lift

 

[ford nut]

I've used Bob's method a few times ...

But here are a pic when a friend of mine tried to balance his pickup on two Jacks so he could rotate tires ...

When it tipped he was on a creeper trying to put a jack stand under it ...

Did he make it out?

I had a car fall off of stands when installing headers once.
The header saved my life.
I wiggled the dam car off the stand, header wedged with just enough room for me to wiggle out and put on new undies.

Young and dumb.

I NEVER get under a car with out shaking the piss out of it after stands are installed.

 

[SoonerLS]

When I was 19 or 20, I was getting ready to install new rear shocks on my Galaxie, and had it up on the bumper jack while I was taking a look at everything. I'd blocked the front wheels, but they slipped while I was under the car, and the car started rolling forward off the jack. My dad, who'd seen the whole thing, said he'd never seen me move as fast as I did when I was scrambling out from under that falling behemoth...

My four-post lift isn't always the most convenient thing, but at least I don't have to worry about vehicles falling off of it while its lifting platform is raised...