Car slipped off the jack stand

[sugarwood]

Oil change. Jack the rear.

I used the side plate to jack up one side
Placed jack stand under the torsion bar end.
Jacked up the other side plate
Placed jack stand under the torsion bar end.

Changed the oil. 15mm. 30 ft/lbs. 10 qts.

Time to lower the car to the ground
Raised passenger side and removed the jack stand
Lowered passenger side to the ground

After a few seconds the driver's side slipped off the jack stand.
Luckily, jack stand was just sitting freely in the large cavity near torsion bar end.
Jacked up the driver's side and removed the jack stand.

This has never happened before. Maybe I jacked it a bit higher than normal ?
Next time I will closely eyeball the jack stand saddle and make sure there is a lot of torsion bar protrusion onto the saddle.

Normally, I jack the rear from the engine, and place/remove both jackstands at once, but I forgot about that method this time.
That is a more stable method.

[porsche930dude]

Yeah jacking is always sketchy. Thats why I use ramps. Even if it needs to be jacked up you wont have to jack it as much

[GothingNC]

Wow !
Glad you are OK.

I am able to change the oil on my Targa with all 4 wheels on the ground.

[pmax]

Woah, with one side lowered to the ground, I wonder if the jackstand toppled over due to the side forces.

In any case, shouldn't have to jack both sides up to change the oil.

[walt]

Done it that way dozens of times and never an issue. Jack stands at highest setting? If so, I usually lower in increments from side to side.

[stownsen914]

Glad it ended safely at least! Sounds like no damage to the car either, which is good.

I'm not too happy jacking up one side of a car when the other side is on jackstands. Precisely to avoid what you experienced, it just feels unstable. Not saying it can't be done, I'm sure it's done all the time.

[Bill Douglas]

Scary.

Take care, we need you around this place.

[HarryD]

Glad there was only minimal drama.

I have had what I believe to be a few close calls like this. What I see is when this happens the jack stand is on the outside edge of the torsion bar cover. If you raise the other side, it creates an angle that could cause the stand to slip off. I always check the stand after both sides are raised to verify they are as close to the body as possible.

[Schulisco]

I'm glad to hear that this had a happy ending...

Porsche recommends in the manuals only to use the Porsche jack lift for wheel change only and not to work under the car under any circumstances being the car jacked up with this.

When putting the car on car jack stands, only lift it under the engine with a trolley jack only before working under the car as our host also recommends. For an oil change I use oil change pan which fits underneath the car without jacking up.

Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsdoC-nctW8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h-vZ8R4LOI

Thomas

[David Inc.]

Jacking up a whole side then only putting a stand under the rear? I wouldn't do that, you're going to end up putting some torsion in the body as it's kind of doing a pirouette around the jack stand as it settles.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by Schulisco

When putting the car on car jack stands, only lift it under the engine

Normally, I jack the rear from the engine, and place/remove both jack stands at once, but I forgot about that method this time. That is a more stable method.

[eastbay]

Jacks are so cheap now, just use 2, one on each side.

[EC900]

Jacking has been a sketchy issue for me, always checking movements of the floor jack after a couple pumps up, watching the lift plate for movement or sliding, examine if chocks are snug, I’m never confident jacking this buggy up. Never going to get easy and nonchalant, it’s just a slow process for an awkward lift point especially in a tight garage.

For the work Im limited to do, usually I lift only one rear side anyway, front no problem.
Besides a progression of wood 2x10 boards to make an easy up ramp, getting enough room underneath to slide underneath isn’t much.

I read somewhere that placing the jack stands inboard on the torsion tube was safer that outboard. I’ve never done this method even for one side lift.

[PCA7GGR]

Had a QuickJack for a while. Stored under the car and fairly easy to set up and use. At 72 w/ shot back and arthritis, decide that spending time under cars is coming to an end. Sold the QuickJack and went with Jackpoint jackstands - easy set for oil changes on the GT3.

Don’t need to jack up the Benz nor Subi - both have the oil filter topside and use an dipstick extractor for the oil.

[OldSpool87]

Or next time send me a text and come over and use my lift like when we did the fluid in your Subaru gear box!

[thetorch]

I would suggest using Raceramps wheel cradles. They make 5, 8, and 10" versions you put under the wheels, very light, very strong. If anything fails you won't get crushed.

A little pricey but what's your safety worth?

[fallingat120mph]

When I really started to get into doing things myself on my first 911 I remember thinking how uncomfortable I was under it with just traditional jack stands.

I don't have a lift anymore so now I use these for just about everything:



I still have two Summit Racing floor jacks and use four of these (facing opposite) and put under all four wheels. It lifts it up pretty good (I am 6' and 170lbs) and I fit under decent, but more important it just feels safer. I do not drive up the ramps just for clarity. Just use the two jacks and slide ramps under wheels, again, usually facing opposite.


Just did a new fuel pump, valve adjustment, installed new starter and oil return tubes replacement with them. Car sat up on them for nearly a week...

Glad no one was hurt or nothing damaged.


Erik

[fallingat120mph]

Originally Posted by thetorch

I would suggest using Raceramps wheel cradles. They make 5, 8, and 10" versions you put under the wheels, very light, very strong. If anything fails you won't get crushed.

A little pricey but what's your safety worth?

These have been recommended to me a few times. Agree with 'pricey' but they are very nice.

[pmax]

Originally Posted by thetorch

I would suggest using Raceramps wheel cradles. They make 5, 8, and 10" versions you put under the wheels, very light, very strong. If anything fails you won't get crushed.

A little pricey but what's your safety worth?

The numbers could be better.

[thetorch]

Originally Posted by pmax

The numbers could be better.

To be clear, it's 1500 lbs per wheel crib. 6,000 lbs for 4 wheels.