Jack stand accident while under a Porsche....

[sballard]

After reading this thread last night, I went out ot my garage and stood on top of one of my new Harbor Freight 6,000 lb jack stands (which looks exactly like the one in the thread) . I reached down and pulled up on the handle. The bar dropped like a stone and dumped me on my ass. I'll never feel safe under my car again.

[PSJoyce]

I haven’t really trusted my fifteen or so year old jack stands, so this is a good push to think about safety. How about the AC Hydraulic 3000N Heavy Duty Jack Stands or 3000NFP Flat Top Jack Stands offered by Pelican? They look substantial, although they have only three legs. For a 1985 without the flat support areas, would the saddle or flat top version be better?

Paul

[defcon65]

Originally posted by sballard
After reading this thread last night, I went out ot my garage and stood on top of one of my new Harbor Freight 6,000 lb jack stands (which looks exactly like the one in the thread) . I reached down and pulled up on the handle. The bar dropped like a stone and dumped me on my ass. I'll never feel safe under my car again.

While you may be able to pull up against your own weight and release the locking pawl, I doubt you would be physically able to repeat the experiment with 1000 lbs resting on the saddle. Maybe someone with a hydraulic press could verify...

[dan79brooklyn]

I would like to invest in a set of 4 Jack Stands. I want good quality are their any reccomendations. Thinking of a set of craftsman stands?

Any opinions on these?

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Mechanics+Tools&pid=00950159000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Lift+Equipment&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

[defcon65]

They look remarkably similar to the HF 3-ton stands and are probably Chinese as well. I think the issue with these stands, which needs to be addressed is, can the locking pawl be released while the stand is under load? One could rig some kind of 'keeper' to positively lock the release handle in the down position, I would think.
The HF 6-ton stands look much more ruggedly constructed out of heavy-gauge steel with good welds on the bases and beefy support posts that lock positively into position. My concern would be the locking mechanism, which is not as fail-safed as the pin-through-stand construction.
I think the 6-ton stands I have, coupled with placing the wheels under the tunnel AND the jack under the engine, will provide me with a safe means of support. Whether or not there will be any room left underneath to actually work on the car is another issue.

There is a statistical failure rate for those pricey post lifts and scissor lifts, as well. And anything that is used incorrectly - well, all bets are off on the question of safety, for sure.

Regards,

[bpoteat]

Originally posted by dan79brooklyn
I would like to invest in a set of 4 Jack Stands. I want good quality are their any reccomendations. Thinking of a set of craftsman stands?

Any opinions on these?

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Mechanics+Tools&pid=00950159000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Lift+Equipment&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

Maybe I'm missing it, but those don't look to have a safety pin in them. Mine weren't very expensive, but have an iron safety pin that goes through to lock it. The only way they're coming down is if iron pin breaks (very highly unlikely) or they tip over (still unlikely, but possible).

[Gunter]

Both sides like this plus a 1-ton Come-along from the rafters holding the rear up for engine-removal.
I also use a 3-ton hydraulic jack with a high lift when needed.

Always double up before going under the car.

[Por_sha911]

Originally posted by dan79brooklyn
I would like to invest in a set of 4 Jack Stands. I want good quality are their any reccomendations. Thinking of a set of craftsman stands?
Any opinions on these?

They are 100 times better than HF. I had a HF 2 ton stand fail and the Craftsman 2 ton stands were much heavier, and better quality.

[GothingNC]

I looked at my 3-ton jackstands and they were made by Allied.

I pulled them up and they will not release with any weight on them unless the post rises a bit.

Therefore the lever would need enough force to lift the car about an inch before dropping.

[emac]

I have a Sears 3 ton jack and the stands. The jack is great and the stands in my opinnion are built like a brick s*it house

[CabMike]

I purchased a set of Goodyear jack stands from Sam's Club that have the ratchet and handle, but also have a locking pin that you place in when you have it at the desired height. They seem very secure. Here is a picture that I found on the web of these stands.

[Rick Lee]

I almost never have the 993 up on all fours. I chock the front tires and lift the rear with a floor jack by the engine case seam. Then I put the jack stands under the rear jack points and lower the car onto them. Then I pump the floor jack up again to just resting against the case seam. Nice thing about having 285's on the rear is they give a little extra spaceif the car comes down on them.

[SLO-BOB]

That is some scary *****! I fear jackstands. I ALWAYS double up on them. If the whole car is up (rarely) I use 8 jackstands and the floor jack near where I'm working. If just the back is up (oil change) I'll use four and the floor jack. It takes time, but way less time than it takes for bones to heal.

I like this-



Maybe takes up a little too much room though.

[Peter Bull]

It sounds like he used some poor quality jack stands. Or maybe they were old and worn out. Anyway, I've got my car on four AC jack stands rated 1500 kg each. Two regular size and two high ones. Our host has them. They're quite expensive, but I've absolute confidence in them. They are the pin type, and they even have a safety pin to keep them in place.



/Peter

[randywebb]

comments about the pins make me think ....

I wonder if these things get tested in shear?

The ones on my stands are pretty thick but who knows what they are made of...

___________________________
The above pic shows some nice wide bases on the stands - another important safety feature.

[rick-l]

I have asked this before but

• Did your 6 ton Craftsman Jack stands come with a warning that said something like "Do not work under the car when supported by 4 jack stands"
• Why is it unsafe to use a jack stand in each corner?
• Is all you have to do is make sure there is no side force on the stands?

[URY914]

Originally posted by randywebb
comments about the pins make me think ....

I wonder if these things get tested in shear?

The ones on my stands are pretty thick but who knows what they are made of...

I don't know why the pins have you so scared. You could use a 16d nail and it wouldn't shear in that application. Now if you dropped your car on the j-stand from 10', the pin may shear off. But if you lower the car on to the stand the pin wouldn't/shouldn't even bend.

[70SATMan]

Originally posted by CabMike
I purchased a set of Goodyear jack stands from Sam's Club that have the ratchet and handle, but also have a locking pin that you place in when you have it at the desired height. They seem very secure.

I have two sets of those in the 6 ton. Love em. I like knowing that additional triangulated bar is in place to keep the ratchet from dropping if the pawl pin were to break. With that bar in place the ratchet is going nowhere. I modified the safety bar by drilling a hole in the end for a quick release pin so that once the bar is pinned in place, it can't back out. I still use my floor jack in place as a safety under whichever end I'm working on.

[randywebb]

re pins

"You could use a 16d nail and it wouldn't shear in that application."

- What is the basis for that assertion?

[Porsche_monkey]

I would feel more secure with a socket head cap screw in shear than a 16d nail. You can trust your life to metalurgical quality control in the nail industry if you want, but I wouldn't. I also think that you should not be concerned about a floor stand pin failure, they are likely designed to 300% safety factor even when the jack is fully loaded, and they are pre-tested when you drop the car onto them. They are unlikely to 'let go'.

A floor stand that can be released under load is defective or mis-assembled.

And, why would someone get under a car with a single jack stand? At the very least I use a floor jack and a jack stand, ideally two jack stands.

Ramps would be better but a) the race to make the cheapest piece of crap has hit the ramp manufactures as well as everyone else and b) the 911 is so low that most ramps dont work.

Guess it's time to slice up some 2x6's and make a safe ramp...