Jack stand accident while under a Porsche....

[Joe Bob]

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=70117&st=0

Might want to be carefull out there.......

Long thread on the dangers of ratchet type jack stands.....

[Thomas Owen]

This guy was very fortunate he was not hurt even worse.

[imcarthur]

Scary. You have to go to pg 5 for the cause - he thinks he elbowed the release on a worn rachet-type jackstand.

Ian

[berettafan]

Thanks for posting this. Scary stuff.

Wouldn't it be a good idea to keep cinder blocks or built up wood blocks (similar to those shown on the thread you linked) under the car for emergency backup?

Wonder what i can sell to finance one of those bend-pak midrise lifts?

[cbeers]

Wouldn't it be a good idea to keep cinder blocks or built up wood blocks

I do something along this line, I use the wheels with a 2x4 laying across them under the car. I also use a jack, or two, put into position, just in case.

Check out my thread here for examples:
Suspension Work Recap.....


When I have four jackstands, the wheels with the 2x4 and a jack or two set up, I feel pretty safe. I always shake the heck out of the car first, I would rather it fall like that than any other way.


-Chris

[Grady Clay]

Guys,

While this is an old thread, it contains very useful information.

One of the serious failures is there wasn’t backup support.

I NEVER get under my 914-6 (or 911) without tires&wheels or something under the tunnel. That additional protection makes it possible for some failure to not cause a problem.

Best,
Grady


I would post this on 914World but it says I'm already a member but can't post. Boy do I like Pelican.

[randywebb]

Ditto - or I use the floor jack to back up the stands.

It helps to have a friend or spouse nearby to check on you - same when up a tree to limb it or high on a ladder to mess with the house's roof.

I also often have a cell phone in my pocket - obviously it would have to survive the trauma and you'd have to be able to call 911....

I also use the cheaper, pin-type stands. More trouble but cannot fail the way his did.

Sobering thread.

[JP911]

Every time I roll under my car I say a little prayer: Please don't let there be an earthquake while I'm under here.

[Zeke]

Originally posted by imcarthur
Scary. You have to go to pg 5 for the cause - he thinks he elbowed the release on a worn rachet-type jackstand.

Ian

OK, I like safety reminders, but I've not seen any stands that could get that worn out in a life time. And, with a load on them, you can't budge the lever. The victim of this had to have the ratchet all they way on the cog.

Randy, I have the pin types, too. I don't look at them as any safer except you cannot miss with the pin.

[blk911]

anyone recognize the manufacturer of the lift under that Super 7? I sure like the looks of that setup.

[Joeaksa]

Mike,

Glad it was not you! Saw this thread and hoped that you had not had an accident!

Joe

[imcarthur]

From the post:





Ian

[unclebilly]

We had an incident with a jack stand at work last week. I was going to post pictures on here.

Essentially, the stand was overloaded while lowering the truck (all of the weight on one corner) and the back side of the stand peeled away and the truck fell. No body was hurt.

[Joeaksa]

No matter how many jack stands I use I always put the tires and wheels that I take off under the main body. That way if or when a car falls at least you have a chance of staying alive...

Something to think about.

[Joe Bob]

Originally posted by Joeaksa
Mike,

Glad it was not you! Saw this thread and hoped that you had not had an accident!

Joe

Nope not me, but a long time 914 buddy in Colorado. I'm trying to get him to post a pic of his new face.

Of course I have my 58 on the four poster lift with a set of Harbor Freight ratchet stands..... Brake job that I need to get motivated to finish......

[Zeke]

Originally posted by imcarthur
From the post:





Ian

That isn't worn, it's trashed. Someone used it to hold up a tank at some point.

[Shuie]

tires always go under the tub when they come off the car.

[notfarnow]

That is really, really scary stuff. I hope he recovers well, and it's good to see he's got a bit of humor about it.

Now, this thread just sent me to the garage with my digital camera.

Preface:
A few years ago I was working on my MGB, and it came off its stands and fell on me. I can't tell you how lucky I was; the car had me pinned, but the overturned jackstands took the weight. Even then, I was home alone for 2 weeks... I could've starved under there if I hadn't been able to wiggle up a jack and use it to jack the car up an inch. Scary, scary stuff.

Ever since then, I've been ANAL about getting under cars. Once the car is on stands, I always go to each corner and SHOVE. If it moves, I start over.

Onto the current fiasco
A couple months ago, I was working on my neighbor's '72 westy. I had the front up and was about to get underneath to work on the shift linkages. I got the van onto stands with the wheels off, and then walked to the front and gave it a hard shove.

I heard a "PING", and then it wobbled a bit. I crouched over, and pushed the van as I looked. On one of the stands, two legs would wiggle; the other two stayed in place. I turned around to get the jack, and the whole works came tumbing down.

Here are the pictures I just took of the stands:



Now, look at how the horizontal bar is free from the legs of the stand:


A closer look at where the bar broke free. Look at that weld... do you think it had sufficient penetration?


The second stand, which folded under the van, shows a similar quality weld:


These stands were 2, maybe three months old when they failed. It really scares the $chit out of me... how many of us check the weld quality on our jack stands? I never did before, but I can promise you I sure as hell do now!

Be careful out there folks!

[juanbenae]

i like the tire under the tub for a variety of reasons. the 1st being you dont have to move them far to be out of the way. simplicity.

the thing about the story that flipped me out was that he listed the car off himself. wow!

T$

[berettafan]

the more i think about this the more i don't understand why anyone would climb under a car without having large blocks of wood or cinder blocks or similar as backup support.

For those of us fatter than a tire, well it seems like a good plan.