[Grady Clay]

While we could (and probably should) re-engineer the jack stand, there is far more to the ‘system’ of elevating a 911.

Those include:
Wheel chocks.
Lifting jacks.
Jack stands.
Safety blocks.
Surface.
Common sense.

Your concern is well placed.
Having a ‘ton-of-iron’ over your body is a serious concern.


Clearly the first place to look is the surface: we all know ‘flat & level’ from pre-school.
That isn’t all.
There is an important balance between ‘slippery’ where you can slide your creeper, stool, etc. about and where there is insufficient grip for wheel chocks, jack stands, jacks, etc.
Another is the surfaces between the jack stand (and jack) and the chassis or suspension of the 911.
That should not unintentionally slip.

That said, almost all floor jacks have either the jack move or the car move during the lift.
When lifting one end or the other, you must accommodate this movement so the movement doesn’t tip-over a jack stand.

There are lots of threads about hydraulic jacks.
Big, heavy, heavy-duty, overrated, ‘professional’ jacks are the way to go.
The flimsier the jack, the greater the risk. Your choice. It’s your 911 (and body).


I won’t try and re-engineer the jack stand but big & HD are important.
Most have too narrow base for my taste.
Draw a triangle from the contact point with your 911 and the ‘legs’ of the stand.
The less the angle, the greater the tip-over likelihood.


Another ‘feature’ of jack stands is grip to the surface.
If the surface is pliable (gravel, hot asphalt), something must prevent the jack stand from ‘sinking-in’.
Many stands have part of the structure that prevents more than a ¼” sink.
I have four plywood ‘pads’ with rubber grip bottoms and stand locating pieces for soft ground.


Safety blocks are a too often neglected safety device.
NEVER should the car be up without a back-up safety device.
This can be as simple as the removed tires & wheels underneath.
I have some wood blocks that go under the chassis, tunnel, transmission, engine … whatever.
If the 911 falls off the jack stands, there is a safety to protect you.


The biggest issue is common sense.
Consider the consequences.


Lifts have their own set of issues that absolutely need to be addressed.
Most important - the car has farther to fall (=mgh).

Best,
Grady