Use your jack stands

I drove past a used tire place in Buford Highway the other week and saw a car up on 2 jacks, one front, one back, no wheels, guy working on something underneath. I almost called 911 to report the accident ahead of time.

I drove past a used tire place in Buford Highway the other week and saw a car up on 2 jacks, one front, one back, no wheels, guy working on something underneath.

Somehow this doesn't surprise me at all.

I saw someone do an oil change in a Kmart parking lot on a 70 Chrysler (nice small car) by crawling under the car. It was held up by the bumper jack, and was visibly swaying. All I could think of is "One less in the gene pool".

Gravity is a bitch.

I always use jack stands at home, but I never brought them to autocross. "One more thing to carry. I'm just changing wheels, I'll be mindful to stay out from under the car."

Well, that changed when I had one of those aluminum quick-lift race jacks blow out at an autocross.

I had the MR2 jacked up on the rear subframe and both rear wheels off. The jack blew out like a gunshot and the car collapsed. Nobody got hurt, but everybody came over to investigate the ruckus. Not a word was uttered.

It was an embarrassing situation because I knew better, and the onlookers were silent because the had just put themselves in the same situation. I rarely see jack stands at autocross, but "It could happen to you."

Now I run a street tire class. Problem solved.

I don't use jack stands for changing tires. I don't get under the car when changing tires. I do however use them anytime that it falling would hurt me.

I generally place the to-be-changed wheel under the frame...just in case. Same goes for when the wheels are off, car is supported on jackstands, the phone is in reach, and the jack is lowered 1/4" from the frame.

HIS NAME WAS JOHN INGRAM! (clownkiller's buddy whose wife watched him die under a car.)

RealMiniDriver wrote: Um.. cement blocks can crack and leave you forked, if your under the car. I had it happen years ago when I was changing a tire on a trailer. I got lazy and just grabbed what was closest in the back yard, and the cement block was it. When I came back from the tire store, the hub was resting in the dirt, with cement chunks scattered about.

And considering the fact I can break up to 5 cinder blocks for my TaeKwon-Do class. I would think a car would weigh more than the downward power of my elbow :)

Had an uncle die under a car with a rusty floor, Stand went right through

don't just use a jackstand, make sure it's on the frame. And once it's on, if your going under it shake the hell out of the car and make sure it's safe

No one wants to experience that situation.

poopshovel wrote: I generally place the to-be-changed wheel under the frame...just in case. Same goes for when the wheels are off, car is supported on jackstands, the phone is in reach, and the jack is lowered 1/4" from the frame. HIS NAME WAS JOHN INGRAM! (clownkiller's buddy whose wife watched him die under a car.)

I also do the wheels under the car thing, as well as leaving the jack in place even after the load is placed on the jackstand.

car39 wrote: I saw someone do an oil change in a Kmart parking lot on a 70 Chrysler (nice small car) by crawling under the car. It was held up by the bumper jack, and was visibly swaying. All I could think of is "One less in the gene pool".

Think of it as evolution in action.

DILYSI Dave wrote: I don't use jack stands for changing tires. I don't get under the car when changing tires. I do however use them anytime that it falling would hurt me.

When I was a dumb teen I had a car roll off the scissor jack as I was changing a flat tire. Luckly nobody was hurt but it bent the E36 M3 out of the wheel studs. It made it a real PIA to get home...

I'll tell a story on myself so hopefully at least one person will think about safely securing a vehicle before working on it.

I had a 79' Trans Am about ten years ago and pulled the tranny out for a rebuild. While it was getting rebuilt I had the car towed to my brothers house. I had the driver drop it in his car port. I put one chock (not a proper chock just a piece of 4x4) behind the right rear tire and then turned around to pay the tow truck driver. When he pulled away walked back to chock the other rear wheel as I walked around I accidentally kicked the chock out of the right rear wheel. His car port had a slight slope and the car started to role back, I was able to hold it there, by the quarter panel but I could not reach the chock so I decided to push the car up a little so I could reach the the chock. I pushed it up got the chock and quickly ran to the back of the car to try to get it stopped again but it had picked up to much speed so it was just kind of pushing me backwards. Now at the end of the car port it dropped off about three feet and about two feet back form that was a chain link fence and then his neighbors garage. So I was trying to figure out a way to get out of the way but I was quickly running out of room. As I got to the end I just jumped backwards hoping to clear the fence and roll out of the way, but my jeans got caught on the top of the fence. Luckily as the rear wheels dropped off the edge the frame snagged on the edge of the concrete or this would be a completely different story. As it was the car pinned me on top the the chain link fence with the gas tank resting on my legs. I laid there for a second in shock and then reality set in that I was trapped, hanging upside down, under this car with no one around. I just started screaming HELP ME!!! at the top of my lungs and finally some people came over from down the street. They tried to use a railroad tie to pry the fence down but I was real close to a fence post and it wouldn't budge. The fire department came and supported the car with air bags and used the jaws of life to cut the fence away. I have no idea how long I was under there but when they pulled me out I blacked out as the blood started to rush back into my legs and out of my head. The firefighters where taking turns trying to hold my head up to keep the blood from draining all into my head but it was a tight spot.

Luckily all I got out of it was some pretty severe bone bruises to both of my legs and some stitches to close my hand back up. I can tell you from personal experience that 2nd gen f-body's are very, very heavy cars. Be careful out there.