omowright
Well-known member
Which is of more concern, lift or jackstand failures? Are there any stastistics?
Lift, jackstand failures?
- Thread starter omowright
- Start date
1badbird
Well-known member
Don't know about stats but I would assume lifts, jacks have seals that could fail and floor lifts have locks that could not engage right. But as I said not stats just opinion.
ovrrdrive
Well-known member
I leave the jack under the truck even once I get it up on the stands. I let it down until the weight is on the stands and then give the jack a pump or two until it just gets weighted then leave it there. If I'm taking a tire off I throw it under the edge of the truck too. You can't be too safe or careful imo...
APEowner
Well-known member
I've never seen any statistics but I've also never seen or heard of a properly mainatined and used lift or jackstand failure. Both need to be treated with respect (they are, after all, holding a vehicle up over you) but they're both pretty safe.
Richard Cranium
Well-known member
I agree, they both can kill you. I use both jack stands and keep the jack under the car also
shockwave
Well-known member
Mostly lifts either hydraulic line ruptures or operator error by not setting lift properly
Not saying jack stands never fail I just have not seen them fail personally
What are you trying to do to decide between the 2?
Not saying jack stands never fail I just have not seen them fail personally
What are you trying to do to decide between the 2?
BoostAddiction
Well-known member
I've had a jack stand fail on me, and not in a good way.
My lift, on the other hand, has never failed.
My lift, on the other hand, has never failed.
Question is confusing. Are we talking about powered hydraulic lifts like you'd find in a shop or floor jacks and then comparing them to jack stands? There are a lot of powered lift styles, everything has mechanical safety locks these days just incase of a hydraulic failure, primary way they fail is operator or installation error otherwise they're extremely safe. Some of the cheaper portable frame lifts are a bit more dubious since most of the safety locks depends on some Chinese welds. What you're suppose to do with any powered hydraulic lift is lift whatever then engage the lock and drop the lift so its resting on the locks. To be crushed you'd have to have a simultaneous hydraulic and safety failure. Floor jacks fail all the time (relatively speaking) and you should never be under a vehicle with just a floor jack. Jack stands basically never fail unless its operator error or some super budget brand. I also like to leave floor jacks barely engaged once a vehicle is resting on a jack stand just to have a redundant safety measure. People also put wheels under the vehicle "just in case".
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anndel
Well-known member
I lift the vehicle using a floor jack then set and ensure the jack stands are locked (ratcheting type) then lower in onto them. I stop releasing the floor jack about 1 or 2 inches below the vehicle in case the jack stands fail. I did have 1 jack stand fail, it was an old NAPA-Walker 2 ton ratcheting type stand where oil, grease and dirt built up in the ratchet area and failed to engage one time. When I lowered the car the arm dropped and the car tilted a bit. If you have ratcheting stands keep them clean! Everytime before I use them I spray the ratchet with Brake Clean.
jsaw
Well-known member
I have witnessed 2 lift failures. One of them was my lift blew a hydraulic hose while I was under it. Another, happened at school. We were learning about lift safety. a rusty steel hydraulic line blew. Both times the safety latches saved the day. I have seen a few cars fall off lifts, caused by operator error. I personally have not seen a Jack stand fail, but I'm sure it has happened.
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I don't think either is any more prone to failure than the other. I don't trust either of them. when using jack stands i always leave the jack under the car as a backup. The lift ALWAYS gets set down on the locks and anything larger than a mid size car gets support stands front and back.
As far as statistics it would be hard to tell. I would guess that 90% of failures (lift or stands) are attributed to lack of maintenance or operator error.
As far as statistics it would be hard to tell. I would guess that 90% of failures (lift or stands) are attributed to lack of maintenance or operator error.
77Mini
Well-known member
A little off topic but I was driving by a friends place in the summer and the guy up the road had his tuck in the driveway about 3-4' off the ground. He had pieces of logs about 12" in diameter and say 16"-18" long with jack stands on top of that under each corner. Truck was just sitting there nobody working on it but looked pretty weird.
Dan in Pasadena
Well-known member
This is exactly what I do too.
themiller
Well-known member
Yup.
Most of those jack/life pictures look like a side load was applied/wheels not blocked and the vehicle rolled off.
Yup.
Most of those jack/life pictures look like a side load was applied/wheels not blocked and the vehicle rolled off.
Or used on a uneven/soft surface.
sqaurelizard
Well-known member
most look like operator abuse alright
If you have a low sporty car when you jack up one end high enough to work the floor end is quite low and at an acute angle. Especially the rear wheel drive and jacking up the rear. I have read the jack stand can fall over or the car can slip and there had been accidents resulting in loss of life from this. A pair of wheel chokes can help a lot
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Ramp stands are my current favorite for things where the wheels aren't coming off. I have 2 ramps made from an 8X8 and that gets the most use for oils changes and routine "I need more space to work top and bottom" jobs.
Useless for brake jobs however...
One nice thing about wood ramps is a slight slope doesn't bother them much, but do block the wheels...
Having said that, if you buy steel manufactured ramps, get good ones. There are some real crappy ones out there... (Same for floor jacks and jack stands for that matter, and no you wont get my under a jack stand with a cast iron post... Most Jack stand and floor jack failures can be traced to using them on a slope...
Useless for brake jobs however...
One nice thing about wood ramps is a slight slope doesn't bother them much, but do block the wheels...
Having said that, if you buy steel manufactured ramps, get good ones. There are some real crappy ones out there... (Same for floor jacks and jack stands for that matter, and no you wont get my under a jack stand with a cast iron post... Most Jack stand and floor jack failures can be traced to using them on a slope...
Jazz1
Well-known member
I always a secondary stand in place,,block of wood or floor jack ...I use 7 ton Napa stands and the warning label clearly states not to go under vehicle when stands in use.
My friends steel CTire steel ramps collapsed under the weight of his 2 wd f150....always have a secondary
My friends steel CTire steel ramps collapsed under the weight of his 2 wd f150....always have a secondary
Outlawmws
Well-known member
And the purpose of putting a stand under a vehicle would be... 
Lawyers, Gotta love their lack of logic...
redwrench60
Well-known member
Lawyers, Gotta love their lack of logic...
Yeah, that's sounds like it's their way of saying: "this will never be 100% safe and if you do it and get screwed up, don't say we didn't warn you"
sometoyotaguy
Well-known member
I do this as well. You can't have too much support when under the car.
Dirtydan69
Well-known member
My father was an attorney. I remember him having two seperate pi cases where jack stands failed. This was in the 60's. I have a friend who had a mechanic dump his brand new at the time Dodge Charger SRT off of a two post lift. Obviously was operator error.
APEowner
Well-known member
Seriously?! I wonder if they all say that now. I haven't bought a set of jack stands in probably 15 years but I know none of mine say that on them.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Lesse, the Jack companies say not to rely in the jack pride support with a Jack stand. and the Jack stand companies say not to rely on them at all! 
My blocks of wood are looking better and better!
Next up; Lumber companies disclaim responsibility if you use a wooden block as a block of wood!
My blocks of wood are looking better and better! Next up; Lumber companies disclaim responsibility if you use a wooden block as a block of wood!
Outlawmws
Well-known member
So do Napa jacks tell you not to rely on the jack, to be sure to use (someone else's) Jack Stand? 
MikeF2316
Well-known member
I have wood ramps that I made as well. Mine are made from 1x6 fence boards, a longitudinal layer of 2 boards side by side, the next layer goes cross ways and is 3" shorter. The ramps are 3' long and 11" wide, solid wood and glue so they're kind of heavy. But the shallow slope and small step makes it easy to get the vehicle up them.
I use them even for brake jobs too, the vehicle is already 6" up before I start jacking!
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Mike pics? These are solid wood? or Hollow?
MikeF2316
Well-known member
Attachments
ovrrdrive
Well-known member
Solid wood. Here you go.
That's quite brilliant actually... Way safer than the tin can ramps HF sells.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Thanks Nike, now I get it!
One suggestion? add a "Stop block" on the big end. its not fool proof, but it does help a bit so you don't overshoot...
One suggestion? add a "Stop block" on the big end. its not fool proof, but it does help a bit so you don't overshoot...
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Yep, Giant "plywood" ramps!
MikeF2316
Well-known member
I find as I drive on them, I can tell when I'm on the top step. Their only flaw is their weight.
Flivver250
Well-known member
I have a good quality Jack and stands. Hein-Werner. I also have some stands I bought from Snappy 3 decades ago that function like new. No failures or worries. I use both correctly. I do have an Asian jack I bought a few years ago at Costco as well as a motorcycle jack I use for bikes and transmissions. The Asian jack appears heavy duty and has never failed, but I have never pushed the envelope on it either.