Recommend Jack Stands?

[djb2]

The ratchet style jacks have a welded base too.....
I claim a welded screw style stand like the Weber stand "made in germany" i posted above is stronger and better than a chinese stand with chinese welds and chinese cast steel.
Usually hydraulic stuff or lifting equipment is tested up to 4 times (or so) the load capacity so a 1,5 Ton stand is tested with 6 tons, 3 ton with 12 ton etc. so I´m pretty shure and confident that they will hold up.

The welds on a ratchet style stand are holding the two halves together. They aren't seeing the full load at an angle,

And the stand bases are mostly rolled steel, which has a much more predictable strength in tension than cast parts. The upper cast section is mostly in compression, and thick enough to average out even crappy steel.

Even with great steel, a brittle or dirty weld can propagate a crack when it's loaded at an angle such as that. Not that I think any specific pair is likely to fail, it's just a riskier design when many are being made.

 

[caper]

Just to update,the guy who inspect and certify our jacks every year were in today to check our gear.I asked the guy checking the stands if he had ever seen a stand fail due to pawl or tooth failure.He said he's inspected thousands of stands and has never seen one break a tooth or pawl.The roll pin that the handle is pinned to the pawl with is a common failure point and one of our stands failed for that reason.He said he runs across the odd broken weld and bent stands but hardly ever anything else.

 

[Coach James]

It's not possible on any that I have because you need to lift up on the saddle a little bit to be able to lift the ratchet part.

I don't have the HFs right now, but the other ones I have are made just like the HF ones.

In other words even if there is not much weight on it, you can't pull the handle to drop the stand. I think even 50lbs would be too much.

For the pinch weld I took an 8ft 2x4, threw a Dado blade in the table saw and ripped a rabbit down the center about 5/8" wide and 1" deep. Cut them into ~16-18" pieces and that's what I have been using. Not sure if it would work on every car, but works on my WRX and Jetta. (only 2 things I have without a frame)

You put a piece of wood between the jackstand and the pinchweld? Or am I misunderstanding?

Coach

 

[simplec6]

Just wanted to send this to the top because it's by far the single best thread on this forum about jackstands. I need some flat top stands, and wish I could get some from Germany, but I am going to go with ESCO's I think.

 

[MrMark]

Elroy is having a little trouble seeing exactly what people think is so great about a pin retained jack stand because they ****.

They require two hands to set the height. This simple fact requires more body exposure under the load while being set. Besides that **** *** potentially deadly feature, what happens if you're a ***** like Elroy and don't get the pin all the way in and catch only one half of the tube? They're a cheap POS in Elroy's opinion.

On a more positive and more cheerful note, Elroy would offer this jack stand modification for use on soft black top. This prevents damage to the pavement surface from the stand.

Some 3/16" thick pads do the trick for Elroy.

That's a nice modification. What is the blue pad on the bottom?

 

[Burgerkong]

Think it's just spray paint so the corners/edges are more noticeable?

 

[baucom]

I've got a couple pair of AC Delco jack stands from O'Reilly. They're pretty reasonably priced, mine look as good as any of the Chinese jack stands sold by other chains, and they have anti-sink feet welded to the bottom of the stand to keep it from sinking into asphalt.

 

[Vinko]

I've got a pair of HF jackstands (orange/white) like those pictured in a post above and one of them has a problem catching on the teeth. I can see where someone would set it and if they didn't double check it, be in trouble. The problem's only with one of the pair.

It think it's got to be a defect. It was that way out of the box. I'll try to do a little video to show what I mean.

Those HW's for $100 from tooltopia seem to be a good deal. I say Monte's thread on the weber stands with threaded rods. I'm wavering between those (if I can find them in the US) and the flat top Esco's.

 

[bsaint]

I trust my Torin ones more than I do my HF ones. The HF ones usually go in the back where there is less weight.

 

[rickairmedic]

OK, I understand, you're running a commercial shop.

My life is not worth $500 jack stands; not in this economy nohow. Maybe worth $100 jack stands, 150 maximum.

This is home shop use.

As usual you guys are making me spend more than I would, without your advice. Maybe these 4 tons?

http://www.napaonline.com/Search/Detail.aspx?R=NLE7915050_0006400410

Ok I know you said no HF stands but do me a favor and tell me the differance ( other than color between the NAPA stands you linked to and these HF stands . Pics of both Below I would almost bet they are made in the same Asian plant.Granted I went for the 6 Ton HF stands as they didnt show 4 Ton but the HF's are $44.99 a set the NAPA's are $159.00 a set . I dont see $100.00 plus in differance .

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-ton-jack-stand-set-38847.html


Rick

 

[baucom]

I can't swear to it since I haven't looked at any NAPA jack stands lately (out of my price range), but I think the blue & yellow stands like pictured above are U.S. made and the reddish colored stands NAPA sells cheaper are their Asian made jack stands.

 

[kc-steve]

I can't swear to it since I haven't looked at any NAPA jack stands lately (out of my price range), but I think the blue & yellow stands like pictured above are U.S. made . . . .

Yup, I think you are right. The blue/yellow Walker style stands are made in the U.S.A. They are a little pricey. I think I was pricing them at around $75 a set for 2-ton capacity, but this IS an item that could cause a great deal of harm if defective. Then who are ya gonna sue if it's made in China?

Steve

 

[Bolster]

Ok I know you said no HF stands but do me a favor and tell me the differance ( other than color between the NAPA stands you linked to and these HF stands . ...

Got my Blackhawks some time ago, but regarding your question, I don't judge a stand by its looks. I'm concerned about porosity, cracking, and alloy makeup in the steel that makes up the stand and...shocking, I know...you can't see those things by a casual observation. Since I can't do a laboratory analysis, I prefer to go with reputation of manufacturer.

This is one area you definitely don't want to judge a book by its cover.

 

[NJ Diver]

I am looking for a good pair of low profile stands. The ones I have been seeing on-line seem to be pretty pricey. I'm looking for at least 3 Ton and probably a min lift height of 9 inches. My wife's car is a Lexus is250 so its pretty low. Any suggestions?

 

[cruiser808]

My theory on jack stands is to buy the largest size available and use them fully collapsed so they can't possibly collapse any farther with me under the car.

+1. That's how I use my vintage 6-ton Craftsman stands.

 

[BajaBound]

I have the duralast 6 ton and the HF 12ton

The 6 tons hold the front of my cummins off the ground very nicely and the 12t's are perfect for reaching high to the frame rails both front and rear.

 

[Halligan]

I just ordered a set of Napa Professional 7 ton stands. Cost is around $210 for the set. I have two other sets at home now. A no name brand thats at least 30 years old and a set of Craftsman 3 ton ones. I will be doing some serious suspension work on my 3/4 ton pickup and wanted a heavier duty set hence the Napa ones.

FWIW, I also have a Napa professional jack and it has not let me down in 5+ years of ownership. Like everything else you get what you pay for.

 

[MBeaty]

Ok I know you said no HF stands but do me a favor and tell me the differance ( other than color between the NAPA stands you linked to and these HF stands . Pics of both Below I would almost bet they are made in the same Asian plant

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-ton-jack-stand-set-38847.html

A while back I was doing some modifications to several sets of jack stands, 4 of the stands were HF and two of them were Craftsman ones that looked like the same castings that the NAPA stands use. What I was doing to the stands required me to machine the tops of them, using the ratcheting portion of the stand as a reference in the milling vise. While none of the stands were perfectly straight, the HF ones were by far the worst castings. On the HF stands, the entire casting had a little bit of a "twist" to it and the thickness was not consistent. While I don't think that the flaws were anything to be extremely worried about, there does exist a difference in QC between the Craftsman stands and the HF ones.

Also, as was pointed out earlier in this thread showing some surface "porosity" in the castings, I did notice some small air pockets in the castings of all the stands as I was machining on them. I wished I had snapped some pictures of it. Most of the defects were very near the surface, but they were never so major to raise much concern. It would be quite an interesting experiment to machine away several different brands of stands and perform some material testing on them. I know I would love to see the results.

 

[ibedayank]

I have these
http://www.harborfreight.com/6-ton-j...set-38847.html

have been used to hold up stuff from a small tractor to a crewcab f350 with the 7.3 with no troubles for the last 3 years i have had them

 

[unclemoak]

I'll probably get flamed for this. But I have a set like this : http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Set-4-Vintage-Aluminum-Jack-Support-Stands-NOS-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem25634d0f03QQitemZ160579784451QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools


They are rated to 4000lbs and are super light so they are easy to position. I only ever use them on my Honda, but if I were to be working on a pickup or something a little heavier, I'd opt for more robust stands.

 

[ibedayank]

I'll probably get flamed for this. But I have a set like this : http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Set-4-Vintage-Aluminum-Jack-Support-Stands-NOS-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem25634d0f03QQitemZ160579784451QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools


They are rated to 4000lbs and are super light so they are easy to position. I only ever use them on my Honda, but if I were to be working on a pickup or something a little heavier, I'd opt for more robust stands.

those are for a camping trailer NOT a car or truck
are not made to take any load just to make it so when you walk in the camping trailer it doesnt bounce
and its 4000# for the set of FOUR not each.

same thing here http://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Stack-Jacks/14504363

 

[gnx547]

Do any stores sell jack stands that are made in the USA?

 

[baucom]

Sure. NAPA's top-of-the-line blue and yellow jack stands are made in the U.S.A. and you can buy American made Hein-Werners at Northern Tool.

 

[kgorman]

We just got some gray jack stands ,made in USA and they are excellent.

http://www.grayusa.com/support_stand.asp

 

[Halligan]

Sure. NAPA's top-of-the-line blue and yellow jack stands are made in the U.S.A. and you can buy American made Hein-Werners at Northern Tool.

Well I just spent over $200 on 7 ton Napa Professional blue and yellow jack stands that were made in China.

The jack I've had for around 8 years and it's been great.

 

[raiderhillbilly]

Anyone have thoughts about these?

http://www.tractorsupply.com/product__10151_-1_10001_5596

 

[Lance-AR]

Jackpoint jack stands are made in the US. They're a very neat design but pricey.

 

[gearhead1]

this thread spurred conversation today at the garage as a few of the guys are lurkers on here. So we put a hf 3 ton stand in my USA made 20 ton shop press--not a little rinky dink hf style press .

i could not lift the pin. we tried, just would not happen. for the ratchet to let the arm drop, it needed to go up a certain point to clear the teeth. everyone who was there felt the pin that holds the handle to the cam would shear before we could get the actual thing to fail.

then we backed the press off a little to have no load on the stand. but again, not enough room to let the ratchet go fully up to allow the extension piece to drop. Again, we could not get it to fail. As the extension piece would raise up, hit against the press, then stop--not letting it "unlock"

moral, i'll use the hf ratchet style stand.

+1

Looking at how the mechanism works, the pawl is put in compression - no problem for cast iron. The next thing is the shaft would have to tear out the metal. I use my HF ones all the time. I prefer US made stuff because I live here, not somewhere else. Had I known where a DIYer could get US made ones, I would have bought them. I don't need any more, so I will continue to use the ones I have. I feel safe and comfortable under the car with them, no issues.

 

[erty67]

buy good ones! this one just scared the poop out of me! Now i'm looking for good ones.

 

[Coach James]

buy good ones! this one just scared the poop out of me! Now i'm looking for good ones.

So what happened? Details please.

Coach

 

[impactsocket]

Depends what you need. But, I have the Norco low profile jack stands (needed for low sports car) and they work very well. And, I wouldn't worry about them collapsing.

The majority of jack stand accidents according to OSHA occur with ratcheting stands. The pin stands are simpler and safer, allowing that you are smart enough to install the pin correctly. If not, you should not be using ANY jack stand.

BTW, its a simple one hand operation. You set the stand height you need/want, check the pin and position under the car with one hand while making sure the base is on a secure footing. Its not exactly rocket science.

Made in U.S.A.
Model 81205
Jack Stands - Pair
Low Profile
5 Ton Capacity
(each stand)


Intended Use
Low profile design in order to support low cars, forklifts and heavy machinery. All stands are sold and intended to be used in pairs.

Features (9 to 16 inches)

* Pin type support column adjusts to four different height positions.
* Heavy duty adjustment pin is secured to stand to prevent loss.
* Handle provides ease of positioning and carrying.
* 9" square base secures and stabilizes load.

Does the Norco low profile jack stands allow enough height to remove tires off of a small SUV?

 

[6PTsocket]

I have a mismatched (2+2) 3 ton set and a 6 ton matched set of Chinese ratchet style stands. I have had them for years and years. Some of them may have been from HF. I use the big ones under my pick up. If the little ones would be too extended, I use the big ones. Never had a drop of trouble. I have a much better brand name 2 ton Lincoln floor jack but I NEVER work under a jack. I'd buy the Chinese jack stands again. I believe the HF stands meet ANSI standards for whatever that is worth.

 

[Belgique Basterd]

If you can weld this is an alternative and IMHO a better option than jackstands.

Where I got the idea:

 

[Terracar]

Does the Norco low profile jack stands allow enough height to remove tires off of a small SUV?

I would say it will get it just high enough should you need to take the tires off, but nothing more.

I have a Ridgeline and the jack stands I have are in the neighborhood of 17" for max height (craftsman 3t), not sure if that includes the dip in the cradle or not, and it will get it just high enough to maybe slip a sheet of paper under the tires, maybe. The RL only has about 9" ground clearance, so that is pretty much similar to most SUVs I believe.

Oddly was looking for recommendations on jack stands since I would like some that are up 30" lift, but it looks like I will have to dish out $500ish for those. I suppose I could always go rob my dad. He has old school pin style that have up to 36" lift.

 

[Terracar]

If you can weld this is an alternative and IMHO a better option than jackstands.

IMO, those look horribly unsafe. Side to side they appear to be quite unstable. I suppose if you could lay them on the longer side it would be better for side to side stability.

I am not saying it won't support the weight, I am saying it appears there is a very small base on which to stabilize the stand.

-Terracar

 

[Terracar]

Oh and one other thing I would like to add. Please be sure to read the manual carefully on your stands. Most are rated as a pair. So a 3T pair will not necessarily support 6T (3T per stand), but only 3T as a pair. I wanted to add this since earlier in the thread someone stated they had X number of stands for a total of X number of tons of support.

-Terracar

 

[y20dth]

Nope. THAT does not look safe at all.....

 

[Belgique Basterd]

The base is 40cm x 50cm, larger than most jackstands. First time I tested them I shook, pushed an pulled on the car with all my force to try and make it fall, stands did not move at all, the 'wiggled' in it's own suspension just like it would when it sits on the ground.

Offcourse a lift would be even better, but IMO this is a lot more stable than jackstands and no ratchet mechanism that can fail.

 

[jcd1026]

If you can weld this is an alternative and IMHO a better option than jackstands.

Where I got the idea:

Different idea, with the true platform and the 4 separate pins. For me, I'd need triangulation for the legs. I would put gussets on tops and bottoms, and maybe some cross bracing on the bottoms between the outer "sleeves".
This would be a minimum of what I'd do.

 

[123Go]

I'm not sure OSHA even states what type stands to use on automobiles, seems they only state that jack stands should be used.
I can't find anything on the net from OSHA stating specific styles?
It may have been a certain inspector who may just lean towards a specific design himself for whatever reason but does OSHA itself really lean that way, put it in writing or enforce certain codes that state pin styles should be used? Does it even state in any OSHA manual as being recommended by them? Just ask to see it.
I don't see any OSHA design specifics stated at all on stands, so if anyone locates this info please feel free to post OSHA data on this matter here, I am a bit curious?

Here is an article here that says it's rare for any to fail I found. The picture shows a ratchet stand being used wrong btw.

http://www.vehicleservicepros.com/a...-jack-stands-improperly-when-lifting-vehicles

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