What size are your jack stands?

[mrjaw14]

I did a search and couldn't find this already, but what size jack stands do you guys use? I'm going to be working under a silverado 1500 and have a pair of 2-ton jack stands. Since it's my **** under the truck, I'm thinking of upgrading to 3-ton jack stands. What do you guys use?

Question 2: when working on uni-body cars, their jacking points are at the pinch welds behind the tires. if you use anything other than the slotted jack the metal gets all mangled up. how do you guys get around that when you're using regular jacks and jack stands?

 

[retrobuilder]

A. jack stands are rated per PAIR not each. I recommend a 3 ton minimum. 4 or 5 ton if you use only one often.

B. where to put them- pinch location and truck manufacturer recommended main frame locations specified for floor jacks and lifts- avoid leaf spring mounts as will can give with loading.

Your jack is not a jack stand- NO USE OF JACK ONLY..AS YOU SAID IT IS YOUR ****.

 

[Fireball027]

I have
2- 2 TON jack stands
4- 3 TON jack stands
4- 6 TON jack stands(working on trucks and my lifted jeep)

Usually once you jack up a uni body you can fit some jack stands on the uni body frame rails

 

[Bull]

My main stands are 6-ton, and I have four of them.

I have some smaller stands that I use for ancillary support, along with wheel ramps and bottle jacks. I always have multiple fail-safes when I am under a car.

 

[allinon72]

I have the classic orange stands from HF but the height isn't nearly tall enough for my F150

 

[Justin1776]

2 - 3 ton HF
2- 3 ton Chinese off brand
4 - 6 ton HF
2 - 6 ton Snap-on
1 - 6 ton Hein Werner

The six ton American stands are much beefier than the Chicom stands of the same rating. For work on a 1/2 ton truck, I certainly recommend 6 ton stands because of the height and capacity. American stands like Hein Werner or SO are expensive but are worth it to me considering it beats gambling with the weld integrity from a lower quality tool. On a unibody, put the stand on the rocker pan seam or u channel frame look-a-like (like on Jeep Cherokee's). Don't put the stand on the suspension. Be careful while under a car/truck, vehicles can fall off. I try to have someone else around if I'm under a car.

 

[Stephenw]

4 3-ton
4 6-ton

 

[crewchief888]

4 6 ton in the garage
2 6 ton in my service truck

i cant get any vehicle ive ever had up high enough to work under with a 3 ton stand.

 

[NineFingerFury]

4 3 ton HF stands.

 

[greasemonkey44]

6 6 ton stands
6 2-3 ton stands

 

[AL`]

I have a pair of Craftsman 6 tons and another pair of ACDelco 6 tons. I prefer the ACDelco stand body better because they have flat pieces on the bottom corners to better distribute pressure. However, I prefer the broader saddles/vertical supports on the craftsman stands. But they both work fine. I used them on my GMC sierra 1/2 ton and now on my F250 powerstroke diesel. I also have some smaller ones too (don't remember their rating), which I use for work on the Honda Civic. It sits so low, I can't get my 6 ton stands underneath it. I use an Allied 3 1/2 ton floor jack to lift. I bought it at Sam's Club in 1999. Bought the Craftsman jackstands around the same time. While a 6 ton rating isn't required for either of these trucks, it gives me a little more comfort that I'm not pushing their rating limit, and also, you tend to get a little more working height out of a higher rated stand. It's not that much more money for them. Kind of wish now that I'd bought some better brands like Hein Werner years ago, but I haven't been crushed yet.

Edit to add: For your question 2, if you use a floor jack you can often lift from the center front or back of the vehicle to avoid those pinch weld points on the sides. I know the Honda Civic has a place to jack on a front crossmember and likewise at the backside. I'd double check your owners manual for other lift points. Hope that helps.

 

[bmxr4life87]

We use 6 and 7 ton at work mainly hein warner also have the occasional pair of 12 ton tall stands that are used to keep our c5500 trucks high enough to work on. At home i use the harbor freight 6 ton i have w sets but i always keep a jack under the car if possible

 

[dittle fart around]

Kinda of a personal question don't you think?

 

[RCL]

Several sets of 6 ton and one set of 3 ton.

 

[blacK20]

I use my 6tons most the time. I like to have the vehicle nice and high to roll under comfortably without scraping my face and belly. The 3ton stands are usually ok at full height with most vehicles but I don't feel they are that safe at full extension.

 

[Jason280]

My primary stands are a 4-pack of HF 6 tons I use for the Jeep, but they work for most all full sized trucks.

 

[ex-x-fire]

I used wood like this when I was young, my 2 logs were nearly as wide as they where tall & very flat. Used them on full frame cars & felt safe doing it.
Today I use 3 ton stands supporting the car w/ the jack still underneath a jacking point.

 

[greasemonkey44]

Question 2: when working on uni-body cars, their jacking points are at the pinch welds behind the tires. if you use anything other than the slotted jack the metal gets all mangled up. how do you guys get around that when you're using regular jacks and jack stands?

there is usually a lifting point that is thicker than the normal pinch weld, it usually has a tab to reinforce it. Ive never had a problem jacking from there
or carefully jacking on a normal pinch weld to put the stand on the lift point

 

[alan camby]

I built my own.
Tested at 40,000lbs

 

[gayler]

I have the classic orange stands from HF but the height isn't nearly tall enough for my F150

I got the same one's and there too damn short for my Expedition.

 

[64Trvlr]

8--3 ton
4--6 ton
4--12 ton

 

[ajchien]

2 and 4ton at home.

But with a silverado, I might consider going to 6 ton, mostly for the extra height.

 

[Scout Driver]

I use 4, 6-ton stands since anything less isn't tall enough to do any good under my Scouts.

Scott

 

[Bull]

I built my own.
Tested at 40,000lbs

Dang. So, how many pre-orders do you need to start production?

 

[mrjaw14]

yeah, where do I send the check? lol those look awsome

 

[impulse922]

Dang. So, how many pre-orders do you need to start production?

what he said. Those are sweeeeet stands. I've always hated how most stands never adjust right where you need them to be.

 

[Rewind97]

I built my own.
Tested at 40,000lbs

Very nice!
How did you have them tested?

Sent from My padded cell using tapatalk 2

 

[alan camby]

Thanks Guys for the compliments



The build thread is here.
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=184890

 

[blacK20]

Are you producing more of these for sale? I'd be down for a pair.

 

[Bull]

Alan, just read your build thread. Only makes me want a set more. Hot dang.

 

[I van putski]

I have a couple sets of these 3 tonners.

 

[Jeeper]

I have:
2 Husky 3-ton
2 CM Pro 6-ton
2 HF 6-ton


6 tons are so cheap now a days, just buy them for everything. I know some people will knock HF but at that price, get multiples for redundancy. I find that i put an extra set of jack stands when i have a car up. I figure any set can have a failure, but having multiple sets with a failure is a very low probability.

 

[skulldrinker]

I got the same one's and there too damn short for my Expedition.

I had to get the HF 6 ton jacks to reach the frame on my Ranger. The 3 tons are fine for my cars.

 

[PhantomEB]

6 6 ton jackstands, ***** the jack dont go tall enough for them maxed out!

 

[alan camby]

Are you producing more of these for sale? I'd be down for a pair.

Thanks for the interest.
For now i am not building any more. I just drug home 3 drill press projects and my 23'x23' garage can only handle one project at a time.

 

[skulldrinker]

6 6 ton jackstands, ***** the jack dont go tall enough for them maxed out!

Use a 4x4 or 4x6 cheater block of wood. Or fab a hi-lift saddle if you have a floor jack. I've thought of fab'ing one myself.

 

[wxm]

mostly 6 Ton (5 ton Snap On). I do have a pair of 12 ton, but they are too heavy...

 

[Kmt803]

I built my own.
Tested at 40,000lbs

Beautiful job

 

[finn]

The footprint and extended height capability make the 3 ton stands nearly useless.

I almost never use the 3 toners. I have 2 sets (8) of the larger stands, I think from Menard's.

 

[6MocoA]

In my garage I got 4 of these:

and 2 of the HF 6 tons

and 4 of the HF 3 tons

I really like the 'double locking' feature of the Torin stands and it provides just that extra measure of peace of mind.