Your Comments are requested for a new tool

[jpoint]

[]Gentlemen - I invented a jackstand. I, like many of you, have a lift. But I still have the need for a jack stand now and then. A look at the attached pictures will show that this jack stand allows one to jack up the car and place it on the jack stand using the same jacking location. I designed it for use on unibody cars so we can stop hunting and hoping for a second place to either lift or support a car. In these pictures, I'm using a car that has no pinchweld, but the cap is designed to protect a standard pinch weld jacking location. I'm collecting feedback and suggestions. Yours will be appreciated. It is patent pending. If you have an interest in following my progress, I'll be posting updated photos and hopefully a video at
www.jackpointjackstands.com. Thank you in advance.
John

 

[heelsroll]

Seem to recall Sears selling something with the same idea?

 

[egdede]

i like his system better.

 

[mikevango]

looks great. make it adjustable!

 

[tw33k2514]

looks great. make it adjustable!

agreed, and I would gladly buy a set if your product takes off.

 

[rsanter]

I like it alot
looks like a good idea for the resto and streetrod guys

the main problem I see is that it is not adjustable in height

the other thing I think you need is a larger soft pad. similar to the replacement pads you can get for jacks themselves

bob

 

[HotRodKush]

I agree with the above comments - it needs to be adjustable to compensate for different vehicles or desired heights, the pad needs to be larger OR the unit needs to come with multiple pad sizes, and finally, it should also be width adjustable to compensate for wider jacks.

It's a great idea though, I've frequently had the issue of jacking up a car and not having anywhere to put the jackstand - I'd definitely buy one if it was versatile enough to use on multiple kinds of vehicles.

 

[larry_g]

I would have to ask who your intended customer is and what they would do with the tool? It seems to me that stand would fit a small range of cars within a fixed height. What you are showing is a niche tool that has limited use to a certain style of automobile. Is there anyway that you can broaden the market segment of the stand. I also wonder if it is limited to use with that jack?

You have a good looking product that presents well. I wish you well in your endeavor.

Lg
No neat sig line

 

[jeepnut24]

If it was adjustable, I would be all over it. I always have problems finding a send lift point for my jack stand. But I would need more height out of it after the car was lifted.

Am I forced to get another jack to use it or is it compatible with multiple jacks?

 

[Merkava_4]

You brilliant *******!!

 

[glenmore]

Bigger pad would be nice.

Footprint seems kind of large.

Good and bad that it doesn't look cheap.

 

[y20dth]

It's been said allready but: wonderful idea, but needs to be adjustable in height.

 

[PassnThru]

The large opening after you remove the jack bothers me. Yeah - I know - it will take the weight but it has a weak link look. I think others might have the same concerns. Maybe if you could fix a locking bar on one end that pivots and catches a stud on the other leg? That would add to the cost but I think you will have people thinking they wouldn't put their car on that. I know - it's for unibodies but some people still think their unibody car weighs 2+ tons.

 

[BetterDays]

I know - it's for unibodies but some people still think their unibody car weighs 2+ tons.

Some of the new ones may weigh that much....

 

[skeletonizer]

Some of the new ones may weigh that much....

Yep. SRT8's go 4,000+ lbs. Even the new hillrod (camaro) is a two ton porker.

 

[t100]

I wonder how much if it's UL certified since it is a safety equipment, and you don't want to carry a whole boat load of liability.

 

[bchee]

I've seen 2 other similar designs. One was the Craftsman "Lift N Secure" set up
http://toolmonger.com/2007/07/31/craftman-jacking-system-lift-and-secure/

I don't think it was well-reviewed, but it was adjustable.

I saw another one sold at Pep Boys, attached to a bottle jack. I believe it was made by Alltrade or Allpro, something like that. It was also adjustable. However, as with any bottle jack, it won't fit under every car. It was the same height as a standard jack stand, so if you have a low profile car, it won't fit.

 

[bchee]

Here is the alltrade one I saw at Pep boys.
Found this picture on a Corvette forum
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?p=774933

I can't find it on the alltrade site. I don't think Pep Boys carries it anymore

 

[Merkava_4]

All you need now is a set of different hight bases.

 

[Red Green]

Market research huh? Are we getting paid for this? I will include my two cents for free. I don't care for the open bottom it will sink into the pavement or dirt without a plate across the bottom. I have added 1/8" or thicker plate to the bottom of my Jack Stands to keep them from sinking at the racetrack on a hot summer day.

 

[Merkava_4]

I don't care for the open bottom it will sink into the pavement or dirt without a plate across the bottom. I have added 1/8" or thicker plate to the bottom of my Jack Stands to keep them from sinking at the racetrack on a hot summer day.

It needs to be hollowed out like that so it can slide over the front of the floor jack - see picture.

 

[jpoint]

Thanks for the comments so far. Let me try to answer some of the questions.
1. Adjustment - For basic wheel off work I've tested it with a 4 door luxury sedan, econo box 2 door, a stock sports car and a car mildly prepared for road race tracks. It worked for all. I did not go for SUV height vehicles because many still have frames. That said - the design allows for different caps for different jack location styles and heights. For example Corvettes don't have pinch welds. The cap purchased for use on a Vette would fit that jack point style. I also have designed it so the cap could have an extended height. However - keep in mind that much of the adjustment for jack stands is needed because you have to extend the stand to find a non factory designated jacking location. With this stand no adjustment is needed for that purpose. Plus - if you want all four corners up, you use the four factory spots which are all on the same level. So the car is parallel to the ground without any need for adjustment.

2. This stand will work with most floor jacks. The Sears product requires a special jack AND nearly 6 inches of ground clearance to work. The Sears product also won't protect your pinch weld against damage.

3. I'm about to conduct distruction testing on the finished stand. The FEA testing showed
.003 inch deflection at 10,000 pounds. The open front is reinforced by support cast into the interior. The 911 on the stand is a factory targa. Not a 2 ton car, but note the entire side of the car is being supported. In most applications you would only put one corner of the vehicle on the stand. Thus - a 4000 pound car with a front end weight bias might put 1500 pounds max over each front corner. If the physical tests work as I expect, the stand could be ANSI certified at 3000 pounds or more (ANSI requires a one and a half time load over rating factor).

I'll read some more comments and continue to respond. This is great feedback and very helpful. Thanks

 

[jpoint]

I've read more of the other comments and think all are valid. Liability is something I've considered long and hard. Some of the design decisions reflect that. I'm not a big fan of working on any car that is being supported on soft ground. Personally, if I'm going completely under a car - I prefer a lift. Certainly this design could be made in a variety of heights and that is part of the plan. The initial jack stand was intended to cover a fairly broad spectrum of cars while limiting the number of initial molds that had to be created. This stand has a very large base. It will accept floor jacks with a wheel or handle widths as wide as 11.3 inches. So it will work with many Craftsman jacks, the nicer steel professional jacks, the often criticized, but frequently purchased HFT jacks, and a variety of generic floor jacks sold in auto parts or big box stores.

The cap is designed to lock over the top of the base (picture) and also designed so it won't slide off the jack plate of your floor jack. I must admit the initial target audience is somewhat specialized. As noted - it doesn't look cheap and while it is being produced in small numbers it won't be cheap. My thought is many guys have seen the damage you can do to a chassis, pinch weld, suspension mounting point, or floor pan of a car by jacking or supporting it in the wrong place. If you own an expensive car or one that has special meaning, you might want to spend the money to avoid messing it up. I learned about AC and Esco jack stands that are near $100 each and still leave you lying on your back looking for a place to put either the jack or the jack stand. This one won't make you do that. I'm using a pattern maker, foundry, machine shop, and finishers in northern Illinois. I would like to keep this an American made product. These guys have been great to work with and really supportive.

 

[jpoint]

One last response. As RSANTER and others noted - a larger pad would be nice for some applications. I agree. I used the red pad to make it easier to notice the cap and to photograph it under the car. Would it be better to shoot the pictures without the pad and demo the stand on a pinch weld? This particular cap has a slot cast into it to protect a pinch weld. I was concerned it wouldn't photograph well.

Thanks again - I better get some sleep.

 

[selohssa]

HMMMMM, I like it so far. I agree that an adjustable stand would be nice. Are these stackable for storage? Have you tested it with different jacks? What is the weight of each stand?

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

Personally I don't see the point. A regular old jackstand works fine for me. Millions of other people as well. Perhaps it's one of those tools that once you try you will wonder how you ever worked without it. Good luck with your venture...

 

[steven083008]

Personally I don't see the point.

My thought is many guys have seen the damage you can do to a chassis, pinch weld, suspension mounting point, or floor pan of a car by jacking or supporting it in the wrong place. If you own an expensive car or one that has special meaning, you might want to spend the money to avoid messing it up.

THAT was the point. I think he stated it well.

I personally have no use for this jack/stand due to the vehicles we own, but I'm sure it has its place. Good luck and it looks promising.

 

[brian90505]

Good luck with your idea.
I prefer driving up onto my RaceRamps, but if I have to jack it up, not a big deal for me to use stands.

 

[fordbroncodave]

he could later on make a set designed for SUV/ TRUCKS with a larger lift capacity and a taller stand for higher chassis

 

[jpoint]

HMMMMM, I like it so far. I agree that an adjustable stand would be nice. Are these stackable for storage? Have you tested it with different jacks? What is the weight of each stand?

The stands stack with the cap in place (or not). 2 stacked are about 3.5 inches higher than one. I've tested it with a variety of traditional and racing style floor jacks. I've found one that was too wide, but you're safe with anything under 11.5 inches wide. The stands weigh about 15 pounds. They're made of a magnesium/aluminum alloy (Almag 535). I have a part that would raise the height three inches. I'll try to show that later this week for reactions.

Thanks to all.

 

[tonydanzah]

Personally I don't see the point. A regular old jackstand works fine for me. Millions of other people as well. Perhaps it's one of those tools that once you try you will wonder how you ever worked without it. Good luck with your venture...

if you have a car that only has 4 jacking locations or a factory piece of plastic that cover the pinch weld you can appreciate these.

 

[c_mccann]

How about a spacer kit that slides in between the contact pad and the stand? That would suffice for the adjustable needs. Bigger pad would be safer. Great idea!

 

[Danglerb]

Here is what one of the 928 guys came up with since our cars have 4 specific lift points. So far, 100 or so sold in last couple years, no issues and very stable.

www.liftbars.com

 

[jpoint]

Good idea. First time I've seen it.

 

[Fudge]

Great idea! For the modern car owner I guess. Personally I just dont think it will get high enough to be any good to me. I also have more options for jacking than new cars do. So if your hoping I'm gonna buy some you might starve Good luck with these though.

 

[tonydanzah]

reminds me of this jacking bar, but that round one looking much safer for jack stands.

<a href="http://s965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/?action=view&current=me4092_adapter.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/me4092_adapter.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[Rnz520]

I could have so used this yesterday while trying to set my RX-7 on stands to drop the subframe

 

[jpoint]

Just so I know. How many people out there use jack stands primarily for significant under car work as opposed to wheel and suspension work. Also - if you're going under, what is your preferred work height. I used to work under my car on stands and never really liked it (young broke owner of first car, cheap stands at questionalble placement, been there). Would folks really like this design in tall stand? I actually shortened it from the original prototype.

 

[jpoint]

Regarding stackability.

 

[alberto]

Don't have anything to add to the observations stated about adjustability, etc. I like the idea and I really like that it should work with my existing jacks. The kicker will be the price.