Don't trust your Jack!!!

[Cosmo Dude]

No one was injured in the making of this thread.
You've probably been told several times not to climb under your car when it's on its jacks. On Saturday I was swapping my rear shocks when CREEEEEK - THUD.
http://www.webvisions.com.au/cosrod/jaksafety1sml.jpg (http://www.webvisions.com.au/cosrod/jacksafety1.jpg)http://www.webvisions.com.au/cosrod/jaksafety2sml.jpg (http://www.webvisions.com.au/cosrod/jacksafety2.jpg)
Click image for larger view

I was leavering the shock from the A arm when it happened and whilst not under the car it was still not the kinda thing you want to happen. It did make putting the wheel back on a little more difficult and the jack is a write-off.

[MeFo]

****, that's not good mate... No damage to the car?

[Cosmo Dude]

Car is fine, replacement shocks and springs make it 40mm lower in the back with a good dose of -ve camber.

[chicaboo]

I defense of your jack, it's a pretty dodgy looking unit with signs of age. But yeah, a jack is only good enough to lift and lower, never to support. I could be insane but I'm sure my supercheat jack stands appear to lean while they support the car... When I've been really paranoid I've used the scissor jack, trolley jack and 2 jacks stands to hold the car up while I've been under there for long periods.

[Nate]

****, that's not good mate... No damage to the car?

**** no that thing is built like a brick!!

good to hear you and the car are ok!

i saw one of boostedbatmans mates commo's fall off a jack ... funny stuff ... well it was after we told the bloke to get out from under it, there was a lot of screaming before hand :p

obivously no good when doing suspension work ... but i always try to put my car on ramps ... if it rolls it will only be backwards away from me :D

[mcwilly]

thats alright if ya car can get up on to ramps

[chicaboo]

My gay auto BJII with standard ride height and the normal bumper could not get up on ramps without some ginning around with blocks. The not-so-gay manual is 35mm lower at the front springs, and the bumper sits down 50mm lower and sticks out another 50mm again too, so it'll go up ramps the day a money tree springs from my butt. In which case I wouldn't care...

[goldsp]

use bloody stands . and proper jacks not farken repair your mofo tyre jacks

[Nate]

use bloody stands . and proper jacks not farken repair your mofo tyre jacks

unfortunately not all of us have access to that kinda equipment, in a perfect world we would all have hoist in the garage and you wouldnt even need a jack, but seeing this aint the perfect world the standard jack will work 99% of the time, just place a spare wheel or two under the car at the end you are jacking, and if worst comes to worst the spare will take the fall and not your chest. wreckers sell stealies with rubber from $20, i am yet ot find a wrecker that will sell a rib cage tho ;) ... mind you some will charge an arm and a leg :D

[goldsp]

ummm yeh ok , the amount of times you are under your car im sure it would be a worth while investment .

[BigBoyLemonade]

LOL, at least it didn't fall the other way and puncher the fuel tank like I have done once! You only do something silly like that once, especially when your under the car.

[mrpayner]

Hehe. so that means that the wheel on the other side was off the ground too! Nice work! :D

AP

[Cosmo Dude]

I posted this as a word of caution not a "How lucky am I" story as I'm more pissed off about the marks on the driveway than the jack failing (I've got plenty of jacks).
I only removed the wheel to access one bolt, most of the work was done in the cabin. I normaly use stands (I have two pairs) or ramps (only one pair but the're no use when removing springs/shocks).
My fuel tank is in the boot, one of the reasons I don't have a sub back there. In the 929 it would've crushed against the rear cross member but in an Astina forum that's a good point (and I've got a spare fuel tank ;) although it's not in the shed :p )