my fear

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Kurt Muehlbauer

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So I have jack and 4 stands.... but they are still in box..

Why.. I am terrifed of the car falling on me and taking my life.
Stupid I know but I without a shop lift I feel unsafe.
Help lol
 
You just have to man up and do whatever needs to be done under the car and get the hell out of there. When i was removing my muffler my jack stand collapsed but luckily the car wasn't low enough to smash and kill me because i had stock ride height. but i did break my arm because it got smashed from the down pipe. I almost died but it is what it is people die from starvation and war everyday so i didn't really care, after this happened i just went in the kitchen and made me a sandwich.
 
EFcivic said:
You just have to man up and do whatever needs to be done under the car and get the hell out of there. When i was removing my muffler my jack stand collapsed but luckily the car wasn't low enough to smash and kill me because i had stock ride height. but i did break my arm because it got smashed from the down pipe. I almost died but it is what it is people die from starvation and war everyday so i didn't really care, after this happened i just went in the kitchen and made me a sandwich.
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Good story happy for you
 
EFcivic said:
You just have to man up. When i was removing my muffler my jack stand collapsed . . . i did break my arm because it got smashed from the down pipe. I almost died but . . . i didn't really care . . . i just went in the kitchen and made me a sandwich.
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Wow! That is some story. What kind of sandwich?

OP: Yours is a legitimate fear - based in self-preservation. You might visit a respected shop mechanic and ask what htey use. I know that I've had a pair of stands for years that had pins for height adjustment and, when I went to remove my 9th gen rear shocks, even though I wouldn't be quite under the car, I tossed 'em and bought heavy duty ratcheting ones. Once you buy some some good ones, you'll feel secure. After you set it up, push around on the car gently to be sure its secure. any movement at all, re-do. Good luck, and if you decide to let someone else do the work, that's fine too.

Hey, I don't feel the same about hanging one-legged off the top rungs of a 40ft ladder to paint my own house as I did years ago. Finally sold that ladder 2 yrs ago so I'd never be tempted to usde it again. Got $ bucks, too!
 
EverytimeI lift the car I put a wheel (steel one) or some rough 2 by 4s tied together with any plastic or scotch tape. This way I can match the height easily and in case it falls it gives me the time to get out though 2x4 packed together can take a lot of weight especially if there is a short or no drop at all. I put the 2x4s perpendicular to the car length. If I would do a lot of work I would get a lift, pricey but they make your life so easy.
 
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If im under the car with a wheel off I put the wheel along the frame as well just in case. Id rather crush a wheel than myself. Also I use the ramps a lot. Nothing to collapse and if the car rolls it's generally going to roll away from me.
 
Nix said:
If im under the car with a wheel off I put the wheel along the frame as well just in case. Id rather crush a wheel than myself. Also I use the ramps a lot. Nothing to collapse and if the car rolls it's generally going to roll away from me.
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I used ramps also....got the heavy duty ones just in case.
 
I usually put a couple of spare tires under the car near the jack or stands should its fail.

so i always feel safe when i work under the car.
 
Thanks for the ideas guys.. Does anyone have a schematic to where jacks are strongest on our cars.
 
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There's no need to worry if you're using these jacks. They generally have a safety factor of 2. So their total limit is actually twice the recommended.
 
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