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Author
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Topic: be careful guys/grrls!!
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capri man
Gearhead Posts: 8777
From: doerun, ga.
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 11-22-2004 08:04 PM
 
Yesterday a man form Wichita, Ks. died from a car falling on him! He was over at a neighbors house helping work on a car. When the cinderblocks gave way crushing him. Let all of us take this as a lesson! Think before you crawl under a car. Make sure it is supported under the frame with quality jack stands on a stable surface. Plus have the wheels chocked! I know I am guilty of get in a hurry and not thinking of all that can go wrong in a split second! I have had bricks break and jacks fail. I am lucky no one was hurt. I for one can't bench press a car. So please be carefull! also i always leave the jack under the car just in case one of the jackstands fails. ------------------
mike r
racing is real
everything else is just a game.
81 capri-302-7.33 @92mph 1/8
1.54 60 ft. http://community.prestage.com/Member+Pages/789.aspx
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Fastback68
Gearhead Posts: 4511
From: Sucat, Paranaque, Philippines
Registered: Jul 99
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posted 11-22-2004 08:55 PM
quote:
in case one of the jackstands fails
Gulp! Now you've got me really worried! Do jackstands ever fail???
I remember being shocked once watching Homer Simpson working under his car with the front supported by a wicker basket, and Bart tried (and failed, thankfully) to kick it out. What was Bart thinking?????
Anyhoo, so do jackstands fail???
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MLariviere
Moderator Posts: 4235
From: Biddeford,Me.USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 11-22-2004 09:09 PM
The cheaper ones will. We had some stamped steel ones that folded up once. If the legs ever get distorted or dented,send'em. they are much cheaper than your life.
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chip67
Gearhead Posts: 245
From: louisville, ky, jefferson
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 11-22-2004 09:31 PM
had a car fall and almost got me. now im a freak about chocking wheels and using jack with jackstand together. even car lifts give me the creeps.------------------
coupe, 306, 4 speed, 4.11's. pump gas, n/a street car. best so far is 7.48 (1/8 mile) at 93mph with 1.64 60ft. 11.80 at 113 on greased 1/4 track.
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plainsfairlane
Journeyman Posts: 15
From: Kansas
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 11-22-2004 11:11 PM
What he said-use good jack stands. Never, never, ever use cinder or cement blocks!
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68F100
Gearhead Posts: 2835
From: Burlington, Iowa
Registered: Oct 99
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posted 11-22-2004 11:18 PM
Yikes.My dad was changing the oil in my Mom's old Chrysler New Yorker. Yep, no jackstands, he was in a hurry. The jack fell and the crossmember landed on his chest. The front wheels were still in the air! My Dad is a pretty thick guy. He had to lift the car up enough to squirm out from under it. He was out there by himself. A very scary lesson learned. And it left him with some painful reminders, broken ribs and broken breastbone, and some torn muscles. Needless to say he uses jackstands EVERY time now and leaves the jack for backup.
Can't believe I never got hurt rebuilding my brakes on the 68 in a gravel driveway with pieces of wood stacked on cinder blocks.
Hey, If anyone is thinking of doing something dumb like that, I have an extra set of jackstands. 
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Lightning Fast Fords
Gearhead Posts: 147
From: Charlotte , N.C. USA
Registered: Aug 2004
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posted 11-23-2004 12:47 AM
I can tell you right up front...if you have a dented or distorted jack stand...CAN IT !! and get new ones.Back in the late 60's My parents had some rental property in L.A. (our former house)..and the renter was in the garage working on a car with jack stands that he had attempted to straighten out after a mild leg buckling before. Needless to say the jack stand was weakened and it failed on him the first time at bat..getting your shoulder pinned in high school wrestling is one thing...but getting a shoulder pinned by a 2 ton car is bad news. The guy in the story never did fully recover from the accident..and he never returned to work as an aircraft mechanic due to his disabilities. Maybe a person this stupid shouldn't be working on airplanes to begin with? Just a professional observation (LOL)
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Toronado3800
Gearhead Posts: 1163
From: St. Louis, MO
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 11-23-2004 01:40 AM
Good reminder!Working for a tow-truck company I heard or saw more damage done by improperly jacked up cars. I've gotten in the habit of putting my car on the jack stands then sliding the hydraulic jack under another part of the car, sometimes snugly, sometimes a 1/4 inch from touching, just in case it may help.
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RogueS
Gearhead Posts: 120
From: Wichita, KS, USA
Registered: Oct 2004
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posted 11-23-2004 01:53 AM
<--- This man in Wichita will always have his supported correctly.
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Fastback68
Gearhead Posts: 4511
From: Sucat, Paranaque, Philippines
Registered: Jul 99
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posted 11-23-2004 01:59 AM
I'm really unhappy still  I have two cars at the moment each sitting on four six-ton jack stands, KYK brand, all virtually new. Someone please tell me the chances of a car coming crashing down are one in a gazillion!
Also, if a car's on four jack stands, all at the same height, and that one-in-a-gazillion freak of nature occurs, the car SHOULD hold up on three stands, I reckon ... right?
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Fastymz
Moderator Posts: 22791
From: Reno Nv M&M #1240
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 11-23-2004 02:11 AM
Yeah, I always use jack stands. I have never be comfortable under a car, even under a lift. I have 6 jack stands and 2 jacks. When I was taking my motor I used all of them. 3 jack stand under each side of the front of the car. And those car ramps make me worried too.Simon, I couldn't see all 4 stands failing at the same time. Yeah they would keep most of the car up except for the one that failed. ------------------
SCOOP oddly obsessed with big scoops on little Mustangs 65 coupe,351w,C4,Big Boss 429 hood scoop,8" 3.40 TracLoc. My Pics
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Ryan Wilke
Gearhead Posts: 3237
From: Stanton, Michigan, zip 48888
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 11-23-2004 09:47 AM
Yep, we all need to use good, unbent jack stands. HOWEVER, remember the jack stands are only as good as what they're setting on..... A 12-ton jack stand may not collapse under your car's weight, but it'll TIP OVER!  If you jack up your car, then put jack stands under it - ON DIRT - then crawl under there & start wiggling on the car because of a tight bolt or such, it will compromize the soil under the jack stand, and IT WILL LIKELY TIP OVER!! I've also seen a jack stand tip over while setting on poorer grade asphalt....I've seen jack stand "tracks" in the asphalt at my local dragstrip Pit Area. I've also seen a car that was set up on jack stands, then it rained and the rain seeped under the car and then some wind wiggled the car, then the jack stands tipped & the car fell..... Bottomline: Make sure your jack stands are set upon a good, level solid footing. AN IDEA THAT WORKS FOR ME: I took 2 - 1'x1' pieces of 1/2" exterior-grade plywood, turned them 90* to each other (so the wood grain is crossed) then screwed them together. I then keep the square of wood in my trunk; Soooo, if I'm ever stranded on a dirt road or such, I can put the plywood support under my scissors jack - to reduce the potential of it tipping over while I'm changing the tire, wiring up the exhaust that broke loose or whatever the problem is that requires me to jack up the vehicle. BE SAFE OUT THERE!! Ryan
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 29200
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 11-23-2004 10:06 AM
Do they still sell/make tubular, stamped jack stands?
I always check out the tool departments when shopping and I have not seen any in......years.I still have the slide part of one that failed. It was a scary experiance, even 30 years ago when I was invincable. It makes a great pinion bearing installation tool. Perfect diameter and a nice large, flat hammer surface.  ------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator NHRA/IHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
MCA member# 53321
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA & SS/MA National Record Holder '00,'01,'02,'03,& '04
First SS/MA in the TENS!
IHRA division 5 Superstock Champion
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28 The Barry of BarrysGrrl Quote #1: "I never met a magazine mechanic I liked."
Quote #2: "Make sure brain is in gear before engaging mouth!"
Quote #3: "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!"
www.moneymakerracing.com
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Ryan Wilke
Gearhead Posts: 3237
From: Stanton, Michigan, zip 48888
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 11-23-2004 10:26 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Moneymaker:
Do they still sell/make tubular, stamped jack stands? ...I have not seen any in......years.
Do you mean the ones that used a "support pin" (on a short chain) that passed thru the tube to set the adjustment height?
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SteveLaRiviere
Administrator Posts: 48752
From: Saco, Maine
Registered: May 99
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posted 11-23-2004 07:27 PM
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65ponycar
Gearhead Posts: 873
From: Dayton, OH
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 11-23-2004 07:59 PM
hah, man this thread -- first thing I thought of while reading it is the couple of times (i know, i know  ) that I literally fell asleep while under the car!!! scary.At least I eventually got that torque converter in... once I got the right spline count!
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Fordwiser
Gearhead Posts: 535
From: Metamora, Illinois
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 11-23-2004 10:48 PM
LOL! Is that the gas tank the guy is stick welding on? Surprized he's not sitting in a puddle of water too!Roger
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TomP
Gearhead Posts: 6376
From: Delta BC Canada
Registered: Dec 99
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posted 11-24-2004 01:30 AM
Safety concious welder there... he has a backup support stick, has the tires against the curb and chocked... i mean rocked.
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