Jack stand alternatives....

Bradleyrj · 02-02-2009, 10:26 PM

I absolutely HATE rolling around under the car with jackstands always in the way. I dont have access to a lift anymore and my current garage is about 3 feet to short..

SO What I am thinking about doing. Picking up several 2x12's. Building blocks to go under the tires of the car. I would make them about 16 inches tall total.. but cut a half moon out of the top of the boards. Cut the moon down about 4 inchs so that the bottom of the tire is about a foot off the ground. I would make them 12 inches square. Much larger foot print than a typical jack stand.. AND they would be under the wheels and tires I would think sitting them farther apart would make the entire situation more sturdy than a couple jack stands under the frame of the car.

Thoughts.. opinions. I was gonna try to draw it up in paint but gave up. Hopefully my description was enough to get my point across.

WWhittle · 02-02-2009, 10:31 PM

it probably wouldn't be anymore expensive to just go buy some of those hard plastic drive up oil change ramps. I have four of them and when i work under my cars i just jack the front up, slide them under the tires, then jack the back up and slide them under those tires. Solid as a rock, and nothing in your way right under the car.

Bradleyrj · 02-02-2009, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by streetsweeper

it probably wouldn't be anymore expensive to just go buy some of those hard plastic drive up oil change ramps. I have four of them and when i work under my cars i just jack the front up, slide them under the tires, then jack the back up and slide them under those tires. Solid as a rock, and nothing in your way right under the car.

TRUE.. but im a BIG kid.. those dont lift the car high enough for me to get under. Disadvantage # 3133243 of being a fat kid.

Here is a REALLY rough sketch of what I have in mind. NO its not to scale and NO you should not pay attention to the 3d view towards the back. I only had a pen handy. I will do another sketch later that looks closer to correct.

Matts94Z28 · 02-02-2009, 11:13 PM

LOL, you will love this...

chrisheltra · 02-02-2009, 11:28 PM

Omg

Matts94Z28 · 02-02-2009, 11:30 PM

Ha, it works though... I don't mess with jackstands at all.

blkscls1z · 02-03-2009, 12:08 AM

That's about the only good thing those salad shooters are good for. I have always hated those wheels.

Bradleyrj · 02-03-2009, 01:33 AM

I have asked people on several boards.. and everyone says wider wider wider ... WHY? A jackstand is at best about 8-9 inches wide at the base and the contact area between the stand and the car is very small.. maybe 2 inches wide and 4 inches long... I do not understand how a contact patch of approx 8 inches wide, 10 inches long (taking into account circumference of the tire in contact with the stand) and a base of 12x14 cant be better?

BAD BOB · 02-03-2009, 09:54 AM

well unless you want to take the chance of the car falling on you i would make them wider just to be sure. Wood is soft and with alot of weight on it can basiclly get smashed. A jack stand is built like a tripod and the weight from the center point is distributed outwards on multiple legs. Your idea has basicly no stabability being made of wood. Just use the drive on ramps like streetsweeper said and spair your life!!!!

Darryl Buckner · 02-03-2009, 05:57 PM

Just do like Matt did, and if thats not high enough stack 2 rims at each corner, and should be able to to just about walk under the car..

Robert Holton · 02-03-2009, 06:30 PM

just get two fork lifts put one under the front bumper and one under the back bumper and raise them both at the same time then u will have plenty of room

chrisheltra · 02-03-2009, 08:28 PM

Jack stands are too cheap to skimp on. I just bought 4 3-ton jacks about two weeks ago for $80 at sears. My 1/2" torque wrench I bought a couple of days ago was just as much but not as life saving.

02-02-2009, 10:26 PM	#1
Bradleyrj Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Myrtle Beach Posts: 2,347	Jack stand alternatives.... I absolutely HATE rolling around under the car with jackstands always in the way. I dont have access to a lift anymore and my current garage is about 3 feet to short.. SO What I am thinking about doing. Picking up several 2x12's. Building blocks to go under the tires of the car. I would make them about 16 inches tall total.. but cut a half moon out of the top of the boards. Cut the moon down about 4 inchs so that the bottom of the tire is about a foot off the ground. I would make them 12 inches square. Much larger foot print than a typical jack stand.. AND they would be under the wheels and tires I would think sitting them farther apart would make the entire situation more sturdy than a couple jack stands under the frame of the car. Thoughts.. opinions. I was gonna try to draw it up in paint but gave up. Hopefully my description was enough to get my point across. __________________

02-02-2009, 11:13 PM	#4
Matts94Z28 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Summerville Posts: 12,039	LOL, you will love this... __________________ Charleston Performance Solutions 4560 Rivers Ave. N. Charleston SC 29405 843-225-1142 https://www.facebook.com/CharlestonPerformanceSolutions www.facebook.com/Selepack

02-02-2009, 11:28 PM	#5
chrisheltra Neo is Jesus Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 13,265	Omg __________________ Gap A Hoe Racing

02-02-2009, 11:30 PM	#6
Matts94Z28 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Summerville Posts: 12,039	Ha, it works though... I don't mess with jackstands at all. __________________ Charleston Performance Solutions 4560 Rivers Ave. N. Charleston SC 29405 843-225-1142 https://www.facebook.com/CharlestonPerformanceSolutions www.facebook.com/Selepack

02-03-2009, 12:08 AM	#7
blkscls1z Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Between Goose Creek & Moncks Corner Posts: 2,310	That's about the only good thing those salad shooters are good for. I have always hated those wheels. __________________

02-02-2009, 10:31 PM	#2
WWhittle Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Mt. Pleasant, SC Posts: 3,899	it probably wouldn't be anymore expensive to just go buy some of those hard plastic drive up oil change ramps. I have four of them and when i work under my cars i just jack the front up, slide them under the tires, then jack the back up and slide them under those tires. Solid as a rock, and nothing in your way right under the car.

02-03-2009, 01:33 AM	#8
Bradleyrj Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Myrtle Beach Posts: 2,347	I have asked people on several boards.. and everyone says wider wider wider ... WHY? A jackstand is at best about 8-9 inches wide at the base and the contact area between the stand and the car is very small.. maybe 2 inches wide and 4 inches long... I do not understand how a contact patch of approx 8 inches wide, 10 inches long (taking into account circumference of the tire in contact with the stand) and a base of 12x14 cant be better? __________________

02-03-2009, 09:54 AM	#9
BAD BOB Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SUMMERVILLE Posts: 3,681	well unless you want to take the chance of the car falling on you i would make them wider just to be sure. Wood is soft and with alot of weight on it can basiclly get smashed. A jack stand is built like a tripod and the weight from the center point is distributed outwards on multiple legs. Your idea has basicly no stabability being made of wood. Just use the drive on ramps like streetsweeper said and spair your life!!!!

02-03-2009, 05:57 PM	#10
Darryl Buckner The Top Dog Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,318	Just do like Matt did, and if thats not high enough stack 2 rims at each corner, and should be able to to just about walk under the car.. __________________ When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty. Thomas Jefferson

02-03-2009, 06:30 PM	#11
Robert Holton Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 978	just get two fork lifts put one under the front bumper and one under the back bumper and raise them both at the same time then u will have plenty of room

02-03-2009, 08:28 PM	#12
chrisheltra Neo is Jesus Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 13,265	Jack stands are too cheap to skimp on. I just bought 4 3-ton jacks about two weeks ago for $80 at sears. My 1/2" torque wrench I bought a couple of days ago was just as much but not as life saving. __________________ Gap A Hoe Racing