Jack Stands - A Caution

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BusBassist
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Jack Stands - A Caution

Post by BusBassist » Sun Jun 02, 2019 8:32 pm

Enough already - but....

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/thr ... you.97173/

Let's be safe.

[EDIT: preview photographs of collapsed jacks from
viewtopic.php?f=78&t=13835#p232993

BEFORE
Image

DURING
Image

AFTER
Image


Woah! So glad no one was hurt.

When it comes to Jacks - I’m a belt AND suspenders man: I use both jack stands and hydronic floor jacks.

And no offense, but those red jack stands don’t look terribly stable to begin with.

Again, so glad no one was hurt.

Jeff
Late 73 Bay w/a transplanted 914 Engine.

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tommu
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Re:Jack Stands - A Caution

Post by tommu » Sun Jun 02, 2019 10:35 pm

Very pleased to read you're ok - and seemingly bus too.

What do you think happened? Did the force of hitting the spring plate exploit a design flaw in those red thing? What weight were they rated for?

No-one's laughing at my monstrous 6 ton jack stands now..

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Mr Blotto
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Re:Jack Stands - A Caution

Post by Mr Blotto » Mon Jun 03, 2019 4:41 am

Glad everyone is OK! But, I have to say that those jack stands don't look like they would handle the weight of a bus when they were new. Please always use jack stands, and make sure they are appropriate for the application. If there is a place for over engineering, this is it.
1978 Sage Green Westy - 2.0 FI - SOLD WITH 109887 miles :-(

Jivermo
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Re:Jack Stands - A Caution

Post by Jivermo » Mon Jun 03, 2019 6:42 am

Man, that coulda been rough, with those jackstands! Glad no one was working below, as the term, “pancake engine” could have taken on an additional meaning.

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Kubelwagen
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Re:Jack Stands - A Caution

Post by Kubelwagen » Mon Jun 03, 2019 12:58 pm

I think this whole jack stand situation needs it’s own thread. Maybe in the shop forum?

I have those same jack stands in my garage. I have not used them, will be recycling them.
Patience the 81 Adventurewagen

Abscate
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Re:Jack Stands - A Caution

Post by Abscate » Mon Jun 03, 2019 2:21 pm

Colin - if you are near either Albany or Ithaca, I will donate two jack stands to your mission this week or later at your convenience.

Tuesday - Ithaca
Wednesday BOS
Thursday BOS
Friday ALB

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satchmo
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Re:Jack Stands - A Caution

Post by satchmo » Mon Jun 03, 2019 4:45 pm

JEEZUS! I would be needing to change out my underwear had this happened to me.

Standard practice in my shop (garage, I mean... okay, carport) is to place the wheel/tire I removed and stick it under the van where the frame will contact the wheel before the hubs or bumper hit the floor in case the jacks let loose. Gotta have wheel chocks in place too, especially on the front when you are working on the rear.

I've seen too many crushed humans in my work with the county coroner. Not pretty.

Satchmo
By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
second, by immitation, which is easiest;
and third, by experience, which is bitterest. -Confucius

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whc03grady
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Re:Jack Stands - A Caution

Post by whc03grady » Mon Jun 03, 2019 6:48 pm

After a little Googling, it looks like anyone with those three-legged tube-type jack stands should kick them to the curb forthwith.

Glad no one was hurt. Damn.
Ludwig--1974 Westfalia, 2.0L (GD035193), Solex 34PDSIT-2/3 carburetors.
Gertie--1971 Squareback, 1600cc with Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection from a '72 (E brain).
Read about their adventures:
http://www.ludwigandgertie.blogspot.com

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Re:Jack Stands - A Caution

Post by Curtp07 » Mon Jun 03, 2019 8:38 pm

HOLY SHITE

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vwlover77
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Re:Jack Stands - A Caution

Post by vwlover77 » Tue Jun 04, 2019 5:04 am

After seeing that, I could only think of this old photo and thank my lucky stars. At least the wheels were still on. (Cancer took her in 2015. :-()

I've used and trusted those jackstands for years. I guess it's time to move on!

Image
Don

---------------------------
78 Westy
71 Super Beetle Convertible Autostick

"When we let our compassion go, we let go of whatever claim we have to the divine." - Bruce Springsteen

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Amskeptic
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Re:Jack Stands - A Caution

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:06 am

Yes, yes, yes, we read in most every manual that you must use jack stands to ensure safety. As a general rule, I agree. Jack stands are suitable on hard flat surfaces. Please note, however, that you are in charge of assessing the physics in front of you. They do not give you permission to lull yourself into complacency. Jack stands can fail you if they cheap or damaged. Jack stands can fail you if they slip. Your responsibility is to be aware at all times. If you have to hit your car (like when blasting in torsion arms or spring plates, or hammering a steering knuckle to pop a tie rod or ball joint taper stud), you need to keep an eye out for a shifting jack point. The more advanced analysis of physics can sometimes lead you to determine that a jack stand violates the plane in which your car is supported. Two wheels and one jack determines a plane. Two wheels and one jack stand and a jack can violate that plane. You can unload one point of this foursome, which is fine, but you need to know which of the four gets unloaded as you jack.

I do not use jack stands. I do not have room for them in my Itinerary Inventory. I have heard all of the warnings, but I follow elemental physics and have not been surprised in decades. Soft surfaces prefer a couple of wheels and a jack. Jacks fail too, but they do not collapse instantly. They can slip off instantly, yes, but make sure that your jacking point is anchored and immobile (chocks and/or a functional ebrake help to keep everything anchored and slip-free).

So here, we have a metallurgical failure where all due diligence was taken. The weak link was the engineering of the jack stands themselves. They were old, yes, but they did not fail at some rust-point. They failed because they decided to buckle under light lateral loading from only a few heavy hammer blows against a spring plate.

Be Aware. Be Alert.
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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