Jack stand safety.....

[turbodog]

Im going to interject and say that's something turbodog would suggest. You want to drill through a cast piece, which holds your life in its hands? By drilling through you're introducing a myriad of fractures around the hole, which, when stress is applied, will grow over time and may fail.

 

Look up why Porsche casts their drilled rotors-- the same reasoning

 

I do not recommend drilling or modifying jack stands.

[Wheelbuilder_25]

While you're checking your jack stands, make sure that you don't have ones that have a tiny footprint, they tend to be tippy...even on flat ground.

 

I sent a pair to the dumpster years ago and replaced them with ones that have a nice broad base. I think Queen had a song kinda like that, if I remember correctly.

 

Wheel

[Mill]

Right I want to drill a hole through the safety equipment thats holding my 2 ton car up over my head .

 

 

If you aren't a smartass about it, it can be done safely.

 

First of all, cast? no. I mentioned nothing about drilling into the casting. Look up Torin jack stands if you want an illustration.

 

A small thru hole with a linch pin in the jack base will be enough to be a BACK UP support for your "2 ton" (actually 3400# aka 1.7ton ) car considering it will see a max load of about 900# in most applications (each corner of the car, give or take whether in front or back of car). The pin would be in a double shear form since it would travel through both sides of the jack base, making it even stronger in this application.

 

Regardless, you should keep the jack under the car in the event that something does happen. This way if it does, and you are a lucky enough the the stand and jack both fail, whoever is around will not have to throw a jack under the car in a panic.

 

I'm not saying you have to go out and do it. I'm saying its possible. Just because something did not come that way from the manufacture does not mean it cant be made better or will automatically fail. Working for American Axle and Manufacturing, I see this every day. Customers want their product as cheap as possible, and will sacrifice options to get it.

[TheOneDoubleN]

This has nothing to do with being a smart ass, more so just being smart. Drilling holes in jack stands is effing moronic and i don't advise anyone to do it under any circumstance. You're giving reckless advice.

 

You may know how to do it in an expert fashion, but a lot of people might not, and could seriously hurt or kill themselves if they messed up while listening to your advice.

[NWSPECB]

Do we have a new victim here? I'm bored at work again.

[PearlBlueGT]

Even with jack stands in place I still have floor jack in place, just in case. If I can't do something safely under the car I'll take it to mechanic and spend $100-200 extra to have him do it safely.

[ChemicalWaste]

I thought he was kidding. This is why I don't get paid to think I guess.

[Mill]

This has nothing to do with being a smart ass, more so just being smart. Drilling holes in jack stands is effing moronic and i don't advise anyone to do it under any circumstance. You're giving reckless advice.

 

You may know how to do it in an expert fashion, but a lot of people might not, and could seriously hurt or kill themselves if they messed up while listening to your advice.

 

 

If you dont know how to do it. Then dont do it.

 

Disclaimer: If you dont know what you are doing, then for your safety and others'. DONT! Ive seen my fair share of backyard engineering. Most of it is scary.

 

All I'm saying is there is many ways to go about doing it safely. If you dont have the tools to properly do so the right way, then by all means give them to somebody that can, or pass...

 

As for a new victim? Get over yourself and get back to work.

 

And yes, I get paid to think. If you dont have the brain capacity to test something before you trust your life with it, then you shouldnt be under the car in the first place. PearlBlueGT has the right idea. If it is beyond your means, whatever they may be, take it to somebody that has the means.

[NWSPECB]

You need to lighten up buddy.

 

I've done my work for the day and am only here to basically babysit my product in case the press workers need help. Plus I'm on hour 74 for this week so I'm taking a break from doing anything productive.

[TheOneDoubleN]

Lol! "Get back to work" !

[dr_sharp]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zMxMhGTLxG8/S_pkil2yhjI/AAAAAAAAA6I/NnlhhkixNYQ/s1600/neckjack.jpg

[NWSPECB]

I see nothing wrong here.

[Mill]

You need to lighten up buddy.

 

I've done my work for the day and am only here to basically babysit my product in case the press workers need help. Plus I'm on hour 74 for this week so I'm taking a break from doing anything productive.

 

I'm perfectly lightened up. As for your situation, I can understand that. I work at a forging facility and much babysitting is needed. We are busier than ever and many workers are doing 12 hr shifts to keep up with production.

 

I'm just defending myself is all. I meant no offense to those that do not feel comfortable in modifying certain things.

[NWSPECB]

Just giving you a hard time. But seriously, there are quite a few people who might try things they read on a forum or on the internet. When they do this they risk doing it wrong because they don't really know what they are doing. You have to take that sort of thing into consideration when you are describing something that has a high safety risk involved.

 

I wouldn't drill into my jack stands simply because I don't know how to do it with 100% certainty that they are still safe to use.

[Mill]

Just giving you a hard time. But seriously, there are quite a few people who might try things they read on a forum or on the internet. When they do this they risk doing it wrong because they don't really know what they are doing. You have to take that sort of thing into consideration when you are describing something that has a high safety risk involved.

 

I wouldn't drill into my jack stands simply because I don't know how to do it with 100% certainty that they are still safe to use.

 

Yep. The interet is a plethora of WRONG information. I have been one that may been guilty of it in my time on forums. Such information runs rampant on every forum, and if made believable enough, will spread like wildfire.

 

I admit, I made it sound too easy to just drill a hole and stick a pin in. There is a right and many wrong ways to go about it. Sometimes I just forget that others are not as careful and tedious as I am. I analyze things before I go about doing them thinking of why it will or wont work. I know a guy that uses stacked washers, YES, WASHERS (you know, for nuts and bolts) as wheels spacers and wonder what goes through there mind when he think it is safe! I would not in a million years even consider it. Wheel spacers are designed the way they are for a reason, to spread the load applied from the suspension and wheel. If washers worked and were safe, you would see them on the market. Catch my drift? That guy would have taken my first post literally and said "**** it" and drilled a hole god knows where and slapped a pin in it. Would it work? sure. For how long? who knows.

[NWSPECB]

Many of the people on forums such as this one are mechanically minded and will think of why something should or should not be done before doing said thing. While that is the case, those are not the people that you have to keep in mind. Unfortunately there are those that do not think things through as much as they should. Your friend with the washers as wheel spacers is a good example.

 

On the other hand we could just let darwinism theory take its course.

[SCHM1AN]

If you aren't a smartass about it, it can be done safely.

 

First of all, cast? no. I mentioned nothing about drilling into the casting. Look up Torin jack stands if you want an illustration.

 

A small thru hole with a linch pin in the jack base will be enough to be a BACK UP support for your "2 ton" (actually 3400# aka 1.7ton ) car considering it will see a max load of about 900# in most applications (each corner of the car, give or take whether in front or back of car). The pin would be in a double shear form since it would travel through both sides of the jack base, making it even stronger in this application.

 

Regardless, you should keep the jack under the car in the event that something does happen. This way if it does, and you are a lucky enough the the stand and jack both fail, whoever is around will not have to throw a jack under the car in a panic.

 

I'm not saying you have to go out and do it. I'm saying its possible. Just because something did not come that way from the manufacture does not mean it cant be made better or will automatically fail. Working for American Axle and Manufacturing, I see this every day. Customers want their product as cheap as possible, and will sacrifice options to get it.

 

The only thing wrong with this I see is that you're saying to put the pin in the jack for when the jack stand fails... When you load anything in impact, you can generally assume about 6x the static load acting upon the pin and the clevis. While I'm sure the jacks are engineered with an enormous factor of safety, I wouldn't put the pin in an impact-loading situation. Just my $0.02.

[dr_sharp]

On the other hand we could just let darwinism theory take its course.

 

This. And then videos of said people so the rest of us can laugh.

[Mill]

The only thing wrong with this I see is that you're saying to put the pin in the jack for when the jack stand fails... When you load anything in impact, you can generally assume about 6x the static load acting upon the pin and the clevis. While I'm sure the jacks are engineered with an enormous factor of safety, I wouldn't put the pin in an impact-loading situation. Just my $0.02.

 

Understandable. This would depend on how well thought out the hole location was. If properly done there would be only enough clearance for a normal fit (a couple of thousandths of an inch) to slide the pin in. Also, it would be worthless to take the time to do it if an undersized pin is used. Personally, I like to over-do things to make sure that an instance such as you describe wouldnt even be possible. In a case like this you cant be too safe. If you have any doubt, then you arent being safe enough! I've seen shit happen at work that I wish I could unsee due to improper safety procedures. We have presses ranging from 300 to 4000 tons that dont give a damn what you put under it, and we have "jack stands" of sorts that hold them up when working under them. Tell me you could do that without shitting bricks and I give you a cookie.

 

I for one think darwinism is a great thing for humanity. Let stupidity sort things out.

 

 

Now if you would excuse me I am going to enjoy this non-blistering day we have going on today!

[turbodog]

Interesting stuff.

 

I still like my idea of using a hose clamp to hold the lever down.

[laff79]

http://cdn.overclock.net/d/d0/453x378px-LL-d0e756a9_453px-You_dont_say.png

[Mill]

Interesting stuff.

 

I still like my idea of using a hose clamp to hold the lever down.

 

Or cut the lever off.

[turbodog]

Or cut the lever off.

 

Yes....suggested previously.

[SSpeed]

I ziptied my levers down after deciding drilling a safety pin hole seemed like a terrible idea for load distribution.

[BAC5.2]

Didn't the article say it requires 90lbs to unseat the lever?

 

I haven't verified the numbers, but if that is the case than consider using industrial strength zip ties or hose clamps. Most commercial zip ties have a 70lb working load or less. You'll snap the tie before the loaded stand could unseat the lock. The safety of a standard cable zip tie is a false blanket.

 

There are some zip ties you can get from HD or Lowes that are rated at 100 lb or more. Use the highest rated ones you can find.

 

Also make sure you are using zip ties that are chemical safe and UV safe. Some ties will significantly weaken in the presence of oil or coolant, making them even more hazardous.

 

And obviously use a new zip tie every time.

 

Or buy pin-type jack stands. Drill a small hole in the pin and keep it from backing out with a cotter pin.