other Recommendations And/or Opinions On Jack Stands

[Andrew Havens]

I'm new to working on cars, so I'm still accumulating the necessary equipment. Some of the things I need are a floor jack and jack stands. I recently bought a 1974 BMW 2002. I'm guessing they are pretty light and I don't need anything super heavy duty. I came across this ACDelco set of 2-ton jack stands and floor jack, on sale for about $40. Seems like a good deal, but I'm just not sure if they are the right for my 2002. I'd prefer that the jack stands don't fail while I'm under it, so if I need to pay more for better quality, I will. Can anyone give a recommendation as to whether or not a cheap set of 2 ton capacity jacks will be suitable for my needs?

Edited March 21, 2014 by andrewhavens

[tomscat1]

There is no such thing as being 'too safe' when you are under a car.  Don't scrimp on safety systems.  Use redundant systems, never trust a jack or a jack stand.  

 

I offer this true local story as a cautionary tale.  It happens.  No one knows for sure how it happened, but the speculation is that this youngster inadvertently bumped the release lever on the jack stand.  His parents returned home to find him.  He was only changing his oil, which he had done many times before.  His father, a nuclear safety engineer, has become an outspoken advocate for jack stands with 'pins' instead of release levers.

 

Read it and weep.  I am certain you will receive more advice in this thread on what to buy.  I hope everyone will think 'safety first'.  Stay safe, boys and girls.

 

http://baurspotting.blogspot.com/2014/03/safety-is-never-out-of-fashion-in.html

Edited March 21, 2014 by tomscat1

[73touring]

Double up. Jack stands and a jack. Ive a set of the lever type. Cast iron very heavy duty. I became apathetic and tended to rely only on them. Untill I got a wake up call when my one of them sliped dramaticly. Id just got out from under the car. I took it as a warning and use a redundency be it a jack or a tyre just in case.

[mnicktow]

glad to have you get the car bug and want to work on it yourself. the stands you are considering should be more than capable of supporting a 2002. our cars only weigh around 2300 lbs. I would suggest that you look at the stands and see if you would be comfortable laying under your car with them supporting it. I have modified my stands by welding a plate to the bottom of them. this keeps them from spreading or sinking into my blacktop driveway. in your post you suggest that you would rather be under the car with a jack supporting it, please remember that a jack simply has a 5 cent o-ring supporting all that weight. I have had a jack fail on me while lifting it up, fortunately I was not under it at the time. jacks and stands are something I don't usually skimp on, but I don't think snap-on or Mac tools equipment are necessary for the home mechanic either. good quality equipment taken care of last a lifetime or more.

[jrkoupe]

there was  a time Id use that set up..and not think twice..I had an 02 and was 19 yo..lol..it worked...

 

 

 

 

but

 

 

 

 

if u like tinkering..and love your car..and yourself..get better stuff....

[Gil. H.]

I buy truck rated jacks and stands, overkill, but as others have said, better to be over cautious. Department of Redundancy Department.

[peterschop]

Two ton jack stands are alright for small jobs such as doing brakes but are on the small side. I have a few two and three ton stands I sometimes use. Never rely on a jack to hold your car. Use it to put the car on the stands. Then grab a fender and try shaking the car to make sure it is solid.

 

My car is two foot up in the air right now on four six ton jack stands.  I took the wheels off and stacked two high and put under the ends of the car for extra security in case of jack stand failure. Advanced Auto has a pair of six ton Autocraft stands for $54.99. With an on line 30% coupon, you can buy them for  less than $39.

[Andrew Havens]

Tom, thanks for sharing that story. It was eye opening. It was amazing to read the response from the father, and how the son seemed to have done everything right. I've got a few ideas of what to look for now (i.e. a stand that won't release under load, try to find ones with pins, avoid using a creeper). I'd still appreciate specific recommendations if anyone has one.

 

Also, I didn't mean to give the impression that I wanted to use a single floor jack to hold up my car. I meant to say that I don't want the jack stands to fail when I'm under the car.

[bnam]

+1 on the 6ton jack stands.  I have 4 of them from HF.  I put car on stands, leave the jack locked for additional support and put the wheels I've removed under the car as well.

 

I bought the 6ton stands not for their capacity but really for their lift.  The broader base is a plus.

[M3M3]

safety is good.....

i have a hydraulic mid-rise lift. it has a mechanical lock, but i still put a couple of big jackstands under the lift if i go under car when it is up.

[roadhog0]

I use those Jack stands, they might be 3 ton though, the jack IMHO sucks, but I spent 100 bucks on a jack... I have two sets of the Harbor Freight 2.5/3 Ton stands at my parents. They work good.

[ndog]

someone should also throw photos up as to where the jacks go. the og ones might not be so good

[rms_sandiego]

Spend a bit more money and get some better equipment. Arcan makes a good all steel 3ton floor jack (model XL35) that is often available at Costco for under $100 or can be gotten from online sources for under $150. It lifts to about 22 inches. You will be unhappy with that delco jack after a pretty short time unless all you plan is changing tires and brake jobs. It just doesn't lift high enough. Then take a look at Harbor Freight for some 3 ton or higher rated jack stands. I have a set of 3 ton and a set of 6 ton. They are only $25 for a pair of 3 ton capacity.

[FB73tii]

+2 on 6-ton stands. I use them for most jobs, with some 4-ton stands for minor jobs. Look around and you can find them for a good price. I also have several sets of spare wheels and stack them under the car as backup when I am doing major work that might apply sideways forces. A final note--I don't understand those small jack stands with round bases, they just don't appear stable at all. Be safe! --Fred

[glemon]

I remember when I was young and foolish and indestructible, and I worked on cars under concrete blocks, pieces of wood, whatever was laying around and looked to be adequate to the purpose I can even remember cars rocking on those makeshift jackstands as I tried to remove stubborn rusted on parts.  As David Letterman would say, "kids don't try this at home"  Hopefully as we get older and wiser we realize that if you take such chances over time the odds will catch up to you.

 

The jackstands should be more than adequate to support your 2002, they don't even make cars that weigh as little as a 2002 these days, except maybe the Smart car.  Much as we gripe about product liability lawsuits, they do have a certain effect on products like this not being offered in the good old USA if they are total unsafe pieces of crap.  The more likely scenario for an accident is improper or unsafe use.  Always make sure you place the jack stands under structural thick or reinforced steel, always make sure you place the stands somewhere where it is not easy or remotely likely they will be inclined to slip or slide off.  Once set on the jack stands, as mentioned, always attempt to rock or move the car before you get under it to make sure it is stable.  These are the minimum guidelines, tires or other supports under the corners of the car aren't a bad idea either.   Don't get under a car unless you have at least two steady stable strong sources of support under it.

 

I have gone from being a more than a little cavalier in my youth to quite concerned about this issue after seeing cars slide off of supports a couple times (in the raising and lowering process, but still gives one pause)  and also hearing stories of how it has happened to others.

 

As far as the jack, it should be adequate to lift the car, and that is all it really needs to do, I have had a couple cheapo hydraulic floor jacks like that and they lasted a few years until the hydraulics failed, I would prefer one with a little larger lifting head to spread the load, if my budget were larger I would shop for a better one, but it'll do the job.

Edited March 22, 2014 by glemon