Cheers guys.

It is all starting to make sense

So just curious as to where you guys get all these off cuts of wood from in your town?

I live in suburbia so not much lying around the house.

Any hints?

 

Any building sites nearby where new houses are being built? Always lots of offcuts there, at least here where houses are built of wood. Or cut up an old shipping pallet. Some places give them away.

I'm using pieces left over from when I built a fence.

 

This is how I work under the car, These stands are very sturdy and I can get the car high enough to work under on my garage creeper with comfort.

 

Wow. Warren that must take a bit of work to get her up that high. What is your method?

 

No only about 5min. I have ramps that but against the stands, these are made from a 200x50mm treated pine sleeper I had left over from my tank pad.

Drive the car up and then the trolley jack fits under the stand. The first 2 timber pads under the platform are fixed, this provides enough height to get my low profile (the red one) trolley jack under the stand, then just jack up and add a timber block. After that photo I added a couple of timber slats on 2 of the platforms to prevent the car from rolling.

My house was held up this way while they were stumping it, so I figured if it held a house it would hold up my car.

 

Cheers.

Also we may have covered this earlier in the thread but just to confirm, ratchet style car stands I am told are better than the pin style? Is that the general consensus?

Is this because sometimes it is a bugger to get those pins in lining up?

 

I don't think one is better than the other, but having used both the ratchet style usually have finer steps between the stops so it's easier to get to the right height you need.

 

I splurged and bought a 4 post hoist for my garage. Drive on, press the button and up the car goes. I'm a big fan of just pressing the button

Makes life so much easier to not have to find jacking points. Downside is if I need to do brake or suspension work, but I bought a bridge jack to take care of that.

 

I have both ratchet and pin stands, the ratchet like pictured are way more stable, but do not have fine screw adjustment like my pin stands. The platforms are by far better, more stable, higher and don't get in way like the stands.

 

Personnally I would avoid the ratchet ones.
They are popular but most of these are now cheaply manufactured in China and the welds quality is far from being consistent: dramatic failures have been reported.
I have chosen pin style stands of reputable brands with good quality control. More expensive but life has no price.
Also double secured with heavy stuff like wood blocks.

 

Cheers guys.

Also just wondering type of jobs do you guys get her up on all 4's (like in Warrjon's pic) and what are your guys particular methods and tools for achieving this?

4 jack stands and a trolley jack suffice?

 

Here and there:


1. I have a bunch of jack stands. Pin and rachet, each with concerns:
A. The pin types are tubular and their base is of consequence, as well as tear out at the pin holes. So far, no problems.
B. The racheting style is handier, but are the castings and bite enough? So, far OK.


But!!! I leave the trolley jack on a center section in place !!! And, blocks of wood under the raised wheels. Not to forget a chock on a wheel still on terra firma. Triple safe. Why not?


But, whenever, feasible ramps are my choice. Access limitation and all. No use if removing a wheel, of course!!!


Carl

 

Add blocks under the wheels and you are as good to go as you can be.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS !!!


cARL

 

Yes, but be very careful. Trolley jacks do not go straight up and down, they move in an arc, so the jack must be free to roll.

I have a 1966 S Type and was jacking it to put an exhaust system on. I jacked the front end up and put it on stands. Then went to the rear and began jacking. There must have been a small stone or something under the jack wheel so it wouldn't roll. Instead as the jack head went up, it went forward. As I was nearly at full height the jack moving forward had tipped over the front stands and the car came crashing down. Buckled both freshly painted front fenders. Fortunately I wasn't under it.

So if you do raise it that way, have a spotter to keep an eye on things and make sure the stands are staying flat on the ground. Also keep yourself well clear of the car!

After the car came off stands twice on me that's when I bought the hoist and said I'm never jacking a car again.

 

SO True. See post no. 70 in this thread:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-125453/page4/
Greg

 

Happened to me with my wifes car it fell off the jack for the same reason.

This is why I use the platforms. They are low enough I can drive up all 4 at the same time as they fit under the sills, then jack each corner under the tyre.

 

Guys great chat. Thanks for all your input. Some very valuable info here.

 

Came home from and went shopping.

3 Tonne Trolley Jack:


Some rubber chocks:


And the 3 Tonne Jack Stands:


The trolley jack is low profile but still just a smidgen off clearing that front plastic cover so I will have to drive her up on blocks to get started.

I also found around the back of my shed heaps of off cuts of wood so I guess I won't need to search anywhere for that!

Now here's hoping I can do this without squashing myself!

 

Right !

I always leave the jack in place and the wheels under the body of the car and/or some other form of backup. And I avoid having all four wheels off at once. If the car comes off the jack stands at least it won't drop flat to the floor....leaving me with some chance of survival

As for the jacking process sometimes I have to go in stages, depending on the situation at hand. And I don't remove wheels until all it secure. That way, if the car tips off the jack or jack stands during the jacking-up process it simply falls down on the tires

After all looks secure, but before the wheels come off, I inspect that the jack stands have not gone ****-eyed, akimbo, or katy-wompus (three very different things...too technical to explain here). Then I push, pull, shove, and bounce the car with all my might. If it's still on the jack stands the wheels now come off and go under the car.

Cheers
DD

 

Just loosen the wheelnuts a touch on the wheel that are going to come off, while the car I on them though, Paul.
Greg