El cheapo jack stands recommended?

You get what you pay for 'usually'. Sometimes the 'brand' names think their name is gold plated though.....

If you look at the metal's gauge and the footprint size and the connecting parts, the quality is usually evident.

The cheap ones are ok for simple tire changes as a safety, but I use two or more in tandem if I am working under them and toss the tire and rim under the vehicle as a third safety.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >

Wal Shit? Look at it this way. If they collapse on you and kill you or take a leg off, you can sue them for selling defective merchandise.

Lg

"you can sue them for selling defective merchandise. " I don't know. I've never had good luck suing big firms. But hey! It might work. Just in case I lose, when I'm under the car, I have it supported by jack stands AND 6X6 pieces of wood. Either one would be good enough, but the wood even will stop it from rolling. Safety first. ...thehick

I use Rhino Ramps, rated at 4X what my car requires ( the heavy duty ones ).

When I want to work on the wheels/brakes, I use PINNED hydraulic jack stands, so if the valves fail, the pins will hold the pistons from collapsing. Having forgotten to remove the pins on a few occasions while letting the car down, I learned they work. Add Jackstands wherever you won't punch a hole through the floor, like on the frame rails.

Lg

How much is your life worth? I never like getting under a car unless I'm confident that it is properly supported. The cheapest stands are too flimsy for me. They only weigh a few pounds and have a small base. It also depends on the weight of the vehicle being supported. Check the weight ratings of any stands you are considering.

This style is a lot stronger, more sturdy and not that expensive.

After I have the vehicle properly supported I like to shake and wiggle it as hard as I can before getting under it, just to make sure it's not going anywhere.

The first thing covered in highschool auto shop is to shake the sh&t out of the car after it's up in the air before you go under it. Better it falls down beside you then on you. *My buddies are always shocked at how hard I shake the car, but have you ever seen how much you can rock a car when you're reefing on a stuck bolt with a 2 foot breaker bar?*

I'm pretty sure I own a couple of the cheapo jackstands, and they're just fine. Well, mine are. If you have any doubts about the quality of safety equipment, take a pass on them. (the walmart ones are probably the same as brand X without the sticker, but they could also be cheap crap.)

Ray

Yeah when it comes to safety, definetly don't skimp. I buy lift equipment that is rated far higher than when I actually need (an 8,000 lb. jack for my tiny Civic) Is saving a little money really worth your life? I use the Rhino 6 or 8,000lb ramps also. Plus if you buy something quality now, then if it lasts for several years then you will save money over buying a new peice when it breaks.

Harbor Freight occassionally has their 6-ton jackstands on sale for $19.99 a pair, that's what I get and use. They have the added bonus of being taller than regular stands, giving me much more room to work under the car on a creeper.

JazzMan

I guess that if they have the seal of approval of any certification institute (e.g. ANSI or else), someone could probably trust their safety if the vehicle is under the rated weight.

neilsanner

I will tell you a little story that may change the way you think about cheap jackstands.....\

Back when they wre still using bumper jacks, which is probably the worst form of jack (and they had jackstands back then), I was doing a rear end job on a buddys car..... I had two bumper jacks for safe keeping.... well long story short, I was under the car taking the drive shaft off and i noticed the car was swaying and decided that maybe I needed to make an exit before the car fell..... well guess what? The car fell.. not on top of me, but just as i was done rolling out from under the car... and i really do mean just as i got out from under it... i hadn't even started to get up yet and before i knew it, the car was on the ground. My dog, that was tied to a nearby tree, broke away from the rope and took off somewhere (I found him later!)..... ok .... so you would thin i learn my lesson right?? what do i do?? I go into the car parts place asking for a cheap jackstand ( I just didn't want to risk a car falling on me, right?) and the guy behind the parts counter says to me (and I can still hear it in my mind) "how much is your life worth?" At that point, I said say no more, and I bought two jackstands that are very sturdy. I've used them to this day whenever (and I do mean whenever) I have to jack up the car for whatever reason. They are close to 30 yrs old by now and still doing their job. One of my kids will have them when i get too old to work on my cars. I am sure they will get good use out of them.

So you might want to think about this one for a minute or two.... lol

Fwed

I keep thinking of my el-cheapo rib-cage...

Hey man, I'm happy your still here to tell us that story!

So if I understood well, jack stands mentionned earlier are cheap but they're not made cheap: They're excellent jack stands. Everyone agrees on this?

neilsanner

If you are concerned about their safety, why not buy some good quality and more expensive ones. Why be bothered with all the worry while under a 2 ton car supported by cheapo jackstands.

Yea.... im glad i am here too... lol.... i paid around 90 bucks (if i remember correctly) about 30 yrs ago..... not sure how much tonnage they will support, but i do remember they weren't the cheapest ones at the time i bought them.... A 6 ton jack stand sound like it will support alot more than the weight of a car..... probably even a dump truck..... so you will more than likely be safe with the 6 ton ones... after all, how much more are they than the 2 ton ones? 15 bucks a piece?? hell... 30 bucks is enough for me to decide my life is worth the extra tonage.... I always try to wiggle the cars whenever I put them up on the stands before I get under them. It gives me piece of mind...

Fwed

I've got a set of stands that are very similar to those. I forget where I got them. I would not be surprised if they were made in the same Chinese factory. They work find. Just make sure you use them properly and don't overload them. I do as someone else suggested and after the car is up on the stands, I push the car around to see if it is securely on the stands before I get under the car.

----------- Alex

In the manual of the jack stands from Harbor Freight Tools, mentionned earlier, it's written: "Warning! Never crawl under the vehicle when supporting it with Jack Stands"... LOL

neilsanner

Alex Rodriguez wrote:

I think I made my mind.

I'll choose a set of 3 tons jack stands from a reputable brand, and I'll buy an el cheapo floor jack. I mean, the floor jack is used while we're not under the car usually. And, personnally it'll be used only twice a year or so. Plus I'll be able to trust the jack stands while working under the car.

neilsanner

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote: