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Jack Stand Recall

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Mickey Richaud

Mickey Richaud

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Thanks - I have both of those also. Like you, I always leave the floor jack engaged.
 
I wonder how many of these jack stands are made in the same factory and marketed under different names?
My jack stands look IDENTICAL to the ones pictured but I don’t believe that they are the HF brand. I will definitely be checking them this morning. Thanks Mickey.
 
I have a similar set and have always wondered about the ratchet steps - the part that engages on the "ledge" of the stand seems too rounded-off and not long enough to engage solidly. Like I said, scary stuff!
 
I just checked my stands. I have three sets, all 6-ton, all marketed by different companies. The red one is MVP Pro-Lift, the gray one is by Rally Mfg., and the orange one has no name one it. Honestly, all three look pretty much identical to the HF ones.
A quick internet search did not turn up any recalls for the MVP Pro-Lift or Rally Mfg.
Like you guys, I always keep the floor jack in place as a fail safe.

IMG_4450.jpg
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A friend at the air museum, a WW2 radio technician, once told me "Remember the days when Americans bought things made here, instead of things imported here because they were cheaper?

yeesh
 
So much of big business is run by money managers constantly looking for the next quarter's cost reduction, and we've become used to the "what's the cheapest" concept. It's not always a bad thing, but too many times things are now made in places without much in the way of quality control for materials or functional design. And I read an article once that said when we complain about getting cheap stuff that doesn't last, the so called first world gets the good cheap stuff. Things sent to developing or undeveloped countries can be way worse.
 
I have grey ones. Tags have been gone for ever. I suspect 20+ years old. I see a Patent on-line for 2008. No way. My accident was 1999, quit pro auto repair then, and these were old at that time.
 
I have a HF set that look similar, but the part # is different. Pulled them out to check #, looks like they've never been used.
 
Neither of my sets match the recalled numbers but I did notice that the safety pin only just engages in the ratchet by about 1/16" . Better than nothing though.
+1 on the wheels under the car at least that way there may be room to squeeze out or for the rescue squad to get you out.
Doing oil changes I always build a pile of 2 x 8 under the frame along side the jack which I leave in place. Easy to slide the stack in and out.

David

Safety pin not inserted.
Axle stand e.jpg
 
I don't think that pin will go in until you lift the centre bar enough. You are hitting the non-sawtooth area.
 
NutmegCT said:
A friend at the air museum, a WW2 radio technician, once told me "Remember the days when Americans bought things made here, instead of things imported here because they were cheaper?

yeesh
Click to expand...

Those radio guys sure knew what they were talking about. Two of the WWII vets that I was particularly close to were both radio techs. One flew in Avengers in the Pacific, the other was on B-17s in England. Their combat tours were almost identical, as was their mission tally. The B-17 radioman is still with us and sharp as a tack.
 
I had it in that position to show the pin.
When I look through the triangular hole with the pin entering from the other side there is only about 1/16" of the ratchet visible for the pin to engage in. It does hold the ratchet so that is something.

David

TOC said:
I don't think that pin will go in until you lift the centre bar enough. You are hitting the non-sawtooth area.
Click to expand...
 
Mine aren't on the list - phew. actually turned out to be heavier rated than I remember. In addition to the aforementioned advice (tires and jacks and 2X8's) I have taken to giving the car a very strong shake before I climb under, I am also doubling up (or so) stands - so I currently have the Viva up on 6 stands rather than the 4 I would have used before.

Too soon old too late smart :grin:
 
Mine are about 4 yrs old. Have the Valiant on the for two years for floorpans. Got to take them back. Now have to use the spare ones I got at a body shop that closed a little while back, stands are from the 50s. Probably stronger too.
 
Chinese manufacturing and machine tolerances have been half-baked for a long time, no surprise the jack stands are sub-par. Back in the late '60's my dad needed to replace some milling machines and lathes for the company. He looked at Chinese-made lathes, came back shaking his head. No amount of money "saved" could justify the purchase. Not suggesting they haven't improved in that area, but something like jack stands out of spec should have been caught by quality control... bringing up another whole bag o' worms. And who absorbs the cost of the screw-up? *sheesh*
 
I have four stands, all bought years ago. Two are orange but the movable part has a flatter top, not V-shaped. The other two are blue and of a different design. I don't use them.
 
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