Shop Safety or Safe Room Under the Car

[swift6]

As Randall and Don have already stated, after its up on jack stands try to give it a shake. I have four 6 tons units that have served me well for several years. I had a pair of the ramps and had similar experiences to Randall. I did have to make a set of ramps out of 2"X8"s so I could get the floor jack under the frame, my car is 1.5"s lower than stock. I could spend big money on a low profile racing jack, but the ramps are easier. Plus the ramps put my TR8 at just the right height to change the oil and filter without pulling out the jack. :wink:

 

[tinman58]

Peter,
Thank you for the compilment!
I do have a tendency to leave the keys in the ignition when I park the TR. I think that is from when I was working on it, in the garage but not in the running stage!

 

[glemon]

I was more reckless in my youth, so I may not be the best advisor on shop safety, but these days I am more careful and as long as a car is properly supported on jack stands I am not at all worried about going under it, either the cradle type top that wraps around the frame or you can usually find parts on the bottom of the car where which cradle the jack stand.

As stated try your darndest to wobble it around before you go under, then if all is stable should be good.

Greg

 

[Guest]

. I could spend big money on a low profile racing jack, but the ramps are easier. :wink:

HF has the small one cheap. I paid $40 for mine on a close out @ Wal-Mart. Yes, it's the "aluminium" one.

 

[John_Mc]

The metal ramps seem a little too steep, but those plastic Rhino ramps work okay for driving up, at least on the front tires and I believe the rear (backing up)as well. When I did my rear suspension, I drove up the ramps in front, then jacked up the rear and put 6x8s AND the jack stands under the rear. I feel redundancy means more safety.

 

[Tinkerman]

Wow Dan that was some mess. Glad you some where other than under it. Thanks for sharing the pictures. Will give all of us pause for thoughts on shop safety.

Cheers, Tinkerman

 

[swift6]

. I could spend big money on a low profile racing jack, but the ramps are easier. :wink:

HF has the small one cheap. I paid $40 for mine on a close out @ Wal-Mart. Yes, it's the "aluminium" one.

They don't go low enough to clear my frame if it's not on the ramps. The cheap ones that I have seen that will go under, won't lift the car high enough to get my jack stands under it. To get one that is low enough when down and then high enough when fully up costs quite a bit more.

 

[JamesWilson]

I use 6X8's

 

[Don Elliott]

A "racing" jack has a lower profile which may help some TR owners. I have a huge rolling jack and I use ramps made out of 2 by 8 planks, two high with one end sloped so I can easily drive up. At the front end of the front ramps, I added "wheel chocks" because once when I was jacking up the rear with the 4 wheels on these wooden ramps, the car rolled forward off the front end of the front ramps and almost smashed into the freezer which was (and still is) located just in front where I work on my 1958 TR3A.

The problem with a racing jack for us "non-racers" is that when you release the hydraulic pressure the racing jack will drop to the bottom all of a sudden with no slow control as with normal rolling jacks.

This helps "NASCAR types" lower the right side of the car quickly so they can save half a second before they run around the car to do the other side.

By the way - have you heard ?

In this morning's news, Jeff Gordon fires entire NASCAR pit crew!

This announcement followed Gordon's decision to take advantage of President Obama's proposal to employ Harlem youngsters.

The decision to hire them was brought about by a recent documentary on how unemployed youths from Harlem were able to remove a set of wheels in less than 6 seconds without proper equipment, whereas Gordon's existing crew could only do it in 8 seconds with thousands of dollars worth of high tech equipment.

It was thought to be an excellent and bold move by Gordon's management team as most races are won or lost in the pits.

At the crew's first practice session, not only was the inexperienced crew able to change all 4 wheels in under 6 seconds, but within 12 seconds they had changed the paint scheme, altered the VIN number, and sold the car to Dale Jr. for 10 cases of Bud, a bag of weed and some photos of Jeff Gordon's wife in the shower.

 

[Mark Jones]

Dick,

I have ones like you picture and find them to be very sturdy, even when extended. Mine are rated for 2 tons each and with 4 under the car they are at less than a quarter of their rated capacity.

Once I do get the car up on them I do give the car a bump and a shake just to be sure that it is stable.

 

[Moseso]

By the way - have you heard ?

In this morning's news, Jeff Gordon fires entire NASCAR pit crew!

This announcement followed Gordon's decision to take advantage of President Obama's proposal to employ Harlem youngsters.

The decision to hire them was brought about by a recent documentary on how unemployed youths from Harlem were able to remove a set of wheels in less than 6 seconds without proper equipment, whereas Gordon's existing crew could only do it in 8 seconds with thousands of dollars worth of high tech equipment.

It was thought to be an excellent and bold move by Gordon's management team as most races are won or lost in the pits.

At the crew's first practice session, not only was the inexperienced crew able to change all 4 wheels in under 6 seconds, but within 12 seconds they had changed the paint scheme, altered the VIN number, and sold the car to Dale Jr. for 10 cases of Bud, a bag of weed and some photos of Jeff Gordon's wife in the shower.

The Onion?

 

[DNK]

Don, for you, that is pretty darn risque

 

[prb51]

The key here is never start or bump the ignition with the car up on 4 jackstands.
A TR3 should be more that safely in place on 4 normal JS considering it's weight and the type frame etc.
Always err on safety side and sometimes use 6 of them, or leave the jack as a back up but with 4 properly placed it ain't goin anywhere.
BTW I sometimes use the metal ramps but never drive up on them...jack it up and lower car onto ramps.

 

[TR3driver]

I was lucky, the former owner of my house (a diesel mechanic) decided to leave his long-arm floor jack behind for me. Minimum saddle height is only 4", maximum is maybe 25", plenty to insert jackstands.

When I was running clearance under 4" (which was too low for the street, IMO), I found that I could lift the car far enough to insert the jack by either lifting up on the front bumper with my other hand; or by jamming a 2x4 sideways under the frame and lifting that with one hand. A line painted on the jack to indicate when the saddle was under the frame helped, too.

 

[TR3driver]

The key here is never start or bump the ignition with the car up on 4 jackstands.

Actually it should be OK once it's on 4 stands (rear wheels off the ground). I've done that several times hunting vibration/noise issues.

The problem arises when the rear wheels are still on the ground!

 

[prb51]

Randall, I have too but don't want to say just put it up and start it.
When I do that I get extra careful about everything, use 6 JS and place them in vibration proof areas (JS can't walk) etc.
Oh and point the car in the direction of the big hole (garage door) just in case lol.

 

[swift6]

When I was running clearance under 4" (which was too low for the street, IMO),

I hear you. My frame is just above three inches of clearance. I have adjusted the way that I drive because of it. Watching the road for raised manhole covers etc, taking speed bumps at an angle on the edge etc... It won't stay down that low forever, but sure handles and looks good that low. :wink:

 

[tinman58]

Randall is so right on about disconnecting the battery. It should become a habit. A little extra effort can save your jack stands, (or your life)

 

[AngliaGT]

Dan,

I agree,that's brave of you to share your mistakes.
It hurts even more when someone else sees you do things
like that!Ask me how I know.
One thing that I do is to put spare rims/tires under
the wheels (lower the car down onto the spare wheels/tires).
They're stable,& you can get under the car without a jack,
or jack stands in the way.

- Doug

 

[DaveatMoon]

The metal ramps seem a little too steep, but those plastic Rhino ramps work okay for driving up, at least on the front tires and I believe the rear (backing up)as well.

I've used Rhino ramps for my cars for years now. I think that, since they are lighter, they can be longer and therefore have a more shallow angle of attack.

I've used them a bunch of times for my TR6, and on some modern cars they're the only ramps that'll work. They just barely fit under my Prius, for example.