chris_barry

[QUOTE=Slows2k,Apr 21 2010, 01:09 PM]A 4 post lift is no safer than jackstands. They are supporting the car from the same points. If the car falls from 6 feet or 2 feet you are still

Slows2k

That is a known issue when picking up a Elise on a post lift. IIRC the owner of that car even warned them not to pick the car up without removing the rear undertray 1st.

omairtheman1

jack stands are fine!

ZDan

It is always good practice to throw something (wheels/tires) under the rockers when working on a car on jackstands or a floor jack.

You don't do it because the car is LIKELY to become unstable and somehow slip and fall on ya, you do it because it just MIGHT.

I've seen plenty of cars on jackstands where one is cocked and supported only on two of four feet due to the car moving around when the other end was lifted.

Cars can and do manage to fall from jackstands and floorjacks and injure and even kill people.

Not a bad idea to throw something under the rockers...

josserman

ok I think I wlil do that just for some extra safety.....I think more unsafe is the actually process of getting the car up onto the jack stands. Perhaps someone would be willing to put together a how to thread. I've tried a couple of methods so far. I think whats best for future is to get some 2x4's to put under all four wheels drive up on them and then I can jack it up easier.

zeroptzero

lots of posts on this. My method is this: I put a jack under the driver side lift point (I have two pump jacks but you can use the factory jack plus a pump jack), I raise the driver side up so I have enough room to get a second jack to slide under the front center lift point. I slide a second jack under the front center lift point, raise it up. Pull out the jack that is under the driver side lift point and place jackstands under the driver and passenger lift points. Lower the front on the two jackstands and pull out the front jack. I then put the jack under the rear center lift point (diff) and raise up the rear, place jackstands under the driver and passenger rear lift points. Drop the rear on the two jackstands and pull out the jack. At that point the car is on 4 jackstands. I then place two more jackstands under the front center and rear center lift points as extra insurance just in case the car decides to move when I'm under there. Jackstands are cheap, so I use 6 of them for extra protection.

To get the car down, I lift up the rear center, and remove all rear stands. I then jack up front center and remove the front stands, I place a jack under the driver side front lift point, and lower the front center jack so the car is then resting on one jack located under the driver side lift point. Pull out the jack from the front center point, lower the jack on the driver side and pull out the remaining jack once the car is on the ground.

Very simple to do, and no need to drive on any objects to get the car higher.

lawliver

yeah like everyone said just throw the tire under there just as a precaution, a mechanic died around here like that, he was just using the jack, the poor guy was working on his gfs car trying to finish the car for valentines day.

fatjoe10

I agree with this. I put a wheel under rockers when having the car on jackstands, no matter how ex the wheel is. life>expensive hellaflush BBS, lol..

B serious

I have no idea what your neighbor is talking about. Maybe he just wanted to chat up your wife?

bradskee

Always push the car hard back and forth before climbing under it. My dads friend and track buddy died at the track when he went to help someone work on their car that they jacked up, it fell and crushed him.