How stable are jack stands?

[clicknext]

I'm just curious to know how stable they are when I put my P5 up on them.

How much does it take for them to fall over? Can I safely get inside the car while it's up? I don't want to be testing their limits...

 

[dharman]

They are as safe as you place them.

If you are on even ground in a garage or something and all of the stands are in a solid spot they aren't going anywhere. Most jack stands will have a weight rating on them. Most will hold way more then your car so an extra 160- 200lbs. or so isn't really going to make a difference.

 

[SlowPro98]

I had my wife's protege sedan on jack stands for about a week while I was waiting for some parts, and the car didn't move, but they did sink into the asphalt. Next time, I'm putting them on plywood, then jackstands.

 

[toucci]

they are much safer than jacks if used properly. No lever to trip on, and they stay in place very well.

 

[Hughes412]

Just make sure you by good ones. 2 ton stands will be fine but I say go with 5 tons. That why you can get in the car, start it up and run it if you want to.

 

[TheBryGuy]

I think what he meant to say is make sure you buy good ones.

 

[TheBryGuy]

he's gettin' old

 

[fonzinator]

I found ZERO good spots to place the jack stands on the Protege5. Nothing on the frame presented a nice, even surface. I wound up putting them somewhere that I was iffy about, so I gently nudged the car back and forth before feeling comfortable underneath. That, and I also left the jack in a safe position.

I need some ramps!

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

Jacks stands can only be as stable as what they're setting on. There are spots for them, you just may need multiple lifts to get them right. And yes, overbuy on capacity.

 

[Hughes412]

I think what he meant to say is make sure you buy good ones.

OOPS guess I need to fix that!



******! lol

 

[clicknext]

Jacks stands can only be as stable as what they're setting on. There are spots for them, you just may need multiple lifts to get them right. And yes, overbuy on capacity.

lol, I got 3 ton, but they're like cheap ones from a supermarket. Hope they don't decide to break down or something, I think I'll leave my jack underneath as well, just in case.

 

[joey]

If you can't find a good spot for jack stands, put the stand under one of the bushings on the lower suspension arms. They are safe.

 

[jadonP5]

and if you only put the front on stands, make sure the e-brake's on....duh!

 

[RaiderMS3]

The pinchwelds on the outer parts of underneath is where I found thebest place to put the car has been. It is where the manual has the emergency jack going. I have the POS s*** Crapsman $50 jack and stands, and they work fine, but I would go woth something heavier duty if doing it all over.

 

[blownoffvalve]

they are pretty stable. Just don't use the 2 ton jack as a stand

 

[Nos]

You guys are spazzzing . Our car is only 1.5 ton , When you lift the front , its about 0.8 ton and you have 2 stands so each stand is carrying a big 0.4 ton .
They are built for 2 ton SAFE but i bet they can withstand 4-5 ton . Make sure the welds are ok on them that's all .

 

[pasadena_commut]

they are pretty stable.

Pretty stable sums it up about right. No lateral force, the car should stay on the stands. Add lateral force though...

How many of you think the car would still be up on the stands after a 6.7 earthquake? I'm thinking 5.5 would probably be enough to knock most cars down off a set of stands.

Or to put it another way, given the frequency of earthquakes around here, if you spent every day in LA working under cars that were up on stands after around 10 years you'd almost certainly be dead.

 

[Prodigy]

Pretty stable sums it up about right. No lateral force, the car should stay on the stands. Add lateral force though...

How many of you think the car would still be up on the stands after a 6.7 earthquake? I'm thinking 5.5 would probably be enough to knock most cars down off a set of stands.

Or to put it another way, given the frequency of earthquakes around here, if you spent every day in LA working under cars that were up on stands after around 10 years you'd almost certainly be dead.

center-blocks FTW!

 

[RaiderMS3]

Prodigy, if that was anyone else but you, I would have been pissed off about that pic. but since it was your own post, I am glad you can find humor in that!

 

[Jack Daniels]

It all depends upon the stands, the surface/levelness of the driveway/garage floor and how you place them. Properly placed, decent jack stands are very safe.