I don't have a garage, just the driveway. I don't mind working outside though. I'm looking for a safer way to use jack stands. The one's I have will sink into the hardtop, if I put all the weight on them. I'm curious if anyone has found a better way to use them. I was thinking maybe wood or patio blocks under them to keep them from ruining my driveway. It doesn't feel very safe either. with that sinking feeling. I tried a search, and didn't get what I was looking for. Any suggestions are welcome, Thanks
Leo

 

I have a gravel driveway. I use a piece of 3/4" plywood, about 2' square. I also leave jack under and just snugged up so it provides a bit of backup if things do go wrong.

 

I have some home made stands that have flat sheet welded onto the bottom, they work wonderful for out in the dirt, but otherwise, I keep some flat wood to put under them.

 

Most conventional jack stands are evil.
I weld them into an old steel rim so they are much less likely to tip over.
If your driveway is very soft, just toss a piece of scrap plywood under the rims.

Another method is to nest two steel rims (one smaller than the other) and tack weld them together. Makes an excellent stand (I build them in pairs) and junk rims are often free from tire shops. No crush, no tip, no problem!

My standard is that any method I use to support a vehicle should be difficult even to DELIBERATELY knock over.

Wheel chocks are also your friends, even with a set parking brake.

 

Wheel rims are good.

Around here, the wrecking yards have huge numbers of stands made by standing one rim on edge in another rim, then welding them together.

I'm thinking about getting some small rims (13 inch whould be cool...) & making 4 for use here at home.

 

I use a piece of plywood anywhere from 1/2" to 3/4" thick to keep jack stand from sinking into blacktop. I use rims like defective describes for short-time (long time) projects that might be left a while in the yard.

 

I use either 2x6 scraps with my small jackstands, or old flywheels with my big jackstands. These work great on the lawn, my truck hasn't even sunk in the last year.

 

> or patio blocks under them to keep them from ruining my driveway.

Never use anything made out of cement or block to support
a jackstand or vehicle. It can crack and fail without warning.

> should be difficult even to DELIBERATELY knock over.

Agreed. Before I get under it, I shove on the sides and backs to make
sure it does not move an inch and then bounce on the bumper.


The best thing to do is bolt the jackstands to a piece of thick
plywood. The higher quality jacks have a tab on the inside of each
leg to do it.

The other thing to do is get 12 ton jackstands that have a spread of
over 12 inches on the base and get ones that have an axle saddle or big
flat U shape saddle.

It should have a positive lockoutunder load.

 

Thanks for all the great ideas. I've always wanted to take a welding course at the local high school. Maybe it's time. In the mean time I'll have to go with the thick plywood. I have the money to buy a new car or truck, but once you get bit by the diy bug, It's hopeless. This van has been good for the last ten years. Now it seams like everything is going at the same time. In the last 2 weeks, the fan clutch, exhaust manifold, rusted brake lines, not charging, and broken door handle, the air bag light flashing, flat tire, abs light comes on and off at random. Other than that it runs great. I've tried to farm out some of the work, but as soon as they here it's a high top conversion van nobody wants to work on it.

 

"I have the money to buy a new car or truck," and the wisdom to keep the money and fix what you already own.
Wrenching you own rides is a wonderful thing, and the money you save can go to mortgage principle or investments.
or more old Fords!

 

If you really want a set of heavy duty jack stands, here's the solution. I've had a 30K John Deere log skidder balanced on these without collapse.




Jeff

 

wow, now thats a set of jackstands right there

 

I built those stands about 20 years ago when I was streching frames on class 8 trucks and adding different suspensions. I use them on a regular basis and have yet to find anything they won't support. I have had 30K lb. log skidders, 35K lb. D6 Cat dozers.....you get the point. They do not give!

Jeff

 

I gotta make some of those! Those babies look to be the canonical answer to the jackstand question.

I don't have any pics handy, but if you want to make some overkill jacks to go with those, grab some leftover trailer landing gear and weld the sand feet solid. I use bolts to hang chains from the mount plates on mine, but I'm sure someone else has an idea with more style.
I kept bending Hi-Lifts, but landing gear legs don't have that problem. A couple of hand truck wheels would make them easy to move, but I just use a hand truck.