muz

A warning, more than anything, to check the cars safe before you work on it. Mines been on stands a few months while I sort the rear suspension out and it's not something I check every time in to to do some work on it. To be honest, I normall leave the wheels on when it's on stands just in case.
Looking back through the photos I took a few weeks back I can now see the problem, the back left axle stand had moved from the back end being so light and either me pushing and pulling the suspension about or someone knocking into the car.



I hadn't even noticed.

So I crack on fitting up the suspension and tightening up all the bolts and notice my one bolt is about 20mm too long and looks odd with so much exposed thread. So, I remove it, get from under the car walk 20ft to the bench and start cutting the bolt down and hear a crash. Turn around and the arse end of the Escort is on the floor! I genuinely had been from under the car less than 2 minutes.
Luckily, I'm not dead or injured for starters, and the car is ok.

The axle stand fell away and wedged itself here keeping the car about 4 inches off the floor and denting the wheel well but luckily, that's the only damage.



Made me think twice about checking the stands every time, especially when they are on blocks.

gus

iTrader: (1)

Lucky you wasn't under it

Funny how it takes something like that before you start checking stuff

neil andeRSon

iTrader: (3)

Jesus! Not good mate!

Twins

iTrader: (18)

Lucky ,but i would not have the stands raised up like that ,buy some taller ones

fuzzy

I always put the wheels underneath just in case. it has fell off when I was under and the wheels stopped my head getting crushed. I had a nice imprint of small stones on the side of my head though.

DixieTheKid

iTrader: (2)

Good job you where not underneath it fella. I agree with the above comment, buy some commercial stands that will be bigger and get them jacks out from underneath.

Glad your ok, I've just manage to get my legs out from underneath a BMW that one on the guys just clipped the front bumper when moving a van into the yard. No damage done believe it or not, just a bent brake disc shit shield. Now once on stands a always give the car a big push and pull to make sure it's solid and not going anywhere.

jameswrx

Looking at the stand perched on bricks there I can't say I'm surprised. And the bottle jack at the back, wont take long for it to sink and upset the balance.

Caddyshack

My dads mate died under a Firenza back in the day...there were two guys known as bill n Ben the Firenza men.

gaz01

I think its time to call elf and safety lol

muz

I know, we have so many projects her at the moment on stands I had to make do with what I have. I normally leave the trolley jack under the side I am working on as well, like you can see in the pic. But I had moved it as I was in my way!

Lesson learnt.

Sinbad

iTrader: (1)

Same thing happened round here years ago, blokes wife found him pinned under a mini bus after he didn't come in for his dinner

You are very lucky mate

bagginsRSturbo

iTrader: (1)

Wow ypu was lucky iv had my car on axles stands for about six months and not once did I check them, bit from now on I will do

david 100

Had my 3 door fall off the jack and the rear bumper land on my legs, I was more worried I had damaged my bumper than my legs.

Tottie xr2

iTrader: (1)

+1 on that. It's a silly idea and your lucky you weren't underneath it.

mk2cossy

iTrader: (1)

You were lucky, a friend of mine died when his car fell off the axle stands!
I think of him every time I go under a car.

botters

iTrader: (2)

you were lucky mate especially with those bricks under the stands, very very daft mate as above get some longer stands and put something under the sills like a wheel or similar large object everytime you get under

simonmcf

iTrader: (1)

My biggest fear is getting under the car. Would scaffold planks hold a car up?

shalon

my xr2 fell on me and the chassis leg landed on my chest my next door neighbour and his son lifted car when my mum pulled me out i was a right mess my mum thought i was gone

JamesH

iTrader: (21)

Think there was a guy on here who died a couple of years ago. Fitting a gearbox in his Escos IIRC

gingerturbo

iTrader: (2)

Oh dear very lucky m8, it don't take much for a car to slip off a stand

bagginsRSturbo

iTrader: (1)

We take for granted working under the car it can go wrong SO CHECK THE CAR SAFE before starting

richard youll

+2 that stand is right on the edge of that brick , utter stupidity

turbolee

i hate going under the car main thing is your safe

muz

I know, bad drills. The stand wasn't on the edge of the blocks when I first put it on. Granted, there wasn't much room but all 3 corners were on the block. The car had shifted slightly and I hadn't noticed. My own fault for not checking and my own fault for trying to cut corners.

fuzzy

I hadn't paid much attention to the set up originally, but after a second look that's fucking ridiculous to prop a car up like that ...

Diesel combi pete

When ever I put my car up on aby sort of stans i still tend to put a few tyres in forn or back as back up. Glad you wee not hurt Cheers. Pete

markk

iTrader: (2)

Bricks ? really and you thought that was safe?

Your very lucky you are here to serve this lesson man.

Get some proper stands and consider yourself bollocked and very lucky

muz

Agreed. Was bloody stupid of me, I'm supposed to be a bright bloke as well

I do normally have the trolley jack taking some of the weight, but I'd moved it as it was in the way trying to put the tie bar bolt in.

If nothing else, serves as a lesson to anyone else who's thinking of monging it like I did.

stevieturbo

Exactly.

Axle stands or any similar devices are quite safe when used correctly.

And from that photo, they are not being used correctly at all.

rizla

iTrader: (1)

I'm shocked at pictures of the stands

The Underdog

theres always a risk when under a car. a local guy to me ran is own garage and a lift collapsed on him and killed him. i hate going under a car and always scares me a little. id always be going under my cars at mot test giving them a check over but not anymore

ajamesc

Cheap flimsy axel stands never look safe to me! I'd only ever use them on the front or the rear not both at the same time! The ones we have at work have a really big foot print so are much safer

HaggisTurbo

Think you have learned from this one mate, I will be double checking mine next time tioo, that said I would never dream of putting it on bricks :S

trigger-

I always use 2 wheels under the sub frame and a trolley jack as back up, i usually give the car a shake before going under it

stevieturbo

Really the title of this thread should read....axle stands fell off bricks. Not in any way a fault of the axle stands.

trigger-

The problem with bricks is they can crumble

stevieturbo

And they're too small for the axle stands and might allow them to fall off...lol

RoscoST

iTrader: (1)

Ouch ! Glad your ok mate - could've been game over

little bram

What you need is some of these