Tims65

If you get the new plastic type rampswith the honeycomb reinforcement, they are not going to break or collapse.

EDIT: But, I agree that I would not work under the stamped steel ramps.

Tim

mjr46

get with the times their isn't a shop in the world that uses that antiquated methood anymore!!!..sorry about your friend but if a floor jack failed then obviously he didn't have jack stands under it to protect against jack faliure....so in his instance there would be no one to blame but himself for not taking the proper precautionary/saftey measures[&:]..................I use rotary lifts every day of the week and they are safe the problem occurs when the machine is not used correctly or the saftey locks are put in bypass mode....just last week a hydraulic line busted on me and sent the car dropping quick while I was under it....but it has saftey locks and cables and it only dropped a inch and the saftey devices kicked in.......bottom line is you take more of a risk driving down to the local grocery store to pick up something then you do working on the underneath of your car.......and done right with the right equipment ....it is safe..it's all in the measures the operator takes to be safe

HGC

mjr46, I am "with the times." I said grease pits are old fashioned and I never said anyone used them anymore. I did not advocate being under a car supported only by a hydraulic jack. Just the opposite. I was trying to point out that just because you get away with something for years does not mean you will get away with it forever. My friend would be alive today if he had done things right that day. I agree its all in the safety precautions you take. You either do it right or you take your chances. People often bypass safety devices and procedures of all typesfor convenience andsome pay the price for it. Risk is with us in everything we do...we are responsible for minimizing it...hence the purpose in my original post asking for advice on placing jack stands.

mjr46

no problem unfortunate things do happen that's why in the work enviornment I am a strong advocate of saftey...I often double jack stand when there is a concern...which ever methood you choose I'm sure saftey is of the upmost concern for you too

HGC

Thanks mjr46...friends? Do you have an opinion on the quality of the Craftsman 4 ton stands or some other brand? I can get wierd off brands elsewhere but I don't trust them. I was planning on having only the front or the back of the car up, at least for now. Is that any problem to put just one end up? Maybe sometime later the whole car will have to be up on them.

mjr46

if you only have one end up be sure to chock the front or rear and place the stand away from the edge so slide off doesn't occur.....whatever side not up with a piece of wood..and if on asphalt be careful the stands often sink in and or leave indentations in the pavement..on asphault I plave a piece of plywhood under the stand to avoid that..if on concrete then you'll be fine......as for the craftsman stands they should be fine..like a doof I bought a set of 6-8 ton for home use cause I thought bigger was better and setting on the lowest level my floor jack will barely raise the car high enough to get them under....so you should be fine...good thing I rarely work on my car at home...anyway whatever methood you choose good luck with it and working on it

DriWashSolutions

I always jack the rear end up from under the center section of the rear, usually with a shop towel folded into quarters under the jack to protect from scratching. I place jackstands under the axle.

For the front, I lift the car under the front crossmember - just need to be careful not to catch the oil pan instead. Jackstands get placed on the front framerails, as far forward as possible.