Using jack stands when you swap wheels?

[Twixboy]

I've always used jack stands whenever I work on cars in the past, even for simple winter wheel swaps. It's such a pain to get the Z4 onto jack stands though, so now I'm finding myself skipping the stands more and more if I'm not underneath the car. Just curious what everyone else does.

[pokeybritches]

I don't necessarily put the car on jack stands, but I extend a jack stand up to the frame or lifting point in case the jack fails.

[gas-can]

My flowchart:

void RaiseCar()
{

If (I am getting underneath)
{

useJackStands();

}

If(I care if car falls || parts are expensive)
{

useJackStands();

}

putTireUnderneath();

}

I'm even more suspicious if the jack in question is chinese

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by pokeybritches

I don't necessarily put the car on jack stands, but I extend a jack stand up to the frame or lifting point in case the jack fails.

Good tip - I think that's what I should do at the very least. Cars these days have very small and specific lifting points. Back in the day I'd just jack it up anywhere along the side, often lifting the whole side up at once to do a tire rotation front to back.

Originally Posted by gas-can

My flowchart:

void RaiseCar()
{

If (I am getting underneath)
{

useJackStands();

}

If(I care if car falls || parts are expensive)
{

useJackStands();

}

putTireUnderneath();

}

I'm even more suspicious if the jack in question is chinese

If I'm reading that correctly, when you take off the first wheel you put underneath the car, then install the new wheel?

[gas-can]

Originally Posted by Twixboy

If I'm reading that correctly, when you take off the first wheel you put underneath the car, then install the new wheel?

Yea. It seems a bit dumb but I had a case where the jack's seals popped (different car). The car came down really fast and the wheel underneath prevented a costly repair.

Now I put the wheel underneath every time, just as insurance. Obviously not as useful in this case, but I'm really gunshy.

-gc

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by gas-can

Yea. It seems a bit dumb but I had a case where the jack's seals popped (different car). The car came down really fast and the wheel underneath prevented a costly repair.

Now I put the wheel underneath every time, just as insurance. Obviously not as useful in this case, but I'm really gunshy.

-gc

I've never seen a jack fail, so I was wondering how quickly the car would come down. Sounds like it's not a good idea to be using just the jack because I might not be able to move my foot or hands out of the way fast enough while I'm in a crouched position.

[StickMon]

I've gotten really good at popping the car up on 4 jackstands, using a questionable method of jacking it by the pinch rail.
Works, though, so if I have to do anything that requires removing one or more wheels, or working under it, up it goes.

[jdoublehcubed]

Originally Posted by StickMon

...jacking it by the pinch rail..

i messed up the pinch rail on my last car doing that, and once you mess it up, there's no fixing it (at least back to almost new looking).

do you use a hockey puck or something with a slot cut in it?

[StickMon]

Originally Posted by jdoublehcubed

... do you use a hockey puck or something with a slot cut in it?

I use a 2x4 about a foot long, with a honkin' bolt through the middle that keeps it centered on the jack.
Bolt is in a counterbore on the top side.
The standard "cup" on the jack is removed leaving about a 3" x 4" flat face and the bolt goes through the hole where the "cup" was bolted on.

You don't want to have a groove, because BMW decided that pinch rails are ugly and added some extra to the side skirt to cover them.
Before I stick the jack under there, I jamb an 1/8" thick fiber board strip between the edge of the side skirt and the pinch rail, so I don't "pinch off" the edge of the side skirt.

It's not as complicated or dangerous as it sounds.
The weight is spread across 12" of the rail.

I'll try and remember to get some pics tomorrow.

P.S. The common spelling of air-ee-uh is a banned word on zpost? WTF

[Twixboy]

****

Originally Posted by StickMon

P.S. The common spelling of air-ee-uh is a banned word on zpost? WTF

Yup, apparently it is.

[pokeybritches]

I found that out a few minutes ago... when I was talking about ____ of expertise. I guess I have none .

[bignosejim]

Originally Posted by Twixboy

I've always used jack stands whenever I work on cars in the past, even for simple winter wheel swaps. It's such a pain to get the Z4 onto jack stands though, so now I'm finding myself skipping the stands more and more if I'm not underneath the car. Just curious what everyone else does.

Here is the method I use (credit to crfine88) Steps 1-7 will get your car up on jackstands in about 5-10 minutes. I always use this method. I always put the car up on 4 jackstands if I need to use any at all.

[Vanne]

Jack stands scare the bloody be-jesus out of me. I have cold sweats of the car flattening me when I am under it, so I no longer temp fate.

Saving up for a lift.

[StickMon]

My pinch rail "jack adapter".
I position it a little aft of the side view mirror, lift one side, put jack stands under the side jack points, set it down on the stands, and then repeat on the other side.

[SaltyNC]

It looks like a lot of folks jack their car up in their home garage. Are your garage floors completely level or do they have a slight slope?

Salty

[Steeler]

Check out this circus act
Seriously though 4 jack stands is the only way to be safe. You hear of too many mishaps from malfunctioning trolley jacks

[StickMon]

^ How is that even possible?
The center of gravity is nearly 3 feet ahead of the jack!

[Vanne]

Cos the donk is in the boot.. ;-)

[WickedNy]

Originally Posted by dbarton62

Check out this circus act
Seriously though 4 jack stands is the only way to be safe. You hear of too many mishaps from malfunctioning trolley jacks

I once saw a car that was placed on 4 empty beer bottles with missing tires....this is equally as impressive

[an3ony]

Originally Posted by StickMon

My pinch rail "jack adapter".
I position it a little aft of the side view mirror, lift one side, put jack stands under the side jack points, set it down on the stands, and then repeat on the other side.

Attachment 1359511

Attachment 1359512

Fantastic idea, I'm stealing it! Also, jackstands, all the time, every time. Those inexpensive jacks have a tendency to fold like two playing cards.

[StickMon]

Be careful with the side skirts.
I have some pieces of 1/8" thick fiberboard that I wedge between the pinch rail and the lip on the side skirt, so the pinch rail doesn't pinch it off.
After jacking it up about 50 times they're starting to get a little beat up.
I have a strip of 1/8" thick 1" wide aluminum. I'm thinking about cutting a couple of 12" long pieces of it and putting them in there permanently.

Also, since I have standard "general purpose" jack stands, I cut 4 pieces of 1x2 about 2 inches long that fit nice and snug in the rubber jack points.
They convert the jack points from innies to outies.

[Westersund]

I almost always use a lift even when I change tires, but if I do change tires without the lift I never use jack stands. If I get under the car I always do, sometimes even if it's on the lift and I will be under there for a long period of time. You can never be too safe.