When working under a vehicle supported by car jacks and stands, safety is paramount. It’s always wise to consider extra precautions beyond just using these tools. One approach involves incorporating lumber as a secondary safety measure. This method, rooted in practical experience, offers an additional layer of security when you’re under your car.
Firstly, it’s crucial to select jack stands with a weight rating exceeding your vehicle’s weight. For instance, when working on a VW Jetta, utilizing 3-ton jack stands provides a significant safety margin. Always operate on a solid, level surface like concrete, avoiding unstable surfaces such as asphalt or soft ground. After raising the vehicle with a floor jack and securely positioning the four jack stands, the next step involves introducing the lumber backup.
The technique involves sliding lengths of sturdy lumber, such as 6×6 or 8×8, under robust points of the vehicle. Suitable locations include axles or suspension points. The core idea is to create a failsafe: should a jack stand fail, the lumber would act as a secondary support, preventing the car from collapsing completely.
This practice isn’t just theoretical; it stems from real-world lessons. A story from years ago illustrates the importance of robust backups. An acquaintance, using less reliable sheet metal jack stands and a secondary jack stand as backup, experienced a near-disaster. Accidentally catching a breaker bar on the release handle of the primary jack stand caused a sudden, albeit slight, drop of the vehicle. This impact was enough to shear the secondary, weaker jack stand, leading to a complete collapse. Fortunately, with the help of friends, they were able to lift the car enough to extract him. This incident highlighted the inadequacy of a similar jack stand as a backup and led to the recommendation of using lumber, which is better equipped to absorb the shock of a falling vehicle due to its material properties and compressive strength.
Since then, employing lumber as a backup has become a standard safety practice. Some also incorporate bottle jacks, adjusted to fit snugly as supplementary supports, offering yet another layer of redundancy. While a dedicated car lift might be a future upgrade for some, the lumber and bottle jack methods provide accessible and effective safety enhancements for home mechanics.
Finally, always be mindful of your movements and tools while working. Accidental bumps or knocks can dislodge even properly set jack stands. Therefore, implementing backup measures like lumber significantly reduces risk and provides peace of mind when undertaking vehicle maintenance using car jacks and stands.
