Just Curious: How Do You Use Jack Stands?

[TromboneAl]

I'm curious about how one puts jack stands under a car. Let's say you have only four jack points. You jack up the car via one of those points, and you want to put the jack stand there. But it's occupied by the jack.

So, how do you put the jack stand at that same location?

 

[RobbieB]

You don't. You put it somewhere else that's structurally sound.

 

[MRG]

Last I knew two objects can't occupy the same space at the same time. You have to find a proper intermediate point. Al, I don't want to hear about a jack story, they seldom end well. Why are you needing a jack stand?

 

[Just_Steve]

Jack it up high and put stands under control arms.

 

[Jerry1]

Given that you own a specialized vehicle, I would check with the manufacturer for areas on the car that can hold the weight of the car. Basically, I’d want to put the jack stand somewhere that would protect me in case of a jack failure. Maybe just put enough weight on it to secure the jack stand but not actually removing the jack. Your question is important because a jack stand can push right through areas of many cars now that actual frames are pretty much non-existent.

I looked, but didn’t see a floor jack that had a locking mechanism to double as a jack stand.

Hopefully there is enough substance around the jacking point that you can just put a jack stand close and let the car down on it.

 

[pb4uski]

Try this. Ingenious solution to Al's problem that results in a jack stand at the same location as the jack. The only real question that I have is.... why?

ETA: Only $159.... each... so $636 plus shipping and taxes for a set of four. Hope you're saving a lot of money on gas Al.

 

[Bamaman]

I put jack stands under the control arms or on each underside of the axles. And I usually use a floor jack to lift my vehicles.

I have a Lexus IS that's constructed like a beast. I can place the jack on the factory jacking spots, and it'll pickup three tires off the ground with one jack. It's actually very dangerous to change a tire on a car with such strong structure/chassis.

 

[pb4uski]

... It's actually very dangerous to change a tire on a car with such strong structure/chassis.

Why is that Bamaman?

 

[TromboneAl]

I'm not planning to use jack stands, I'm just curious. It seems there's no good solution without spending a lot.

I can't imagine putting the car up on stands just to detail it!

BTW, there's no reason to lift the whole car to rotate the tires. I've done it just by replacing one tire with a spare, and then moving them around. Just one extra jacking.

Here's a more ingenious (but pricey) solution:

 

[pb4uski]

Your method works fine for rotating tires.... but 2 jacks would be easier.

 

[Gumby]

BTW, there's no reason to lift the whole car to rotate the tires. I've done it just by replacing one tire with a spare, and then moving them around. Just one extra jacking.

That's how I rotate my tires. But I still use one jack stand as a safety backup while I take off the old tire and put on the new. It takes only a second to slide it under the control arm and take it out again, and it could prove a lifesaver if the jack fails.

 

[HFWR]

I don’t.

 

[MRG]

That's how I rotate my tires. But I still use one jack stand as a safety backup while I take off the old tire and put on the new. It takes only a second to slide it under the control arm and take it out again, and it could prove a lifesaver if the jack fails.

+1

As someone who had a 4x4 truck drop and luckily, just break the steering knuckle when it dropped, yeah use the stand. WCGW?

 

[bbbamI]

On the portal page I read...Just Curious: How Do You Use Jack..

I thought you were talking about Jack Daniels. btw...I like it in coffee or on the rocks.

Carry on.

 

[harley]

I've always got a car up on jack stands. I leave the one at the empty house up, and take the one where we are off the stands. I put the jack on a structurally sound point at the back, then the front of the car, and put the jack stands under the control arms. I've been doing this for years and never had a problem. Once you find the safe jack points it becomes easy. I did hit those points with spray paint for easy identification each time I'm placing the jack.

 

[RobbieB]

I put my 57 Chevy Bel Air up on stands for a year while I did the head mill, valves, manifold, Holly, transmission mounts and header thing. Just the front, not the rear.

Yeah Baby! Back when I was a young man!

A tesla? Jack stands? really and why? Ah, to bring back memories...

 

[Car-Guy]

Actually I have a full size car lift but I still occasionally use jack stands for quick jobs.

How are they placed? Under that car usually... Actually it depends on what I'm doing. I'm a belt, suspenders and rain barrel kind of guy. I prefer a heavy duty hydraulic floor jack but sometimes I'll use a scissor jack. But regardless, I'll typically use a heavy duty jack stand under the frame (if the car has a fame) axle, or control arm(s). Unless the jack is in the way, I'll leave it as is even after the jack stands are in place. I also have a heavy duty solid wooden block that measures something like 12x14x16'' that I'll use under the car until I have the jack stand(s) in place.

This thread brings back memories of the old bumper jacks. One of the most dangerous tools you can use to lift a car.

Can't have too much support.

 

[audreyh1]

For the motorhome - it had better be on the axle!!!!!

 

[aja8888]

I have two set of drive on ramps, two floor jacks, two small hydraulic jacks, a port - o - power hydraulic ram, and eight jack stands. Way more than the common man should have. Oh, two air compressors and a "giga-shop" full of tools. But, I'm turning down the repair/maintenance stuff @ 76.3 years old. LOL!!

(and none of the "kids" want this stuff)

(I also forgot to mention two hip implants....but good knees!

Al, you don't need to mess with the Tesla....you are rich, remember?

 

[NW-Bound]

I'm curious about how one puts jack stands under a car. Let's say you have only four jack points. You jack up the car via one of those points, and you want to put the jack stand there. But it's occupied by the jack.

So, how do you put the jack stand at that same location?

I don't know how the Tesla chassis is constructed, but with all of my vehicles, I never have a problem finding another spot that's strong enough for another support point in addition to the spot recommended for tire changing. Usually, it's a control arm or its attachment point, or the chassis beams that run the length of the vehicle, or a crossbeam running under the engine, or the leaf spring attachment points to the rear axle of a pickup or a SUV.

I have two set of drive on ramps, two floor jacks, two small hydraulic jacks, a port - o - power hydraulic ram, and eight jack stands. Way more than the common man should have. Oh, two air compressors and a "giga-shop" full of tools. But, I'm turning down the repair/maintenance stuff @ 76.3 years old. LOL!!

(and none of the "kids" want this stuff)

For me, a pair of drive-on ramps, two floor jacks (after giving my son 1), and 4 jack stands, and a few scissor jacks.

I have never had the need to get all 4 wheels off, and usually just lift 2 corners up. Hence, I have used no more than 4 of the devices at a time.

The above are not strong enough for the class C motorhome. So, I have a 20-ton bottle jack, backed up with 2 3-ton scissor jacks that can hold up the frame, right at the chassis beam. With the motorhome, I have never jacked up more than 1 corner at a time. It's scary. It's not one of the bigger class Cs, but still weighs more than 12,000 lbs.

 

[mountainsoft]

I'm curious about how one puts jack stands under a car. Let's say you have only four jack points. You jack up the car via one of those points, and you want to put the jack stand there. But it's occupied by the jack.

As others have said, you jack up the car and put the stands some place else. On our VW Jetta's I jack it up by the jacking rails on either side, then put the stand under the support frame a little farther in. The back end is a little harder to find a support location, but it's doable depending on what task you are needing to accomplish.

That said, I always wished there were combination jack and jack stands. Essentially, jack the car up, insert a physical pin or clip, then lower the jack back down on the pin/clip. It would only need one jacking point and would be as safe as a jack stand.

Of course, serious home mechanics could install a lift in their garage. I couldn't afford one when I was younger and worked on cars a lot. Now I could probably afford one, but I don't work on cars enough to justify the cost.

 

[pj.mask]

Search for floor jack points on your car. Mine is under front radiator cross brace and back tow hook (or officially ~3 feet in a frame point). I put jack stands in the 4 usual jack spots.

Did this the other day to change transmission fluid - required a level car and tire removal.

Just make sure you are using the correct spots - you don’t want to think it’s right and jack up your car and end up bending something.

 

[TromboneAl]

Well, I won't be screwing around. These are the only jack points on the Tesla.

 

[sengsational]

Al, That's exactly what I was going to recommend (RTFM). The cars and vans I have owned have had at least 8 places, not just 4. There's four on the unibody (where the supplied tire-change jack engages), and then there's 4 on the frame, each near those other points (these are identified in the shop manual). There's also a convenient legit point right under the rear trans axle to pick up the back two wheels, back in the days when cars had rear wheel drive.

 

[pb4uski]

Usually, the jack points are on a frame that can bear the load, so if you use a floor jack adjacent to the jack points to lift the car you can then use the jack points for the jack stands.

Have you called Tesla and asked them if there are other jack points to do as I describe or what they recommend?