PSA: Use jack stands, dang it!

[encorehunter]

I had this happen to me a few weeks ago. I was replacing the changing the airbags to coils on my wifes GX470, I had two jack stand under the frame, a third set off to the side and the jack under the receiver hitch. The wheels were chocked, I thought I was safe. Some how, the whole car went sideways landing on top of me. Thank goodness I left the tires on or I wouldnt be here. The wife came out a couple minutes after it happened while I was still under the car. Talk about a helpless feeling. I was able to inch my way out from under it. I used cribbing to finish the job. The tird jack stand caught the running board, and I think that is what helped keep it from crushing me. It still gave me a heck of a chest compression. Not only have jack stands, but if possible, have someone there with you, NOT under the vehicle.

[Snowman78]

^ WOW, that is scary

[Gman]

Very sorry to hear also. Avoidable accidents are always the toughest to swallow.
I always slide whatever wheels I have off under too even if I have stands set, something my old man taught me.
Seemed to stick with me.
I?ll even lower it onto stands , and reposition the jack somewhere else with slight pressure.

That's a good 'belt and suspenders' approach.

The buddy system is also good insurance.

[Irving]

Do you guys rock your vehicle once it's up on stands? I don't have that nice of vehicles so I usually kick mine a few times.

[CS1983]

Do you guys rock your vehicle once it's up on stands? I don't have that nice of vehicles so I usually kick mine a few times.

A buddy of mine will give it a few good kicks/shoves from different angles to test before he crawls under.

It's not just being under the vehicle totally either. Even just a simple brake change and the rotor coming down on a leg is bad news.

I would encourage all to look up Col. Mike Mullane's presentation on the "Normalization of Deviance" on YouTube.

[DavieD55]

Sorry to hear this. Always use jackstands and always have a person or two there to assist you just incase something goes wrong.

[Duman]

I use the wheel chocks, vehicle weight on stands, jack still in position with some weight. Try not to be completely under vehicle.

[rondog]

In high school in '73, my Chevelle fell on me. I was using cinder blocks for jack stands and they crushed. I was lucky though, the block on the side I was under only crushed halfway and held the car up enough for me to slide out.

I can still remember the feeling of the crossmember smashing me in the face. Smashed the right lens of my glasses into my face, I have a bitchin' scar around my right eye.

So now, I have a monster 3 ton floor jack and the best damn jack stands I could find. Still gives me the willies to get under a vehicle.

[MrPrena]

Sad for your friend/co worker.

I hate getting under anything that is lifted off the ground. Done it many times and still have issues with it. Too many variables.

Same here. I work on my own vehicles (asian,us to euros) and I still dont feel 100% comfortable under the vehicle even with extra safety features as a backup.

I try not to spend time under the vehicle when it is not necessary.

For that, I might invest in low profile mechanic roller thing.

[Jeffrey Lebowski]

It's not just being under the vehicle totally either. Even just a simple brake change and the rotor coming down on a leg is bad news.

I’ll confess to the stupidity of this. I don’t even recall why, but I had to pull one wheel off a TJ once and it rolled onto my thigh. My leg was pinned under it (I was kneeling). It wasn’t really painful per se (although heavy), but I was definitely stuck. No cell phone on me. After a while, started yelling for my wife, and my neighbor across the street (who also wheeled a TJ) helped get me out. More embarrasing than anything.