scary story about my dad jack failing.

whiteSE · 06-17-2009, 12:45 AM

i just think it would be a good pre cation, and a lesson for me. i screwed up.

anyways, i got some 350z rims for my car, went to a tire shop to put valve stems into them, and had them balanced. pulled away into a parking area, and decided to install the rims. i jacked up my car, rear left, changed the tire, rear right, then i untightned the front right tire, jack up the car, using the same 2 ton hydralic jack, take of the old rim, and then the car started to slowly fall down, like a inch every 3 seconds, so i panic, try to put the rim back on the lugs, but the car already was to low, and also, the rim got stuck but the car was still falling. so i get the jack from the trunk and started jacking up the car up with it. luckly, the car didnt fall all the way, and the rim didnt get bent. i changed the last tire, using my factory jack. i got kinda freaked out beacasue i was supposed to change my oil soon, and i was most likely going to use that jack. now im probably going to throw it away.

i did check the locking thing on the jack, where you release the presusre, and it was closed. WTF? pep boys jack FTL. anyone have experince like this with crafstman jacks? im going to get that next.

**SEmy2K2go** · 06-17-2009, 12:54 AM

Why didn't you give the jack a few pumps to raise the height?

whiteSE · 06-17-2009, 01:08 AM

i did, but nothing, it kept on falling

Leo_Koneval · 06-17-2009, 01:12 AM

Wow that is scary, I'm glad you didn't get hurt. I mean if that happened while you were under the car taking out the transmission or whatever, it would be a disaster.

whiteSE · 06-17-2009, 01:17 AM

yep. so im thinking of buying a new jack...wat do u guys recommenced?

**SEmy2K2go** · 06-17-2009, 01:38 AM

Looking for a good floor jack...

1993-VG30E-GXE · 06-17-2009, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo_Koneval

Wow that is scary, I'm glad you didn't get hurt. I mean if that happened while you were under the car taking out the transmission or whatever, it would be a disaster.

Only an idiot would go under a car supported by a jack though.

Even for accessing the drain plug OP!

***DanNY*** · 06-17-2009, 08:54 AM

JACK STAND!!??!! c'mon!!

whiteSE · 06-18-2009, 01:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SEmy2K2go

Looking for a good floor jack...

thanks

Mu_036sp · 07-07-2009, 12:03 AM

i always use my Jack stands! thank god you and your car is okay

whiteSE · 07-07-2009, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mu_036sp

i always use my Jack stands! thank god you and your car is okay

thanks. i use stands now every time i jack up the car.

*mannetti21* · 07-07-2009, 08:10 AM

I guess for some people it takes one of these oh **** moments to do things the right way. I have 4 jackstands and I usually use all 4 whenever I'm under the car for anything. you gotta remember that if the car falls you probably aren't going to survive.

B_Eaze · 07-07-2009, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanNY

JACK STAND!!??!! c'mon!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mu_036sp

i always use my Jack stands! thank god you and your car is okay

I ALWAYS use jack stands and if Im taking tires off I put those under the car for a back up...

*secondtonone317* · 07-07-2009, 08:26 AM

USE THEM!!!

Marlin · 09-28-2009, 12:09 PM

Wow scary!!

Kquezada28 · 09-28-2009, 12:36 PM

lol i would have been ****ting bricks and screaming like a little girl....but definitely use like 4 jacks next time

*Conrad283* · 09-28-2009, 01:02 PM

Jack stands ... Always.

whiteSE · 09-28-2009, 02:35 PM

yeah. thats what i do from now on. i never use tat jack agian either

ampire · 09-28-2009, 03:20 PM

You can also shove one of your spare wheels under the jack points on each side as a precaution. I have a set of racing wheels off of a old porsche and I throw them underneath the doors by the jack points depending on what Im doin.

*The Wizard* · 09-28-2009, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiteSE

i did check the locking thing on the jack, where you release the presusre, and it was closed. WTF? pep boys jack FTL. anyone have experince like this with crafstman jacks?

Slightly old thread....but I'll contribute that I've read the reviews for Craftsman jacks, and apparently they suck big time.

*vntperformance* · 09-28-2009, 03:49 PM

Talk about a funny story. Jack stands ftmfw!

doublea · 10-16-2009, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiteSE

i just think it would be a good pre cation, and a lesson for me. i screwed up.

anyways, i got some 350z rims for my car, went to a tire shop to put valve stems into them, and had them balanced. pulled away into a parking area, and decided to install the rims. i jacked up my car, rear left, changed the tire, rear right, then i untightned the front right tire, jack up the car, using the same 2 ton hydralic jack, take of the old rim, and then the car started to slowly fall down, like a inch every 3 seconds, so i panic, try to put the rim back on the lugs, but the car already was to low, and also, the rim got stuck but the car was still falling. so i get the jack from the trunk and started jacking up the car up with it. luckly, the car didnt fall all the way, and the rim didnt get bent. i changed the last tire, using my factory jack. i got kinda freaked out beacasue i was supposed to change my oil soon, and i was most likely going to use that jack. now im probably going to throw it away.

i did check the locking thing on the jack, where you release the presusre, and it was closed. WTF? pep boys jack FTL. anyone have experince like this with crafstman jacks? im going to get that next.

This happend to me with 2 brand new hydraulic jack, both where missing hydraulic oil so you wanna check that. I have 4 hydraulic Jack ( 2 ton each ) and 4 x Jack stand so whenever i lift the car I use all of the 8 jack sometime I even put some 8 x 8 wooden pieces. Some say I'm fanatic, but at 48 I never had a single injury because of faulty jack.

My rules of thumb is to always use at least 2 level of security but most of the time I use 3.

Good luck.

AA

Leo_Koneval · 10-16-2009, 04:23 PM

I use two jacks whenever I raise the car

But jack stands are expensive, $40 for two at Schucks. I guess $80 bucks for a set of four is not worth dying in a uncomfortable position over

nyana107 · 10-17-2009, 12:16 AM

no need to throw it away. just pump some new hydraulic fluid in there. while you're at the store getting some hydraulic oil, buy some jack stands foo!!!

Mr. Blue Sky · 10-18-2009, 12:09 AM

around 18 years ago my dad had his 300zx fall on him because he trusted a jack too much. Luckily it wasn't a sudden fall, it was more like what you were describing about it slowly falling, except he was busy underneath the car, so he didn't notice at first. When he started to notice that it was starting to crush him, he called out to us and we were able to get the jack to go up again. We have never lifted up a car without placing jack stands on it since(no matter if it is a simple thing that will only take a couple of minutes). I am glad my father didn't lose his life because of a simple mistake(I was 6 at the time).

I read that jacks need continual maintenance on them, and that the lack of maintenance is the most common mistake that many people make when dealing with their floorjacks.

mrood1986 · 10-20-2009, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Wizard

Slightly old thread....but I'll contribute that I've read the reviews for Craftsman jacks, and apparently they suck big time.

Funny, I have craftsman professional jack and jack stands and they work amazing. I also have cheap autozone jackstands that seem to work great too.

1993-VG30E-GXE · 10-23-2009, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Blue Sky

around 18 years ago my dad had his 300zx fall on him because he trusted a jack too much. Luckily it wasn't a sudden fall, it was more like what you were describing about it slowly falling, except he was busy underneath the car, so he didn't notice at first. When he started to notice that it was starting to crush him, he called out to us and we were able to get the jack to go up again. We have never lifted up a car without placing jack stands on it since(no matter if it is a simple thing that will only take a couple of minutes). I am glad my father didn't lose his life because of a simple mistake(I was 6 at the time).

I read that jacks need continual maintenance on them, and that the lack of maintenance is the most common mistake that many people make when dealing with their floorjacks.

What's the kind of maintenance I should be doing on my jack? I wasn't aware of that.

B_Eaze · 10-24-2009, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1993-VG30E-GXE

What's the kind of maintenance I should be doing on my jack? I wasn't aware of that.

I don't believe floor jacks need regular maintenance unless you use it multiple times a day but I could be wrong..... but what I do know is that if you use jackstands it won't matter if your jack is failing cuz you won't be under the car when it does fail

jack stands

/thread