Everybody who has labored on their very own automobile has possible heard roughly a million instances that it is best to by no means get beneath a car that’s solely supported by a hydraulic jack and that it’s solely secure as soon as that car is resting securely on jack stands. What in case your jack stands suck, although?
Given how comparatively easy jack stands are and the truth that they need to do one job and one job solely, you’d suppose that they’re kind of all created equally. They’re not. Designs and high quality differ drastically, and typically cheaping out on these easy security units is an actual dangerous thought. For instance, bear in mind again in 2020 when NHTSA needed to difficulty a recall for Harbor Freight’s 6-ton Pittsburgh jack stands?
So, how low cost are you able to moderately go and do issues get higher or safer as you spend extra money? These questions might be answered by yet one more superior video from the Venture Farm YouTube channel that debuted on Monday.
Within the video, a number of totally different designs of jack stands are examined, from the standard pyramidal type with a ratcheting bar to a flat-top three-leg jack stand as I exploit on my 911. There’s even a really clearly silly folding design that, as you’ll see, shits the proverbial mattress approach earlier than it ought to, regardless of costing practically $150.
What’s the tl:dw? Spending round $90 on a set of Husky jack stands from Residence Depot appears to be a superb transfer, however extra importantly, be sure you raise your car on a secure, stage floor and don’t get in a state of affairs the place there’s a major facet load on the car that might trigger the jack stand tip.