Learn from my mistake

king_of_inismac

Was servicing my car at the weekend. For any serious work, I'd normally put the car up on blocks or axel stands.

Since I was just inspecting something underneath, I was contemplating just jacking it up with the trolley jack and not bother with the axel stands (1 minute job).

As I was lifting the car, one of the smaller wheels of the jack popped off. Over the years some of the wheel nuts on the jack had come loose and that day one wheel just came off. Had I been under the car, it could easily have come down on top of me.

So please learn from my stupidity. ALWAYS use stands/blocks and regularly check your jack/stands to make sure they're all okay.

sambucus

concrete block/breeze blocks crumble under load so not at all safe either really
IMO

Jimbob 83

I used to leave my old car balanced on 2 sledgehammers balanced on their sides.

Thinking back it was beyond stupid

Mycroft H

Lucky man!

I've always used multiple axle stands or I've used scaffolding planks layered on top of each other on a point of the chassis. Wood is very strong in compression. Also, use something to chock the wheels too, don't always rely on the handbrake.

Voodoomelon

All to often I'm inpatient and want the car in the air as quickly as possible. Really should slow down at that crucial stage.

I remember being under the car and did a periodic glance around all the axle stands. On one of them, the cotter pin in the retention bar had fallen out (or maybe i never put it in) and the bar was a few millimetres short of falling out. I never moved so quickly in my life!

A young (Polish I think) chap was crushed under his car around the corner about a year ago, such a sad story.