Something to remember when working on your car...

[RichV]

I got word yesterday an old friend died a few weeks back from being crushed under his car. A jack or whatever support he was using gave out and the car fell on him. Wife found him, sure it was not a pretty sight. He left behind 4 younger kids. Shame.

Think before you get under it.

 

[v8powerv8jim]

Very sorry to hear this..certainly makes me more aware of the hidden dangers.

 

[Goldmember]

That's terrible. Had a bad feeling it would be something like this just based on the thread title.

 

[g36 monkey]

Always always ALWAYS rock a car before you get under it. Better to pay for a little damage if it does fall rather than a funeral.

=/

 

[GT Rob]

Sorry to hear that I always use jackstands and leave the jack end the rim under the car

 

[cobra head]

sorry to hear ab this i alway use jack stands

 

[96TANGERINEGT]

Sorry to hear that . I am always very safe. I almost had a car fall on me once it was a little scary ..

 

[Venom351R]

Had a co worker that died of this exact same thing a year ago last month. Was working on his Jeep Cherokee and when the drive shaft was disconnected it rolled and ran over his neck and killed him. Left behind a wife and his 2 year old daughter he was 36. Always use safety equipment always use jacks stands always chalk the wheels.

 

[framda]

I have had a few close calls that have led to paranoia. Live and learn.

 

[lizwithfries]

That's awful! I'm so sorry!

There have been some people at school I worry about sometimes, when they're outside of school. The stories they talk about, doing work in their yard and half assing it when it comes to supporting the car. We learn the importance of safety under cars and always rock the cars we jack up. It just never suprises me how people will save time by cutting corners when it comes to safety, but then waste time on their phone.

 

[ttocs]

I always lean on my car and give my car a bit of a shake once it is up on the stands just to ensure that if I am under it pulling hard that it will not fall.

Under the same idea when I make a wire connection, I give it a couple of good pulls/tugs to see if it will come apart. If it will come apart with a light tug or even a good pull then there is a good chance it coule happen when you can't see it.

 

[96TANGERINEGT]

I have had a few close calls that have led to paranoia. Live and learn.

Yea man I am almost afraid to get under a car any more after my little incident. Very scary . I got out from under the car just before it fell , was not cool at all

 

[1997gtRioRed]

that sucks man. a local junkyard by me had a car fall on a guy on a friday night, and they didnt find him till monday. now every car there has the wheels taken off and dropped on teh ground. but they will pull off any undercar parts for free, which is kinda nice.

 

[Musturd]

Sorry about your loss. Like everyone said I always do he shake test and chalk the tires. I have always been very cautious about this as a kid because I was almost always working alone learning how to do everything. I always give the car a few good pushes once its on jack stands. Ive seen some people use some pretty sketchy shit to as supports to hold the car up as a kid and id always be like hell no.my cars jack stand racing right now

 

[framda]

how about those pictures from third world countries where they jack a car up on one side like 45* and then prop it up with a stick :0

http://images.search.yahoo.com/imag...b=13dnv5kbt&sigi=115acrdll&.crumb=IEYE7iYNl8x

 

[miss2slocoupe]

omg thats horrible im so sorry to hear that. I cant imagine what his wife thought! bless her heart and his kids. I hope his death wasnt in vain and people do learn and take the extra steps to work on a car right

 

[Venom351R]

Yea man I am almost afraid to get under a car any more after my little incident. Very scary . I got out from under the car just before it fell , was not cool at all

Happened to me once before, back along time ago when I was first learning to work on Mustangs. Was at a friends changing the exhaust system the back was on jack stands and the front was on ramps. He jacked it up to high pulling the front wheels to far back on the ramps. We came back from taking a break and I leaned up against the back of the quarter panel and the car fell right off the stands. If either of us were working under the car moving things around forcefully it would have come over on top of us/me/him. From that point on Ive been really cautious of being under my car. Always use jack stands, always use solid points under the car to place them, always shake the car to make sure its not going to move.

Even yesterday I was only working on fixing the brake pad dragging on the rotor problem on the front drivers side. Could have just jacked it up w/ the 3 ton floor jack but I threw a jack stand under it anyway even though I was not under the car. I just dont trust floor jacks for more then getting the car in the air.

 

[RichV]

One of these days it would be nice to have a 2 or 4 post lift.

But yea, never rely on a jack, SPECIALY when getting under the car at all. I'm not a big fan of ramps, but I've used them once in a while. Never with ramps up front and jacks or stands out back tho, that just sounds dangerous.

 

[Venom351R]

yeah not sure why he did it that way, he knew cars and everything and I didn't know shit at the time so I didnt know any better but hell will freeze over before I ever use ramps/jack stands together

 

[BYEBYE2U]

WOW! sorry to hear this.i've ALWAYS rocked/pushed on my car after supporting it to be sure it's solid feeling before getting under it.folks PLEASE be careful and don't get in a hurry and take short cuts when it comes to this matter.it isn't worth the risk even if the jack is brandnew.