supporting axle stands

[86MUD]

Howdy all

What is the best (safest) material to support axle stands?

I have previously use a hardwood sleeper cut into pieces, but I am unable to use that this time.

I was going to pick up some concrete (besser) blocks.

Will these support the weight or are they just as brittle as clay bricks?

I need to go up about 100mm

Cheers
Andrew

[-Scott-]

I would never use bricks/concrete blocks under axle stands.

Why can't you use the sleeper bits? Or other wood?

[86MUD]

I was trying to save myself a trip to the hardware.

Will try to get a piece of 100 x 100 hardward and cut that into prices. Just for peace of mind.

Cheers

Andrew

[taspatrol]

i use big bits of hard wood that i got from the engine bearers of a big ship takes me a good 30 mins to get them set up cause of the weight but they are not going any where

[mkpatrol]

Buy taller jack stands!!!!! the only support you need for your jack stands is the ground.

[GRPABT1]

Hardwood is Ideal, and used to support 100 tonne+ crane support rams. That said it depends on the weight you are lifting, I've used besser blocks for lifting the front of the zook before bould would think twice about using them for a full sized 4b

[dogbreath_48]

Buy taller jack stands!!!!! the only support you need for your jack stands is the ground.

Ground is all good unless you're working on bricks/paving, dodgy concrete, gravel or dirt.

[86MUD]

Can anyone tell me where to buy taller axle stands in Brisbane?

Cheers

Andrew

[Jeff80]

DONT EVER USE BRICKS OR CONCRETE BLOCKS!!!!!! They can shatter with no warning and you dont want that to happen while you are working on the vehicle or worse, under it. This is a MASSIVE no-no. Wooden sleepers in good condition are the option I would choose if I didnt have jack stands.

[Guy]

I have seen plenty of brick buildings many stories tall .. the bricks are in fine condition supporting 100's of tonnes ... but 700 or so KG may make em explode ... has anyone got any evidence other than anecdotal to say whay you cant use bricks

I would have thought lateral instability would have been the bigger issue

[zuffen]

I have two half bricks in my garage that were once one!

I used it to increase the height of a jack to raise the chassis to remove a coil spring.

It didn't crash to the ground as it only dropped around 100mm but I'm glad it wasn't a job that required me to get under it.

As a kid a guy told me he split some bricks under an old Rolls Royce Silver Ghost he was working on. 2 1/2 tons seemed a lot then but most 4b's weigh that now.

I now have 4 axle stands I use without fail.

[macca81]

I have seen plenty of brick buildings many stories tall .. the bricks are in fine condition supporting 100's of tonnes ... but 700 or so KG may make em explode ... has anyone got any evidence other than anecdotal to say whay you cant use bricks

I would have thought lateral instability would have been the bigger issue

those 100's of tonnes are spead out over a good many bricks and often have a whole lotta steel assisting in the handling of the load.

if you can drop a brick on the ground from a meter or so and have it break, then having 2tonne sitting on around 10cm2 of brick is of fairly high chance of breakage.

iv seen a brick break into about 8 bits from my uncles cruiser backing over it....

[Jeff80]

I have seen plenty of brick buildings many stories tall .. the bricks are in fine condition supporting 100's of tonnes ... but 700 or so KG may make em explode ... has anyone got any evidence other than anecdotal to say whay you cant use bricks

I would have thought lateral instability would have been the bigger issue

those 100's of tonnes are spead out over a good many bricks and often have a whole lotta steel assisting in the handling of the load.

if you can drop a brick on the ground from a meter or so and have it break, then having 2tonne sitting on around 10cm2 of brick is of fairly high chance of breakage.

iv seen a brick break into about 8 bits from my uncles cruiser backing over it....

Thanks Macca, thats exactly what I was going to say but I was going to miss my lift home from work if hung back and typed up a reply. Compressive strength is quite minimal on a brick with a small surface area. Add the fact that they are usually fired between 1000 - 1200 deg c and they do become brittle when they have been in a kiln for 3-5 days! I definaltely would not be getting under a car supported on bricks!!!!

[chimpboy]

Please don't use bricks.

[neil_se]

My stands barely reach my axles let alone my chassis. I'll have to go searching for some wood.

[ozy1]

i can see why everyone is using hardwood, but with all these poeple doing custom stuff out there, why isnt anyone building a stand that will raise the height a bit, you could build a base that will lift the stand 100-200mm no dramas, you could even make the base wider to make it more stable,

just a thought i had, and will be making my own when i get a chance

[shorty_f0rty]

what about some pallets instead of axel stands?

[Suspension Stuff]

I have some pallets you could borrow

I have used bricks and personally seen them fail. I use bricks no more.

Shane

[mkpatrol]

Buy taller jack stands!!!!! the only support you need for your jack stands is the ground.

Ground is all good unless you're working on bricks/paving, dodgy concrete, gravel or dirt.

OK, concrete then


Seriously, jack stands are only built be be stable at the width of their base, raising them on anything makes the stand longer & then reduces the effectiveness of the base to reduce lateral movement.

One of the first things we learnt at tafe & during my apprentciceship was to work underneath a vehicle safely & after 20 years I am still here.

My 20c worth but if your head is thicker than mine, go ahead

[Guy]

I have seen plenty of brick buildings many stories tall .. the bricks are in fine condition supporting 100's of tonnes ... but 700 or so KG may make em explode ... has anyone got any evidence other than anecdotal to say whay you cant use bricks

I would have thought lateral instability would have been the bigger issue

those 100's of tonnes are spead out over a good many bricks and often have a whole lotta steel assisting in the handling of the load.

if you can drop a brick on the ground from a meter or so and have it break, then having 2tonne sitting on around 10cm2 of brick is of fairly high chance of breakage.

iv seen a brick break into about 8 bits from my uncles cruiser backing over it....

Thanks Macca, thats exactly what I was going to say but I was going to miss my lift home from work if hung back and typed up a reply. Compressive strength is quite minimal on a brick with a small surface area. Add the fact that they are usually fired between 1000 - 1200 deg c and they do become brittle when they have been in a kiln for 3-5 days! I definaltely would not be getting under a car supported on bricks!!!!

what I am getting at is that there is not 2 tonne on one brick .. if you use axle stands in pairs being generous you would have 800Kg per stand ( as two wheels will still be on the ground supporting the other 800 Kg each giving a total of 3.2 tonnes fo the vehicle)
Each stand would have at least two bricks under it .. meaning a load of only roughly 400Kg per brick unless you are stupid enough to use the brick on top of the stand.

If you used bricks in good condition .. I still cant see how they would fail under a static load. If the load shifted I could see things going wrong.

[Suspension Stuff]

When jacking up a vehicle the weight will transfer to one edge and one little part of the brick. It just isn't worth the risk. I have always used timber but the bricks were handy. Luckily it failed while I was letting the vehicle down onto the stands.

It has to be hard timber also. Otherwise it can split the timber.

Shane

[86MUD]

Ok...no more panic...

Will be picking up some 5T stands that can raise to 600mm tomorrow...

No more worry about bricks...pallets etc.


Cheers

Andrew

[jessie928]

bricks are ok,
but that depends on teh base of your stand.

If your stand has a flat base, spreading 3 bricks underneath it is quite sufficient if you are on flat ground.

If the ground is uneven and your stand is resting on a brick which is in turn se/sawing on something sharp or a ridge, this is obviously not safe.

best way to make stands that are high is by using ald car or 4wd rims

put the first one face down and then the second one horizontal, weld the 4 corners where the edges meet and you have a fantastic set of stands.


JEs

[shorty_f0rty]

Ok...no more panic...

Will be picking up some 5T stands that can raise to 600mm tomorrow...

No more worry about bricks...pallets etc.


Cheers

Andrew

I picked up 2 pairs from tradetools. one was 4t and the other 6t, they go up pretty high but i've only got a 40 on 33's so it might not compare to your requirements.

I seem to remember they were relatively affordable from tradetools as well.. heaps better than the crap ones you get from superheap.

[steve patrol]

Im with the wood/6t stands! Never use bricks! ie you can knock them in half with the edge of a trowl for f^&* sake!!! Unless your a depressed emo with the whole world on your back, whats a 4x4 on you going to do ...

[Suspension Stuff]

bricks are ok,
but that depends on teh base of your stand.

If your stand has a flat base, spreading 3 bricks underneath it is quite sufficient if you are on flat ground.

If the ground is uneven and your stand is resting on a brick which is in turn se/sawing on something sharp or a ridge, this is obviously not safe.

best way to make stands that are high is by using ald car or 4wd rims

put the first one face down and then the second one horizontal, weld the 4 corners where the edges meet and you have a fantastic set of stands.


JEs

What about the load shift on the stand to one brick.

N O
B R I C K S
please.

[86MUD]

Got a pair from repco similar to these:

http://www.autotools.com.au/catalogue/p ... 0/443/1943

but mine were a little more expensive

Now my problem is going to be the ceiling height in my garage!

Thanks

Andrew

[jessie928]

bricks are ok,
but that depends on teh base of your stand.

If your stand has a flat base, spreading 3 bricks underneath it is quite sufficient if you are on flat ground.

If the ground is uneven and your stand is resting on a brick which is in turn se/sawing on something sharp or a ridge, this is obviously not safe.

best way to make stands that are high is by using ald car or 4wd rims

put the first one face down and then the second one horizontal, weld the 4 corners where the edges meet and you have a fantastic set of stands.


JEs

What about the load shift on the stand to one brick.

N O
B R I C K S
please.

man bricks are all what i used to use from when i was 11 til about 16 is when i got given a pair of stands., thats bricks ontop of bricks

what happens if you have a brick or a paved driveway for gods sake?

if they are on level ground, they are ok. as i said, it depends on the base of your stands. if its flat then good.

your all talking it up as if bricks are made of mortar!

if your load shifting to 1 brick underneath the flat based stands, your probably just abot f-ed anyway because that means the car is falling ontop of you already, and the bricks will probably help you..eheheh

Jes

[Suspension Stuff]

I use to think the same as you till I had some fail on me.

If your bricks are solid concrete then go for it. I could probably break a brick with my hand.

[dogbreath_48]

what happens if you have a brick or a paved driveway for gods sake?

You should put something under the stands to spread the weight over a number of bricks, IMO.