Axle Stands

[Rob.]

So I've got a problem with my alternator and it's looking like a wiring issue...

It seems like it's something I could fix myself but as far as I can tell I'll have to get under the car to access the suspect loom.

I'll need to buy some axle stands, I've never been under a car before and the idea kinda scares me.. is it really safe to stick your head under once it's up on the stands? I keep having visions of the car coming down on me..

Edited 4 June, 2010 by Rob.

[MoggyTech]

Axle stands are a must, and are perfectly safe as long as [a] they are load rated enough for the weight of the car and you position them in a suitable place, and [c] the ground you are working on is flat and solid.

[Rob.]

When you say flat.. do you mean complete, spirit level kinda flat.. or just on solid ground?

I ask because the place I would most likely have done it (where I park) is cambered for drainage. But there is somewhere else I can do it that I've just thought of.

Can you recommend a suitible position under the car to place the stands.. or will this be clear / in the haynes? I'm guessing maybe on the sub frame cross bar?

Edited 4 June, 2010 by Rob.

[Rob.]

Just incase anyone finds this in the future with the same questions... I found this site dedicated to axle stands and their correct use.

http://axlestands.net/

Taa!

Rob.

[VWD]

An alternative - well two actually - ramps http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchCmd?srch=car+ramps&action=search&storeId=10001&catalogId=10151&langId=-1&x=36&y=7( don't forget to get car well on and chock wheels on ground -on your case where no wheel movement ,in gear and handbrake also )

Or what I've done as a cheaper solution to change oil etc - works great of pavement is higher than average - put one side of car on pavement .( Also helps if your not a bit on the heavy side )

[Wardy]

Follow Moggy's advice. It's good that your doing your risk assessment before going under there

Trying to think where I saw photos of a car up on a scissor jack....on a gravel drive

So axle stands in appropriate places and I tend to leave the trolley jack still jacked at the jacking point too. A quality, maintained jack should always prove reliable... but it's not worth the chance, so that's why you have the axle stands.

If you were nearer, you could have happily borrowed both sets of equipment

Steve

[MoggyTech]

And if you think axle stands could be dangerous compared to a proper car lift, check this out.

http://mog.myfreeforum.org/about1693.html

[Jim H]

And if you think axle stands could be dangerous compared to a proper car lift, check this out.

http://mog.myfreeforum.org/about1693.html

Ouch

I'm glad he wasn't harmed or his nosey little kid wasn't there.

[mikey vrs]

And if you think axle stands could be dangerous compared to a proper car lift, check this out.

http://mog.myfreeforum.org/about1693.html

Holy **** thats one lucky man! Every day i have landrovers & 7.5ton trucks on vehicle lifts with me working under them,i still put the tall axle stands under the axles as a saftey measure.Our lifts are inspected & serviced every 6 months,they look a old set of lifts,i wonder if he had ever had them serviced & inspected reguarly? glad he is ok.

[Rob.]

Thanks for all the advice guys..

Hopefully going to get it up on the stands on Saturday..

Thanks for the offer Steve.. It's a shame your so far away.

So,.. I'm going to jack the car up with the jack out the boot.. and then position an axle stand as close as possible to it before removing the jack and doing the same on the other side..

Is the above OK? Will the stand or jack be OK an inch or two too the left or right of the jacking point.. or is it a really bad idea? I'm guessing the jacking point must be quite wide (more than a couple of inches) to allow for rushed wheel changes in dim light??

[mikey vrs]

Thanks for all the advice guys..

Hopefully going to get it up on the stands on Saturday..

Thanks for the offer Steve.. It's a shame your so far away.

So,.. I'm going to jack the car up with the jack out the boot.. and then position an axle stand as close as possible to it before removing the jack and doing the same on the other side..

Is the above OK? Will the stand or jack be OK an inch or two too the left or right of the jacking point.. or is it a really bad idea? I'm guessing the jacking point must be quite wide (more than a couple of inches) to allow for rushed wheel changes in dim light??

Dont use the jack that comes with the car.....they are cr*p & dangerous,only should be used to change a wheel if you have no other jack.you will need a trolley jack,i jack mine up on the chassis leg(not the sill as you will crush it!) & put a axle stand on the chassis leg or front subframe area. make sure your on level & solid ground when you do it.

[daverapid]

Great advice given about the axle stands.

Out of curiosity, what's the problem with your alternator?

[Rob.]

Trying to access the DFM lead.. don't get a battery light on ignition so this seems most likely that it's broken on the gear box connection.

Still trying to work out if I actually need to get under the car to get to it.. Think I do though.

Is it really bad to use the spare wheel jack? As long as I'm careful, never get under the car with it up on it and only use it on solid, flat ground it must be ok? I mean.. I've had it up on it loads of times to switch wheels and the like?

Or is it that you shouldn't do one side at a time?

Edited 11 June, 2010 by Rob.

[Rhoobarb]

Is the Fabia jack different to the Octavia? The jack that came with my car wouldnt have lifted mine up high enough to put axle stands on. DIfferent cars I know, but the difference shouldnt be that much should they?. I got the stronger looking scissor jack from halfords for 16 squid I think, fitted the jack point nicely.

Edited 11 June, 2010 by Rhoobarb

[Mr Mul]

Ive been under my golf many times.. Last time i was under (1. 1/2 years ago) afew seconds after getting from under the car. the stand gave out.. . Remaining part of the stand went through the fuel tank..

I was a few more seconds form climbing back underneath, yea i was shaken up.. lol.. fumes in a garage... i never felt so rough trying to clean it all up

I bough the stands abuot 6years previous from halfrogs... Neadless to say.. never buy cheap ones..

Also as a safety percousion, I have a block of wood and a spare wheel underneath.. so it doesnt hit the floor just in case.. (last time i didnt bother as i was swapping coils out and me being to eager.. i forgot to put them under... doh

Edited 11 June, 2010 by Mr Mul

[Mute]

I have a block of wood and a spare wheel underneath.. so it doesnt hit the floor just in case..

Yeah i'm the same, i don't put anything under it (even an arm never mind a head) unless there's a secondary support of some sort. Axle stands can fail too.

If the wheels are still on then it's some sturdy blocks of wood under the wheels in addition to the axle stands

If the wheels are off then both wheels stacked on top of each other under the front box section / maybe as far forward as half under the sump half box section if i don't need far under the car / wont be in my road.

[VWD]

Is it really bad to use the spare wheel jack? As long as I'm careful, never get under the car with it up on it and only use it on solid, flat ground it must be ok? I mean.. I've had it up on it loads of times to switch wheels and the like?

Or is it that you shouldn't do one side at a time?

If the jack slips changing a wheel ,only danger is to car ,as long as you ain't foolish enough to sit with legs under car .Any car damage can be repaired .Car bits cost ,sure ,but there's no market yet ,that supplies new body parts that work as well as the original .

And I've found with mine that jacking up rear ,with car jack can lift fronts - so there's one possibility of movement ,and once the car jack is off true ,the car ain't safe . If a car drops on you ,and you survive -you've got a long time to think of how you could have spent a few extra minutes making it really safe ,and how/why you ain't capable of doing those little jobs on your motability one .

Your title -"Axle stands scare me" - .Me - not half as much as seeing someone crawl under a car with no backup .

Edited 12 June, 2010 by VWD

[Rob.]

If the jack slips changing a wheel ,only danger is to car ,as long as you ain't foolish enough to sit with legs under car .Any car damage can be repaired .Car bits cost ,sure ,but there's no market yet ,that supplies new body parts that work as well as the original .

And I've found with mine that jacking up rear ,with car jack can lift fronts - so there's one possibility of movement ,and once the car jack is off true ,the car ain't safe . If a car drops on you ,and you survive -you've got a long time to think of how you could have spent a few extra minutes making it really safe ,and how/why you ain't capable of doing those little jobs on your motability one .

Your title -"Axle stands scare me" - .Me - not half as much as seeing someone crawl under a car with no backup .

I'm not sure if you understood me, or If I've mis understood everyone else.. but i'd never get under a car supported on a scissor jack..

I'm not planning on taking the wheels of... And I meant is it not safe to use the scissor jack just to get it up and on to the axle stands?

As it is, I can see this is actually a dumb idea.. and I've found that tool station have got a trolly jack for £20

[VWD]

I'm not sure if you understood me, or If I've mis understood everyone else.. but i'd never get under a car supported on a scissor jack..

I'm not planning on taking the wheels of... And I meant is it not safe to use the scissor jack just to get it up and on to the axle stands?

As it is, I can see this is actually a dumb idea.. and I've found that tool station have got a trolly jack for £20

WHEW - pass on the safety ideas then .Trouble is that there's a shortage of safety DIY missionaries .

Having seen the results of a car jack collapse ( with nobody under-only casualty was the front disc) -you can see why I panicked . I'd sooner scare someone into doing the job safely ,than correspond with a cripple later .

[Rob.]

WHEW - pass on the safety ideas then .Trouble is that there's a shortage of safety DIY missionaries .

Having seen the results of a car jack collapse ( with nobody under-only casualty was the front disc) -you can see why I panicked . I'd sooner scare someone into doing the job safely ,than correspond with a cripple later .

No worries mate, I understood what you where you were coming from..

[BlackFR]

Can I just confirm where you guys normally put the stands.

Previously I have jacked on the outside sill with a block of wood (green ellipse)(tyre place did the damage not me)

Then put an axle stand under the rail (blue ellipse)

I have since found a skoda doc that says you should support the vehicle in the area marked with the magenta ellipse and then goes on to say:

"Under no circumstances may the arms of the lift platform or jack be positioned under the engine, the gearbox, the front or rear axles. Never start the engine or engage a gear when the vehicle is raised, while a driving wheel is in contact with the round. Secure the vehicle on the lift platform before its centre of gravity shifts considerably because of successive disassembly operations. The vehicle must not be supported at the front under the sill."

What do you guys normally go for?

Starting at the outside

Further under the car...

[Mute]

Green for jack, blue for axle stand

Magenta for 2 post lift. Looks like you've already got the rubber bungs in your floorpan at the left / far away edge of the magenta elipse.

Dunno about lifting at the red though.

[Rob.]

What I Did...

Lifted at the workshop jacking point, 1 side at a time where this diagram shows. With a piece of wood so as not to damage the under seal.

Then I positioned the Axle Stands under where the console bushes are installed. This helps when doing one side at a time due to the curve allowing tilt.

I might have got it all wrong.. But nothing seems to have gotten bent, I did it all amazingly slowly though.

I thought jacking up where your blue circle is was a really bad idea.. as although this looks like "chassis" it aint.. it's just the tunnel for the fuel lines?

Edited 24 June, 2010 by Rob.

[BlackFR]

I didn't fancy putting the axle stands under the console bush area. Where is the best place to support the vehicle if you was to remove the whole console?

Lift at the sill and support at the workshop lifting point (magenta ellipse)? Not sure I can get my axle stands in that position with the trolley jack in place :S