very scary incident with jacks
02-19-2002, 10:27 AM
#1
very scary incident with jacks
rotated tires last night, done this a few times, its nothing hard. anyway going back left to front right and what not so those tires are off. using my jack and a friends jack, bad idea. i get the back tire on and go to put the front one on, car shifts about an inch and a half. the jack is doing about 80 degrees. ok, ok, dont panic i think one wheels on, just get the front one on pronto. as i go to put the front wheel on, it wont go, when the car shifted it went down too much. scared to touch the first jack, i ran and got the other one and jacked up the car directly next to the jack that intitally shifted. finally got things fixed, was scary though. if you dont think that was scary, then imagine a bunch of little baby bunnies were under the car. 
02-19-2002, 11:16 AM
#5
Justin, seriously... We're glad you weren't hurt and your car not damaged.
The jack is not supposed to be near vertical (80 degrees?)... It's very unstable like that. Always put a jack stand to help support the car. It only has to happen ONCE.
The jack is not supposed to be near vertical (80 degrees?)... It's very unstable like that. Always put a jack stand to help support the car. It only has to happen ONCE.
02-19-2002, 11:56 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,177
Re: very scary incident with jacks
Originally posted by Justin95SE
rotated tires last night, done this a few times, its nothing hard. anyway going back left to front right and what not so those tires are off. using my jack and a friends jack, bad idea. i get the back tire on and go to put the front one on, car shifts about an inch and a half. the jack is doing about 80 degrees. ok, ok, dont panic i think one wheels on, just get the front one on pronto. as i go to put the front wheel on, it wont go, when the car shifted it went down too much. scared to touch the first jack, i ran and got the other one and jacked up the car directly next to the jack that intitally shifted. finally got things fixed, was scary though. if you dont think that was scary, then imagine a bunch of little baby bunnies were under the car.
rotated tires last night, done this a few times, its nothing hard. anyway going back left to front right and what not so those tires are off. using my jack and a friends jack, bad idea. i get the back tire on and go to put the front one on, car shifts about an inch and a half. the jack is doing about 80 degrees. ok, ok, dont panic i think one wheels on, just get the front one on pronto. as i go to put the front wheel on, it wont go, when the car shifted it went down too much. scared to touch the first jack, i ran and got the other one and jacked up the car directly next to the jack that intitally shifted. finally got things fixed, was scary though. if you dont think that was scary, then imagine a bunch of little baby bunnies were under the car.
02-19-2002, 01:06 PM
#10
Yup jacking a car can be very dangerous. Some of you guys don't remember the "ratch" type jacks that connected to your chrome bumper. I was changing some tires on my pop's 66 Impala and had the rear jacked up the change the right side tire. Well, I had the car jacked up too high and the left wheel lost it's braking action while the right wheel was off the ground and the car rolled backwards falling off of the jack. My legs were almost crushed but I moved just in the nick of time. I was only 15 or 16 when that happened and I knew nothing about wheel chocks at the time or else I would have had them. I won't take all of the fault for that incident because the jack was poorly designed too.
So I say to all, do everything the right way when working on an automobile and any other heavy equipment.
So I say to all, do everything the right way when working on an automobile and any other heavy equipment.
02-19-2002, 01:52 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 7,530
Originally posted by MaxSE98
my best friends dads brother was killed because he didnt use jack stands and the jack came out, it was in the 70's i think. but never ever jack w/out jackstands
my best friends dads brother was killed because he didnt use jack stands and the jack came out, it was in the 70's i think. but never ever jack w/out jackstands
SuDZ
02-19-2002, 02:00 PM
#12
I have had two cars fall/lean on the factory jacks when I was trying to raise them. I don't even want to think what could have happened had I been under them. I bit the bullet and bought a nice floor jack with 2 1/2 ton jackstands. No way that baby's coming down now
02-19-2002, 02:04 PM
#13
Originally posted by deezo
Yup jacking a car can be very dangerous. Some of you guys don't remember the "ratch" type jacks that connected to your chrome bumper. I was changing some tires on my pop's 66 Impala and had the rear jacked up the change the right side tire. Well, I had the car jacked up too high and the left wheel lost it's braking action while the right wheel was off the ground and the car rolled backwards falling off of the jack. My legs were almost crushed but I moved just in the nick of time. I was only 15 or 16 when that happened and I knew nothing about wheel chocks at the time or else I would have had them. I won't take all of the fault for that incident because the jack was poorly designed too.
So I say to all, do everything the right way when working on an automobile and any other heavy equipment.
Yup jacking a car can be very dangerous. Some of you guys don't remember the "ratch" type jacks that connected to your chrome bumper. I was changing some tires on my pop's 66 Impala and had the rear jacked up the change the right side tire. Well, I had the car jacked up too high and the left wheel lost it's braking action while the right wheel was off the ground and the car rolled backwards falling off of the jack. My legs were almost crushed but I moved just in the nick of time. I was only 15 or 16 when that happened and I knew nothing about wheel chocks at the time or else I would have had them. I won't take all of the fault for that incident because the jack was poorly designed too.
So I say to all, do everything the right way when working on an automobile and any other heavy equipment.
02-19-2002, 02:07 PM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,530
I hate those damn jack ramps, those are equally as bad. On my old toyota, I actually managed to drive OVER one of those things so the car was resting on its crushed in rocker panels.
But otherwise, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use jack stands AND wheel chocks. I can't stress this enough, even if it is to do work on the stereo inside the car. I've had TWO seperate occasions while working on the stereo either somebody releases the emergency brake, or pushes the shifter into neutral. One time my friends truck almost rolled into my friends corolla. Another time my friends mustang had her door open working on the stereo and it bent the door perpendicular cause it got caught on the basketball post.
But otherwise, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use jack stands AND wheel chocks. I can't stress this enough, even if it is to do work on the stereo inside the car. I've had TWO seperate occasions while working on the stereo either somebody releases the emergency brake, or pushes the shifter into neutral. One time my friends truck almost rolled into my friends corolla. Another time my friends mustang had her door open working on the stereo and it bent the door perpendicular cause it got caught on the basketball post.
02-19-2002, 02:16 PM
#15
Originally posted by SLC I30t
Speaking of jacks, is it ok to lift the rear of your car with the rear beam? I have a floor jack and want to be able to lift the car evenly left to right to rotate my tires.
Speaking of jacks, is it ok to lift the rear of your car with the rear beam? I have a floor jack and want to be able to lift the car evenly left to right to rotate my tires.
02-19-2002, 02:17 PM
#16
Originally posted by SLC I30t
Speaking of jacks, is it ok to lift the rear of your car with the rear beam? I have a floor jack and want to be able to lift the car evenly left to right to rotate my tires.
Speaking of jacks, is it ok to lift the rear of your car with the rear beam? I have a floor jack and want to be able to lift the car evenly left to right to rotate my tires.
02-19-2002, 02:33 PM
#17
Originally posted by iwannabmw
I have a RSB so I won't raise it from there. What I do is actually jack from the side on the front, which raises the car enough for me to slide a jackstand under the support by the REAR jacking point on the same side. I repeat this for the other side and then raise the front from the little cup thing that hangs down near the radiator and place the jackstands on what looks like frame rails. I've done this several times when rotating tires or bleeding brakes or just lifting the car so I can crawl under it and haven't damaged or bent anything.
I have a RSB so I won't raise it from there. What I do is actually jack from the side on the front, which raises the car enough for me to slide a jackstand under the support by the REAR jacking point on the same side. I repeat this for the other side and then raise the front from the little cup thing that hangs down near the radiator and place the jackstands on what looks like frame rails. I've done this several times when rotating tires or bleeding brakes or just lifting the car so I can crawl under it and haven't damaged or bent anything.
02-19-2002, 04:19 PM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,530
Originally posted by SLC I30t
Speaking of jacks, is it ok to lift the rear of your car with the rear beam? I have a floor jack and want to be able to lift the car evenly left to right to rotate my tires.
Speaking of jacks, is it ok to lift the rear of your car with the rear beam? I have a floor jack and want to be able to lift the car evenly left to right to rotate my tires.
02-19-2002, 04:31 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,883
If I understand it you attempted to jack at 2 points?
If you simply use the factory jack and the compact spare, you can do one wheel at a time. Just tighten 2 lug nuts on the compact. Just don't get under the car. AFter all, this procedure is what you would do if you got a flat, it has to be safe. As long as you don't get under the car. Even on stands you have to be careful. I like ramps but I've never tried ramps with the Maxima.
If you simply use the factory jack and the compact spare, you can do one wheel at a time. Just tighten 2 lug nuts on the compact. Just don't get under the car. AFter all, this procedure is what you would do if you got a flat, it has to be safe. As long as you don't get under the car. Even on stands you have to be careful. I like ramps but I've never tried ramps with the Maxima.
02-19-2002, 07:55 PM
#21
Originally posted by Wizeguy
Nah... Just put a 6x6 piece of 1/2" plywood between the bar and the axle. Then I put the jack on the rsb and jack away.
"He said jack away"
Wizeguy
Nah... Just put a 6x6 piece of 1/2" plywood between the bar and the axle. Then I put the jack on the rsb and jack away.
"He said jack away"
Wizeguy
02-20-2002, 06:15 AM
#24
I had a similar incident this past weekend. I was fixing the rear suspension on my moms Max, and I was doing one corner at a time. Jacked the car up and took off one wheel. I left the car on the jack (a nice one, not the scissor one) and put a stand right next to it just in case.
I got the strut assembly off and took it into the basement to work on it (vice and other helpful tools down there). I come back out to find out that the jack had given way and the car was resting on the jack stand.
If it weren't for me putting the stand there, the rotor, hub, axle and who know what else would be screwed!
I got the strut assembly off and took it into the basement to work on it (vice and other helpful tools down there). I come back out to find out that the jack had given way and the car was resting on the jack stand.
If it weren't for me putting the stand there, the rotor, hub, axle and who know what else would be screwed!
02-20-2002, 07:41 AM
#26
Originally posted by Wizeguy
Nah... Just put a 6x6 piece of 1/2" plywood between the bar and the axle. Then I put the jack on the rsb and jack away.
Nah... Just put a 6x6 piece of 1/2" plywood between the bar and the axle. Then I put the jack on the rsb and jack away.
I have always used the rear edge of the U piece that surrounds the axle. It is VERY strong and the Addco doesn't even enter the picture...
Re: jack stands.
Just be careful when lowering onto jack stands. Sometimes when you lower the jack the jackstands can start to tip. Also, if just rotating tires, I have no qualms about using two floor jacks on either side. Just make sure they are the kind that has the caster wheels on the bottom so that there is little chance that the jack will tip. Cheap $20 floor jacks can easily serve this purpose.
02-20-2002, 01:13 PM
#27
Hell, even a properly used jack stand can slip... this is what happens when your fata$$ sister leans on your car while you're working on it..
http://www.ee.utulsa.edu/~mblehm/pic...2/MVC-011S.JPG
least I wasn't near the car when she did it. had the entire front right corner off the car too. had it not stopped where it did, I would have had to get a wrecker to lift if off the driveway.
so last weekend I took a sledge hammer to the floorboard inside the car and beat it flat again.
http://www.ee.utulsa.edu/~mblehm/pic...2/MVC-011S.JPG
least I wasn't near the car when she did it. had the entire front right corner off the car too. had it not stopped where it did, I would have had to get a wrecker to lift if off the driveway.
so last weekend I took a sledge hammer to the floorboard inside the car and beat it flat again.
02-20-2002, 01:36 PM
#28
Originally posted by Matt93SE
Hell, even a properly used jack stand can slip... this is what happens when your fata$$ sister leans on your car while you're working on it..
http://www.ee.utulsa.edu/~mblehm/pic...2/MVC-011S.JPG
least I wasn't near the car when she did it. had the entire front right corner off the car too. had it not stopped where it did, I would have had to get a wrecker to lift if off the driveway.
so last weekend I took a sledge hammer to the floorboard inside the car and beat it flat again.
Hell, even a properly used jack stand can slip... this is what happens when your fata$$ sister leans on your car while you're working on it..
http://www.ee.utulsa.edu/~mblehm/pic...2/MVC-011S.JPG
least I wasn't near the car when she did it. had the entire front right corner off the car too. had it not stopped where it did, I would have had to get a wrecker to lift if off the driveway.
so last weekend I took a sledge hammer to the floorboard inside the car and beat it flat again.
02-20-2002, 03:02 PM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 7,530
Originally posted by Matt93SE
Hell, even a properly used jack stand can slip... this is what happens when your fata$$ sister leans on your car while you're working on it..
http://www.ee.utulsa.edu/~mblehm/pic...2/MVC-011S.JPG
least I wasn't near the car when she did it. had the entire front right corner off the car too. had it not stopped where it did, I would have had to get a wrecker to lift if off the driveway.
so last weekend I took a sledge hammer to the floorboard inside the car and beat it flat again.
Hell, even a properly used jack stand can slip... this is what happens when your fata$$ sister leans on your car while you're working on it..
http://www.ee.utulsa.edu/~mblehm/pic...2/MVC-011S.JPG
least I wasn't near the car when she did it. had the entire front right corner off the car too. had it not stopped where it did, I would have had to get a wrecker to lift if off the driveway.
so last weekend I took a sledge hammer to the floorboard inside the car and beat it flat again.
SuDZ
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
jsmith24
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
4
02-01-2016 12:35 AM
homewrecker
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
4
09-23-2015 03:41 AM
kirkhilles
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
2
08-08-2015 10:53 AM