How to safely setup jack stands on blacktop stone dirt posted.
Using jack stands on gravel.
In hot weather all that weight concentrated at the bottom of a metal jack stand or floor jack can punch divots into asphalt warmed by the sun or high summer temperatures so choose concrete.
To use jack stands start by activating your vehicle s parking brake and jacking up the vehicle with a hydraulic floor jack so the tires are 2 3 inches off the ground.
This does five things.
If lifting the entire front or rear choose a jack point in the center of the front or rear suspension or frame.
Don t support a car only with a jack.
I guess i assume you are using jack stands.
Make the board longer than the car is wide to allow the load to be spread out and chock the rear wheels tightly.
If you have to work on gravel the plywood idea is a good one.
Same for your floor jack use it on a long board or thick piece of plywood doubled up thickness.
Jack up the vehicle using a solid jacking point leaving enough room for the jack stand to support the car.
Mattm we all wish we could have tv quality fully equipped garages with fancy lifts and all of the tools a guy could dream of but in reality many of us me included are still working on our backs under a car in the driveway once in a while.
If lifting just one wheel lifting just that corner of the vehicle is a good idea.
So put it in first gear or park and set the parking brake.
Get some decent jack stands.
But i d cut 3 4 pieces that are 6 larger on each side then the base of your jack stands.
The 8 direction running side to side to set the jack stands on.
Then slide your jack stand in from the side of the vehicle and line up the divot on the stand with one of your vehicle s pinch points which are located behind the tires on the.
October 6 2015 by.
Gives you something to roll the floor jack on.
I use a full sheet of 3 4 a b or a c plywood sideways to the car ie.
Question about using a jack and jackstands on gravel by anonymous not verified 12 apr 2014 i am basically forced to do it on gravel as the only level ground that is concrete is the parking lot down at the lake nearby and i d rather not have to go down there to do work on my truck.
If you must use jackstands on gravel use a single 2x12 to spread the load out between the two jackstands.
