When doing a lot of work on a car it helps to have it semi permanently raised.

The car is very heavy, read deadly!

It must be on a stable stand. Level and on recommended hoist points. Ground that might be stable when dry can be dangerous when wet.

1. conccrete pads to make a sloping surface level:

make a foot by foot form: at the highest point of firm ground (in this case asphalt, concrete better), use a plumb from lifting points to find centre, place form, use large plastic shopping bags to stop concrete from binding to ground, mix concrete and lay a flat pad using metal mesh.

use spirit level to make next pad to same level et.c.

let set

2. make stands. in this case cut up sleepers and thick sheets and pine square with slots cut for body rest and cut to adjust levels across all four stands.

3. make 2 intermediate rests for rear wheels to stand on.

4.
raise car onto rear wheel stands.
raise front and rest on stands on pads,
raise rear onto stands on pads.


these are about 450mm high. For some in engine bay work I use a milk crate to stand on, otherwise can easily access all parts securely.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c168/yanndee/IMG_1660_zps9wxfnfjh.jpg

It has been on these now for a few weeks while I've doen a lot of things to it and I've never felt insecure. Very stable.

After setting the pads I tore off extra plastic and spray painted a white stripe around the side pads so they can be moved and replaced in the same place if needed.

I can't say I support this (no pun intended at all).

Sure the wood may be in good condition for what you have used it for here, but in the even someone tries to follow this and does not set this up right, whether it be some of the concrete steps, or the wood involved (read, softwoods or moldy woods, or even woods that have been effected in the many of different ways) there are many factors that could lead to a potentially fatal injury in this case.

I know you mean well. And again, sure it may be working in your case but would never recommend anyone doing this.

I'm gunna buy you some Jack stands ....lol

I agree with what you say. My post implies, but perhaps does not stress sufficiently the care one must take in anything like this.

I spent time reading how others have done this sort of thing and what to look out for. It took me some time to design it and to construct it using readily available material and tools.. I implore anyone who sets about doing it themselves to take great care and only do it if absolutely sure it is right. This is how I did it.

The very important points are.

A strong stable foundation. Good proven materials. A sensible construction technique.

When rasing the car use the gradual scissor technique is outlined., back front back...

The stands use the dimensions of over the counter stands in order to have correct load bearing distribution properties.

If you are not confident, don't do it. Just remember whatever you do, be careful and only proceed if you are confident. Seek advice.

If the management considers this post a bad idea, please delete.




EDIT Add:

I expect further exhortations to be careful. I'll post replies here:

BadSeed. GTVi, I agree. Anyone considering this must take it very seriously. If you cannot resolve all concerns do not do it or if you must, use over the counter stands as recommended.

Concerns re wood are relevant. Remember force is applied downwards. Compressibility of wood is a concern. I used Jarrah sleepers and thick sheets with liberal construction adhesive and skew nails. Wherever I felt concern about a piece of wood I bound it with straps. Once up the main force the stands have to contend with is down. A standard over the counter stand is within the shape of these stands.

Please continue to raise objections. If I cannot to my satisfaction counter I'll need to revise the design. Thank you.

Max, you have hit on one concern I have. I think the stands are sufficiently stable in the vertical. The base it stands on ditto. Sideways however can be (but probably not much more so than over the counter stands) an issue. At the moment I'm thinking of how to resolve that particular concern by widening its stance with bracing.

What is your life worth? Buy some decent rated jack stands and use those?

I feel the obligation to jump in... Good quality jack stands should be used.

I never use wood, wood has no rating and therefore a safety issue...and is not used in the industry for this purpose.

Standing on a milk crate is also hazardous. ;)

I might use a lump of wood under a hydraulic jack to gain extra lift, but I would never use blocks of wood to get all four corners off the ground!
Jack stands, and one end at a time!
If one corner goes unstable, would the car lean over and come off the others?
Putting it differently, would you be happy if I put my shoulder against the "B" pillar and pushed with all my (feeble) strength? Or would you freak out badly?

OK! I didn't think it could happen but you guys have convinced me. Contrary to my standard self sufficiency dictum, partly constarined by a time concern (I can construct in time a set but I don't have time), driven by a safety concern, I am going to buy a set of jack stands. ATM I'm considering whether to get a set of self jacking ones or not. Either way I figure ones that are as large as possible, perhaps truck ones, are best.

self jacking stands are expensive and hard to find, they are NOT the ones you find at your local auto parts store...
Truck stands are a massive overkill and probably too big for your jack to get the car up onto them.
All you need is some regular 3T rated stands.

Its not rocket science, you dont need to reinvent the wheel.
Us (real) mechanics have been using these stands in many workshops across the globe for many years with no issues, except when corners are cut or basic saftey sence isnt followed.

Looking at the blocks of wood, there isn't much of a base on these. It would be easy to push the car sideways, have the centre of gravity fall outside the base, and watch the whole car crash down.
With axle stands, the car actually needs to move up and sideways for the weight of the car to fall outside the base of the stands. I've tried to push a car off stands located at the front, wheels still on in case it went over by pushing sideways at the "A" pillar. Couldn't be done!
I do that test every time I have both front wheels off the ground before I crawl under the car.

Rear wheels still on the ground, handbrake on.
If buying axle stands, make sure they go low enough to go under the car easily initially, but go up high enough to give you working room.
3T load rating and a wide base are important. As is ease of height adjustment.

good idea for the concrete footing to be there

If i had them I would have used a pre fabed thick concrete square as a base

ts370000
my- D I Y car ramps I made up and used to do a RWD clutch would have made every one gasp

old timber step treads and dirt

to start with I bought a pair of 4 ton stands with a lowered height of 415 mm. They should remove any stability worries.

I'll have to widen the concrete pads though. Using pre fab concrete squares to bind the added bits to the existing pad perhaps.

magnabuff, I'd like to see a pic of that ramp. made me think of the first engine I lifted out in my teens, an EK. where I built loose brick pillars on either side of the engine bay and put a 4x4 across and roped the engine to it and raised it on my shoulder one side/one brick at a time till it was high enough and then pushed the car away and lowered the engine, rebored and rebuilt and put it back.
Still alive but maybe not quite as crazy.

outside in the yard on grass and dirt

no picture ..it fell apart during the next rain storm

(ford)
the release bearing had ceased so pressure plate was squeeling


made 2 of these to suit the front tyre track of the car

hollow metal conduit uprights driven into the dirt with mallet

on the outer sides
the rods supported sides of single old step treads (formed a ramp template )

filled in between the two treads with any old dirt

drove car up and down compacting the dirt ..1 hour or more .
adding more dirt a wheel barrow at a time each ramp
kept doing this
till working height and car level was reached and front car tyres didnt sink down anymore

pulled the gearbox and clutch

DIY head repair just using AF ring spanners[/U] 202 holden motor

[U]want to here how I removed an re-coned the head
no tension wrench- no valve spring compressor tool

took head off - the valves and springs out (1/2-9/16) - lapping in valves -refitted springs new head gasket refiited head -

If the car is say 1500 KG, then each pillar is supporting 375 KG (everything being level!) and that is well within the bearing capacity of good hardwood sleepers.
Center of gravity is somewhere in the middle towards the front but surely well inside the area bounded by the 4 pillars.
If you push hard sideways on the car you will not move the center of gravity outside the area bounded by those 4 pillars, unless maybe you rock the car to build up momentum (ditto when using car jacks!) .
I do think there are too many thin pieces in the pillars and that the upper block is too small.

Despite all that - I wouldn't crawl under that car - for DIYrs its best to err on the side of safety overkill - eg by adding a good dose of redundancy in the support structures.

I agree, Aquar.

A welded metal stand up to 3 ton actally fits within the physical dimensions of the wood stand and for the reasons you outlined have those characteristics. The apex of the load pyramid is in fact better supported in not being an extension above the pyramid of the metal frame.

However as suggested re structure, It is dubious. I did liberally glue, fasten and strap the sandwich. BUT it cannot match the rigid strength on the metal pyramid and could fail from a lateral force.

THAT is its failing. There the alternative that supercedes any real or imagined flaw in the woodstands as is is the 4t stand which has a definite wider base and matches the height withoout any extension. iow ther apex of its pyramid is directly supported by the legs.

The wooden stands can be reworked (and Ill do so) to match and supercede the 4t ones that I bought but they will be far less elegant and useful.


My main concern at the moment is whether to reshape the top of the 4t stands or to make a cap to fit on it in order to match the load point profile on the car.



edit add:

A large part of the one and a half ton is in the front where the engine is but even so, divided between the two front stands the load bearing capacities of the material used is most likely sufficient.

Max's first comment about someone pushing from the side is what convinced me to reconsider. I know myself but I hadn't properly considered the other unknown person or influence.

I use some old wheels with tyres on, very stable

:slap:
thats for even thinking of posting that DIY idea :hmm:


I use some old wheels with tyres on, very stable

I had a car fall on me once. It was on car ramps and I needed more rear clearance. I started jacking up a rear wheel while I was under it. Stupid! The car rolled back once the rear wheel was lifted. Luckily I was working with a friend and he lifted the car off me. Did his back in too. If I'd been working alone I wouldn't be telling you this.

As TS370000 mentioned that the weight is mostly at the front, I'll just add an extra comment on the distribution of the weight on the jacks viz
The rear jacks are normally quite a bit "forward" placed, meaning its brought "closer" to the center of gravity of the car, and therefore bears more weight than is apparent.
The actual weight distribution is one that equates to the sum of moments being zero around the center of gravity (I think!).

So don't under estimate the weight on those rear jacks.