Safety of axle stands

[Leyland]

Hi again everyone
From articles I have read in motoring mags as well as restoration manuals, I have beed led to believe that axle stands can be used on the front or the rear, but not on all four corners. The advice has been to choke up two wheels and use two stands.
I have reached a point on this particular restoration where it is awkward to have the front wheels on the ground.
I guess some of you are going to tell me that you have your cars up on 4 axle stands.
Is this OK and is it safe.
Your help & comments will be appreciated.
cheers
Ty

[ericwork]

I use four ramps to get the car off the gound, then change to axle stands for taking wheels off. this way the car is high enough for working underneath most of the time in safety.

[Gareth]

I wouldn't raise a car on axle stands at each corner - that just doesn't sound safe at all... If you need all the wheels off the ground, would it not be best to roll the car?? Or could you complete as much of the back as possible, and then chock the rear wheels, so it would be safer to raise the front of the car?

I'm lucky, I guess, that I can get under the car without needing to raise it off the floor... However, when it comes to servicing, I'll do the front end first, with the back on the ground, and then vice-versa.

If you have the car on four axle stands and one fails / gets knocked over / crashes through a bit of rotten Morris... what would happen? It would be a lot messier than if just one end were raised, and imagine if you were underneath at the time??

Axle stands are really for your own safety - everyone has heard stories about people being crushed beneath incorrectly supported cars.

[Cam]

Axle stands are really for your own safety - everyone has heard stories about people being crushed beneath incorrectly supported cars.

You mean like this clever chap:

[rayofleamington]

I had a Minor on 4 axle stands once. I was sweeping the garage and leant on it to get the brush under it and the car landed with a thud!
The neighbours came round to find out whet the noise was - fortunately I wasn't under it!
Never again - Ever since then I have tried not to have more than 1 wheel off the ground at a time. wheel ramps are useful if you have a flat surface - if you use ramps on an uneven surface give the car a strong pull + push before going under it - it's best if the ramps fall over whilst you are expecting it!

When removing a wheel I put a stack of spare wheels under the car so it can only fall a maximum of a few inches - It's never been needed but this way you don't even have to worry about the what-if's you'll still be alive and have all your limbs too.

[Cam]

When doing repairs, I have had the front end on axle stands (under the chassis legs). OR the rear on axle stands (on the axle tube) or one side up (one stand under a chassis leg and one under the axle tube).

I have never needed all 4 wheels off the ground. I have always worked on one side, then turned the car round and worked on the other side. If it needs all 4 wheels off the ground then what about a body roller?

Oh and like Ray, I always 'bump' into the car with my hip to test that it's safe and does not move before venturing underneath.

[rayofleamington]

I thought the pic was scary cam - I have visions of the props just sliding out as they aare at an angle....
then I saw he was welding the petrol tank

[Cam]

Scary scary bloke!!

[britab1967]

I've got all four corners of Molly off the ground for all the work I'm doing under her. I agree 4 axle stands aren't safe so I have the ramps under the front with a hefty block of wood over them supporting the front chassis legs (just under the bulkhead so that I could do a chassis leg repair.
I have axle stands under the rear end supporting the bump stops so that I could remove the axle and leaf springs.
With no wheels on my wagon, I coudn't leave any on the ground.

As said on other threads, most roll over rigs are only any use if you can leave the wheels on as they attach to the hubs.

Hope that helps.

[Chris Morley]

Scary scary bloke!!

I would say dead scary! Quite literally.....

I've only ever had two wheels off the ground at any time. Even then you need to be very careful in case an axle stand is slightly off balance.

[moggyminor16]

yes all four is very unsafe i found out the hard way when younger at school had a mini to play with ,well it was rotton so i got another one one .there for i was taking lot lot off thats was good .down to the shell the tarmack sunck on one axle an the mini came down on my arm lukly for me a man came over and pushed the shell off no damage at any more , but i have an traveler up on axle at front and on ramps at the rear the ajustable ones so you can make it as high as you want at the mo it about 3 foot at the back and not a lot at the front .the stands im using now are old but one stand will take 5 ton there for lorries thay wantr move ive tryed like others with the hip

[les]

Oh come on I think you're being unfair, that timber looks pretty heafty to me, and who knows he might be quite capable of forcing his head into his groin if the worst did happen! Ok maybe the welding is a bit iffy. I'd use mig!

[s.richardson]

BRIT , pucker photos on your webpage mate ,especially the ones of nearside footwell, its wat im doing at the moment,the whole sill area and edge of floor have to be done , taking a fair bit of wedge too!!!!!!

[brixtonmorris]

if you want four wheels off. get large axel stands an large trolly jack.
do the front first placing the stands near the eye bolts behind is best. watch out for brake pipes. place a flat piece of wood on top of stands as a cusion. push it around to make sure it stable.. then the rear on the diff.. when lifting up the jack must roll forward, so you need a flat floor. pump up and check the jack is moving forward and the front stands arent being pulled back.. put the rear stand on the axel and away you go. i leave the jack just under the diff as much as poss. on big welding jobs you can support the crossmember with the trolly jack. once its all square, no stress in stands, it wont go anywhere. you could almost walk under it. to get it down rear first slowly

[Kevin]

Oh come on I think you're being unfair, that timber looks pretty heafty to me,

That sort of thing is an every day repair job in Cairo

[britab1967]

BRIT , pucker photos on your webpage mate

Cheers S.Rich and thanks for the advice for posting photo's.

taking a fair bit of wedge too!!!!!!

You're telling me, there's a lot of work involved but it's worth it in the end. I've nearly finished the nearside and about to start on the offside.

[les]

That sort of thing is an every day repair job in Cairo

Yes I can believe that, after all, they ride on top of trains in India.

[Alec]

Hello all,
it seems that I am in a minority, I have used four axle stands to support my cars for longer than I remember, and on a variety of cars. I have never experienced any problems, but I am working on a level concrete floor and I ensure that the stands are placed under chassis members or horizontal faces of suspension. My cars are absolutely stable when on the stands.

Alec

[rayofleamington]

The car is perfectly stable on its own (unless you are on tarmac and have ceap axle stands without a base flange - then on leg can sink independently) - when you put some side force on it there is NOTHING to stop the axle stands leaning over. It doesn't take much before it goes over.
I'm glad you've been lucky and if you want to carry on like that feel free, but if something happens you can't say nobody warned you.

[Alec]

Hello Ray,
you make it sound like a house of cards, but it will take more force than I can exert to move the car sideways a sufficient distance to move the C of G outside the base diameter of the stand(s), and in so doing, the car also has to lift, i.e overcoming the weight resting on the stands. As I said I have done this for many years and have never felt any unstability in this method.
I am not, by nature, reckless, foolhardy or even brave, I have, however, had an engineering apprenticeship and many years of experience.

Alec