2 X 4 Jack Stands

[Bingster]

Anybody build 2 X 4 jacks stands. They're getting popular.  I was wonder how high is too high?

[Plymouthy Adams]

are you asking what is too high, cost of proper and safe jack stands or what is too high in terms of off the floor support....

[Sniper]

When it starts looking like the Leaning Tower of Pisa you probably gone too high

[Sam Buchanan]

My 4x4 stands, I've found the height to be a good compromise between usefulness and safety.

 

 

 

[Bingster]

I saw the all 2X 4 stands where the tires sit on them

[Plymouthy Adams]

frankly trusting a stand to rest a car by supporting it by the wheels only is not my idea of being safe...would hate to read:

He was steady at the wheel but the car was not. I can only recommend if blocking with items other than a proper jack stand to ensure you blocking on the chassis/axle.  Sams wooden blocks are not made to fit beneath a tire.  If he supports an axle tube, I would think a v notch would be nice to see also.

Edited June 5 by Plymouthy Adams

[Sam Buchanan]

I put the stands under a frame rail. They are high enough to slide the transmission out from under the car.

[Sam Buchanan]

26 minutes ago, Bingster said:

I saw the all 2X 4 stands where the tires sit on them

 

The only times I've seen the 2x4 cribbing being used under tires were on TV shows where they were used to hold a chassis that was under construction. Not much load in that situation and probably no need to get under the chassis.

Edited June 5 by Sam Buchanan

[Los_Control]

IMHO, built right they are pretty safe.

The question is .... how high can you safely lift the car while while getting the stands under the tires?

 

I actually prefer regular 6 ton jack stands that I can raise or lower while jacking up the vehicle.

In this case the vehicle is not really high but comfortable to work under while on a creeper. I have all 4 wheels off the ground.

In order to lower the car I have to first raise the car and bring the stands to the lowest position one side at a time .... then with the vehicle lower I can remove jack stands from one side then I can move over to the other side and remove those.

 

I'm just saying I have to be careful and jack it up in stages. ..... If you have a forklift to raise the vehicle you can make them as tall as you want.

 

Can anyone guess what I'm doing today? 

[Bingster]

The videos that show how to make them have complete cars resting on them. 

[Eneto-55]

I have thought of making some, but have 4 good quality jack stands.  I was thinking, however, that if I did build some wooden ones, I would put an eye hook on at least one side and also put casters on them, with springs (like maybe some old valve springs), so that I could a use a rod with a hook on the end to position them without getting under the vehicle at all.  Then when the weight came down on them, the springs would be compressed, and the bottom of the wood would be firmly on the cement.  (I do feel a bit of danger when putting jack stands under a car, especially the late model ones that sit really low, and where there aren't good spots that can be easily reached from a safe place beyond where the car would come down, if something failed to hold it up.)  I think that the blocking could also be made so that it would lock together, but not be fastened all together (to allow for different final heights).  Just some ideas, nothing I've actually done - yet.

Edited June 6 by Eneto-55

[Ivan_B]

Wooden blocks could be useful for storage, so that you still have your regular stand available for other purposes. You can go as high as you can reasonably raise the car with the jack, assuming that you increase the width of the stand accordingly for good balance

[iowa51]

I have 2 sets of jack stands, 1 set of steel ramps, and a set of wood blocks. Used in various combinations depending on if the tires are on or off the car. As an extra safety precaution if using the steel ramps, after jacking the car up, the ramps face in opposite direction. I could probably screw a couple of 2" X 12" X 16" boards to the bottom of the wood blocks if I needed a little more height and it would still be stable.

Edited June 6 by iowa51

[JBNeal]

Home Depot sells warped, split, and twisted lumber at 70% off, and the frugal carpenter sees that flawed lumber as having potential.  Cutting these sticks into shorter pieces can yield shelving reinforcement, trailer jack pads, and custom jack stands.

 

The basic 2×6 jack stand is cube shaped, very difficult to tip over but takes up valuable space if ya need to do work nearby.

 

The tall pyramid jack stand comes in handy when ya need space to maneuver, but not as stable as the cube...it can be tipped over, but not easily. 

 

The short pyramid is a good general purpose lumber jack stand...difficult to tip over, gives more room to work than the cube.

 

I recall figuring that each of these lumber jack stands cost less than 2 bucks in materials when I built them during lockdown.  

[Sam Buchanan]

I like 'em! All you need now is another trip to Home Depot for some Roundup.   🤣

Edited June 10 by Sam Buchanan

[JBNeal]

There's an advantage to letting the jungle encroach on private property:  Mother Nature is constantly playing security guard, with skeeters, yellow jackets, and slithery reptiles...nosey trespassers may think they're adept at sneaking around when they think nobody's looking, but Mother Nature's enforcers exact their toll, no matter what 🐝🐍

[Ivan_B]

What a collection of stands... Only I would oil these-up so make them last longer.

Also, never saw discounted lumber at HD. I usually find all the bad wood right at the shelf, so I have to pick and choose the more-or-less decent pieces 🤣

[Eneto-55]

15 minutes ago, Ivan_B said:

What a collection of stands... Only I would oil these-up so make them last longer.

Also, never saw discounted lumber at HD. I usually find all the bad wood right at the shelf, so I have to pick and choose the more-or-less decent pieces 🤣

Raid the roll-off dumpsters at construction sites.  (But if to be used on the dirt, then treated wood is best for the bottom layer.) Or, watch for someone getting their wood deck replaced.  My brother-in-law burns all kinds of stuff behind his shop.  Some things that are never supposed to be burned at all, like the "round black fire starters" (AKA 'tires'), but lots of scrap wood, some also new treated wood, but too short for the project he's working on.  When I was a kid, we loved to go with Dad to the local dump, and would often bring a lot of stuff back with us....

[Plymouthy Adams]

many moons back we had a land fill that had a separate area for the wood from all other stuff.....it was free for the taking.  I had snagged full size lumber, full sheets of plywood, and other misc building needs just for the time to load it in my truck.  Nowadays, the liability issues prevents this.  Greedy little pukes wanting to hit the insurance lotto.  

[JBNeal]

3 hours ago, Ivan_B said:

What a collection of stands... Only I would oil these-up so make them last longer...

all the lumber used for my jack stands is pressure treated...the 4x4s were twisted and split 8' sticks that the cashier thought I was crazy for buying a pickup load, nor could she wrap her brain around the concept of cutting them sticks into short pieces that were usable...her "whatevs" included the eyeroll as she handed me the receipt...bless her heart

[Plymouthy Adams]

I bet she has difficulties grasping the concept of having to report to a physical address and stay there x hours for a pay check also.

[JBNeal]

this does not appear to be OSHA compliant 

 

[desoto1939]

I know that we are talking about putting cars up higher off the ground with wooden jack stands/supports.

 

My main concern is that the entire car is off the ground but no one has mention that if you are working under the car that you should have someone in your house if the garage is attached or even if its a detached garaged to be on a standby situation in case of  an accident.

 

When working under the car my suggestion is that you go to a resale baby store and pickup a two way baby monitor and have the sending unit close to where you are under the car and that the other person in the home can also hear you and communicate back to you.  These are cheap and just an idea to help incase you need help.

 

Also shake the car or bump into the car to make sure it is stable. Another idea is that you should have some form of a tire stop or wedge built into the stand to prevent the car from rolling forward or backward if holding the car up on the stands via the tires.

 

Most f this is common sense  suggestions, but just a reminder to play safe. If the car seems to move when working on the car then stop what you are doing and safely get out from under the car and then get it to a mechanic that has a certified lift to work on the car.  The extra cost is minimal when compared to you getting hurt and even killed under the care.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Sniper]

47 minutes ago, desoto1939 said:

My main concern is that the entire car is off the ground but no one has mention that if you are working under the car that you should have someone in your house if the garage is attached or even if its a detached garaged to be on a standby situation in case of  an accident.

 

Some of us live alone.

[Sniper]

1 hour ago, JBNeal said:

this does not appear to be OSHA compliant

 

OSHA has no jurisdiction at home.  Therefore, it is compliant, lol.