another guy DEAD who failed to think...

[grumpyvette]

heres a thread from a differant site, but take the time to read thru it...theres just too many guys not thinking, rushing jobs and getting killed thru not useing the safe equipment
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84398
look at the differance between your typical auto parts store 3 ton and decent 12 ton jack stands
these are low tech, massive and well worth the price, lets NOT have any corvette owners getting killed because they failed to buy and use decent jack stands

having 4 good 12 ton jack stands , and a level concrete floor....
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34924
and a decent floor jack, is mandatory to your safety as far as IM concerned, I
hear of accidents like above way too frequently
http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=488866#post488866

 

[wishuwerehere82]

That is really unfortunate to have happen to someone.

In addition to jack stands and proper safety equipment a proper frame of mind is really the most important thing to have at all times.
I know of several people that have died due to rushing into a project on the spur of the moment, and failed to think first. One friends father got up one morning, had coffee and went out with a chainsaw and promptly dropped a tree on himself within minutes of finishing his coffee. He died of haste. It was not like him at all.

I have needed to work on my starter for a few weeks now, but for some reason it just seems to be the wrong time. I have all the jackstands and everything to do it, but my mind is just not into it. I will wait until it feels right and then do a few other things in the process. Sooner or later is a good time to do things, but not till the brain is working right.

 

[gmjunkie]

That is really unfortunate to have happen to someone.

In addition to jack stands and proper safety equipment a proper frame of mind is really the most important thing to have at all times.
I know of several people that have died due to rushing into a project on the spur of the moment, and failed to think first. One friends father got up one morning, had coffee and went out with a chainsaw and promptly dropped a tree on himself within minutes of finishing his coffee. He died of haste. It was not like him at all.

I have needed to work on my starter for a few weeks now, but for some reason it just seems to be the wrong time. I have all the jackstands and everything to do it, but my mind is just not into it. I will wait until it feels right and then do a few other things in the process. Sooner or later is a good time to do things, but not till the brain is working right.

Yeah,I have several friends that have LOST there life because of haste!!! There is nothing so Important about any kind of work that is worth loosing your Life over!!!hnoeshnoes

 

[XLR8]

Very sad grumpy. Thanks for posting a reminder.
And good point Pete. All the safety eqiupment in the world won't protect anyone whose brain and focus isn't concentrated on the task.

Jane Ann

 

[Eric]

I don't even trust my 6-ton stands fully. Whenever I have the car up, I also place an old steel wheel flat on the concrete under the center of each frame rail as an extra insurance policy. When the job allows, I also use four stands on the end where I'm working and two on the end I'm not working.

Life is short - play hard but work smart.

- Eric

 

[grumpyvette]

BTW,the 12 ton jacks give the clearance for an extra mechanics pad and a mechanics creeper
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200198274_200198274

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93896
to make accessing under the car far easier, if your working without one youll find that your at a slight disadvantage
SOME PEOPLE JUST HAVE A DEATH WISH

 

[XLR8]

I've seen that insane photo of the future Darwin Award candidate before but it still makes me shudder. :crazy

 

[Mac]

SOME PEOPLE JUST HAVE A DEATH WISH

At least he blocked the tire... Looks like he's welding up a hole in the gas tank...

-Mac

 

[76okievette]

This got me thinking, I currently have the smaller jack stands, I use lots of them but they are all the smaller 3 ton. I don't think my floor jack will jack the car up high enough for the bigger 12 ton stands, what kind of floor jack should I have and is there any issue's with "bending" the car by jacking it up only one jack point at a time to get those big stands under it?

 

[grumpyvette]

OK first you DON,T raise a vette one corner at a time! you drive it up on the ramps to get clearance for the jack then slide the floor jack under the center of the front (CROSS MEMBER) and lift the front and place BOTH front 12 ton jack stands, under the frame , wide spaced, then the angle allows you to either use a second floor jack or move the front floor jack to the rear of the vette, and lift the whole back and place both REAR 12 ton jack stands, on the rear frame. now personally I usually leave the rear jack stands and the jack holding the rear up ,and the 12 ton jack stands on the front with the tires hanging just above the ramps, that way theres almost no chance the vette can fall, even if some component were to fail.
Ill ALSO point out I have and have always used two floor jacks, twin rino ramps and 4 12 ton jack stand WHEN I was under the corvette as I don,t want to be doing bench presses with a vette!

youll need a decent floor jack,
ive got two that are now discontinued
this replaced it at sears, they seem to be getting made less quality lately, Ive had mine for 12 years plus with zero problems, you want a 20" minimum lift and a 4 ton rated jack
BTW ALL the aluminum jacks Ive seen are JUNK so far

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...TOOL&subcat=Lift+Equipment&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

I would not take some of the 2 and three ton jacks I see advertized at auto parts stores home FOR FREE! they are DANGERIOUS JUNK!

 

[76okievette]

Now that sounds like a plan, I have the ramps but did use them like that, I will start. Is there a single point to jack the rear of the car up after you get the front up on the stands?

 

[76okievette]

One more thing I have been thinking about is a portable sissors jack, what do you think of them? It would seem like they are great for tires brakes and stuff but is there enough room around the jack to work on other parts of the car?

 

[grumpyvette]

BUY A DECENT 20" lift 4 ton rated HYDROLIC floor jack and decent 12 ton jack stands, youll wonder HOW you got along without them after a few years, EVERY SISSORS jack Ive seen is a cheap emergency only tire change tool for the trunk,an accident looking for a location and victim,,if your budget allows get a

http://www.kwiklift.com/Options.htm

or

http://www.corvettegadgetman.com/products3.html

you can BUY a jack adapter from this guy for your C4 or if you own a WELDER like I keep advising, you can fabricate an adapter for less thats even better

listed from decent... too great but expensive

http://www.welders-direct.com/merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WD&Product_Code=K1297

http://www.welders-direct.com/merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WD&Product_Code=907312

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43550

http://www.welders-direct.com/merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WD&Product_Code=500526

http://www.welders-direct.com/merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WD&Product_Code=907324

ive got these last two in the shop

http://www.welders-direct.com/merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WD&Product_Code=907321

http://www.welders-direct.com/merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WD&Product_Code=K1419-5


welders may seem expensive, but they rapidly pay for themselfs

 

[76okievette]

Great but I have a C3, is there a single lift point for the rear of a C3?

 

[grumpyvette]

I always used the center of the diff on my 1968 BBC vette I had a pad made from a section of old truck tires on the jack pad and it worked just fine...yes thats the center of the rear transverse spring pad and yeah youll need to buy or fabricate an adapter for your jack due to clearance issues if your not running side exhausts

I was useing hooker side exhausts on mine

 

[76okievette]

Great and thanks for all the advice, I am going to get a new floor jack and stands, there is lots of stuff I want to do under the car but with my current equipement I can only get the car 12 inches or so off the floor sounds like with the right jacks I can get it another 6 inches or so and that would be such a great help. Thanks

 

[grumpyvette]

not working on a level concrete surface with the correct procautions, such as heavy duty jackstands on all four corners of the frame , or ramps and 4 wheel chocks is a reciept for eventual disaster
I had a buddy loose partial use of his hand when he used cheap autostore jack stands on an asphalt drive way, the bases slowly sunk into the asphalt and he barely got out from underneath the car as it tipped off the stands, unfortunately he had a hand in the open door frame and as the car fell sideways the door slamed on his hand as he tried to push away...the sad part is he was advised repeatedly BY ME, to place two sheets of 7/8" plywood under the car so the jack stands would be firmly supported and he had several good STEEL 6 ton jack stands but used a cheap set of stands similar too this
but even flimsier (because GET THIS) "they were so much lighter and easier to use"
http://www.usatoolwarehouse.com/usatoolwarehouse/OTC-1582.html



ON asphalt its ALWAYS a GOOD IDEA to place two full sheets of 3/4"-7/8" plywood under the wheels, 4' front to back 8' length parrell to and centered under the axels, to mount the jack stands on, at least that way your increasing the odds the jack stands can,t sink into the asphalt, as the plywood vastly increases the surfaON asphalt its ALWAYS a GOOD IDEA to place two full sheets of 3/4"-7/8" plywood under the wheels, 4' front to back 8' length parrell to and centered under the axels, to mount the jack stands on, at least that way your increasing the odds the jack stands can,t sink into the asphalt, as the plywood vastly increases the surface area the loads bearing on ce area the loads bearing on

these go on sale frequently for about $55 A PAIR
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34924
SET ON THE FIRST NOTCH THEY ARE ALMOST PERFECT HEIGHT FOR USE OF A CREEPER UNDER A CORVETTE

 

[76okievette]

I am going to get 4 of these still looking for a good jack Sams Club has one called a Black Max but I don't the the spec's right now. What do you recommend?

 

[grumpyvette]

do your lights have a third lead, the ground? THEY SHOULD!!
and do you have all your garage electrical sockets on G.F.I circuits?
theres four BASIC DESIGNS in shop lights
incandecent

http://www.gemplers.com/item/139495.html
your standard shop light bulb light, can burn or start fires at times and easily busted

LED

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/pc-14511-738-1390-bayco-led-work-lights-with-flashlight.aspx
less light but far cooler temps and harder to break

flouresecent

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/pc-...double-brite-pro-grade-work-light-sl-975.aspx
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=RMG-SHOPLIGHT&N=700+115&autoview=sku
Ive used these for years

halogen

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=CLK-CHL-502A&N=700+115&autoview=sku
you can light your ciggaretes of theses suckers, NOT starting a fire with these, if you place them somplace stupid, is an accomplishment
Ive used those lights for almost 35 years and while Ive had them go BAD , short out or blow fuses and not work Ive never had one BURN??
G.F.I circuits will pop almost instantly when stupid malfunctions occure, which tends to minimize the fire threat, thats why I have EXCLUESIVELY 20 amp 110 volt G.F.I recepticals in the garage on the 110 volt access points

 

[Vettepirate]

I always rely on wood blocks. They wont snap, bend, or otherwise self detruct. They dont move, and they dont look flimsy.

I like to know my tires are resting on the biggest base possible when im working under a 1500kg machine.

Its a bit complicated to get such a low car on blocks, but when you do you know that the car is going nowhere.