2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Jack Stand Broke

[JSellers]

I just picked up a pair at Sams club. 12,000 lb capacity EACH. Made by Goodyear. Very stout. They were priced at about $25. 00 here in Colorado Springs. Used them to install a 4" lift kit on a Bronco this past weekend and no problems at all. I will trust them under my truck while I'm under it too.



Steve

I'll second the recommendation for the stands at Sam's Club. They're labeled with "Goodyear", although I feel certain that's not the manufacture. These are very nice jack stands - even have a chromed finish. Six-ton capacity for $25 - good buy.



John

 

[rono]

First try at posting pictures, hope it works.

Ron

 

[WBusa]

Thanks for the pics, rono; that's helpful. I compared them to my Kobalts from Lowes, and was prepared to discover that mine would be identical to yours... i. e. , one factory in China cranking these out, but marketed under a bunch of different brands in the US. But not so; my Kobalts look superior (stronger stand, somewhat beefier riser casting with a thicker cross-section on the toothed side).



The problem is, though, that I really can't tell squat by just looking. I'm guessing there was a metallurgy problem with your jacks - that riser just bent, cracked and then broke under the load; the alloy wasn't adequate given the design (or the design wasn't adequate given the alloy... its the same thing). Unfortunately, you can't judge metallurgy by eye.



So there are three lessons I guess I come away with:

(1) Carefully inspect your jack stands before each use. Its possible there was already a crack in that riser before you put the load on it.

(2) Spend as much money as you can on something like this (i. e. , something that can easily kill you if it fails). Its still mostly the case that you get what you pay for. A vendor who's trying to sell his product for twice what his competitors charge is either a very foolish businessman or else he's trying to recover the cost of making a superior product.

(3) Load ratings don't really mean squat.

 

[tractorface]

Uh Oh

Damn, my jackstands look just like the ones in the picture except they are orange. They are getting pitched when I get home. You have scared the hell out of me. Glad no one was injured. Going to buy a secong big jack and some stouter stands.

Thanks again

 

[Jschafer]

I have taught my son (now 18) to never work under a vehicle with just the floor jack in place to ALWAYS use the jackstands. I have an old set that are high dollar and I picked up a cheap set from Harbor Freight for a extra set. They are Identical to the ones in the picture, guess where they are going.

Thanks for everybodys posts I would have never believed that that many jack stands have failed.

I will be building my own from now on.

 

[tractorface]

sounds like something the local news program should run with. Fill up a couple minutes and be a public service all at the same time. Even give us more Anti-Chinese ammo.

 

[DavidC]

Those must be the #53 stands. Glad to hear you are not hurt. I just ordered the stands at samsclub.com. I sure hope you guys are right about the quality. 6 ton stands should hold up a 6700lb. truck.



Dave

 

[tractorface]

53 stands

That is Funny :-laf :-laf :-laf

 

[Hohn]

#ad




I don't know how stout these are, but they are BIG. They're made by DT Pro Fab, the track bar guys.



jlh

 

[rono]

'53' stands, that is good!!! I just got back from Sams where I got a pair of the 'Goodyear' stand. They really look strong and are pretty heavy. I started not post this about the stand breaking, but I'm glad I did. I also didn't realize so many others had stands break.

Ron

 

[SMorneau]

I'm glad you posted it too! I am going to destroy mine and then toss them. Its probably a good idea to inspect such things before each use but who is really going to do that everytime and you might not see the "fatal" flaw anyway.

 

[rbattelle]

This thread couldn't have come at a better time for me. I've been looking to get a set of stands. I have a pair of 3-ton Larin stands that I consider very strong, but obviously I need to go with something much beefier.



Glad no one was seriously hurt...



On edit: how about these? Never heard of this brand, and Pep Boys sells their stuff (which makes me wary).



These guys have some good info, and stands up to 12 tons... or 10 tons and US made.



-Ryan

 

[barbwire]

Excellent post rono, glad you were able to let us all know. I am guilty of buying some of those "made in China" specials as well. Even their drill bits are junk. No more for me. I have learned my lesson ( with too many dollars wasted).

Those stands that HOHN showed, look to be of fair quality. Steel verses cast is a plus anyway. Tubular design is their second plus. JMO

 

[rono]

I'm glad I posted this also. As far as destroying the stands before throwing them away, EXCELLENT IDEA, I can just see someone finding this "treasure" in the trash and then getting hurt. The one I have left will be cut up before I throw it away.

Ron

 

[av8r]

Jack stands

Gentlemen excellent thread.



I would be willing to bet, the "goodyear" and "pep boys" jackstands are comming from the same factory in China too. I have a set (4) of these exact Jackstands from Homier, and will continue to use them, although I will inspect them closer now. The best advise is when being under a vehicle use your most paranoid common sense. The wheels are the strongest weight holder. If you must be under a lifted vehicle, use a good floor jack and jackstands in several locations for insurance on each other. Never rely on either one individually.



The picture looks as though you had the center section extended pretty far, this also brings up the point to keep them as short as possible. If you need to extend the stands that far, you need larger jackstands. Any side loading on a casting like that will cause breakage. They are designed for verticle loading, movement or rotation will cause fracture.



I'm glad you are okay and didn't get hurt.

 

[DTangstrom]

OTC makes a decent product at reasonable prices. Not to long ago I had a stand fold up while changing a camel back on 58 rears. The air jack flew out from under the truck as well, and hit a 55 gallon drum of oil 8-10' away. From across the shop it sounded as if the whole truck tipped over. Somebody was watching over me that day.

 

[Scot]

As a fireman of 17+ years, I have helped pull 2 folks out that had a vehicle fall on them. One was alive. Both were supported poorly and looked like something from a don't do this safety video. Common sense would have avoided both.



I put everything I can find under the frame and use redundant jack stands when possible. I try to let a floor jack carry about 1/2 of the load and the stands the other. Then there is not as much "fall" possibility. Yea, it gets crowded, but I like the insurance.

 

[JGK]

After following this thread, I think my stands, rated at about 6 tons each, but with cast iron risers, are getting replaced. From the day I bought them, the cast iron riser has always raised a small red flag in the back of my mind. I think I'll pay attention to that flag and get ones with risers along the lines of those Hohn posted pictures of. Steel tubing with a pin through it rather than cast iron with teeth along one side.



I'll build my own if needed, but no more cast iron.



Good thread, BTW.



-Jay

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I have 6 ton stands from Harbor Freight. They are tall enough that the stalk doesn't have to be pulled out far, and I would use several of them. The base is pretty wide, too. Or, what I have actually preferred for years is wheel rims, 15" or better 16", double stacked with the lips welded together to give the height. Then, 2x6 or other strong wood as shims. I have two sets, 12" high, that also serve as something to stand on when working on the engine of a 4x4 Ram. And, as noted above, leave the floor jack in place if possible. If you jack under the axle, and put wood under the tire (if still on the truck), it won't fall far. Don't forget to put 4x4s in front of and behind tires so the truck can't roll either.

 

[rono]

The stands that several recommended and I just bought from Sams Club, with Goodyear's name on them have pins that help sucure the riser. I used them to install the other 2" leveler and there was no movement at all in the jack. I had them setting on 2, 3/4" pieces of plywood.

Ron