Axle stands

[charltjr]

I’m still using a pair of very cheap Halfords axle stands from about 20 years ago.

They do the job, but they’re a bit crap, no rubber pads, quite a low weight rating, not exactly confidence inspiring when you’re under the car, etc.

I’ve been toying with the idea of a kwik-lift or similar but FML they’re expensive.

Any recommendations for decent axle stands?

 

[Mr Trailer Man]

Trusty orange 2T Halfords ones, been using them for years.

 

[R3k1355]

Got some ones from Costco that are quite nice, deffo recommend.

 

[Short Norman]

I’ve just given some rusty old ones to the scrap man that were about 30 years old. They’ve been replaced with some nice new orange Halfords 2T ones.

 

[Typhoon]

Another vote for the luminous orange Halford 2T ones

 

[charltjr]

I’ll stop complaining about my manky old Halfords 2t jack stands then 😂

 

[Drewski172]

This is my 2t Halfords setup. Still always extremely paranoid lifting the car up and putting on stands. Once there, i'm all good no probs, just the journey scares the crap out of me!

 

[Drewski172]

This is my 2t Halfords setup. Still always extremely paranoid lifting the car up and putting on stands. Once there, i'm all good no probs, just the journey scares the crap out of me!

 

[Mr Trailer Man]

This is my 2t Halfords setup. Still always extremely paranoid lifting the car up and putting on stands. Once there, i'm all good no probs, just the journey scares the crap out of me!

If you ever need to go really high up with them, do it in stages if it looks sketchy.

 

[McGherkin]

Halfords cheapy ones and don’t be such a baby/drive a car heavy enough to immediately crush you to death when if it falls off the stands to minimise the suffering.

 

[Drewski172]

If you ever need to go really high up with them, do it in stages if it looks sketchy.

I actually thought sod that and borrowed the scissor jack from my neighbors Citroën Dispatch, had so much more confidence woth the scissor jack than mine.

 

[Louis]

I actually thought sod that and borrowed the scissor jack from my neighbors Citroën Dispatch, had so much more confidence woth the scissor jack than mine.

You thought a widow maker was somehow safer?

Wild.

 

[McGherkin]

I actually thought sod that and borrowed the scissor jack from my neighbors Citroën Dispatch, had so much more confidence woth the scissor jack than mine.

I’d rather admit I’m wrong than use a scissor jack willingly

 

[Dicky Belly 3]

I actually thought sod that and borrowed the scissor jack from my neighbors Citroën Dispatch, had so much more confidence woth the scissor jack than mine.

Scissor Jack's are made out of the cheapest materials and an accessory with a car for roadside emergencies. I have seen loads of them snapping when used multiple times.

Thinking that they're safer than a conventional thick and sturdy jack is proper daft behaviour.

 

[Drewski172]

Mainly because in order to get the height then it drags the car to you and thus moves it which is scary.

The Dispatch one has a really big footing and is suitible for lifting a van full of tools which is prob best part of 2 tonnes and my clio is just over 1 so should be good.

Ultimately I feel more confident because it raises vertically rather than up and across.
It also fits the rails better or the squashed rail because of the top is better than the Clio one

 

[Drewski172]

Scissor Jack's are made out of the cheapest materials and an accessory with a car for roadside emergencies. I have seen loads of them snapping when used multiple times.

Thinking that they're safer than a conventional thick and sturdy jack is proper daft behaviour.

I'm not keen on the normal ones, but the ones for Vans are much bigger than those for cars

 

[Brigsy]

Bin that jack with the 2" plate as they slip for fun. Get one with a 4" plate. Much safer to use.

 

[Ant1]

I use these. Price is good, rubber pad so rails don’t get damaged and rock solid.

£46 delivered with code.

I have three sets of Halffords advance stands, won’t use them now.

As for the jack i have a sealey low and halfords advance low 3 tonners.

3t Axle Stand CJSTAND3T Carlyle Genuine Top Quality Product New | eBay UK

3t Axle Stand CJSTAND3T Carlyle. Part Number CJSTAND3T. 3T AXLE STAND. Position Locking Pin. Circular Base Pads for Added Stability. Heavy Duty Steel Base. Product Information.

ebay.us

 

[Mr Trailer Man]

I use these. Price is good, rubber pad so rails don’t get damaged and rock solid.

£46 delivered with code.

I have three sets of Halffords advance stands, won’t use them now.

As for the jack i have a sealey low and halfords advance low 3 tonners.

3t Axle Stand CJSTAND3T Carlyle Genuine Top Quality Product New | eBay UK

3t Axle Stand CJSTAND3T Carlyle. Part Number CJSTAND3T. 3T AXLE STAND. Position Locking Pin. Circular Base Pads for Added Stability. Heavy Duty Steel Base. Product Information.

ebay.us

Flat pads on them look pretty good actually

 

[MLB]

I use these. Price is good, rubber pad so rails don’t get damaged and rock solid.

£46 delivered with code.

I have three sets of Halffords advance stands, won’t use them now.

As for the jack i have a sealey low and halfords advance low 3 tonners.

3t Axle Stand CJSTAND3T Carlyle Genuine Top Quality Product New | eBay UK

3t Axle Stand CJSTAND3T Carlyle. Part Number CJSTAND3T. 3T AXLE STAND. Position Locking Pin. Circular Base Pads for Added Stability. Heavy Duty Steel Base. Product Information.

ebay.us

Thanks for the link, I was just wondering about these the other day when I was reading your Porsche thread and did think they looked good.

£86 delivered for two pairs👌

 

[TheBandit]

Mainly because in order to get the height then it drags the car to you and thus moves it which is scary.

Do you leave the handbrake on? Car shouldn't shift while lifting, jack should roll towards the car to compensate for any movement

 

[Mertin]

Iv got both sets of halfords, the orange 2T ones and also some black ones with the 'ratchet' function.
Much prefer the pad on the orange ones and sits fine on the clio chassis rails. Apart from my integra dc2 that had front and rear central jack points, the clio is one of the best. Plenty space to get onto the lower arm brace and still leaves the chassis rail free to get an axle stand on. Some cars nowadays have very little decent, stable points below for an axle stand. Plenty points for a flat pad on a lift but not so much the 'U' of an axle stand

 

[Drewski172]

Yes I have the handbrake on, been using chocks too on the rear wheels. I fond my jack doesn't roll to the car but grips the floor and drags car to it

 

[TheBandit]

Yes I have the handbrake on

Handbrake off when you lift. Car moves in weird directions when the wheels are locked.

The weight of the car needs to shift to allow the jack to roll under

 

[Drewski172]

Handbrake off when you lift. Car moves in weird directions when the wheels are locked.

The weight of the car needs to shift to allow the jack to roll under

That's why I don't like way it moves when jacking?

I would trust it even less to take the handbrake off though as would expect it to roll back or forward as the ground isn't perfectly flat and it's brickwork paving.

Are you genuinely telling me I should Jack the car with handbrake off? That just sounds mad to me, maybe I'm wrong though?

 

[TheBandit]

In my experience handbrake on only causes issues. As the suspension is locked the rear beam twists down and moves the car while you are jacking. That way the wheels twist and not the chassis.

Its not terrible when you lift the first side but I have had the car almost fall off the axle stand when doing the second side. (This was on a slightly angled driveway similar to your situation)

As long as the wheels are chocked you should be fine, once it's on a stand(s) it's locked quite well.

That just sounds mad to me, maybe I'm wrong though?

Fair enough, you were using a widow maker Jack and axle stands without pins in so I'm not sure I would trust your judgment either

 

[Drewski172]

In my experience handbrake on only causes issues. As the suspension is locked the rear beam twists down and moves the car while you are jacking. That way the wheels twist and not the chassis.

Its not terrible when you lift the first side but I have had the car almost fall off the axle stand when doing the second side. (This was on a slightly angled driveway similar to your situation)

As long as the wheels are chocked you should be fine, once it's on a stand(s) it's locked quite well.



Fair enough, you were using a widow maker Jack and axle stands without pins in so I'm not sure I would trust your judgment either

Yes I totally get where you're coming from with the almost falling off the stand jacking second side, that's why I prefer the widowmaker. Will have to try with the handbrake off. The first side the front wheel still touching means the car in gear helps a little.

I've only gone with the stands without pins as worried to get the car that high and don't know why not using the pins were an issue, I thought they were just for the height allowances

 

[TheBandit]

Give it a go! Stick a brick/paving behind the chocks if you are unsure and just go slowly.

Hopefully it will rise better and you can get the height on the stands, it can be a real chew on without the room to work

 

[Flob]

Thats why the jack has wheels... As it goes up it should move forwards rather than the car.

I like to drive up plastic ramps then jack the car up for stands. I want to try those stands you can put a jack under, whenever I work on stuff the axle stands and jack always want to be in the same place and its a right dick.

 

[Flob]

PS its one of the reasons jacking cars up of gravel or an uneven surface is dangerous, the jack can't crawl forwards and at some point the car just falls off while your jacking.

If you really like just going up then a bottle jack is a lot better than a scissor jack.

 

[helpimonfire]

PS its one of the reasons jacking cars up of gravel or an uneven surface is dangerous, the jack can't crawl forwards and at some point the car just falls off while your jacking.

If you really like just going up then a bottle jack is a lot better than a scissor jack.

I have a gravel driveway to work on and I never use the jack on the gravel, I have a perfectly sized chunk of 22mm marine ply that the jack goes on. Allows it to move naturally, even with the weight of the X5 on it.

But then again the Clio was on axles stands on ply on soft grass a few years back for a few months so it's not like jacking a car on gravel is one of the dafter things I've ever done...

 

[Flob]

Yea thats what I do at home too mate, I have 4 paving slabs I put down for the axle stands and a chunk of wood for the jack to go on.

Working on gravel is still horrible.

 

[Dicky Belly 2]

Yea thats what I do at home too mate, I have 4 paving slabs I put down for the axle stands and a chunk of wood for the jack to go on.

Working on gravel is still horrible.

Are you hand balling paving slabs around every time you work on a car?

 

[Flob]

Are you hand balling paving slabs around every time you work on a car?

View attachment 1788422

Not any more!

Rented a barn, solved some problems by creating new problems...

 

[Drewski172]

Bin that jack with the 2" plate as they slip for fun. Get one with a 4" plate. Much safer to use.

Should probably invest in a better Jack then

 

[Brigsy]

Should probably invest in a better Jack then

100%, them cheap 2" plate type are sketchy at best

 

[VenomUK]

I think it was a blackfriday event at Halfords or Christmas event, but I got 4 of their black advanced stands. they've been brilliant and I've had them for some years now probs going on 5+ years.

 

[Typhoon]

Not any more!

Rented a barn, solved some problems by creating new problems...

@Cub. had to fund the extension somehow.