![]() ![]() You’ll also start to see additional safety features, such as dual-locking mechanisms.Įxpensive: High-end jack stands costing more than $150 for a set are designed to be used with the heaviest vehicles and are made from heavy-duty steel or cast iron. Mid-range: Mid-range jack stands cost $50 to $150 for a set and are suitable for heavier vehicles. They’ll be acceptable for small, compact cars, but you won’t want to use them for a full-size truck or similarly heavy vehicle. Inexpensive: Entry-level jack stands designed for light use cost less than $50 for a set. The ratchet acts as the primary mechanism, but the locking pin provides added security in the unlikely event that the ratchet mechanism fails. Some ratchet-style jack stands have a backup locking pin. In general, locking pin jack stands are considered stronger and used for the heaviest work. The pin, however, is easy to replace if it ever bends, corrodes, or rusts, unlike the ratchet style where the entire jack stand has to be replaced if the mechanism becomes compromised. This type of mechanism doesn’t allow for adjustments as small as the ratchet style, such as to compensate for uneven flooring. The second style of jack stand uses a high tensile steel locking pin to hold the jack in place. When this happens, you will have to replace the entire stand. The only disadvantage is that, in some cases, the rolling pin and pawl (or locking mechanism) can eventually rust through. These mechanisms are simple and fast to use and allow small height adjustments to be made. ![]() Ratchet-style locking mechanisms use an angled bar to hold the stand’s height in place. There are a couple of different types of mechanisms. One of the most important features to look for is how the jack stand adjusts and locks. At the same time, if you have a tall truck or SUV and a low-ceiling garage, you may have concerns about minimum lift height. How much clearance do you need, and how much do you have room for? It’s one thing to lift up a vehicle high enough to change a tire it’s another to lift it high enough to have room to spend hours working under it. Lift heightĪnother thing you should consider is the lift height of the jack stand. On the other hand, in a confined work area, a large base stand can get in the way. On the one hand, you want a base area as wide as possible for the best stability. Base areaĪ jack stand’s base area is a two-edged sword. ![]() For the strongest jack stands, try to find a model with the fewest number of weld points. Weld pointsĪny time you weld two pieces of metal together, you introduce a weak point. For example, if your vehicle weighs two tons, each of your jack stands should be rated for one-and-a-half tons. Ideally, each jack stand should be rated to hold three-quarters of your vehicle’s weight on its own. While some individuals like aluminum stands for lightweight work, especially since they weigh less and don’t rust, for the heaviest-duty jobs, you should go with cast iron or steel. Most jack stands are made from steel, cast iron, or aluminum. The first thing to consider when choosing a car jack stand is the material it’s made of and how it’s constructed. I had basic triangle ones before on the old car and they worked nice but I raised the locating tubes on the new car to prevent them getting destroyed by rocks so thats why i had to build new taller ones.If you’re working on soft ground, heavy-duty plywood under the jack stands can help disperse the weight. 22" inches to the rocker makes it really easy to get under the car to fix stuff, and its way higher than most normal jackstands go. The wide base allows you to get the car higher than you could with normal stands. You can easily raise lower one end of a car with the stands intact at the other end and not worry about the shift of balance in the car causing the stands to fall over as the simply rotate in the socket. On the often uneven and soft ground we service on they are much more secure due to the width at the base and the fact that that car can rock around a little but the jack stand will not dislocate from its position and cause the car to fall. All the rally teams pretty much use a variation of the pin stand for various reasons: You can pretty much push on it as hard as you want, they are pretty stable. ![]()
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