A reminder to keep safe.

solitaire · Post by **solitaire** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:52 pm

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10628465

Poor chap, no idea what sort of saftey equipment he was using but a reminder to us all to make sure we take all possible safety precaution's when working under our cars.

Bling · Post by **Bling** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:00 pm

No safety equipment by the sounds of it. (can only go by the article)

Bad luck I guess.... but yes, safety first, no car is worth getting crushed over!

Hell stick of bling as mags under the sills while working on it, still a good sacrifice compared to your head.

jakesae101 · Post by **jakesae101** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:01 pm

thats why axle stands are a important bit of kit not only are they handy they save lives

cat007 · Post by **cat007** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:01 pm

ah sh|t - that sucks!

I always make sure I have at least 2 axel stands under the car while keeping the jack pressed up against the car as well - and a wheel or a block of wood under the side so if it happens to slip off the stands and jack it'll land on the wood/tyre

Mainly because I'm kinda claustrophobic and being in small spaces freaks me out

Which is silly as I'm always under my car haha

But yeah - be safe ppl! What's an extra 2 minutes setting the car up right on stands etc.....

Akane · Post by **Akane** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:30 pm

Speaking of which, today I 3 point jacked the whole car off the floor to do the handbrake cables.... :oops:

B1NZ · Post by **B1NZ** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:46 pm

It will never happen to me :wink:

Heylin · Post by **Heylin** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:56 pm

I replaced my inlet manifold and TVIS in December and being under the car freaked me out.

I went OTT and used 2x2tonstands, 2X4ton stands, 4 scissor jacks and a 2 ton trolley jack for backup + raised boards under the rear wheels

Wheel chocks courtesy of large planks held down with 15KG of lead bullet projectiles each wheel.

Still feels awry working underneath 1.2 tons of machinery.

0EBUNY · Post by **0EBUNY** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:59 pm

yea allways have more than one thing holding your car up.

ive had a jack fail while under a car had stands under it. It only moved a tiny bit but freaked the hell outta me and my mate.

and ive herd of stands failing as well b4 so just be carefull.

im one to allways put the wheels if ive taken off under the sills

Stott69 · Post by **Stott69** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 5:23 pm

wheels under car is very much a good idea. Don't have axel stands myself but they normal easy to borrow, or find some blocks of timber

solitaire · Post by **solitaire** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 5:54 pm

I tend to keep the jack off to the side with the release valve closed so its ready to jack something up... the idea being that if something happened someone could come and just try to jack the car off me without trying to figure out how to operate the thing.

I make a point of never being under the car when the jack is supporting it, i stick on axle stands, then give the car a couple of solid shoves to make sure its stable before I get under it.

Being crushed to deathn by something you love has got to be up there in the top ten list of horrible ways to die.

cogent · Post by **cogent** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 5:57 pm

BZG|Bling wrote:No safety equipment by the sounds of it. (can only go by the article)

Bad luck I guess....

bad luck? without any form of axle stands that was the only kind of luck he was going to experience.

Bling · Post by **Bling** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:17 pm

I agree.

Was more of a tongue in cheek comment about the luck

cogent · Post by **cogent** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 9:43 pm

tongue in cheek? on my internet? unacceptable.

DeeCee · Post by **DeeCee** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 9:59 pm

its like the kid a couple of years back who got trapped under his car when the jack got knocked and his grandma had to go for help - kapiti?

iOnic · Post by **iOnic** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:15 pm

Yeah I remember the kid that got trapped under a Cefiro. Sad that people still trust jacks to support a vehicle while they're under it.

Akane · Post by **Akane** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:33 pm

iOnic wrote:Yeah I remember the kid that got trapped under a Cefiro. Sad that people still trust jacks to support a vehicle while they're under it.

That guy was my colleague for like 2 weeks......

FXGTV · Post by **FXGTV** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:02 pm

I did the alternator in my Lancer with just a jack holding it up. I know i know, it was stupid...but it was under the supervision of a bush mechanic in Darwin, so it was all good :lol:

Quint · Post by **Quint** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 7:40 am

I've dropped a car on my chest before, pretty bad experience, lucky my brother showed up (randomly) and was able to lift it enough for me to slide out.

Had taken out the axle stands and was about to let it down and remembered i hadn't pinched up a bolt, slid under it just to give it a pinch. Down she came. Moment of complacency has caused me a lot of ongoing problems.

FANGIN · Post by **FANGIN** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 8:27 am

I'm pretty sure RiPCO sells axel stands for $70ish (cheapies)

Your life is worth at least that $70, no excuse not to have them.

If in doubt, use a hoist :lol:

tsoob · Post by **tsoob** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 10:23 am

2 posts are god.