Using scissor jacks (ones that you replace flat tires with)

[Muadib]

My neighbor across the street from me was killed doing his brakes with a scissor jack. Don't be cheap, it ain't worth it.

 

[BUTCH1]

Originally posted by: Muadib
My neighbor across the street from me was killed doing his brakes with a scissor jack. Don't be cheap, it ain't worth it.

I believe it, those caliper mounting bolts are large and they can require a good deal
of pulling to get 'em loose. I did it with scissor jack, scared the piss out of me so I
bought a $25 pair, well worth it .

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: BUTCH1

Originally posted by: Muadib
My neighbor across the street from me was killed doing his brakes with a scissor jack. Don't be cheap, it ain't worth it.

I believe it, those caliper mounting bolts are large and they can require a good deal
of pulling to get 'em loose. I did it with scissor jack, scared the piss out of me so I
bought a $25 pair, well worth it .

Yup, cranking on bolts is a great way to pull cars of jack stands.

 

[AMCRambler]

You could always rest the car on a cinder block. Sitting lengthwise on the ground that is, not standing vertically. Poor mans jack stand. Jack the car up with the scissor jack, take the wheel off and sit the cars frame rail on the cinder block. You can always leave the jack in place too for extra security. Probably not the safest thing, but I had my Rambler parked on four blocks with the wheels off for like 2 years and they never cracked or crumbled. Pretty cheap too.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Bignate603

Originally posted by: BUTCH1

Originally posted by: Muadib
My neighbor across the street from me was killed doing his brakes with a scissor jack. Don't be cheap, it ain't worth it.

I believe it, those caliper mounting bolts are large and they can require a good deal
of pulling to get 'em loose. I did it with scissor jack, scared the piss out of me so I
bought a $25 pair, well worth it .

Yup, cranking on bolts is a great way to pull cars of jack stands.

if you don't know how to set up stands.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: bruceb
On most cars, in the front, they go under the engine cross member. If you do not have one, then under the side frame rails, just behind
the front wheels (about 6 inches or so back) ... and, yes, invest in the jack stands. Cheap insurance against serious injuries. And a 1 ton
floor jack to lift the car. It is much easier to use than a scissors jack and much safer.

most side frame rails today are not designed to jack with.

 

[bruceb]

I do not mean the small seam that fits into the scissor jack slot. I mean the actual side frame rails, which is just inboard of the folded seams.
Common sense looking under the car will tell you where to place the stands. Or it is usually in the Owners or Shop Manuals.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: AsianriceX
No. Get some jack stands.

 

[lurk3r]

If you're really cheap and not that attached to your hands you could use the stock jack and a couple logs bricks, whatever to hold the car up.

Do not under any circumstances try to remove those caliper bolts with the car supported by a scissor jack.

I picked up my 3 ton jack and jack stands in costco for not much over $100.

I'm sure autozone or murrays will rent the tools too. If not find a rentall shop, every town I've ever worked in has one.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: bruceb
I do not mean the small seam that fits into the scissor jack slot. I mean the actual side frame rails, which is just inboard of the folded seams.
Common sense looking under the car will tell you where to place the stands. Or it is usually in the Owners or Shop Manuals.

That seam is usually fine for a jack point. Most of today's frame rails are hollow and not designed for a jack point. Lot's of Nissan's show this damage. Someone probably used common sense thinking a big looking rail must be good to jack from.

Real jack points are usually at the front crossmember, rear end, suspension mounts on most cars. The seams/rails are designed for stands/lifts.

 

[ericfm]

Originally posted by: Muadib
My neighbor across the street from me was killed doing his brakes with a scissor jack. Don't be cheap, it ain't worth it.

What, did he put his head under the vehicle as he worked to shade it from the sun?

I replaced both front calipers using only a factory scissor jack and never
worried about the car falling because I kept my feet away from the car.
If it falls with the parking brake set, it's not going to move horizontally more
than a foot or so. There's no need to get under the car to do brakes--your
hands will be inside the wheel well and that's about the max exposure you have.

 

[BUTCH1]

Originally posted by: ericfm

Originally posted by: Muadib
My neighbor across the street from me was killed doing his brakes with a scissor jack. Don't be cheap, it ain't worth it.

What, did he put his head under the vehicle as he worked to shade it from the sun?

I replaced both front calipers using only a factory scissor jack and never
worried about the car falling because I kept my feet away from the car.
If it falls with the parking brake set, it's not going to move horizontally more
than a foot or so. There's no need to get under the car to do brakes--your
hands will be inside the wheel well and that's about the max exposure you have.

Even if your not injured if the car comes off the jack your car will be, rotor/axle
of possible air dam/spoiler damage. It's just not worth the risk since stands are
so cheap

 

[Shawn]

I used a jack to change the brakes on my car. Just did one wheel at a time.

 

[drnickriviera]

Am I the only person that puts the wheel I take off under the car?

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: drnickriviera
Am I the only person that puts the wheel I take off under the car?

No I do that too.

 

[HannibalX]

Both my cars have real frames so it doesn't matter where the jack goes. 🙂

 

[Imported]

Reminds me when I ruined my scissor jack last year.. Was fixing a loose exhaust bolt.. only had the jack for support and the car ended up on top of me. Luckily I was able to get out without a scratch.. but damn that was scary. Still need to pick up a replacement jack. 😱

 

[LordMorpheus]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
I have a set of ramps only because the previous owner of my house left them.

I'm not kidding either.

On the other hand, I got this on sale for $100
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_1...&cName=Mechanics+Tools

If you're cheap, this is $50:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_1...950138000P?vName=Tools
2 1/4 ton jack w/ stands

If you got a low car, $80 gets you this:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_1...950165000P?vName=Tools
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950159000P

I bought that same craftsman kit a few weeks ago, today I replaced every linkage except the tie rod ends in my front suspension (lower ball joint, upper ball joint, sway bar links) on each side, the jack worked great, and the stands are jack stands, not much to say about them.

The craftsman 2 1/4 floor jack has a long list of really negative reviews on the sears website, so thats why I went with the 3-ton (it's also cheaper, the 2 1/4 ton has some speedy lift gadget going on, apparenlt a source of a ton of problems).

I have a lincoln town car, the scissors jack will lift it, but unless I'm just taking a wheel off to put another on, I don't trust it at all .. no way I'd dismantle the front suspension with a scissors jack, and no way in hell I'd get underneath with one either.

Town car is also body-on-frame, so I've got a steel box the length of the car on each side to put the jack and stands.