Craig's DIY Car Do you pay any attention to the notice glued on the jack stand instructing the user to bend the tab after inserting the ratcheting bar inside the stand ?
I was talking to an ambulance driver who regularly gets called out to incidents involving failed car jack stands and he was saying it's the pawl part that fails, because every time you lift the ratchet up the teeth shaves a tiny bit of the tip of the pawl off and eventually the worn down pawl cant engage far enough into the teeth and under the immense weight of the car it fails. Obviously this takes years upon years of regular usage to build up enough wear to fail, but just be careful if you buy second hand or your old ones are getting a bit long in the tooth.
Robert Korn shit caught in the teeth would have the same effect, also these are cheap cast steel not tool steel so they will wear. Not bullshit. I wouldn’t use this type ever, 2 tons of vehicle don’t give a second chance
I binned a set of axle stands a few years ago as the rachet teeth were only catching by about a 16th of an inch. I was hoffified when I took a look at them. Got myself a nice set from Halfords with the extra pin for security. Always stick a couple of wheels and wood under as a backup - never rely soley on stands and a hack.
I took this advice to heart and ordered a set of "3-ton" jack stands from Amazon. They were garbage -- the welds looked awful, the paint was damaged, the swinging arm was tight, etc. So, I went to a local auto parts store and paid much more for a set of 4-ton jack stands that lack the pin. Even if all else were equal, I think I'd rather have double the rating without a pin than half the rating with a pin.
Don't assume you are safe because you have an extra safety pin. A bad weld could crack open under load which would make the stand collapse. Always use both stand & floor jack.
All my 35 years of using stands from junk to expensive, ones used daily, i have never seen a failure of the teeth or cog. Yes it may happen somewhere. But for your average person, i really feel it is a none issue.
For my 6-ton set (Pittsburgh from Harbor Freight), it was a defect in the teeth not being properly cut, there was a 1/16" flat sliver, along the support element where the pawl could not engage properly. Fortunately, I was not under the car when it collapsed. Left the floor jack, engaged under load, for that corner as a safety catch. Piece of mind is better than $46.99. Will never buy the alligator/ratchet type ever again. Learned my lesson, and will only get the pinhole setup from now on.
Close call, they didn't fail-fall one. I took them back to HFT for a 100 percent full refund. I decided to buy 2ct 4 ton Professional Series Jack Stands from another Automotive Supplier. They were not cheap in cost, but I decided to make a lifesaving investment.
Bro ,, I agree 100%,,, I just bought, 6 ton stand's, with the pin,,, N kinda mad at myself, ever using without,,, have a Family member, year's back, killed under a car, with B.S. set up,, I set stand's, use pin, and keep floor jack as back up,,, Love saving $$$ but not loosing life !! your 100 % right !! no pin, ? not worth chance !!!
i like the old style, a steel pin going through the center of the jack stand, the only way to drop the jack is to remove the pin. that wont be happening when under pressure.
I think the weight rests on the pawl and the pin rests freely as long as the pawl is engaged. Also you can always bring the jack over if you accidentally release the pawl early
This is exactly why Ive not brought this type. Not seen the type with the locking pin yet but I think they deffo need it !! I wouldnt trust any type of stand without it !!
correction. Just got a set off ebay for £20 .. wow...cant believe the difference between them on my old 2ton stands... felt really safe under my CRV !!
Thanks for making this video, I've never seen a racheting jack with a backup pin like that. Also, too funny about the 2 different load claims (3T from the Chinese manufacturer, vs 2T printed on the box by the American company).
I confirm these jack stands are sold by different brand name, e.g. in Italy these are sold under the Norauto brand name. I found the security pin to be quite loose and can come out of its hole quite easily, so I strongly advise you to drill a hole on one side of the pin and insert a security locking ring or a cotter pin (that's what I had available) in the drilled hole. Costs cents and improves a lot the safety of the stand!
Drilling into a rated load bearing stand is not a bright idea... The structure is rated based on its construction , if you make a hole you weaken that structure.
Yeah that's why when I wanted to lift a ~1.3ton car, not only I got 3ton rated jack and stands but also these better ones with the security pin. I mean, I know building design and that's designed at least at 200% the load required in its lifetime, so never go for "near capacity".
Exactly. Seems like he made a video about him just being paranoid. I'd be more worried about where I place it rather than whether it's got a locking pin 😂
Interesting, apparently Habor Freight just had a recall on a couple of their 2 ton series and a 3 ton series for exact same reason. Apparently the Chinese OEM never replaced tooling so the pawl forming part over the years has become quite out of spec. I'm looking to update mine with either some US-made ones or some over-rated quality chinesium ones.
@T Web Harbor Freight is owned by California based co-founder Eric Schmidt. Why cannot he support American industry and fill his stores with American made products? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Smidt
@@MG-mt3ss because it’s a free country and he can employ whoever he legally would like to employ to build his products. I would trust the work ethic of several different countries before the U.S. The only reason you think this way is because you’ve been taught to be a patriot your whole life, not realizing that other countries can build things quite well too. It’s not the country it’s the people running the machines and the companies quality control people that you need to be concerned with.
@@klg1001 The fact is that USA made is normally head and shoulders above mfr'ing in places like China. Japan, Taiwan, and countries in Europe usually make very high quality stuff as well. This video is about chinesium garbage and it is factual, so get off your high horse, turkey.
That recall wasn't due to the kind of breakage talked about in the video. Those stands had an issue where if the weight of the vehicle somehow shifted the ratchet could release the beam. A lock would have stopped them from falling, but they'd have still needed to be recalled. Scary either way.
The old style with pin is very unlikely to fail, These new ones don't look very clever or robust The small Pawl ratchet is holding the weight of the car, if that fails then it could be end of you. Also be careful with cheap (on-line) Chinese copies. Be safe folks.
Actually the weigh doesn't all rest on either "pawls". Most of the holding force is friction. The pawls being opposing inclined planes, the force gets exerted outwards and wedges the bar into the body of the jackstand.
very helpful, thanks!!! I was thinking the exactly same thing that you were thinking when I was looking for new jack stands, except I went with Sunex 1003AJ 3 ton jack stands
One of these just failed on me, it diddnt drop the truck down but the piece inside that he was showing completely bent and it's now unusable. I just bought a new one today.
After seeing the recall for the pittsburgh 3ton jack stands i had from harbor freight, i dont want to take a chance of failure. Im getting big red 3 ton version of locking jack stands.
I have ratchet ones ( without pins) but always put tyre underneath. From now on I will also put my old pin Jack under. Good warning. See so many people just using only a trolley jack. They must be mad as it is not meant for supporting vehicle only lifting it. It can and will loose pressure and go down.
Hi Craig, I ordered a pair of these and had a warrantee issue amd returned them after I found 2 of the feet were bent. These things happen, no big deal. But I also examined them just before I returned them and I noticed there were no welds as depicted in the photo on the box where the feet meet the legs on the outside join. I see there are no welds there either on your video. They are only joined on the inside of this join by two small spot welds on each leg on the ones I ordered. Makes me wonder if they are really rated 3 ton. I will likely only lift up to 1.1 tons at most at present. I’ve seen on other brands that are the same but without the pin there is a full weld where the feet meet the legs on the outside join. Which would make them much stronger at this point. I’m in Thailand as you can see by the following link of these stands I’m talking about without the pins. You can see in the pictures those if you zoom in there are welds where the feet and legs meet on the outside. s.lazada.co.th/s.3AIGY If you truly lift up to 3 tons regularly (which I doubt most would) you are relying on a couple of spot welds to support that weight on the outside feet and leg join. I’d recommend whoever gets a set of these that are likely made in China to check your stands for all welds when you get your delivery. I bought a set in a shop earlier and returned them when I found the welds were not full along the main joins of the stands. They are made in mass production in China I would think and you get what you pay for, but safety is important. I think the locking pins are the most important thing and I may get the joins at the feet and legs welded if all the stands are like this when I get mine returned for the warranty issue on the bent feet. I also may get holes drilled at the other end of the locking pin made and put a split pin through it to secure the pin. I know under the weight it would be probably impossible for them to slide out but hey that’s just me. I think they are fine but I just got a bit of a fright when I found the feet were bent and it made me doubt if the the build quality of such an important tool. And I am in Thailand where shortcuts are the norm over safety. But I think these all will be made in China 🇨🇳 Thank you for your video, I think it is a great review. 🙏 I’m not knocking it, like I said I got a bit of a fright when the stands arrived to me with bent feet and that’s just a production issue with quality control. And as I said I live in Thailand where safety is not the main concern here. You see electrical workers all the time climbing bamboo ladders 🪜 to check power lines of the street without ever turn the power supply off so you become suspicious after a time when it comes to safety. I think for the price they are a great stand, you can’t expect perfection for that price. Otherwise you would have to spend maybe over £100 to get a set of esco stands from the states 🇺🇸 th-cam.com/video/BZKZD3ATfrM/w-d-xo.html I trust your reviews and love your channel Craig, are your axle stands still performing well? All my best and thanks Craig. Chrs Pete
They're ok but sure you get what you pay for, and I'm not putting anything like their rating weight on them (which I would take with a grain of salt). The reality is the weight of a medium size car split across two is just not that much and the welded base is probably not the weak point, I'm more concerned about catastrophic failure of the beam or ratchet as described. Not to minimize concerns. Test them to your satisfaction, bounce up and down on the car, once proven then just keep an eye on condition over time.
Never used stands in the 30 years i have been fixing cars, far to unstable and easy to push off, use very large wooden blocks or small home DIY type car ramps with wood on top to rest the car on. Never ever get under a car on axle stands.
I always drive my car onto a ramp if I need to get underneath it. Jacks for the most part I use for clearance to access the car on the side. Its very dangerous to use jacks to completely lift your car. If you do, make sure your using 4-6 jacks thats overrated for the car and is in good shape. I would also recommend using a trolley jack to help support thr front or rear your working on.
SGS Engineering do a set with lifetime warranty. www.sgs-engineering.com/jsr6-ratchet-axle-stands?gclid=CjwKCAjwh472BRAGEiwAvHVfGkk39nUSAWpHoYxy6Da_BX_RNr5UXernUrF0q37fM9utrNPV4abRbBoCpnoQAvD_BwE
What I don't understand is why we see more of these now and less of the older type that just has a pin that goes through the holes. Those were a lot safer in my opinion. I bought some ratchet ones not long ago and I don't even want to get under the car with them in use. And it seems weird to have some like in this video that ratchet AND have a pin. So, why not just a pin like the old way? Why bother having a ratchet if there's a pin?
The ratchet allows the shaft to be lifted quickly one-handed and give more degrees of gradation, along with requiring the car to be lifted up before they'll let go. So they have hypothetical advantages. The best of both worlds is ideal.
use more than 1 stand, multiple points of failure. a locking jack stand doesn't mean shit, that's not maximum safety at all. having 3 devices on each corner of the car, that's maximum safety. a wheel, wood cribbing, 2 jack stands. your brain is your safety not the jack
I also have some similar to the first ones in the video and it gives me anxiety how easy you make the teeth drop by accidently kicking the lever if your under the car, imma get some extra ones with the pin and put them across each other like one by the FR tire and the other on the RL tire for extra security.
You won't accidentally action the lever because the weight of the car is on it (these levers need to lift the column slightly before they release). Orient them opposite your work area for peace of mind.
I find it funny how he chooses the one with contradictory labeling. The best thing you can do if your worried about manufacturing deficiencies is buy something not made in China. His choice still doesn't fix any of the points he brought up about his previous ones. Not one single problem was solved.. he got an extra bolt probably put their because they have a high failure rate in testing or a lower safety factor in their design or materials.
Here's a crazy Dutchman testing the breaking strength of very similar stands: th-cam.com/video/GjmXQNhKCks/w-d-xo.html ~5.5 t with each locking mechanism and ~8.5 t with both. The failure mode is more interesting than the actual strength though.
What do you do about that Caution sticker that says: Bend tab after inserting ratchet bar? what is that about? thanks in advance. informative video, btw!
As the pin has no retention backup, the same sort of random movement which might release the handle might also just snag the little chain, pulling it out at the same time. Not that impressive a backup.
The only jack stands I trust are the jacks with the pins. Scwaben are a little expensive but worth it. I can’t believe people trust their lives with this cheap Chinese metal.
@@jeffro221 I had to witness a neighbor get killed by flimsy jackstands. A exhaust pipe went into his chest after it fell, my dad had to help the first responders move the car. The quality of the machining on those teeth only has to be a little off. Some are definitely better than others, but the jacks with the pins are worth the few extra bucks. google how many injuries a year from jackstands, I think you'll be surprised.
I bought a pair of home depot stands and im not impressed with the design. It has no release handle at all, instead the pawl is spring loaded and very hard to release. Not having a handle makes grabbing the stand awkward. You have to grab the stand by its frame which is imbalanced so it wants to tilt sideways. You can't grab the stands by the serrated supports because they will just pull right out dropping the stands potentially on your foot unless the locking pin is inserted which easily falls out. Stay away from this design if you can.
I kid you not, the other week I had my car on 4 stands and a jack. I had a set of 3 tons holding the rear and a set of 2 tons holding the front and a jack holding the center pinch weld. I kid you not, I was doing a tire rotation and a full brake job and as I was taking my last lug nut off one of the 3 ton jack stands caved in on itself. The stands were only a year-2years old and always kept indoors. Also my car does not even weigh 4k lbs so there is that...
BMC1100 That's not the point of this video. He is trying to say that it's better not to only rely on one thing in case it fails. I have been thinking about buying jack stands and the first thing that comes into my mind is that they don't make me feel safe. I think this video makes a very good point. And of course you can always get 3000 kg double locking jack stands when needed.
I mean these small stands are sold for 30 bucks a pair... they are for that DIY guy..not for the Pros... if you are a pro you will have a car lift anyway... so a one off usage.. they will not wear that fast and the chance or risk is greatly minimal..
I ordered a pair of locking stands today after noticing that one of my 6 ton Harbor Freight stands has a pawl that isn't machines well only half engages. What I mean is the right side of the pawl grabs the teeth while the other side doesn't. It likewise has a jump of metal underneath. Just got them this past weekend and will go back this weekend to exchange. Just the same, it could have been dangerous and the quality is shit. Made me lose confidence in them so I ordered a different brand.
@@czluver4338 At least you'll probably be alive next year, John Moore? Who know. Harbor Freight just issued a recall on some 2 and 3 ton jacks for out of spec tool/die production equipment which is used to form these stands. People who cheap out on stands ultimately just help the human gene pool.
@@jackiemurgatroyd1148 No, I won't shut the f up. Unlike some people, I actually know what I'm talking about. The roll pin bears no weight whatsoever. It's only there to secure the pawl to the shaft so that the pawl can be lifted by the handle.
If you're worried about jack stands failing for any other equipment why are you in the Chinese outlet store buying it at Harbor Freight? Why not go anywhere else it is your life?
Relevant links (from the description):
Amazon US: amzn.to/2iqQPsj | Amazon UK: amzn.to/2hB5cJM
Craig's DIY Car Do you pay any attention to the notice glued on the jack stand instructing the user to bend the tab after inserting the ratcheting bar inside the stand ?
No, the tab's just to keep the bar captive, I'd rather be able to pull it out.
I was talking to an ambulance driver who regularly gets called out to incidents involving failed car jack stands and he was saying it's the pawl part that fails, because every time you lift the ratchet up the teeth shaves a tiny bit of the tip of the pawl off and eventually the worn down pawl cant engage far enough into the teeth and under the immense weight of the car it fails.
Obviously this takes years upon years of regular usage to build up enough wear to fail, but just be careful if you buy second hand or your old ones are getting a bit long in the tooth.
Thanks for the info.
@@MrAlgorhythm bullshit
Yes, because ambulance drivers are mechanical engineers. Bullshit.
Robert Korn shit caught in the teeth would have the same effect, also these are cheap cast steel not tool steel so they will wear. Not bullshit. I wouldn’t use this type ever, 2 tons of vehicle don’t give a second chance
Or worse, short in the tooth
I binned a set of axle stands a few years ago as the rachet teeth were only catching by about a 16th of an inch. I was hoffified when I took a look at them. Got myself a nice set from Halfords with the extra pin for security. Always stick a couple of wheels and wood under as a backup - never rely soley on stands and a hack.
A cement block to be extra safe
That triangular pin on the Black Jack stand is a great idea, giving an extra margin of safety.
looks like its made of aluminum though.
@@ScreamingEagleFTW They are steel.
nah plastic@@jeffro221
I took this advice to heart and ordered a set of "3-ton" jack stands from Amazon. They were garbage -- the welds looked awful, the paint was damaged, the swinging arm was tight, etc. So, I went to a local auto parts store and paid much more for a set of 4-ton jack stands that lack the pin. Even if all else were equal, I think I'd rather have double the rating without a pin than half the rating with a pin.
Awesome review didn't know about the locking feature. Got to always use secondary jack for safety and ensure apart the surface is non slip
Always leave jack incorporating also as secondary security measure.
Don't assume you are safe because you have an extra safety pin. A bad weld could crack open under load which would make the stand collapse. Always use both stand & floor jack.
All my 35 years of using stands from junk to expensive, ones used daily, i have never seen a failure of the teeth or cog.
Yes it may happen somewhere. But for your average person, i really feel it is a none issue.
I wonder how many lives this video has saved? If it's just one, the video has served it's purpose. I suspect the number is much higher!!
Whose here after the harbor freight recall?
Me lol.. looking for other options 😁
For my 6-ton set (Pittsburgh from Harbor Freight), it was a defect in the teeth not being properly cut, there was a 1/16" flat sliver, along the support element where the pawl could not engage properly. Fortunately, I was not under the car when it collapsed. Left the floor jack, engaged under load, for that corner as a safety catch. Piece of mind is better than $46.99. Will never buy the alligator/ratchet type ever again. Learned my lesson, and will only get the pinhole setup from now on.
Oh my God I go to Harbor Freight for some things but decided I can't take a chance on jack stands
Were they made in China 🇨🇳?
just a thought 💭
Close call, they didn't fail-fall one.
I took them back to HFT for a 100 percent full refund. I decided to buy 2ct 4 ton Professional Series Jack Stands from another Automotive Supplier. They were not cheap in cost, but I decided to make a lifesaving investment.
I totally agree with you - just purchased a set from CT but I do not feel confident about using them - probably taking them back
Bro ,, I agree 100%,,, I just bought, 6 ton stand's, with the pin,,, N kinda mad at myself, ever using without,,, have a Family member, year's back, killed under a car, with B.S. set up,, I set stand's, use pin, and keep floor jack as back up,,, Love saving $$$ but not loosing life !! your 100 % right !! no pin, ? not worth chance !!!
Word.
i like the old style, a steel pin going through the center of the jack stand, the only way to drop the jack is to remove the pin. that wont be happening when under pressure.
I think the weight rests on the pawl and the pin rests freely as long as the pawl is engaged. Also you can always bring the jack over if you accidentally release the pawl early
This is exactly why Ive not brought this type. Not seen the type with the locking pin yet but I think they deffo need it !! I wouldnt trust any type of stand without it !!
correction. Just got a set off ebay for £20 .. wow...cant believe the difference between them on my old 2ton stands... felt really safe under my CRV !!
Hence it why is beneficial to lie your tyres underneath the car when not on the vehicle, or that PLUS your floor jack.
Definitely. I have ratcheting jack stands with a locking pin, when under the car I usually keep the jack + put the wheels.
@@JackRR15 Interesting, I've seen a few people do that over the years. Thanks for the tip guys.
@Mido Alex Yes, its better to die than to damage your rims. :)
@@JackRR15 very smart move.
Thanks for making this video, I've never seen a racheting jack with a backup pin like that. Also, too funny about the 2 different load claims (3T from the Chinese manufacturer, vs 2T printed on the box by the American company).
I confirm these jack stands are sold by different brand name, e.g. in Italy these are sold under the Norauto brand name.
I found the security pin to be quite loose and can come out of its hole quite easily, so I strongly advise you to drill a hole on one side of the pin and insert a security locking ring or a cotter pin (that's what I had available) in the drilled hole.
Costs cents and improves a lot the safety of the stand!
Drilling into a rated load bearing stand is not a bright idea... The structure is rated based on its construction , if you make a hole you weaken that structure.
@@Baseshocks He said drill the pin, not the Jack stand
A Pin on a Pin.. Impressive!
Yeah that's why when I wanted to lift a ~1.3ton car, not only I got 3ton rated jack and stands but also these better ones with the security pin.
I mean, I know building design and that's designed at least at 200% the load required in its lifetime, so never go for "near capacity".
Exactly. Seems like he made a video about him just being paranoid. I'd be more worried about where I place it rather than whether it's got a locking pin 😂
Interesting, apparently Habor Freight just had a recall on a couple of their 2 ton series and a 3 ton series for exact same reason. Apparently the Chinese OEM never replaced tooling so the pawl forming part over the years has become quite out of spec.
I'm looking to update mine with either some US-made ones or some over-rated quality chinesium ones.
@T Web
Harbor Freight is owned by California based co-founder Eric Schmidt.
Why cannot he support American industry and fill his stores with American made products?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Smidt
@@MG-mt3ss because it’s a free country and he can employ whoever he legally would like to employ to build his products. I would trust the work ethic of several different countries before the U.S. The only reason you think this way is because you’ve been taught to be a patriot your whole life, not realizing that other countries can build things quite well too. It’s not the country it’s the people running the machines and the companies quality control people that you need to be concerned with.
@@klg1001 The fact is that USA made is normally head and shoulders above mfr'ing in places like China. Japan, Taiwan, and countries in Europe usually make very high quality stuff as well. This video is about chinesium garbage and it is factual, so get off your high horse, turkey.
I always put at least one jack to support the stand just in case… 🙌🏽
This video turns out to be very much applicable to today with the Harbor Frieght jack stand recall..
Back- up a good idea. Just heard some of the typical kind have been recalled in USA You were right ! Thanks.
That recall wasn't due to the kind of breakage talked about in the video. Those stands had an issue where if the weight of the vehicle somehow shifted the ratchet could release the beam. A lock would have stopped them from falling, but they'd have still needed to be recalled. Scary either way.
I will try using my current jack stands with wooden blocks under the frame.
The old style with pin is very unlikely to fail,
These new ones don't look very clever or robust
The small Pawl ratchet
is holding the weight of the car, if that fails then it could be end of you.
Also be careful with cheap
(on-line) Chinese copies.
Be safe folks.
the pin doesnt hold the weight if you look closely its so that the unlock mechanism isnt easily triggered.
I've never been under a car for this worry, It is shared. I'm sure you're not alone
i never trusted the jacks without pins ,,glad almost all have them now
Thanks Craig, I'm looking to get some Jack Stands soon.
Actually the weigh doesn't all rest on either "pawls". Most of the holding force is friction. The pawls being opposing inclined planes, the force gets exerted outwards and wedges the bar into the body of the jackstand.
interesting, never knew that. thanks that's reassuring.
This is a video with some good advice.
I just bought a set today with the locking pins similar to those
very helpful, thanks!!! I was thinking the exactly same thing that you were thinking when I was looking for new jack stands, except I went with Sunex 1003AJ 3 ton jack stands
The first ones you had were fine
canadian tire vs princess auto
Hahaha he doesn't want to hear that come on know haha
One of these just failed on me, it diddnt drop the truck down but the piece inside that he was showing completely bent and it's now unusable. I just bought a new one today.
The crushed chest home mechanic doesn't agrees with you mister Myers 😂
I appreciate you making this video. It was very informative and helpful to me!!!
Great tip. I wonder how much load the safety pin can take. Pin is in double shear and material is pretty thick...should be good.
I linked to a destruction test of the same or very similar product somewhere here.
Safety first ! Nice observation ! a👍from India !
Thanks Sir, very helpful and informative, Safety is a my priority and concerns. Thanks again sir.
After seeing the recall for the pittsburgh 3ton jack stands i had from harbor freight, i dont want to take a chance of failure. Im getting big red 3 ton version of locking jack stands.
The recall-replacements failed as well. This time it was the weld of the base, they just crack open under load.
a precise demo sir,
thank you 👌
I have ratchet ones ( without pins) but always put tyre underneath. From now on I will also put my old pin Jack under. Good warning.
See so many people just using only a trolley jack. They must be mad as it is not meant for supporting vehicle only lifting it. It can and will loose pressure and go down.
Always have a fail safe like another jacks or some bricks.
Better to replace bodywork that is ruined than a ruined head.
Use wood blocks as backup because bricks are brittle and fracture easily.
Hi Craig,
I ordered a pair of these and had a warrantee issue amd returned them after I found 2 of the feet were bent.
These things happen, no big deal.
But I also examined them just before I returned them and I noticed there were no welds as depicted in the photo on the box where the feet meet the legs on the outside join.
I see there are no welds there either on your video.
They are only joined on the inside of this join by two small spot welds on each leg on the ones I ordered.
Makes me wonder if they are really rated 3 ton.
I will likely only lift up to 1.1 tons at most at present.
I’ve seen on other brands that are the same but without the pin there is a full weld where the feet meet the legs on the outside join.
Which would make them much stronger at this point.
I’m in Thailand as you can see by the following link of these stands I’m talking about without the pins. You can see in the pictures those if you zoom in there are welds where the feet and legs meet on the outside.
s.lazada.co.th/s.3AIGY
If you truly lift up to 3 tons regularly (which I doubt most would) you are relying on a couple of spot welds to support that weight on the outside feet and leg join.
I’d recommend whoever gets a set of these that are likely made in China to check your stands for all welds when you get your delivery.
I bought a set in a shop earlier and returned them when I found the welds were not full along the main joins of the stands.
They are made in mass production in China I would think and you get what you pay for, but safety is important.
I think the locking pins are the most important thing and I may get the joins at the feet and legs welded if all the stands are like this when I get mine returned for the warranty issue on the bent feet.
I also may get holes drilled at the other end of the locking pin made and put a split pin through it to secure the pin.
I know under the weight it would be probably impossible for them to slide out but hey that’s just me.
I think they are fine but I just got a bit of a fright when I found the feet were bent and it made me doubt if the the build quality of such an important tool.
And I am in Thailand where shortcuts are the norm over safety.
But I think these all will be made in China 🇨🇳
Thank you for your video, I think it is a great review. 🙏
I’m not knocking it, like I said I got a bit of a fright when the stands arrived to me with bent feet and that’s just a production issue with quality control. And as I said I live in Thailand where safety is not the main concern here. You see electrical workers all the time climbing bamboo ladders 🪜 to check power lines of the street without ever turn the power supply off so you become suspicious after a time when it comes to safety.
I think for the price they are a great stand, you can’t expect perfection for that price.
Otherwise you would have to spend maybe over £100 to get a set of esco stands from the states 🇺🇸
th-cam.com/video/BZKZD3ATfrM/w-d-xo.html
I trust your reviews and love your channel Craig, are your axle stands still performing well?
All my best and thanks Craig.
Chrs Pete
They're ok but sure you get what you pay for, and I'm not putting anything like their rating weight on them (which I would take with a grain of salt). The reality is the weight of a medium size car split across two is just not that much and the welded base is probably not the weak point, I'm more concerned about catastrophic failure of the beam or ratchet as described. Not to minimize concerns. Test them to your satisfaction, bounce up and down on the car, once proven then just keep an eye on condition over time.
Never used stands in the 30 years i have been fixing cars, far to unstable and easy to push off, use very large wooden blocks or small home DIY type car ramps with wood on top to rest the car on. Never ever get under a car on axle stands.
how do you take the wheels off when the car is on ramps?
@@lilblingking1491 lmaooo he adds a small wood in the middle for support 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Lol ok den
Another idiot who has no idea what he's talking about.
Thank you - very helpful!
Just bought teq correct 3 ton a week ago, wish I saw this video as I was reviewing jack stands for a month prior to my purchase
Why not 6 tons
@@swift4311 30 tons is better that's why hahah the more tons the better
Thanks for sharing that info.
I always drive my car onto a ramp if I need to get underneath it. Jacks for the most part I use for clearance to access the car on the side.
Its very dangerous to use jacks to completely lift your car. If you do, make sure your using 4-6 jacks thats overrated for the car and is in good shape. I would also recommend using a trolley jack to help support thr front or rear your working on.
Totally Agree Ive got the same set
great video bro thank you!
That's whaT im talking about! Safety..!! other brands should consider...
you could drill a hole and put in pin in a regular jackstand to get that.
Safest way to use these, as a door stop on the garage door when you bring out some proper axle stands. If you have ANY doubts, Don’t use
i wanted to get this with that safety latch but there aren't any 12 ton jack stands that have them.
SGS Engineering do a set with lifetime warranty. www.sgs-engineering.com/jsr6-ratchet-axle-stands?gclid=CjwKCAjwh472BRAGEiwAvHVfGkk39nUSAWpHoYxy6Da_BX_RNr5UXernUrF0q37fM9utrNPV4abRbBoCpnoQAvD_BwE
What I don't understand is why we see more of these now and less of the older type that just has a pin that goes through the holes. Those were a lot safer in my opinion. I bought some ratchet ones not long ago and I don't even want to get under the car with them in use. And it seems weird to have some like in this video that ratchet AND have a pin. So, why not just a pin like the old way? Why bother having a ratchet if there's a pin?
The ratchet allows the shaft to be lifted quickly one-handed and give more degrees of gradation, along with requiring the car to be lifted up before they'll let go. So they have hypothetical advantages. The best of both worlds is ideal.
@@CraigsDIY very wonderful comments
I never just trust the stand.. Always back up with floor jack and a block if suitable.. Just like the author stated.
What was that big CAUTION sticker on about? Are you supposed to bend that little tab?
use more than 1 stand, multiple points of failure. a locking jack stand doesn't mean shit, that's not maximum safety at all. having 3 devices on each corner of the car, that's maximum safety. a wheel, wood cribbing, 2 jack stands. your brain is your safety not the jack
I use 16 methods of support at each corner. Backup to backup to backup......on and on, 16 means of support. Your 3 ain't sheit.
@@jeffro221 lol that would be crazy as shit
I always put and extra wheel under the car
I also have some similar to the first ones in the video and it gives me anxiety how easy you make the teeth drop by accidently kicking the lever if your under the car, imma get some extra ones with the pin and put them across each other like one by the FR tire and the other on the RL tire for extra security.
You won't accidentally action the lever because the weight of the car is on it (these levers need to lift the column slightly before they release). Orient them opposite your work area for peace of mind.
Thanks, yes that was helpful.
Hey! Can you teach how to fix the problem of adjusting the electric seat of a ford mondeo mk3? Keep up the good work!!
Bruno Agrela don’t buy Ford
Then who do you buy? Japanese? European? 😂
A Rover 75 is a left field option 😬
I find it funny how he chooses the one with contradictory labeling. The best thing you can do if your worried about manufacturing deficiencies is buy something not made in China. His choice still doesn't fix any of the points he brought up about his previous ones. Not one single problem was solved.. he got an extra bolt probably put their because they have a high failure rate in testing or a lower safety factor in their design or materials.
Lol
Be safe just use blocks of oak
Just use the jack stands with double pin, it has no teeth either. Safest option available
Bro I was just thinking the same thing that's how I found this video
I would be more worried about an earthquake. The last big quake, less then a year ago, out in the Mohave desert caused one death. Guess how.
When im under a car kicking my feet around a wrong kick could be a regrettable thing with that first one.
You won't kick or knock it while it has the car's weight on it, you have to lift the car first, the risk is just the single point of failure.
Can I use this instead of a car jack to change a tire or do I need both?
You need the Car Jack to lift the car, in the first place.
Here's a crazy Dutchman testing the breaking strength of very similar stands: th-cam.com/video/GjmXQNhKCks/w-d-xo.html
~5.5 t with each locking mechanism and ~8.5 t with both. The failure mode is more interesting than the actual strength though.
What do you do about that Caution sticker that says: Bend tab after inserting ratchet bar? what is that about? thanks in advance. informative video, btw!
It would just keep the bars from coming out of the base.
@@CraigsDIY but what do you do with it? do you bend them?
Would be great in a foldable style
I bought some of these and sent them back as soon as i lernt of the slight danger with them.
Links seem not to work. I am in the UK. Thanks.
thanks a lot
i noticed you didn't bend the safety tab on the side of the jack.. did you leave it on purpose?
It's just there to stop the arm separating from the stand, I prefer to be able to take it out.
As the pin has no retention backup, the same sort of random movement which might release the handle might also just snag the little chain, pulling it out at the same time. Not that impressive a backup.
You're not going to randomly release the handle when there's weight on it. You have to lift the shaft to do so.
Yes so helpful, thx
funny, clearly visible on your stands you have used for year you never bent the safety pin (3:45) as required by the manufacturer on first use.
The only jack stands I trust are the jacks with the pins. Scwaben are a little expensive but worth it. I can’t believe people trust their lives with this cheap Chinese metal.
Those can fail also. I had one fail where the pin hole started to oval and eventually the pin tore right through.
I trsut my iife with china jack stands because I don't have much to live for.
@@jeffro221 I had to witness a neighbor get killed by flimsy jackstands. A exhaust pipe went into his chest after it fell, my dad had to help the first responders move the car. The quality of the machining on those teeth only has to be a little off. Some are definitely better than others, but the jacks with the pins are worth the few extra bucks. google how many injuries a year from jackstands, I think you'll be surprised.
The first 2 didnt seem to consider safety very much. I understand the engineering design. But they just seem lazy to me
DUDE THOSE ARE WALMART BRAND THEY ARE THE CHEAPEST BRAND THERE IS
Hahaha damn so they aren't good anymore ?
...you have something about saving money, tovarich?
Very cool.
I wouldn't call jackstands safe in the first place tbh. I hate them. Sadly, I am forced to used them.
I bought a pair of home depot stands and im not impressed with the design. It has no release handle at all, instead the pawl is spring loaded and very hard to release. Not having a handle makes grabbing the stand awkward. You have to grab the stand by its frame which is imbalanced so it wants to tilt sideways. You can't grab the stands by the serrated supports because they will just pull right out dropping the stands potentially on your foot unless the locking pin is inserted which easily falls out. Stay away from this design if you can.
🙏 Thank you
Always put the tire under the car.
So you replace 3000kg rated stands with 2000kg rated stands to increase safety. Good work.
I kid you not, the other week I had my car on 4 stands and a jack. I had a set of 3 tons holding the rear and a set of 2 tons holding the front and a jack holding the center pinch weld. I kid you not, I was doing a tire rotation and a full brake job and as I was taking my last lug nut off one of the 3 ton jack stands caved in on itself. The stands were only a year-2years old and always kept indoors. Also my car does not even weigh 4k lbs so there is that...
BMC1100 That's not the point of this video. He is trying to say that it's better not to only rely on one thing in case it fails. I have been thinking about buying jack stands and the first thing that comes into my mind is that they don't make me feel safe. I think this video makes a very good point. And of course you can always get 3000 kg double locking jack stands when needed.
@Elliot Rodger strongway
@@Hallowsaw yikes
Want to be amazed? Extend the beam and stand on the top. Then pull up on the pall.... it will collapse. Under weight.....
If you weigh as much as your car you probably won't fit under it anyway.
Craig's DIY Car just doing you a favor pal. These jackstands can collapse with the cars weight on them if the pall is accidentally pulled up on.
Master force solved it.
I mean these small stands are sold for 30 bucks a pair... they are for that DIY guy..not for the Pros... if you are a pro you will have a car lift anyway... so a one off usage.. they will not wear that fast and the chance or risk is greatly minimal..
Wear is not the primary risk is it.
search youtube for press test floor jacks to see actual failures
Is that a british or aussie accent?
Definitely not Aussie
An English Accent 🏴 👍
If your a welder just make your own I'll save money and you can be sure of the guarantee it'll last
Too bad my 6 ton harbor freight ones cost $30 a pair compared to $56
I ordered a pair of locking stands today after noticing that one of my 6 ton Harbor Freight stands has a pawl that isn't machines well only half engages. What I mean is the right side of the pawl grabs the teeth while the other side doesn't. It likewise has a jump of metal underneath. Just got them this past weekend and will go back this weekend to exchange. Just the same, it could have been dangerous and the quality is shit. Made me lose confidence in them so I ordered a different brand.
@@czluver4338 At least you'll probably be alive next year, John Moore? Who know. Harbor Freight just issued a recall on some 2 and 3 ton jacks for out of spec tool/die production equipment which is used to form these stands. People who cheap out on stands ultimately just help the human gene pool.
Especially if its from China
The pawl will fail when the roll pin that secures it to the shaft breaks.
No, it won't. Learn how it actually works before you start spreading BS.
@@houndawg3 shut the f up..
@@jackiemurgatroyd1148 No, I won't shut the f up. Unlike some people, I actually know what I'm talking about. The roll pin bears no weight whatsoever. It's only there to secure the pawl to the shaft so that the pawl can be lifted by the handle.
@@houndawg3 Correct.....that little roll pin bears no load. It does exactly as you said.
Whos here after the harbors freight recall?
OMG my ASMR
Calm down
Here
If you're worried about jack stands failing for any other equipment why are you in the Chinese outlet store buying it at Harbor Freight? Why not go anywhere else it is your life?