Yew gonna die, boy!

[Mike Arman <armanmik@n-jcenter.com>]

>
>Date: Sun, 25 Oct 98 22:14:21 EST
>From: Daniel Hussey <GY3WSX@vm.sc.edu>
>Subject: jack
>
>   My 5000TQ jack has a plastic support.  I had one break on me with a 3500lb
>car in mid air and doing brake work.  No, car did not fall....luckly.  I
had to
>finnish very quikcly....put the wheel back on and lower it.  Whew!  Close
>though and I could have been killed!
>
>   I think it sucks that Audi used plasic junk on it's OEM jacks!  Did the
>later (like S4) OEM jacks have better construction/parts?  If they are better
>I may try to get one for my trunk.  I'd hate to have this incident happen
>again.
>
>   Later,
>   Dan


Obviously, Dan has learned his lesson about using OEM jacks to work on cars.

I'd like to relate a story from my mis-spent youth (fast cars, faster
women, but never mind . . . ) on exactly this subject.

Guy I knew in high school was working on his 1958 Ford - converting column
shift to floor shift. He had the car jacked WAY up on exactly ONE bumper
jack, and he had the rear wheels off. The jack was on asphalt.

I just happened to drop by, and sat down on the kerb to watch. As I was
sitting there, I noticed the car moving to the rear, imperceptably,
microscopically.

<LOUD!> "Mike! Get Out! The Car's Moving!"  </LOUD!>

He didn't stop to ask questions, and he got out NOW!

At NOW + maybe .5 seconds, the car rolled off the jack and fell right to
the pavement with a resounding crash - with the rear wheels off, the frame
rails were about 6" above the street. After it stopped bouncing.

Rule number one for automotive survival - tire jacks are for changing
tires, and only for changing tires! Always use jack stands under a car you
are working on - they cost a whole $15 for a set of four. Always block any
wheels remaining on the ground, apply the parking brake, and put the car in
gear. Only exceptions to the last two are if you are working on that end of
the car and need to rotate the wheel.

Also, don't use cinder blocks or cement blocks as jack stands as per
redneck city. these blocks can crumble to dust with no warning - I've seen
it happen!

People get killed doing sh*t like this - I don't care who you are, I doubt
you can bench press your car.

Remember - you must learn from the mistakes of others - you can't possibly
live long enough to make them all yourself.

Best Regards,

Mike Arman