PHILIP8N
Veteran Member
The top is made from 4" channel. The center section is made from 4" x 6" tubing. The bottom is made from 1-1/4" bar stock, but you change this to suit your floor jack. All came from 'scrap' bin at work. Philip.
How to Jack up A tractor?
- Thread starter TimP
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The top is made from 4" channel. The center section is made from 4" x 6" tubing. The bottom is made from 1-1/4" bar stock, but you change this to suit your floor jack. All came from 'scrap' bin at work. Philip.
dstig1
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Jackstands of the proper size are your best bet if you have them. The cup shape of the support saddle helps keep the vehicle in place better in case of side loads that can happen when working on a vehicle in the air. Wood blocks are far better than cinder blocks, but it's best toe screw or nail them together to keep anything from slipping as much as possible.
zoltanthegypsy
Gold Member
Haven't followed the thread whole thread - so this may be redundant - but I tend to use jack stands on some kind of dunnage to prevent sinking into the soil or marking the shed floor.
Cinder blocks are an absolute no-no.
Z.
Cinder blocks are an absolute no-no.
Z.
moored4
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The ole scrap bin from work!! :drool: How I miss that now that I'm retired!! :thumbsup:
don white
Silver Member
I agree that SOLID concrete blocks would work as jack stands. The problem is that a lot of folks do not know the difference between cinder blocks and concrete blocks. So I think we are safer to just say no to both. 6x6 posts are cheap also. Buy 8'er and just cut them into 1' lengths. Put two down as a base and two more across the other direction. Crib your way up. I have a whole pile of them in a corner of my garage.
Never under estimate the danger of lifting heavy equipment. Do it right and always have backup. It is dangerous and will kill ya.
Never under estimate the danger of lifting heavy equipment. Do it right and always have backup. It is dangerous and will kill ya.
outoftractorluck
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Don White:
Good point Don. Reading back I could'nt figure why everybody hated concrete! Cinder block is much less dense and with the holes in the middle, not a good idea at all! I only use concrete as a backup. As you say a backup is common sense. Once I jack up, I slide and stack (flat) the blocks and a piece of 10x2 under the axel. If the jack fails the axel would drop right on to the backup. That way the load is spread over at least a square foot. Trouble with axle stands and jacks is the small footing area. You are dependent on the ground beneath.
In more years than I care to mention of jacking up vehicles I've had instances where the rear axel ended up laying on the backup concrete. One time the vehicle rolled (should have put the foot brake on and locked the wheels better) and the jack twisted. The other time the asphalt sunk suddenly on one side of the axel stand. Best plan is never to get under with wheels off. Most times it isnt necessary.
Good point Don. Reading back I could'nt figure why everybody hated concrete! Cinder block is much less dense and with the holes in the middle, not a good idea at all! I only use concrete as a backup. As you say a backup is common sense. Once I jack up, I slide and stack (flat) the blocks and a piece of 10x2 under the axel. If the jack fails the axel would drop right on to the backup. That way the load is spread over at least a square foot. Trouble with axle stands and jacks is the small footing area. You are dependent on the ground beneath.
In more years than I care to mention of jacking up vehicles I've had instances where the rear axel ended up laying on the backup concrete. One time the vehicle rolled (should have put the foot brake on and locked the wheels better) and the jack twisted. The other time the asphalt sunk suddenly on one side of the axel stand. Best plan is never to get under with wheels off. Most times it isnt necessary.
zoltanthegypsy
Gold Member
We're kind of beating a dead horse here, but I think where people probably get into trouble with cinder blocks is when they are used "naked".
Without something else to spread the load, having an axle or frame member bear directly on a small portion of a cinder block is just a recipe for disaster.
With the load properly spread, a cinder block is probably capable of bearing a large load. With the load concentrated on a small area, not so much. The trick here is "properly spread".
Best approach is to just stay away from them. It's particularly important to discourage a first-time backyard mechanic from using cinder blocks.
I'll get off the soapbox now...
Z.
Without something else to spread the load, having an axle or frame member bear directly on a small portion of a cinder block is just a recipe for disaster.
With the load properly spread, a cinder block is probably capable of bearing a large load. With the load concentrated on a small area, not so much. The trick here is "properly spread".
Best approach is to just stay away from them. It's particularly important to discourage a first-time backyard mechanic from using cinder blocks.
I'll get off the soapbox now...
Z.
