Jacking up a vehicle for an oil change

[JDgreen227]

We used to park over a ditch at my friends house to fix the exhaust pipe. We used a tin ( real tin ) can and 2 hose clamps to cover the hole. We would get about 3 weeks out of it.

On my '73 Nova I got a LOT more life out of that kind of repair...stainless clamps last forever and sturdy tin cans (actually they are galvanized) never rusted out. But maybe you got so much more salt in the UP....it rusted things faster.

 

[TomSeller]

We used to park over a ditch at my friends house to fix the exhaust pipe. We used a tin ( real tin ) can and 2 hose clamps to cover the hole. We would get about 3 weeks out of it.

Reminds me of fixing my exhaust holes with some cheap flex exhaust pipe and clamps. I think I got a few months out of mine.

 

[MH8675309]

Mine was a 73 Monte Carlo but I lived in Lapeer then. Now I'm in Marlette which is in the thumb. The clamps lasted fine but the can would burn out. It's hard to believe we used to fix things that way. Back then a fuel pump was such an easy fix compared to now.

 

[KennyG]

Back then a fuel pump was such an easy fix compared to now.

Back in the day, I could change out a fuel pump in well under an hour and did that many times. On my cars today, I think all the fuel pumps are in the gas tanks, but I don't really know because I don't think I've changed a fuel pump in the last 30 years. I guess it's just a trade-off.

 

[dfkrug]

Back in the day, I could change out a fuel pump in well under an hour and did that many times. On my cars today, I think all the fuel pumps are in the gas tanks, but I don't really know because I don't think I've changed a fuel pump in the last 30 years. I guess it's just a trade-off.

Yeah, you HAD to replace those cheap 5psi mechanical fuel pumps mounted on the engine often. Since we got fuel injection, they are in the tank, very expensive, and almost never fail. I remember being stranded twice on the road due to mechanical fuel pump failure. It always seems to happen in the desert, miles from anything (NM and E. WA).

 

[MikePA]

I see no mention of getting under the car not supported by jackstands or some other method.

It wasn't mentioned. Seems pretty obvious that all of the steps from the article should have been mentioned.

I use ramps with our two cars. No need for ramps to change the oil and filter on my 2004 Silverado.

 

[JDgreen227]

It wasn't mentioned. Seems pretty obvious that all of the steps from the article should have been mentioned.

I use ramps with our two cars. No need for ramps to change the oil and filter on my 2004 Silverado.

Thanks for your confirmation, MikePA....:thumbsup:

 

[CowboyRon]

When I was in high school, I saw a buddy of mine working on his brakes.
His car was jacked up with a bumper jack in a slanted driveway. His chest was directly underneath the disc rotor when I walked up.
I laughingly explained to him that wasn't the best idea he's ever had.

 

[ozob2k]

Used to patch my headers with a beer can, bondo and a coat hanger. 220v - 221v, whatever it takes!

 

[crazyal]

Back in the day, I could change out a fuel pump in well under an hour and did that many times. On my cars today, I think all the fuel pumps are in the gas tanks, but I don't really know because I don't think I've changed a fuel pump in the last 30 years. I guess it's just a trade-off.

After about the second time changing a mech fuel pump I just replaced them wit low pressure electric pumps. The early Vega's had one that would mount to the fender well that worked great for pretty much any carb. For $20 you never had to deal with mech pumps or that stupid shaft that operated it.

My grandfather died when he got under a car using one of the old bumper jacks without the base. I have a BendPak lift and a couple of 4' jack stands. It's actually fun to change the oil now.

 

[orezok]

That's not safe at all! Don't this idiot know he should have also slid the welder under it as a second safety device.....

Some people!


Chris

Nah... he was worried that if it collapsed with his welder under ther that it would damage the welder!

 

[dfkrug]

After about the second time changing a mech fuel pump I just replaced them wit low pressure electric pumps. The early Vega's had one that would mount to the fender well that worked great for pretty much any carb. For $20 you never had to deal with mech pumps or that stupid shaft that operated it.

I put one of those electric low-pressure pumps on my 240Z, and it worked great. No more vapor-lock, either. Remember vapor-lock, anyone?

I dodged a bullet on the Chevy Vegas....almost bought one in 74, before they were known to be crap. Vegas are rarer than Ferraris now.

In the 70s, I used ramps for oil changes, but I had a ramp leg collapse once when driving up one, and you do have to slip the clutch a lot to ascend them. Modern ramps don't have spindly legs, from what I see out there.

 

[My Hoe]

I agree, set the brake, jack stands to support & chock the wheels THEN test (shake a bit) for stability before venturing anywhere underneath. If you're working alone, have your mobile phone on you too.

But we live in a constantly 'dumbing-down' (first) world where you take your vehicle in to be serviced or have road-side assistance to change a flat tyre, etc...

Wagtail,

(I didn't read the whole thread, as I responded at the beginning, but...) I couldn't agree more, with everything you (and Diamondpilot) said.

 

[crazyal]

I put one of those electric low-pressure pumps on my 240Z, and it worked great. No more vapor-lock, either. Remember vapor-lock, anyone?

I dodged a bullet on the Chevy Vegas....almost bought one in 74, before they were known to be crap. Vegas are rarer than Ferraris now.

In the 70s, I used ramps for oil changes, but I had a ramp leg collapse once when driving up one, and you do have to slip the clutch a lot to ascend them. Modern ramps don't have spindly legs, from what I see out there.

Back in the day I had a set of heavy duty ramps. They had the leg in the middle. Still dangerous. Either you slipped the clutch trying to get up them or you got a little speed up and risked having your tire hit the stop and the ramp tipping forward. Never really trusted stamped sheet metal.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

My Dad always drilled into my head to put solid wood blocks under anything I had jacked up. I always keep a hefty supply on hand. He knew a fella who was crushed in the driveway back in the day.

 

[JDgreen227]

My Dad always drilled into my head to put solid wood blocks under anything I had jacked up. I always keep a hefty supply on hand. He knew a fella who was crushed in the driveway back in the day.

"Solid wood blocks".....??? All wood can split. I have never used wood for that purpose nor cement blocks....and I don't know if anyone has ever used my method for when a jack stand will not work: I have a number of older 14 inch rims and tires, stacking two of those atop each other will work great as an emergency support. I recently had to put new rear brakes on my GMC and there wasn't enough room on the axle for both a floor jack and jack stand, so I used a pair of those rims and tires under the frame toward the front of the vehicle. I never got underneath it but wanted the backup support just in case the floor jack might fail as I was working on the truck.

 

[Depmandog]

"Solid wood blocks".....??? All wood can split. Snip /QUOTE]

I have a stack of 6x6 pressure treated nubs left over from building my barn. They range from 12-16". When used like cribbing - alternating the direction of placement per row, I find it makes a perfectly solid support. Used this way there isn't any concern for splitting. If I have to climb under, I will also grab a piece of 3/4" ply that I have cut to place on the top of the cribbing. I will also run a few screws in to lock it all together.

I have enough blocks to raise my 13' Bush Hog 3 spindle flat RC about 24" on four corners. Not sure how much that thing weighs, but it strains the hi-lift. Gives me major willys going under that thing...reminds me of a giant cookie cutter and with me being the potential dough. YIKES!!

 

[doxford jim]

I guess I am lucky in that I can change the oil in all my vehicles without using a jack. Just have to slide under to get to the drains is all. Even my tractor has high enough ground clearance to work on pretty much everything.

Wooden blocks work well and in good condition, would work well as a backup should the axle stand get knocked etc.

 

[The Suburban Farmer]

I guess I am lucky in that I can change the oil in all my vehicles without using a jack.

Yep - this is one of the benefits of the 3" lift I put on my Tacoma... now if my wife will just let me lift her sedan, we'll be all set.

But on a more serious note -- I've used the wooden 6x6 block approach most of my life. Like Happy Gilmore said, my daddy taught me to do it that way, so that's how I've done it. But recently I switched over to using the metal jack stands that came as a "free bonus item" when I bought a new floor jack thinking they were safer... after using them for a bit, I think I was wrong. They seem less stable to me than the old trusty 6x6 approach.

I think I'm going back to my old 6x6 blocks, with 4x4 chocks behind the tires.

 

[Threepoint]

The big Titan turf tires on my Kioti NX are much too wide for 6 x 6s. I drive up on doubled 2 x 10s or 2 x 12s, then also place 3 ton and 6 ton jack stands under the front and back axles, respectively. The tractor's north of 6 K lbs. I agree that wood can split, but I've also thought this was pretty safe, since the load on the 2-by material is in compression and well distributed. No? Not sure how I could make things safer. :confused3: