Wooden Jack Stands (1 Viewer)

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Has anyone here ever built themselves a set of wooden jack stands using 2x4's? If so how did you build them and are they safe? To my mind a set of securely built wooden jack stands could be built safer than the steel ones or would be good backups to the steel ones. I really just want a jack stand to support the car while doing brakes so have no intention of going under and i have a ton of 2x4's lying around.
 
Not only no, but hell no. Ever. Never ever. Just buy some HF stands and don't risk it. If you're just doing brakes and not going under the truck, just use the OEM jack one wheel at a time.

Otherwise, make sure you have good life insurance and a will.
 
I have a lot of straws from Taco Bell laying around and I'm pretty cheap, but I would just buy a set of steel ones. Good luck.
 
Spend a few bucks and get a good set of steel stands. If your truck fell or the wood broke, you would be lucky if you only lost a leg or arm and not your life!!

Before getting under it on stands I use a good floor jack as a second means of safety.

Read the last line below!
 
Has anyone here ever built themselves a set of wooden jack stands using 2x4's? If so how did you build them and are they safe? To my mind a set of securely built wooden jack stands could be built safer than the steel ones or would be good backups to the steel ones. I really just want a jack stand to support the car while doing brakes so have no intention of going under and i have a ton of 2x4's lying around.

While most people will say no or hell no. I say yes. Yes if you do it right. Most of us have used a block of wood or a cinder block to support some part of the vehicles weight at some point in their life. Heck most of us went to college or technical school.

Here is a good example of what would work safely in my mind.



On a side note I've been known to use 6x6 posts stacked to support the vehicle. I saw no issue in doing that. And to be honest I'd rather have wood blocks than some of the crappy jack stands I've seen.


Here is an idea. http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/multi/wood-block.htm


If you screw it up and get hurt make sure someone is taking pics.
 
I'd rather have wood blocks than some of the crappy jack stands I've seen.

I totally agree with this. The smallest jack stands from HF are only good enough to hold an axle, not a whole vehicle.

The stands in your link are pretty stout. If a guy was careful not to skimp on the wood, I see no issues there.
 
Wood is okay especially if used in the proper configuration like Troll linked above....... but never ever use CMU/ cinder block it's compressive strength is very directionally biased and while it can be extremely strong under pure compression any lateral or shear loads can quickly compromise the blocks integrity.

Be smart about it and you will be fine
 
From the link Trollhole posted, cribbing is an acceptable way of supporting things.
block3.jpg


But if you're thinking of nailing or bolting something together with the wood running vertical, I really wouldn't... You could properly engineer something with all the loads figured out and the stresses and all - but unless you're willing to do all that better to get some sturdy steel jackstands.
 
I was definitely thinking of cribbing a bunch together and I would never get under the car with just this for support. Its really going to be a back up for my jack when I do brakes. Bottom line there is very little maintenance that I do at home that requires me to be under the car with the wheels off.
 
I built these out of 2 x 10's. Very very solid. Gradual grade, Easy to drive up on. No worries about overshooting. Heavy, though. I put wheels on the end so I can roll them into place. I made them two different heights so the truck would sit level for doing diff. fluid changes. They are not that high but plenty high enough so you can get under there and do what you need to do. I place them in front or behind the tires, depending on where I'll be working under the truck. I usually just use the higher ones though, under the front or the rear depending on what I'm doing. They stand up for storage.
I comfortably trust my life with these. I would not trust those cheezy ramps stamped out of cheap chinese steel or or molded plastic.
DSCN0184.jpg
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DSCN0186.jpg
 
Nice ramps.
Wood dunnage has and is the preferred method to elevate, brace, ect. large things. We use it everyday in one form or another for heavy equipment.
Now granted we are talking about stacking 6X8, 12X12, 8X8, 10X10, ect.
For what you would need to fab "jack stands" you'de be better off buying good steel ones because of the room proper wood stacking would take up as well as the storage of it.
 
use proper bridge blocking technique. we support 260 tonne uclids at work with 12x12 blocks . if you have to block a shovel you would probably switch to iron wood instead of the basic soft wood . oak is great but its awfully heavy . same as iron wood .

i could supply pictures if needed .

i have read reports of steel jack stands exploding from poor metallurgy , in fact the trades school i attended required wooden secondary blocking at all times because 10 years prior a student was killed due to a steel stand failing even though it was with in its weight limit .
 
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I think I'm going to start hitting the scrap bins at the local construction sites.
 

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