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Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: SMD on 16 February 2014, 18:11:00

Title: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: SMD on 16 February 2014, 18:11:00
I need a pair a low height axle stands to use with my small trolley jack. I have a set of good stands but these are too high for the small jack. Max height of jack is 345mm so stands need to be lower than this.

Budget max £20, ideally £15. I already have a 3 ton jack and good set of stands to use for working under the car or for jobs that require the car to be high. These will be mainly be used for inspections and oil changes so do not need something brilliant.

Thanks

Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: Shackeng on 16 February 2014, 18:22:45
http://www.toolbox.co.uk/draper-64431-pair-of-2-tonne-4629-67693?utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=GB&utm_campaign=GoogleBase&gclid=CKWN3u-h0bwCFafKtAodGlwAWg
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: SMD on 16 February 2014, 18:31:27
Looks good but bit too expensive. Will consider it if nothing else comes up

Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: chrisgixer on 16 February 2014, 18:32:22
Stick a block of wood on the jack saddle. ;)

(Make sure its a sturdy block of wood though, you don't want it splitting apart at the wrong moment. )
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: SMD on 16 February 2014, 18:55:36
Why Chris?

There isn't much room between the jack saddle and the jacking point to make a big difference
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: tunnie on 16 February 2014, 19:15:15
Get a bigger trolley jack, always feels better using my big 3T jack compared to the diddly little one.

More height the better when working under the car too :)
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: SMD on 16 February 2014, 19:17:19
I already have a big 3 ton jack  :y
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: tunnie on 16 February 2014, 19:25:27
I already have a big 3 ton jack  :y

Ah ok, cool :)

I've got these, I like them as they do not dig into the chassis rail, the hug it nicely:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/as10-axle-stands (http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/as10-axle-stands)
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: chrisgixer on 16 February 2014, 19:54:13
Why Chris?

There isn't much room between the jack saddle and the jacking point to make a big difference

Because the car will lift higher by the thickness of the block of wood, then you should get room to get the stands under. If there's no room under the saddle, drive the cars  wheels onto a similarly thick block of wood to give room.

Cheaper than stands.

But tbh, you need a bigger jack. The rail by the front wheels is lower than the front jacking point iirc. So measuring won't quite add up to a lift height high enough for the stands lowest point.



Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: chrisgixer on 16 February 2014, 19:55:14
Ah, ok, so what stands do you have?
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: SMD on 16 February 2014, 20:00:43
I have the Melco stands, the one tunnie linked. Its way too high for my small jack
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: chrisgixer on 16 February 2014, 21:35:14
I have the Melco stands, the one tunnie linked. Its way too high for my small jack


20mm higher than the ones in Entwoods post. So a 20mm bit of wood, or more, would achieve the same thing, was my thinking.

I'm surprised  a 3 ton lack can't lift enough to get the Melco stands under though. :-\
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: SMD on 16 February 2014, 21:42:28
Lets start again  ;D  I have 2 jacks. A 3 ton and 2 ton. 3 ton is too big and heavy to carry up and down 3 flights of stairs for small jobs and quick inspections and I need to make a return trip for the stand which is exhausting so I want to use my two ton which I can carry with one hand.

Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: TheBoy on 16 February 2014, 21:42:33
I have the Melco stands, the one tunnie linked. Its way too high for my small jack


20mm higher than the ones in Entwoods post. So a 20mm bit of wood, or more, would achieve the same thing, was my thinking.

I'm surprised  a 3 ton lack can't lift enough to get the Melco stands under though. :-\
I think SMD is trying to say, for whatever reason, he doesn't normally want to use his 3t jack, and for some jobs prefer to use a small, toy one :)
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: TheBoy on 16 February 2014, 21:43:06
Ah, that explains the reason ;D
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: Nick W on 16 February 2014, 21:51:39
Lets start again  ;D  I have 2 jacks. A 3 ton and 2 ton. 3 ton is too big and heavy to carry up and down 3 flights of stairs for small jobs and quick inspections and I need to make a return trip for the stand which is exhausting so I want to use my two ton which I can carry with one hand.

Makes perfect sense to me; lugging the 3 ton jack through the house and up the cellar steps for small jobs does my back no good at all. Especially knowing that I have to put it away when the job is finished.
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: chrisgixer on 16 February 2014, 21:59:38
Ok . But why won't a block of wood take up the difference between the two jacks?
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: SMD on 16 February 2014, 22:10:03
TB is spot on. I thought I mentioned it in the OP but having re- read it can see why everyone is confused.

Chris, it would have to be a small bit of wood because after a couple of pumps on the jack, the saddle touches the jacking point on the car but I guess every inch helps. I think you are right in saying the chassis rail is lower than the jacking point because theoretically the jack has a lift capacity of 345mm and the stand as it lowest is 310 but in reality doesn't pan out. The 3 ton jack lifts over 500mm so a big difference
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: chrisgixer on 16 February 2014, 22:41:45
There's another trick. Place the wood on stand, lift car by wheel arch, with left(or spare) foot slide jack under. Takes practice though.


...or just by some lower stands. ;D
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: SMD on 17 February 2014, 11:32:43
I think I'll be buying some lower stands.  ;D

These are the lowest I've seen so far but only 25mm lower than what I currently have. Ideally i would like something lower but if I can get a bit of 2" timber on the jack saddle that should give me enough height
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: SMD on 17 February 2014, 14:25:39
http://www.sgs-engineering.com/hydraulic-jacks/axle-stands/jsr2-axle-stands

Forgot to add the link earlier
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: 05omegav6 on 18 February 2014, 01:31:01
Halfrods do/did a set with two axle stands and a jack in a case iirc :-\
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: SMD on 18 February 2014, 08:44:59
But that's no good to me anyway, I don't need any more jacks! I'm guessing small axle stands don't exist because I can't find any
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 18 February 2014, 13:41:02
As per Tunnies post:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cax-3tbc-3-ton-axle-stands?da=1&TC=SRC-axle%20stands
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: SMD on 18 February 2014, 14:11:14
Hi Mark,

These have a minimum working height of 300mm and are similar to what I already have.
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: tunnie on 18 February 2014, 14:13:49
Personally I'm not keen on those, especially when lifting the front. They dig into the chassis rail, rather than just 'hug' it.

Work fine for the back though.

If your jack can't get high enough for those, then I'd seriously consider a better jack. Those ones Mark posted at their lowest setting will be quite useless for any serious work other than an oil change.

I'm known as being on the slim side, but even those at their lowest setting leave very little room to slide under, let alone do any work.
Title: Re: Recommend me low clearance axle stands
Post by: SMD on 18 February 2014, 22:03:57
I have the Melco stands, the one tunnie linked. Its way too high for my small jack


20mm higher than the ones in Entwoods post. So a 20mm bit of wood, or more, would achieve the same thing, was my thinking.

I'm surprised  a 3 ton lack can't lift enough to get the Melco stands under though. :-\
I think SMD is trying to say, for whatever reason, he doesn't normally want to use his 3t jack, and for some jobs prefer to use a small, toy one :)

 ;)

Just want some toy axle stands to go with it