Oil change - floor jack good enough?

The Prius has piss-poor jack stand points. There is zero reinforcing of the rocker panel crimped edge at that point; it's purely a couple of notches, to indicate where to put the scissor jack. The one time I used the scissor jack to change a tire, on the rear, I saw that the scissor jack cups around that sharp edge, and bears on the flat body, on the inside. Even on the back, it dimpled it in, just that one time.

I agree: jack stands do not feel stable, with the knife edge on an angle, bearing precariously on a typical jack stand saddle. I quit using those points, use these instead:

 

His exact question from the first post:

Just curious, which reply qualifies as "unreasonable risk," in your opinion? Was it the guy who uses wood blocks? Everyone else recommended jack stands or ramps (or not even jacking at all, which is the safest method). Is there something wrong with those methods?

 

Ok, stand corrected.

Deleted

 

Yea I feel safer using wood blocks, thats the reason I don't use stands

 

I'm sorry but if you have to ask that question....

 

One thing, I wouldn't use a square timber block for wheel chock. Solid rubber, wedge shaped is much better.

 

Your eyeroll is utterly unhelpful. Since you seem to be so interested in the safety of others, why can't you just answer the question?

The tensile and compressive strength of wood is far greater than necessary to hold a vehicle's weight. There's probably a HIGHER factor of safety with an 8" wood block than a jack stand. Especially if the force is dispersed a little bit at the contact point (similar to how wood railroad ties use plates under the rails to disperse force over a greater area and avoid splitting the wood with the weight of a LOCOMOTIVE on top of it). Btw, if wood can hold a train, I'm pretty sure it can hold a passenger car.

Now, a bunch of 2x4's stacked on top of each other, that's a different story. But that doesn't seem to be what we're talking about. If you can provide a reason as to why anything you've seen on here is unsafe, go for it. I'm all ears (or eyes).

 

Ok, no you shouldn't get jack stands, you should get ramps, safer

 

As it applies to this thread...use a proper jack, locking jack stands or ramps and chocks. If you don't how to use this equipment properly, have someone qualified show you or just let someone else work on your vehicles. Johnnyb588 as you stated in an earlier thread, you are not a mechanic. I am...and have been a mechanic longer than you are old. If you want to use wood, feel free...there is something to be said for natural selection and the whole Darwinism thing. However do not profess to advise others about something you read on google that you know absolutely nothing about...safety while working on your vehicle...theoretical, based on your content thus far. This forum is very friendly and informative...but when it comes to safety I will call out uniformed argumentative BS like yours. Now why don't you go Google up some more BS to support your position...oh...and have a nice day.

My apologies to the OP and the other participants on this thread for the side track, but I have no tolerance for expert-idiots when it comes to safety...which is my business.

 

Show me an example of a passenger car splitting 8x8 blocks and I'll appreciate your advice.

I personally use everything you mentioned when I get under my car, but an 8x8 block isn't any less secure.

And calling my theorh BS is garbage. It's science. Most woods I know of have a compressive and tensile strength of over 5000 psi for each (usually much higher in tension than compression, fyi). One square inch of contact area is enough to easily handle the weight of an entire prius. Put the car on two or four blocks with dissipation plates, and you could end up with a pressure of a couple hundred psi per block. That's not busting under any circumstances. I'm an engineer, which is why I have a general idea of these things and don't need Google to tell me that a material that is strong enough to support the weight of a freaking TRAIN can hold the weight of a prius. And that's not to get into all the other uses of wood that are far more stressful than a passenger car.

Get off your high horse and grow a brain. There are other ways besides yours.

I also can't stand people who have no idea what they're talking about and hurl insults in the midst of ignorance.

Btw, a quick Google of jack stand failures seems to indicate you might not be as safe as you believe you are. Hoodathunk?

 

Gentlemen, I think the basic issue raised by OP was the risk involved in getting under the Prius to do oil changes. I think we agree that trusting just a floor Jack is too risky and that safer alternatives exist. We differ on exactly what those alternative methods to safely support the car would be, and how relatively safe or unsafe each method is. The important point is for OP to carefully think about the danger and risks incurred when crawling underneath the car.
Since my unfortunate experience, I employ one additional safety mechanism, which is to have DW act as a "safety spotter" when I am working underneath a vehicle. She also retrieves necessary tools and supplies, saving me from many in-and-out excursions, which is handy.

 

I have dear black lab dog as my assistant during car repair. Dog runs off with wrenches and screwdrivers, licks my face as I am struggling with bolts and other things and always manages to roll a tennis ball or two under the car, often into a puddle of oil or grease.

I do agree, you really do not need to raise the car to change the oil. My catch pan is long and not too tall, fits under the oil pan and filter quite easily without any jacking, etc.

 

Paul Harvey used to conclude each segment of his program with: "and now you know the rest of the story".
So Bob, what WAS the rest of the story of you being pinned underneath your Buick?

 

How one can go from random, unknown type, unknown condition wood thrown together in an unknown fashion by lazy unsafe folks to talking about railroad ties and wood of a known high qualitative with bracing is beyond me...and then admit to using proper industry standard tooling after implying the unknown is safe for others who do not know the difference...SAE.

 

I like to use wood cribbing because I was trained that way as a firefighter. We lifted and supported vehicles with 20 ton axle loading using high quality wood cribbing. And I can't emphasize enough the training and command structure we worked under. Cribbing can be helpful to those, like me, with limited or no garage space, or to those, like me, who move often and can't easily stock up on shop equipment--you can have a nice little fire before you move.

Conversely, I've looked at the ramps and stands sold at Harbor Freight and I don't like the idea of relying on them to see my next birthday.

I hope the OP is getting enough conflicting information here to make an informed decision about his or her safety.

 

Again...that is not what is being discussed. High quality wood cribbing (also called shoring) with proper training and command structure is not what folks are using here. It actually takes less space and effort to use the correct equipment. At 12 my Son could 4-point a car using a floor jack and stands in minutes...SAFELY. As I stated before, use what you want, but don't teach the uninformed and untrained the wrong way.

 

Yes I like using them and plan on building my custom stands for them, will post a pics of them when done. I'll be using treated 4X6 inch blocks, held together with recessed deck screws. I'm own 2 Prius cars and want to get the job done it the fastest most simple, safest way possible for me. Only using the floor jack 3 times and have each wheel stand laid out and ready to put in place. My goal is to have each tire off ground 1 inch. This will allow me to do my oil, filter and tire rotation every 10k miles. By customizing this routine will add more safety into my less than 30 min job every 10K miles. I want need anyone else to be involved to hand me tools. You get organized and the job can be done in less than 30 min Andrewclaus. This is what I'm talking about. I don't have a dog to help but sounds like a good idea. The neighbors dog comes up here but only pees on my bushes.

 

Well, it may only be about 1 and 2/3 of an inch lift but I can guarantee that if the parking brake is applied the vehicle isn't going to fall off or roll off the 2x10's and it takes all of one minute to lay them in front of the tires and drive onto them. If there's any sort of major work to do they may not be enough but to reach to change oil they are plenty. If someone wanted to get really fancy instead of a 2 foot piece for each wheel they could attach a 2 foot piece on top of a 3 foot piece and have a step up to a bit over 3 inches of lift. The only way there could be a problem is failing to set the parking brake or getting a sink hole while on the lift.

 

Just stop acting as if everyone besides you is ignorant. You're a jerk. Plain and simple.

It's very clear from GaryD1's replies (and initial posts, if you had bothered to read them) that he isn't a moron. So again, stop being a jerk and pretending no one knows anything but you, calling him "lazy" for his methods.

Btw, how I got from "unknown wood condition thrown together in an unknown fashion by lazy, unsafe folks" is that I actually READ WHAT GARY SAID, bruh (and yes, I mean bruh in the worst possible way to convey your level of d-baggery). IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER WHAT TYPE OF WOOD IT IS. ANY SOFTWOOD EVEN COULD HOLD A PRIUS UP IN THE WAY HE USES IT WITH NO ISSUES WHATSOEVER.

But, please. Tell me how I'm the one making unsafe judgments and how your way is the only way to go.

Just for our viewing pleasure, let's look at how safe the jack stands we all trust can be, and then continue judging others for their equally safe methods and calling them names.

 

I like belts-an-braces, have a set of four 6 ton safety stands, four 3 ton, four solid rubber wheel chocks AND this big ol' tree stump section. The latter is my insurance policy, keeps me company when doing oil changes.