If you are going to be working on your car frequently, it pays to buy some axle stands. A lot of accidents happen each year due to people using the incorrect equipment to jack up their car – as you can imagine, this can have devastating consequences should something go wrong. They are fairly inexpensive items to buy, and they can really save your bacon on occasion, so try to get a pair as soon as possible if you have not done so already. Here are the features that you should check for when it comes to buying axle stands:
Safe working load (SWL): This value indicates how much weight each individual axle stand can hold. If you have a big vehicle such as a SUV, you are going to want each one to support at least 2 tonnes or more. While this may not sound like a high enough rating, remember that each stand only has to support one corner of the vehicle in question. One thing to watch out for is that some makers of jack and axle stands grade both of them together on the box, so the box might say rated for 2 tonnes but each stand really only support 1 tonne maximum.
Saddle: Look for a stand that has a wide or Y-shaped saddle at the top. This should be more than enough to support the vehicle without any slipping. Stay away from stands that have flat saddles – the car could be likely to slip and fall. Another thing to consider is what metal the stand is constructed from. Be more inclined to go for one which is made of iron rather than steel, since this will not scrape the supporting beams as much.
Height: The heavier the vehicle that is to be supported, the higher the axle stand that will be required. Look for stands that are around 300mm if you are going to be jacking up a car, and buy high axle stands (350-400mm) if an SUV or 4×4 is going to be raiseed.
Feet: Look for stands with padded feet to prevent slipping. Enough said!
A stand is an essential tool to have in every mechanic’s toolkit. They provide you with the reassurance that the vehicle will be well supported, and let you work in safety underneath it. When buying an axle stand, first work out the safe working load and height of axle stand required. Once these have been determined, you can start to look at the type of metal and saddle used. Many accidents happen each year to those that try to take a shortcut and only use jacks to raise their car. Avoid any accidents; get some high quality axle stands!
