Jack or Lift Fail scenario in CX-5 ?

I am going to start wrenching (sway bars for now until the new CX-9 2.5L turbo has a retro fit kit) but don't want to invest $2500 in a Bendpak lift for minor mods.

What is the worst case scenario if a jack or stand fails with factory height springs? Will I be crushed or just get the wind knocked out of me?

I currently have a Home Depot 3-ton lift and 2 stands, should I look for another brand of stands for the sake of safety. Does someone sell tall stands that are either static or safely adjustable?

Many questions because friend died when his jack failed.

Thanks

Block the wheels that are not lifted to reduce roll potential. Set the Emergency brake if lifting the front. Put the spare tire under the side you are working on and add boards to fill the space so it will catch. Most jack stands are stable, bet your friend was not using them.

GAXIBM said:

Most jack stands are stable, bet your friend was not using them.

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Correct, and no one else was home at the time.

Thanks for the tip about blocking the wheels.

Buy a Doug-fir 6x6 and a 2x6 then saw it up into 12" lengths. Lincoln log in pairs the 6x6's and then use the 2x6's for the top row if needed. If you're not going that high then single pieces are ok.

As above block any wheels on the ground even if you have it in gear and the e-brake on.

Wood blocks are much more forgiving of odd ball angles and steel on steel is just way too slick. The steel of the undercarriage part you're blocking bites into the wood when you set weight on it. Not so on jack stands. Never had an incident just saw a few slips and bases needing repositioning after setting the vehicle on them. I ain't crawling under one again on jack stands, don't trust them.

old-school said:

Wood blocks are much more forgiving of odd ball angles and steel on steel is just way too slick. The steel of the undercarriage part you're blocking bites into the wood when you set weight on it. Not so on jack stands.

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This is a very good point. I do use a piece of 2X4 wood block serving as a pad between floor jack / jack stand and frame. This not only prevents slipping, but also prevents scratching the undercoating. Metal to metal contact definitely is not a good idea.

I have also self-made two long 2X10 wood blocks similar to your idea but used only for drive-up with front tires to create some more room underneath for the oil change. The wood block is much sturdier than those ramps and I've seen friend's (cheap?) metal ramps simply collapsed under car weight!

Big_T said:

I am going to start wrenching (sway bars for now until the new CX-9 2.5L turbo has a retro fit kit) but don't want to invest $2500 in a Bendpak lift for minor mods.

What is the worst case scenario if a jack or stand fails with factory height springs? Will I be crushed or just get the wind knocked out of me?

I currently have a Home Depot 3-ton lift and 2 stands, should I look for another brand of stands for the sake of safety. Does someone sell tall stands that are either static or safely adjustable?

Many questions because friend died when his jack failed.

Thanks

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It depends. If your skull is under something, it could mush that. If your torso is under something (not a tire), it depends on how thick your torso is. You could be crushed to death, or simply have some fractured ribs, or...nothing.

There's always a war brewing about jackstand safety over on garagejournal.com specifically where they're made. I don't have any skin in that game but I do like what I see in doublelocking jackstands from a theoretical perspective. Here's an example http://www.homedepot.com/p/Big-Red-6-Ton-Double-Lock-Steel-Jack-Stands-2-Pack-T46002C/100594524. I'd also recommend you keep the jack extended under the jackpoint as a secondary (third?) insurance. While I love OperationIvy, caution is a word I DO understand working on cars.

Are the undercarriages of these cars really that flimsy? I've been using metal floor jacks and metal jack stands directly under the radiator support, jack points, and rear suspension pickup points on my Integra and several other cars for the better part of 2 decades. No issues here. Only part that sucks is that I don't have a lower profile jack, and have to pull up by hand on the fenders of my Integra to get the jack under the front side jack points when rotating tires. There'd be no hope of getting anything else in there. However some newer floor jacks come with rubber pads, I think.

I do like the idea of the safety pin in the jack stands on that Home Depot link. I should probably get some of those. I have 4 of the same style, but they don't have the pin.

And like others have said, NEVER, EVER EVER EVER get under a car with only a jack holding it up.