Why you should use Jack stands

schrute

I was under a full size truck (Nissan Titan, my last vehicle) installing something suspension related and had the truck on jackstands. I had to raise the truck a little to make something fit and the jackstands were already at their full extension so the truck was an inch or two above the jackstands with the weight of the truck supported by the jack. The jack slipped and the truck fell onto the jackstands. The sound of 5000+ lbs. of truck coming down onto the jackstands is something I will never forget.

1st Morale of the story is have the right jackstands for the job (mine were not tall enough). I was a dumbass for not following this rule at the time.

2nd Morale of the story echoes the OP - use jackstands if you or any of your body parts are going under the vehicle, even for just a moment. As someone else mentioned ramps are also a good option if the job allows.

If I hadn't used jack stands that day I would probably be dead. It's sad to hear about the guy that wasn't so lucky above.

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