Axle stands - advice sought!

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 12:38 pm

Tripod are definitely better if you're not 100% sure the surface is completely level (which your drive surface isn't).

3-point bases are the only base support design (for anything, not just axle stands) that guarantee you get all legs in contact with the ground and evenly supported.

Post by **lewd lude lover** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 12:42 pm

imo you will kill your paving. they look nice though. I never like getting under a car with axle stands holding it up personally. If it were me I would get some blocks of wood made up (saw up a railway sleeper) and use those. The paving will get the load spread and not have harsh metal contact and the car can settle into the block and actually be supported.

Like so..

Safe as houses and floor friendly.

A1ex · Post by **A1ex** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 12:44 pm

^^^ what he said.

I had axles stands with a lude on top on my tarmac drive for a couple weeks. the stands sunk about 1-2cms into the surface, you need a good spread

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 12:51 pm

A1ex wrote:I had axles stands with a lude on top on my tarmac drive for a couple weeks. the stands sunk about 1-2cms into the surface, you need a good spread

Yep, that reminds me of having a similar problem working on my CX in the road in Southampton. Hot summer, car on the stands for a couple of weeks and it sank in over an inch. Only stopped because it hit the bracing pieces between the legs

Getting them out when I'd finished with the car, was interesting...

That drive looks like concrete though, so shouldn't have that problem.

I also only use blocks these days instead of axle stands though (and not entirely because I happen to have lost 2 sets of axle stands somewhere...)

Mind you, many of us don't have the immediate access to free sleepers that LLL has

Post by **lewd lude lover** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 12:58 pm

I had to go to a local coal merchant and buy the sleeper!

I cant just take them out from under the track

He cut it up for me as well. Wore out his chainsaw chain

I think you might end up with scratches on the stones after a while. get some 18''x18'' panels of ply or MDF to use as a base for each one at least, that should protect them nicely.

blocks will be safest though imho. I always feel like a lean on a car on axle stands would just fall over real easy

like someone with a cuppa tea taking the weight off for a moment.

A1ex · Post by **A1ex** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 1:07 pm

It looks like one of these fancy dyed and printed concreted driveways to me

Post by **RattyMcClelland** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 1:08 pm

Yep my mums driveway has 4 sink holes in it now.

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 1:09 pm

lewd lude lover wrote:I always feel like a lean on a car on axle stands would just fall over real easy like someone with a cuppa tea taking the weight off for a moment.

Post by **Thebusofwoe** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 1:33 pm

My lude was actually falling over

on my tripod axel stands. I had to put a square of mdf under each one, sorted.

. I think the tripod ones would be ok as long as you use something to spread the load. Generally each stand has a max load limit of 2-3 tonnes so you got 2 or 4 then it would take 4/8 tonnes before they become dangerous IMO. Mine are SWL 2.5 tonnes so would take 10 tonnes before the dangerous limit. I trust axel stands, always have done.

Post by **Thebusofwoe** » Mon Sep 16, 2013 1:49 pm

Well if you devide the weight of the car between the amount of stands you have, then devide that by 3 (for each foot), id bet its not alot of weight on each one lol.

Tbh you will be fine with stands matey. I do like the idea of sleepers too. Just not an option for me ATM.

Mine only sank due to it being sat on soft tarmac.