Hey guys. Looking at the option for raising the bus to make it easier to do bits. Read a few previous threads about poor quality axle stands and jacks, so want to make sure I get something decent so I don’t die under there. First thing is a jack. I have the original one which doesn’t inspire great confidence. Is the scissor jack best option for emergencies on the move? The next thing is actually doing some stuff under there. Weighing up the idea of some ramps and axle stands like these: https://amzn.eu/d/hFCoBOA https://amzn.eu/d/3QjWqK2 Read on here about poor welds on axle stands so wondering if these are good quality. Or am I better just getting a trolley jack instead of those ramps? If so, anyone got any recommendations? Jobs I have in mind are replacing rear wheel bearings, replacing gear shift rod, servicing. Stuff like that. Thanks!
For starters ramps won't help you with your rear wheel bearings. For home stuff you need a good sized trolley jack with enough lift and sturdy axle stands, there really is nothing else for it, those items cover everything. I'm a weirdo but my trolley jack lives in the van.. and the axle stands. I CBA with anything even slightly dubious.
I use camping levelling ramps when I am being lazy. And a big heavy Halfords high lift 4x4 jack and matching axle stands, like those you show, bought as a package years ago. For on the road, a bottle jack and a scissors jack used together for redundancy, the bottle jack being too tall when the bus was lowered but having a higher load rating, so the lift would start with the scissors jack. Bottle jack also useful for pushing on suspension parts.
I would be wary about that style of axel stand, especially the cheap ones This was one of a pair i had been given as a present first time I used it this happened I did manage to repair it through
I don't like ramps. Axle stands - might just be me but I really don't like that type of axle stand. It's just gut feeling, but I would not swing a spanner under a van supported by anything that involved cast parts like those ratchets. Also I don't personally feel comfortable with the (to me) narrow base of almost all available axle stands, I want to know that if someone tripped and fell against the van it wouldn't fall over. It's all relative man, axle stands need to be in proportion not only to weight but height you need to extend them. The higher you go, the wider the base should be to maintain stability. Going under vehicles is as safe as you make it, it's not somewhere to cheap out.
I have an SGS trolley jack and their heavy duty axle stands. Quality in my opinion is very good for the price
I have old Landrover (I think) folding ones that I bought on ebay. I can't find a picture but the legs spread to approx 350mm sided triangle if you see what I mean.
Jacks - I have a 2 ton one that looks generally like this, it's supposedly lightweight ... and it is compared to the cheapy all steel version, but it's still heavy at about 15kg. I think it's about the minimum to cover everything.
On a side note, when using trolley jacks especially, pay attention to the surface of the floor. Block paving for example plays havoc with a trolley jacks ability to slide on its wheels….not many jack pads stay in line at the bottom to where they finish at the top, they follow an arc….to do this the Jack moves or it pulls the car over in the arc (or in the case of modern minis it pulls the stupid plastic block out of the chassis and drops the car off the Jack and tears it’s side skirt off). For cheap wheels on work I bought some railway sleepers and I Jack it up then put them under the wheels. Safe as houses and they raise it around 8 inches for a few quid.
Another top tip is when you take the wheel off shove it underneath then if the jack/stands give way the van doesn’t hit the floor.
Get some axle stands that are spec for 5 ton and a good sturdy trolley jack ..good old epco . you pick them up at farm sales .
Tend to be a bit over the top for us DIYers though? I got my first 3 ton trolley jack like that, it weighed a ton and pumped up really slowly. The one I have now whizzes up until it hits something and is much lighter to lug around.
+1 for giving the cast axle stands a miss. I have some of these all welded construction made by a company called motez rated at 5T when they came on sale for super cheap on amazon (almost cast cheapie prices) and Ive given them a thorough test at near their rated capacity They have lots of lift for higher vehicles too but useless on "normal" cars like my mrs's Clio. I have been gifted drive on diy ramps a few times over the years, but I have been dissuaded from using them for heavier stuff after my sprinter van stamped a "3T" set flat driving on. Having said that I've got a paddy hopkirk set that I used on my sons astra when the proper ramp was occupied, but even then I slid the wheels under the chassis and found some wood blocks out of paranoia. The old sleepers is a great suggestion too, if we're picking something heavy up we use solid wooden cribbing as safety stuff if the jack lets go, eg a 8t backhoe, or the forklift. Oak in compression and suitably large section so it doesnt topple is really solid if its not rotten. I've been known to push ash rounds under the chassis from a tree felling in a emergency. I cant see the pics for the landrover stands, but if that's referring to farm jacks, they are killers if used improperly. While they are really handy for taller things, they tend to tip sideways and are really unstable, and if you let go of the handle while lowering they can self lower with the handle flailing wildly and if you try to grab it get clonked on the forehead by it (voice of bitter experience there...). Sadly I dont have a decent floor jack, just cheap ones that came free at various points & a motley selection of bottle jacks. I'll rehome a massive old one and reseal it one day... Before I laid my workshop floor it was dirt in there and working on things was painful, but I used to use old cut up road plates or thicker steel sheets under jacks and stands to spread the load.
My axle stands are cast with ratchets, but the stem is a fair bit thicker than @matty's example, and because they are fairly large, they only ever get used maybe 3 clicks up from the lowest setting. There is a Project Farm video on Youtube about crummy axle stands that is quite interesting.
