Thread: Vehicle stands and trolley jacks

From experience, I can say don't muck around getting a cheap trolley jack, get a descent workshop quality one.

I've got a 2500kg Armstrong and 2 x 2000kg rachet stands (need 2 more though). The jack is great, nice long handle and a small one for when you need to posiiton it carefully. This cost me about $200 several years back and was well worth it.

A couple of years back big W had a good name one de-badged and it was pretty good value. I bought mine from there and it's been fine.

I suggest you get a 2 post hoist if you want to lift the whole thing off the ground but if you dont want to then the Armstrong 2500kg trolley jacks are very good, I have one at work and I havnt had any problems.

I always found when changing tyres that if you just lift one end at a time or 1 side at a time it doesnt take any longer than lifting the whole vehical and putting it on jack stands and if you were doing brakes I normally just lift that corner Im working on and jack stand that corner as it is much more stable on it wheels than on stands.

The jack stands are rated at there maximum working load per stand unless stated other wise and then they are meant to say they must be used in pairs so if you have 2000kgs per stand and your using 4 of them then MWL is 8000kg but I wouldnt like to trust them with 8 tonne on them but a Defa should be ok.

Originally Posted by mcrover

I always found when changing tyres that if you just lift one end at a time or 1 side at a time it doesnt take any longer than lifting the whole vehical and putting it on jack stands and if you were doing brakes I normally just lift that corner Im working on and jack stand that corner as it is much more stable on it wheels than on stands.

Likewise, that's what I do. As a mater of fact, I've just done this today! Jack stands only get used fully when I need to work under the vehicle. I still push one under the axle when I change a tyre, just in case.

Where do you buy good quality jack stands from?

The auto shop ones always look cheap and not tall enough.

I actually built my tall ones myself but you can buy 400mm tall ratchet ones that raise to about 550mm (or taller, never measured) at any reputable auto retailer e.g. not autobarn.

My tall ones I made are 350mmx350mm square on the base and stand 600mm high but are fixed and normally need to jack and block to get things up there.

I use 3500kg locking stands, as i feel that if something was to fall, ie stand slips off the diff and catches the body, a strong stand will hold and save your life. Its not an excuse to use them incorrectly, but i feel much happier being under a car that simply cannot get to me. And yes, a good jack will get you better working height, and get there quicker. I tend to work with the chassis about 400-500mm above the ground. Regardless of disco/freelander etc.

get a jack of 2.5 ton minimum..........
and the strongest stands you can afford.........



i jack the landies up under the diff...........they go up on an angle as the diff isnt in the centre..........
but when i lower it down onto the stands........i just make sure the stands are pretty much the same height...........
the stands are placed under the diff housing between the rotor and the radius arms......

then you can do exactly the same for the rear........