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I have the HF stands too - they work fine though I check that the ratchet is firmly seated in the rack before I drop the car (it's possible for them not to be).
About the 2 sets of ramps that crushed the guys - one guy was a fella I went to HS with and his dad was an engineer for GM - he designed and made the ramps. The ramps were made out of husky angle iron and were used on a solid, stable concrete floor. This was in the late 1960s so commercial ramps were not common. I don't know that they were any taller than any other ramp but nonetheless, they went over sideways as described.
The other set was commercially made and I don't have as much info on them or on the situation but I think the car rolled backwards and pressed the oil pan into the man's chest - he was changing headers.
As far as jack stand stability - NEVER use 3 legged stands. Those suckers will topple in a second and will fold up without warning. The HF stands as shown are fine as long as:
a) they're on a solid footing. If concrete is not available I've cut squares of 3/4" plywood (NOT particle board!) about 18" square and used them under the stands. The feet of the stands will dimple the plywood a bit so they stay put really well.
b) as noted, you assure that the ratchets are properly set.
c) they are NOT used on asphalt as they'll sink in and can subsequently topple
Whenever I put a vehicle up, INCLUDING ON MY HOIST, I shake the snot out of it before I climb under there. After seeing cars fall off hoists (generally probably the safest method available), having had 3 legged jackstands fail (that was scary!), trying to raise a car with a bumper jack (stupid but I didn't know no better as a kid - that's my excuse), I'm REALLY cautious about holding that much weight up off the floor and keeping it that way until I decide it time for that to change. Gravity is demanding and unrelenting.
Dan
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03-04-2017, 07:16 AM
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