vanepico
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| posted on 30/10/12 at 10:24 AM |
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cheap lifting kit halfords
So i was in halfords yesterday gawping at the tools (as you do!) and stumbled upon a 2 tonne set of a trolley jack and axle stands, and an x spanner,
all for £35. Part of me said oh thats cheap! The rest of me said 'big red axle stands? Nah i value my person being the thickness it is
now!' do you think it is worth £20 more to get a proper draper one?
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loggyboy
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| posted on 30/10/12 at 10:30 AM |
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I picked up a cheap jack and axle stand combo, i think it was £15-20 in BnQ. The stands were the fold up/pressed style, jack was fine. One slip when
turning lowering screw to lower on to the stands, resulted in the car coming down slightly too fast (only a clio) and collapsed the stand completely.
Fortunately I wasnt under it.
It and the remaning working one was swiflty thrown in the scrap metal pile and I went back to my solid/welded Draper ones. I was only using them as
the Draper ones are quite tall and i only need one wheel off the ground.
Ive also since picked up a good ally jack from BnQ for £40.
Mistral Motorsport
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BangedupTiger
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| posted on 30/10/12 at 11:01 AM |
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You may struggle to get a halfords jack under the car. I cant even get one under my astra, never mind my tiger.
I have a clarke low level jack, wasn't cheap but very lightweight.
I have used a set of £15 axle stands for many years with no problems.
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Staple balls
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| posted on 30/10/12 at 11:41 AM |
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I've got some of the clarkes 3t axle stands, cheap as you like and have never slipped or worried me, even when doing unspeakable things, like
having both ends of a car off the ground at the same time.
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vanepico
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| posted on 30/10/12 at 01:18 PM |
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i offered to service a mate's car if he put some cash into the tools, then i can keep the tools for when/if i get the kit to build. Not sure how
heavy it is but it is a honda hr-v
EDIT:Oh, wikipedia says it is 1.3 tonnes, i'd only be doing oil and brake pads so wouldn't really be going underneath it
[Edited on 30/10/12 by vanepico]
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 30/10/12 at 02:58 PM |
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Personally I would never use the cheap folding axle stands, they look like too much of a liability though I guess they are easier to store.
I've had a pair of Halfords axle stands (yellow ones) for years and they have taking a pounding with no problem at all.
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maccmike
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| posted on 30/10/12 at 05:14 PM |
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I had some left over wood.
8x2 inch.
Made a box, well three actually.
Work perfect and non slip or metal damaging 
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steve m
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| posted on 30/10/12 at 06:11 PM |
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I still have the axle stands, i got for a birthday about 35 years ago,
we as a family know of two disasters
Yet even now if i do use them, i still put an old wheel, or some blocks of 3x6 under the car, just in case !
My family know of two disasters, must of been 30 + years ago, of axle stands moving, and trapping somone under the car,
first was my Dr's next door neighbour, about 75yards from my house, and my trolley jack was the first under the car, to get this guy out, (yet
he died there)
Second was just down the road into town, and turned out to be the father of a friend i went to school with, and he also died under the car
I now, think very carfully were and how, when getting under a car, and safety is paramount!
Steve
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macc man
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| posted on 30/10/12 at 07:05 PM |
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I made a pair when I was an apprentice. I think I over engineered them but 30 years on still going strong. You would not find any that well made in a
shop.
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vanepico
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| posted on 31/10/12 at 07:29 PM |
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Hmm that hasn't exactly instilled me with confidence! But draper, and a whole heap of time and common sense, it is then!
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MikeR
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| posted on 1/11/12 at 12:04 AM |
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When ever I go under the car I always make sure its on the axles and then i put the jack back in - why not have something else in their to take the
weight if something gives, just make sure its not taking the weight. I'll also put the wheels I take off the car under it. Who cares if they get
damaged if they save your life?
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mark chandler
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| posted on 1/11/12 at 12:26 AM |
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I have a pair of big commercial ones with large footprints, through away the cheap ones years ago after one folded when my car shifted a bit as
follows:-
Put the front of my rover SD1 on to ramps, then jacked up and placed upon axle stands, I have now lifted the only wheels that brake the car, it
started to shift as i tried to release the gearbox bung, shot out quickly, cheap stands folded and the car rolled backwards until the rear wheels hit
the ground. 
As above, when you take off a wheel shove it under as well and leave the trolley jack in place, just release the load.
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daviep
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| posted on 1/11/12 at 01:21 AM |
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I have a whole variety of stands, a normal tripod pair with locking pin, a four footed pair with ratchet and a big commercial set, but my favourite
props are large wooden blocks, the largest set are 18"x18"x24" and then various smaller sets which can be stacked if needed. They
don't wobble, they dont have any tendancy to slip, they don't damage underseal. If I want to go really high then they are quite safe laid
on their side with axle stands on top.
Cheers
Davie
“A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone.”
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snapper
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| posted on 1/11/12 at 06:32 AM |
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I always leave the jack under as well as stands and chock 2 wheels
A bit of care and common sense
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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cliftyhanger
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| posted on 1/11/12 at 07:16 AM |
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I have started using a pair of wheels under the car as well as axle stands. They are incredibly strong vertically, but if the car gets a sideways
nudge, they have little stability. Obviously the situation gets worse the higher they are, and the smaller the footprint of the stands. The pair of
wheels is a handy bit of insurance.....
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PSpirine
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| posted on 1/11/12 at 10:47 AM |
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I've got cheap axle stands and they don't fill me with any confidence.. I double up though by leaving the jack in place just taking the
weight, and always put any wheel I take off under a sill.
Don't fancy getting crushed by a broken car (otherwise why would I be lifting it!)
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vanepico
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| posted on 5/11/12 at 07:06 PM |
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To my work today I got delivered a heck of a lot of cardboard.... and a jack and pair of draper axle stands were inside  Might have to make a
cardboard fort in the house now!
They are the ratchet sort and seem plenty strong enough, they managed to hold my pathetic 60kg frame!
So next on the agenda is a nice set of spanners/sockets. Was going to get a halfords set but I don't think I could justify spending £100 on a
massive toolbox and have nowhere to store it! I'll check drapers site again!
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perksy
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| posted on 5/11/12 at 09:25 PM |
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Have 2 sets of axle stands that were handmade years ago, i cut the steel and a mate who is a coded welder put them together for me
As others have said though i always try and leave a jack under the car aswell
Bloke on the otherside of town from me died a few years ago when his Jag slowly crushed him due to the trolley jack he had under the car slowly coming
down, Sadly he didn't have any axle stands under it 
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T66
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| posted on 5/11/12 at 09:55 PM |
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Costco sell a nice low profile trolley jack for about £80
My Saab was tight for jacks and the Costco jack went under it no bother.
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vanepico
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| posted on 5/11/12 at 10:03 PM |
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On these draper ones it says you should not use more than two axle stands at one time, I'm not sure why this is, maybe it is to stop it falling
off forwards or backwards
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BangedupTiger
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| posted on 5/11/12 at 10:24 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by T66
Costco sell a nice low profile trolley jack for about £80
My Saab was tight for jacks and the Costco jack went under it no bother.
It weighs 43kg
I went to buy one, but was just too heavy, so went for a 10kg clarke one.
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stevebubs
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| posted on 5/11/12 at 10:48 PM |
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Triply cautious here - if I'm under the car, it's on axle stands with the wheels and ramps underneath with me...don't fancy being
pancaked for the sake of saving a few quid in labour...
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stevebubs
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| posted on 5/11/12 at 10:49 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by vanepico
On these draper ones it says you should not use more than two axle stands at one time, I'm not sure why this is, maybe it is to stop it falling
off forwards or backwards
Stability. If you use 4 so no wheels are on the ground, it's easier to push the car off the stands..
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