24 replies to this topic

[OllyD]

Hello my cheeky chappys!

Are axle stands essential in a strip down? Could i not just prop something solid under there instead? it seems a bit odd paying out for something that doesn't seem to have any obvious benefit over.... well, bricks. I'm a bit strapped for cash,so trying to cut the flab wherever i can.


Also, if i do need them, do i need four or two? I know stupid question, but they only seem to be sold in pairs. Again, purse strings!

Thanks!

[monkey]

i dont know, but this is just my common sence talking here...i assume that axle stands are alot safer than bricks... unless your gonna cement the bricks together... because bricks wobble and never done a full strip down, if your gonna take it down to a totally bare shell ur prob gonna need 4... for the sake of 15quid for a pair, its hardly that much cash to make sure your gonna be safe when crawling under there!

[Alburglar]

it's a simple principle of safety. Axle stands are made to take load and rated for weight ie 2ton. they have a wide base and smaller top, making them unlikely to fall over. Whereas bricks could split topple, slip, crumble and then you might end up dead. If you're gonna do simple jobs like a wheel change then chucking some old steel rims under there would be better than bricks, but a complete strip requires either axle stands or a home made car trolley (beefy box section frame on wheels)

[OllyD]

Fair enough. Thanks for the help guys, figured it was best to check before i got squished for being tight!

[Guess-Works.com]

Recently I've been using pallets...

[Big_Adam]

mine only cost like £10 draper ones. not too bad and i used them a bit

[OllyD]

I'm hunting for bargains on ebay! Will it matter if i have 2 sets of different make? Do they use a standard height for all axle stands? Would it make a difference if the front ones were lower than the back ones for instance?

[Big_Adam]

try hunting around the family. might have an uncle or somthing with a rusty set in the shed.

[steveobennet]

i must be the bodge mans as i'm using sleepers (the stuff that goes under the railways) and some breeze blocks! though i am thinking of investing in a decent set of axle stands......

[lastmanshooting]

i must be the bodge mans as i'm using sleepers (the stuff that goes under the railways) and some breeze blocks! though i am thinking of investing in a decent set of axle stands......

i dont know about anyone else but ive never tried driving me mini wile DEAD could be a tadge difficult

[Pickup]

Hi,

Back after a long time away (no I wasn't in jail).

Sleepers (as in the old railway kind) or other chunky bits of wood work for me. DON'T use bricks or blocks they can (and do) crack or crumble (with little or no warning).

Ideally all four should be matched but normally it isn't crucial if you use different stands font-to-rear but both the front ones should be a matched pair and the rear ones a matched pair.

HTH

[pikey7]

I think it depends on what you're gonna be supporting with them. If you're talking about the whole car, then really you should consider your safety first, rather than going cheap and killing yourself. A set of 4 axle stands isn't that much in the scheme of things, and if you pick up a length of 2x4" from B&Q, and chop it in half, then you can stand the whole thing on that to spread the weight on the body (stand it on the 2x4s on the front bulkhead "seam" and on the rear subframe mounting panel under the seat.

If you are just going to be supporting the weight of the shell, then I can really reccomend a trolley. Not a shopping trolley, but you know the sort of thing that the stackers around Tescos annoy you with...? Chop all the sides off, and put the shell on that. It makes it really easy to manouver if you have limited space. If you talk with your local supermarket manager, they may be able to help out with an old one. (I was lucky getting one, and if you aren't starting for a couple of weeks(ish!), you can have mine! If you're close... and have a big estate car! )

However, even then, a pair of axle stands are very handy when you take out the subframes. It gives you some "fixed" parts to manouver things around.

[Yeti]

Hey i was short on stands for a while, but we had some huge cuts of a tree, they were will seasoned and where about 12" high by 18" wide..... not the sort of thing you have lying around, but i use them with my axil stands now, if the stands fail the wood will catch it..... and if the wood begins to fail, i'll hear it....


Yeti



PS thinking about it...... it may of been a dumb idea, get axil stands, they come in usefull, look in the local free ads, once you have finished with them, clean em and sell em on for what you paid....

[taffy1967]

You can probably get a good cheap axle stand set from Halfords I should imagine? But yes invest in a set as you'll find they'll come in useful for all sorts of jobs, including greasing the suspension etc.

[Big_Adam]

Hello my cheeky chappys!

who you calling cheeky.

*leeers meancingly.*