Is my working area safe?

[krazy]

Hi all,

I'm fairly new to wrenching and I'm looking for feedback on whether my outdoor setup seems safe.

I have a gravel driveway area in my backyard where I want to jack my car up and go underneath safely (i.e. pull a transmission, diff, etc).

In my opinion, I'd say this patch of driveway is 'very flat', however it's still not a perfectly poured concrete garage floor, and is also covered in small gravel.

I jacked up my car and gave it the 'shake test'. I shook it hard as hell. As hard as I could without getting a running start. And everything actually felt really solid. But, I'll admit I noticed very minor flex in things (perhaps because all of it is sitting on wood, on gravel, and on a not-absolutely-perfectly flat patch). Maybe this is normal even on perfect concrete?

At a maximum, the slope in this area doesn't seem to be more than ~2% over any stretch.

I'm using 4x '3 ton' HF steel jack stands to support a 1.5 ton overall car. The jack stands are placed on 12" x 12" x 3/4" pressure treated plywood, on the gravel.

Below is a picture of the driveway area in question, with the car up on the jack stands. Also, I took pictures of my 9" level placed in the middle of the 12" plywood base under each jack stand. I superimposed both directions in each photo.






Thoughts on whether this seems safe? My backup plan was to build wooden wheel cribs for each tire. I assume the larger surface area and more solid construction would be safer, hopefully in spite of the imperfect ground. Or maybe there's another recommendation that would work? (Perhaps some style of ramps?)

Thanks!

[Shock(/\)ave]

We unfortunately have a similar work area with limestone screenings being our work surface. We used to leave the floor jack in place and use a jack stand or two just like you have, and have recently switched to using Rhino Ramps.

Put a couple of wheels under the car and you'll be fine as long as you use common sense, and don't use a breaker bar without being fully aware of the direction and potential consequences of the force you're applying.

[krazy]

Ah, I was wondering about Rhino Ramps on this kind of work surface. I assume you just put some plywood underneath them? It works out well? Do the ramps slip at all, given the wide surface area?

[Shock(/\)ave]

Ah, I was wondering about Rhino Ramps on this kind of work surface. I assume you just put some plywood underneath them? It works out well? Do the ramps slip at all, given the wide surface area?

No plywood is necessary if you're careful; plywood could actually cause them to slip when you're driving up them. They'll dig in a bit at the front, and will sink if it rains while the car is on them, but they're definitely very secure.

[dnguyen1963]

You can't never be careful enough. Put cinder blocks under the wheels to give you more protection and have the floor jack supporting your work area. If a friend is available, buy him a few beers to keep an eye on the car.

[bradmer]

What these guys said. ^^ Safety first, put something in addition to the jacks that is thicker than you are.

OP that doesn't look to far out of level, if possible, grab a shovel, 4 stakes, some string and a line level. Start at the highest point and level the string around all four sides an area just larger than your car. Fill it in up to the line with 3/4" minus cut stone and Bob's your uncle. You shouldn't have to tempt fate every time you check the underside of your car.

[TobyB]

I crawl under stuff that's scarier looking than that daily.

So I think it's fine.

But that's me.

t

[MR E30 325is]

I crawl under stuff that's scarier looking than that daily.

So I think it's fine.

But that's me.

t

Yeah, that's not really that bad at all.

But, if you are doing some serious wrenching (i.e. breaker bar stuff), I'd definitely add a bit more protection as outlined above.

[nrubenstein]

I'm more concerned about the crappy jack stands than the surface. It's pretty routine to work on cars on gravel at race tracks.

[Kershaw]

I wouldn't even call that slightly sketchy. Looks good to me.

I always give the car 2 good shakes from opposite points if I'm getting under the car.

[ForcedFirebird]

Looks fins to me. I have bench pressed automatic transmission is worse conditions - if you gave the car a good shake, then it shouldn't go anywhere. Only thing I would suggest is putting some scrap 2x10's or 2x12's under the plywood - specially being outside. Plywood glue turns to nothing in the moisture unless it's PT/marine.

I'm more concerned about the crappy jack stands than the surface. It's pretty routine to work on cars on gravel at race tracks.

I have found jack stands are jack stands, unless you have something vintage with hitch pins (I have a few sets of 20+yr old stands :)), if made in China, and all are about the same (his appear to be cast iron, not the junk aluminum HF has).

[e30davie]

If you take a wheel off, put it under the sill of your car. next to where it came off. Then no matter what happens you will hopefully be saved by either the wheel hitting the ground or the chassis hitting the wheel.

We have all gotten under cars we probably shouldn't have. Someone died locally not that long ago by a car falling on him, so it does happen....

[dnguyen1963]

One of my employees lost his brother when the car fell on him. You don't want to be the next one. All these talks about "crawling under the car when it is not properly supported" can get you killed. Take an extra 15 min to give the car all the support it needs is worth it.

[efficient]

I've pulled out a motor just the way you have it set up but it was soft dirt. Pain in the ass to move the cherry picker myself but I got it done.

[estoguy]

I wouldn't even call that slightly sketchy. Looks good to me.

I always give the car 2 good shakes from opposite points if I'm getting under the car.

Same thought here. If the car is on solidly, wrench away!