Be careful working on your car

[Manaz]

Even with an expensive trolley jack - NEVER work under a car supported by just the jack. If it's not on ramps/stands, it's not safe to be under.

[Ben J]

Rotated my tires with just the widow maker all of 30 mins ago, might have thought twice about that if id read this a bit earlier but whatever

Good to hear there no serious injury, but still definately not a nice thing to happen to anyone.

[noone]

Glad to hear you are ok.

I have done far too much work on my car relying on the jack only, I've not had any issues to date, but continuing to tempt fate is not a good idea.

Thanks for sharing...

[WABIT]

wow! scary story! this stuff really hits home with me glad your not seriously injured!!! ive had my right hand crushed before and its not a good thing to have you feel soo useless with a missing hand

dom

[Cousin]

Even with an expensive trolley jack - NEVER work under a car supported by just the jack. If it's not on ramps/stands, it's not safe to be under.

Probably the very first lesson I learnt with my first car. Working under the back with the car balanced on a jack, with no back wheels. Heard a creak of two, rolled out just in time to see the car fall off the jack flat on the ground.
HK wagon, so no light weight either.

Learnt my lesson, and made sure my son follows.

Good to hear you're relatively alright


M

[Speed]

Even with an expensive trolley jack - NEVER work under a car supported by just the jack. If it's not on ramps/stands, it's not safe to be under.

x2.
Glad your okay.
I'm even nervous being under a car on stands. Can't beat a four poster!

Probably a good time to buy a lotto ticket because your a lucky man.

[Soundofav6]

Glad to hear you are OK !!!
I was warned, the widow maker slipped on me once, luck I was well away.
I learnt my lesson, now I got myself a 3 tonne stand and always have a the jack an inch lower incase the stand fails. Before I jack up the car,I even conciously remember to have my phone in my pocket incase I am pinned under !!

Jack slipping is no funny matter.

[OilBurna]

thanks guys for all the kind comments, I can't stop thinking how lucky I was it could have potentially been a lot worse, assume widowmaker refers to the factory jack, no excuses for my lack of pre caution or stupidity but the Passat jack does not seem to be a great design it only has a small footprint with a tendency to lean to one side and must be placed carefully on the ridge on the chassis underneath the car vs Mercedes one which seems much more substantial and essentially has more of a trolley type cup on the top which is easy to fit to the right spot under the car. PMoral is to buy a decent trolley jack which i will do before doing any more tyre changing..

Once again counting my lucky stars, and I have seen cars fall off axle stands, or slowly let down with a hydaulic jack, and yes phone in pocket is very wise I was thinking about that if you were working by yourself or no one else was home etc. Another good one is to wear safety glasses especially when working on brakes and safety footwear i.e steel capped boots.

[The_Hawk]

I keep eyeing off some of the hoists you can buy for around the $3k mark... Maybe a little expensive to put into your garage (and you have to watch how high up they go), but for safety and ease of access... I want one

Plan B is to keep an eye out in the trading post. They come up from time to time on the cheap, only problem being you usually have to remove and move them yourself.

[OilBurna]

true and depends on the height of your garage etc and room, there is a guy forgotten his name that sells 2nd hand ones on the Australian LS1 and Holden Forums forums.