Homemade Jack Stands

My car requires a maintenance procedure that makes it necessary to raise the car off of the floor, but also to keep it level. A set of ramps supports the front wheels. I made a set of jack stands to support the rear of the car at just the right height for the car to be level. The floor jack in the photo was used only to place the jack stands.

Step 1: Take a Reading With a Level

I opened the door and took a reading with a level to note the position of the bubble.

Step 2: Raise and Level the Car

I raised the front of the car with ramps. I raised the rear of the car with the floor jack seen in the Introduction photo until the bubble on the level rested in the same place as in Step 1. I measured from the factory designated jack point to the floor to determine the height my jack stands needed to be.

Most jack stands are adjustable for height. I need my jack stands for a specific purpose and decided to simplify making them by making them a fixed height with no adjustment.

Step 3: Prepare Tubing

I bought some 3 1/2 inch steel tubing at a junk yard. It is at least 3/16 of an inch thick, so it is very sturdy. I marked and made three slits around the circumference of the tubes. The slits are equa-distant from one another to divide the circumference in thirds. Each slit is a little longer than the leg portion of the finished jack stand. Because the tubes had been cut with a cutting torch at the junk yard, I would need to do some trimming and needed a little extra length for that.

Step 4: Heat for Bending

I used my 220 volt welder and my homemade carbon arc torch to heat 1/3 of a tube for a bend. (See: https://www.instructables.com/id/Make_a_carbon_arc_torch_for_your_220_volt_stick_we/ ) I heated the steel until it was very nicely red. I heated and bent each leg on both stands.

Step 5: Pull the Leg

I actually did this project about eight years ago. The braces between the legs seen in this photo were not yet in place. I grabbed the end of the tube for the leg I had heated and pulled with a gloved hand. I expected I would have to reheat some of the legs to get the same amount of pulled angle on each, but did not. I grabbed the end of the heated section and pulled until it would not pull more. Each leg was at very nearly the same angle when I finished heating and pulling them one at a time.

Again, the ends of my tubes were ragged from a cutting torch. Next I marked where to cut so all three ends would be quite even with one another and I cut them with an angle head grinder fitted with a cutting disc. These jack stands have three legs. Even if one leg is slightly longer than another, the jack stand will still be stable. But, do try to get them as even as possible so the weight of the car is shared equally by each leg.

Step 6: Add Braces for Strength and Safety

I had some strap iron about 1 1/2 inches wide and almost 3/16 inch thick. I marked and cut pieces to weld between the legs for bracing.

Step 7: Finish

I stood both jack stands on the floor and measured to the desired height I wanted, which was 19 3/8 inch. I cut excess from the top so the stands were both at my desired height.

The jack points on my car are covered with finished automotive sheet metal and paint. I did not want to make a mess of the finish, so I made a fiberboard interface for my jack stands. I made two plywood discs equal in size to the inside diameter of the steel tubing. then I attached a piece of fiberboard. The disc is offset so I can push the jack stands under the car as far as possible until they rest against a seam in the body sheet metal.

I feel very safe under my car when it is supported by my ramps and my homemade jackstands.

Comments

[Beagles]

I've never been a fan of those three legged stands, especially if your surface is not level. Pictured are some stands I made almost fifty years ago, long before all those Asian made stands flooded the market. I measured some in a store and came home and made my own. All the materials were obtained from a scrapyard. The key to the construction is the slip fit of the square tubing that was used.

[hoseinamor]

hi
It is a good method, but there may be problems in the welding points and the possibility of breaking the base from these points is very high.

[Phil B]

A good weld is stronger than the steel in the pieces welded. If it is not good grind it out and do it over.

[hoseinamor]

Yes, of course, Thank you, Very much

[Phil B]

Thank you. Mine did work well for the time I needed them. I have always like things with three legs because they are always stable, even on rough or uneven surfaces.

[hachhouchmahmoudi55]

I'm very satisfied with this informative thread

[TinKicker]

Does ANYBODY still sell the metal ramps like you have? I've got a set from years ago, but I'd like to find another. Good job on the stands!

[Phil B]

The ramps in the photo are nearly 35 years old.  But, as you indicate, I have not seen ramps in the places that usually sell them for quite a while.  Perhaps it is because cars are lower and longer at the front than before.  The ramps shown do not allow me to drive onto them.  I have to jack the wheels and slide the ramps under the wheels.  Finally I made my own longer and lower ramps.  See:

https://www.instructables.com/id/Ramps-for-a-Low-Car/

[georion]

i just use 4 concrete blocks-2 on each side

[Phil B]

See my comment to unaffiliatedperson. There are some safety concerns with concrete blocks.

[unaffiliatedperson]

are cinder bloxs ok?

[Phil B]

A site on jack safety says never to use cement or cinder blocks because they can shatter under load. The site is at: http://ohioline.osu.edu/aex-fact/192/pdf/0192_1_63.pdf There may be other helpful sites, too. But, I remember leaning somewhere not to use cinder blocks.

[Bardouv]

interesting. I showed this to my father and to my surprise, he ran down to the basement and pulled out a pair of jack stands he made 20 years ago. His were adjustable though.

[Phil B]

I like your father already. I have a welding projects book that includes plans for adjustable jack stands. But, it and others I have seen call for a 5/8 inch pin with holes to match. Coincidentally I priced a 5/8 inch twist drill bit today. It was just under $14 US. I just do not drill that many holes 5/8 inch in diameter. Thanks for your interest in my project.

[l8nite]

Nice project! While you can buy stands cheaply theres something rewarding about making it yourself. I have a similar pair of ramps that the truck rolled forward and off while jacking the rear of the truck up. I bolted on a piece of 2x8, grain end up for strength, on the end giving an additional 3" of lip, it also makes it easier to ramp the car or truck by yourself w/o driving off! did that to = (

[Phil B]

Thank you. Most of the factory made stands I have seen are a lot lighter than these I made. I also like it that I could make them exactly the height I wanted. I have not put a truck on my ramps. The car tires I have had on them always stayed put. I was always concerned that I would accidentally drive off of the front end while putting the car on them. My current car is so low to the ground that I cannot drive my car onto the ramps. I need to jack the front wheels up one at a time and slide the ramps under the wheels. That solves one problem and creates a new problem.

[lemonie]

Nice work, these look just like the commercial thing (painting excepted). L

[Phil B]

Thanks. I meant to include a better photo of one standing. Oddly, step 5 gives a pretty good side view of one. They are much more sturdy than some I have seen for sale in stores. But, some from China have appeared in stores and are made from some cast parts and some welded parts. The price is so low that I am not sure I would make my own now. Still, it was a good welding project.

[lemonie]

If it breaks, you have the chain of accountability. Although you couldn't litigate against yourself...

L

[Phil B]

You are assuming I would survive the falling car and be able to crawl out from under it. In regard to your previous comment, paint has always had a low priority with me, even though painted things do look nice.