Jacking up a carrier

[servicepub (RIP)]

How's this for an idea?

[Richard Farrant]

Having worked on flat bottomed armoured vehicles in government workshops, I can say that we would not use stands, timber blocks being order of the day. If the vehicle was nudged, it would just move on the blocks, but on stands, being metal to metal, it would likely slide off. Another point is with a thin armour floor it puts a point loading at the point of the stand.

[Phil Waterman]

Originally Posted by servicepub;186A293

How's this for an idea?

Hi All

Great photo Clive, I've got one those jacks it was in my HUP when I bought the HUP many years ago. Thing must weigh close to 200 LBS. As to the rest of what they were up to must have been a story.
Cheers Phil

[David Dunlop]

I noticed your comment about putting rubber between the blocks and hull to protect the paint. If you plan on having the carrier sit on the blocks for some time, I would replace the rubber with cotton waste. Over time and under pressure, the chemicals in the rubber can react with the paint and the paint will stick to the rubber when you get around to removing the blocking from under it.

Also, my Father in law worked for many years in the Transcona Railway Shops in Winnipeg. Whenever they had to jack up a steam locomotive (steam jacks in the day), they put a wad of cotton waste on the top of the jack to prevent any metal to metal slippage from happening.

David

[Lauren Child]

Much like Richard, when we're working on the bigger stuff there isn't much that beats a big lump of wood. It spreads the load over a wide area and provides a good amount of friction to prevent slippage or movement.

[motto (RIP)]

I suppose everyone is a bit skittish about saying it as forum members are no doubt smarter than the average bear but under no circumstances should bricks or breeze blocks be used to support any vehicle at any time let alone something as heavy as a UC no matter how pressing the job.
Common sense cannot be relied upon as it is becoming less common in the population at large and so the compulsion to state what would be innate knowledge to most.
Wooden blocks cannot be beaten for supporting a vehicle under most circumstances although axle stands are very good.
Over the years I have found that the red-gum posts used in Australian suburban fences are an excellent source of material when cut to length and still can't help picking them up when I come across them.

David

[Hans Mulder]

X2 on the reccomendation against bricks. I have seen cinderblocks disintegrate under weight...

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by motto

....Over the years I have found that the red-gum posts used in Australian suburban fences are an excellent source of material when cut to length and still can't help picking them up when I come across them.

David

Was there wire connecting those posts at the time of collection? Or more accurately, an electric service wire running to the address behind the fence posts?

[chris vickery]

After reading through this posts, maybe I missed it but one should never, ever work on a vehicle that is supported on a jack or jackstands.
The blocks as described are the best, making sure that the load has been released from the jack and is bearing solely on the cribbing.
Another area that is often ignored is the substrate. While maybe not quite so worrysome in your garage, jacking loads outdoors often has its own challenges.
As was pointed out previous, make sure the fround you are working on is solid, preferably concrete. Soil, grass, gravel and even asphalt tend to give.
I have seen all too often where guys will lift a load with a jack and toss a block under the frame "just in case". Many times the load hovering above the block. This is foolhardy because if the jack slips, rolls, get nudged etc the "safety" block may fail to catch the load on the way down, get split, dislodged or otherwise be pushed aside.
The company I work for moves loads (mainly jack and slide) often in excess of 200-400t so I have a bit of an idea....

[motto (RIP)]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

Was there wire connecting those posts at the time of collection? Or more accurately, an electric service wire running to the address behind the fence posts?

The red gum fence posts I refer to would be well known to Australians in Victoria and New South Wales. They are approximately 3"x 5" in section and around 8 feet long with six feet of that above ground. They are notched for the attachment of three rails. The notch is the logical place to cut them into blocks. They normally rot through at ground level though it may take 40 years before they fail. The remaining post above ground is usually in excellent condition and so well worth retrieving when a fence is replaced.
We don't normally have power connected to our suburban fences though in some parts that wouldn't be a bad idea.

David