Finally - A good good jack stand for DIYers

kenchan

both posts. im not sold on these stands.

ol240z

bar
I'm like you. 4 post lift - didn't buy the ramp jack kit. I have the "jack bar" for the lift, but it was scarier to me than jacking up a car on the ground w/ traditional jack stands. In my 3 car garage, the lift is on the single stall side. When I'm working around the car (brakes, suspension, tires) rather than under it I park the car in the middle of the two stall side of the garage. These jack stands are much better because I can move around the car easier and don't have to work around the lift and the lesser space on the wall side of the lift.
They are expensive, but I see many things for my cars that cost more than $300 that aren't nearly as important (sunglasses, watches, stereo, clear bra, window tint, go fasters, etc.). If you go cheap on sunglasses and they fail you get sun in your eyes. Cheap jack stand puts a car on your chest - hmm. What also attracted me was the fact that my very first car was damaged by a pooly placed floor jack or jack stand (I don't know which), so this was a big plus for me. I couldn't repair that one time damage for $300, but I can avoid doing it myself (which hurts even more).
Personally, I don't have a lift option at the track (I see some guys with the trailers with lifts in them - aahhh the stuff of my dreams). These are really stable on paddock pavement. I no longer remove my wheels and stick them under the car for a "safety net".
I also thought the non-adjustable thing was a minus, but the stand goes in the one place it's supposed to be so you don't need to adjust it to find a spot. If you check the thread, you can see that you get really good working height when using two stands. It's surprisingly high. It's a geometry thing.

ol240z

They stack quite nicely and the base and cap interlock so it can't come off. I think there are pictures that show that on the 6th page of the rennlist thread.

Not trying to sell anybody on them - it was FYI. I googled them and found a fair amount of info. Certainly you should do your own research and make your own decisions. I was going to buy a flat top conventional stand that cost $100 each and didn't solve the jack location issue. I've always found other places to jack up my cars or put the jack stand, but the factory spot is nice b/c its out of the way of mechanicals and guess work was eliminated. BTW these are rated to ANSI standards at 4000 lbs.

kenchan

humm... okay, okay. getting warmer. and you've been using these for a while now?

i do like the convenience factor for sure especially in a tight garage. i know A LOT of folks use the rail off-set from the factory jackpoint to lift the car which can end up bending the rail amoung other things. this might be a solution for them as well as it's a no brainer!

SPOHN

I have the tray that slides between the ramps then use a bottle jack to get the car lifted and then use jack stands. Wish I had one of those air pressured bottle jacks. But I only do front and the rear separate not all four corners when on the lift.

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ol240z

I've used them at home/track and let other guys use them at the track. I must admit - I don't have a 370. That's why I started by saying I was a little out of place. I've had a Z car (at least one) since 1976. I'm a big Z fan and just wanted to share with the community. The bent rail you mention - that's what I'm talking about. The information out there is free - learn first - buy (or not) later.

SoCal 370Z

I do like the concept of one-step lift-to-stand action as it solves exactly where to position both the your jack stand and the floor jack. The problem for me is that I could never own just two—I would want four of them! Living in Southern California I am leery of how I lift my vehicles as we get earthquake rollers. These stands look safe enough to leave a vehicle on during a roller.

Rep point for find.

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ol240z

I'm trying to post a picture of how the base and cap interlock taken from the instructions on the Jackpoint web site. Don't know if it worked - internet LOFT.

ol240z

didn't work - my bad.

IDZRVIT

Me too. Four hockey pucks or similar cut with a slot accomplishes the same thing on top of a jack stand and is much, much cheaper. Although it looks like a great idea albeit expensive, I can see accidents happening if it's not properly aligned.

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SoCal 370Z

The saddle and the stand interlock into one another—there is no slippage. There is a female channel along the bottom of the saddle, and the stand has the male channel, plus the stand's receiving circular hole and the saddle seat together to guide the channel placement.

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kenchan

^^ nice info and picts. it looks like the thing's going to bend outward and drop the car but i suppose since ol240z's still alive to talk about it, it must be pretty safe.

ol240z

Another good point. But I'd be very careful about using hockey pucks with slots at the track or under hot temps. When hot they will distort and tear.
The ANSI standard (as I read it) requires that a pair of stands rated at 4000 lbs. would require the individual stand to hold 6000 lbs. ie the stands are rated at 4000 lbs. a pair but for ANSI standard the stand must hold 1.5 times the rated weight.
Also true that you have to align the stand with the cap so the cap is over the stand. However, both cap and stand surfaces are tapered to make the final adjustment and fit for you as the cap seats on the stand. (see picture above).
I understand your comments. I doubted it until I actually saw them in use and watched a couple guys trying to rock a car sitting on top of a pair.

carguy

Went to JackPoint Jackstands site and found a distributor link that lead me to these FAQ's. Thought it might be good info for those interested.

THE JACKPOINT JACKSTANDS FAQ


What are Jackpoint Jackstands made of?
Material - Jackpoint Jackstands are cast with Almag 535. Almag is a magnesium/aluminum alloy that was chosen for its greater load capacity and elasticity when compared to some less expensive aluminum alloys like 356 T6 or 319.

Cool design, how did you come up with it?
One unique design feature of the Jackpoint Jackstand is the open front. This feature allows the jack stand to fit around floor jacks while the jack is supporting a vehicle. To compensate for this opening, the casting uses varying wall thicknesses to evenly distribute load throughout the jack stand base and eliminate stress hot spots.

Another unique feature is the contoured, interlocking pad and base design. The bottom of the pad is angled to match a parallel angle in the top of the base. These parallel surfaces help align and center the base under the pad as the pad is lowered on to the based. Simultaneously, the same pad and based surfaces are contoured with matching surfaces that lock the pad in place once it is resting on the base. The load on the pad actually makes the pad more secure on the base creating a unified, secure structure to support the vehicle.

Universal Cap or Low Profile Cap, which one should I get?
Also unique to the Jackpoint Jackstands are the caps which are designed to match the jacking location on the specific vehicle. Some vehicle manufacturers use reinforced pinch welds on the unibody chassis to create the factory jacking location. Other manufacturers use a flat surface with a hole or other recessed point in the flat surface as the jacking location. The universal Jackpoint Jackstand caps are designed to accommodate these common, but different jacking configurations. The standard pad is cast with a "V" channel to accept the pinch weld type jacking location common to many vehicles.

The low profile cap has been designed to work on cars that hug the pavement and have a flat jack lift location. The low profile cap is not designed to be used on pinch weld vehicles. The standard cap is also drilled with a hole to accept a removable locating pin that secures vehicles with flat jacking locations to the cap.

How big are these stands?
Jackpoint Jackstands are 12 inches high, 16 inches wide, and 12 inches deep overall. This provides a wide and deep base that is stable and prevents tipping. Though shorter than some jack stands, Jackpoint Jackstands provide greater ground clearance when used in pairs because they support the vehicle at a location that takes advantage of geometry when the front or the back of the vehicle is supported.

How high will these stands get the car off the ground?
Working height or ground clearance of a vehicle placed on Jackpoint Jackstands will vary based on a number of factors. First, the working height will be higher for either end of the vehicle when the jack stands are used in pairs at the front or rear jacking locations of a vehicle than when four stands are used together. Second, working height when working in pairs will be higher on vehicles with shorter wheel bases than longer wheel base vehicles. Third, working height will be higher when the jack stands are used in pairs as the jacking location on the vehicle gets closer to the center of the vehicle. ALWAYS USE THE FACTORY JACKING LOCATION.

For most vehicles, the minimum working height for the vehicle's chassis will be 13 inches using the Standard "V" channel Pad and 12 inches using the Low Profile Pad. That may result in a lesser working height for components that hang from the chassis like exhaust. Some vehicles, like sport utility vehicles or full size sedans may have combined ride heights and suspension travel that will allow the tires to still contact the ground with the Jackpoint Jackstand in place. This is more likely to occur when four jack stands are used than two. It should be noted that industry standard for jack stand usage suggests jack stands be used in pairs, leaving two wheels on the ground. Properly located, Jackpoint Jackstands provide greater working height and maximum stability when used according to industry standard and that is the recommended application for best results.
With two Jackpoint Jackstands in place, working height at the lifted end of the vehicle will range from 12 to 23 inches.

Will this work with my floor jack?
Critical dimensions for floor jack clearance are:
Jack lift pad - 3-5 inches in diameter
Widest part of jack lifting arm - 5.5 inches
Widest part of jack's wheels, roller, or handles at the front of the jack or back 10 inches from the front of the jack - 11.6 inches.

Suggestions for vehicles using the Low Profile Pad:
Locating Pin - the locating pin is used for vehicles with a flat jacking surface as opposed to a pinch weld. The pin is removable and can be replaced if it is damaged during use. The pin is made of 6061 aluminum which is fairly soft. The purpose for selecting this material was to allow the pin to be damaged instead of the cap or vehicle if the pin isn't properly aligned with the hole in the vehicles jacking location. If the pin becomes damaged, it should be replaced.
Cap insulator - Jackpoint Jackstands come with a urethane rubber insulator. The insulator is designed to insulate the vehicle from metal to metal contact between the pad and the vehicle when the stands are in use. However, the insulator also provides greater friction and reduces slippage compared to metal to metal surface contact. It is, therefore, a part of the Jackpoint Jackstand that improves the secure structure for supporting the vehicle. The insulator will wear out with use and may tear when used on certain types of vehicles. This is normal and the insulator should be replaced if it becomes severely worn or damaged.
My brushed stand has some scratches in it, how do I get rid of them?
The brushed finish on the Jackpoint Stand is beautiful but can be prone to scratching. We suggest a foam sandpaper block with a fine grit to help remove surface scratches.

Will this stand work on my SUV/Crossover?
Due to the nature of some suspension designs and vehicle ride heights, we do not suggest the Jackpoint Jackstand be used on a raised vehicle or a vehicle with long suspension travel.

CBRich

For everyone saying that your jack stands with wood or hockey pucks work fine I think you're missing the point. These are designed so that you can jack the car from the pinch weld and then insert the stand. Thus the open face.