Several people use jack stands to lift their cars from the ground due to their longer lifespan of over a decade. In addition, they are durable due to their weight handling limits and various styles.
How Often Do Jack Stands Fail? The jack stands do not fail often because they can last for 15 to 25 years, bottle hydraulic jack stands last for 25 to 35 years, and trolley jacks last for 10 to 25 years. However, more weight, instability, factory faults, and incorrect adjustment cause their failure.
They are appealing due to their extended lifespans and extraordinary performance to withstand vehicle loads. However, poor maintenance and lack of cleaning can result in their failure.
Why would jack stands fail?
Different factors can cause their failure, and they cannot perform properly. The following are a few reasons that can cause sudden failure.
More weight
The jack stands for a car have specific weight handling limits. They can withstand a particular weight range due to their specificity and style.
You cannot overload them with heavier automobiles because it can break them. Due to overloading, they fail due to sudden collapsing.
The car frame releases the entire weight on them, and they vibrate abruptly before failure. Due to heavy loads, the weight does not distribute equally.
Another reason for failure is their incorrect adjustment under the vehicle frame. For example, you cannot fit a floor jack option under those automobiles which are not liftable from underneath the frame.
The incorrect use can add additional strain on them, and they collapse suddenly, which causes accidents. In addition, their incompatible options can cause failure because they cannot support the vehicle frame.
You can avoid their sudden collapsing by following the standard weight ranges.
Instability on ground
They have a base with a particular width. Moreover, their base can stabilize them on the ground without vibrational effects.
Due to their stability, they can hold the weight of different automobiles. However, on bumpy grounds, you cannot stabilize them, which reduces the vehicle’s stability.
A few people adjust them on soft surfaces. In such conditions, they can sink into the surface, which decreases their stability.
Also, it can lead to their failure and collapse. They can cause injuries due to their sudden breakdown.
Furthermore, you can stabilize them on the leveled grounds. You can avoid the concrete grounds and use the floors of your residential or commercial garage.
Incorrect adjustment under the car frame
You cannot lift a car with jack stands until you fit them correctly under the frame. You cannot leave the loose bolts and screws because it reduces their efficiency.
Due to the lack of attachment to automobile frames, they can undergo sudden failures. It is one of the most severe conditions because it can cause life-threatening injuries.
Moreover, you cannot move underneath the automobile frame right after attaching them. Also, you cannot apply additional force to lift the automobile from the floor.
Additional force can cause their failure, and they can collapse immediately.
Low-quality
The jack stands have specific manufacturing materials to hold and stabilize the weight of distinct automobiles. However, a few manufacturers use low-quality steel to make them.
As a result, they cannot handle the excessive load and suddenly break down. Factory defects and low-quality manufacturing materials are the significant reasons for multiple failures.
Moreover, their incorrect assembling leads to loose bolts. As a result, they cannot fit underneath the automobile frame and undergo sudden damage.
To reduce the problems, you can examine them and remove their defects. Due to factory defects, they undergo degradation over the years.
Furthermore, their improper storage can increase their failures, and you cannot use them to lift the automobile. Their degradation with time can reduce their strength, and their base weakens.
What is the lifespan of jack stands?
The jack stands for the cars are durable due to their design. They can last for several years due to their weight-holding capacity and stability.
However, they have different categories according to their designs and frame-handling properties. A few are standard for specific cars according to their weights.
Moreover, you can stabilize the vehicle on them for several hours and even months. Their average lifespan is about 15 to 25 years.
They can increase the load height but cannot hold it for months. The hydraulics are their part to protect them from sudden failures due to load strain.
The bottle hydraulic jacks are effective for lifting cars, which comprise a standard weight. You can use them by regulating the pump with a lever.
They can withstand excessive loads without vibrations. The hydraulics jack stands can last for 25 to 35 years.
Due to their versatility, you can select them with different weight handling limitations. In addition, due to their compact sizes, you can use them inside residential garages for standard vehicles.
The trolley jack stands have distinct weight handling capacities. In addition, you can use them for low-height automobiles due to their manufacturing style.
However, they are portable due to several options and distinct base widths. In addition, they comprise steel as their manufacturing material.
Also, they are spring regulated, with an average lifespan of nearly 10 to 25 years. The 2-post lift jack stands are available for cars due to their optimized efficiency and longer lifespan.
They can last for more than a decade with proper cleaning and maintenance. You can stabilize them for several years by adjusting the correct load strain on them.
Four-post lift options are long-lasting and can last for 15 to 24 years. However, their durability decreases according to their type of use and maintenance.
Due to their frequent use, they cannot last for a decade due to surface and internal cracks.
Is jack stand failure dangerous?
The weight of a standard car is about 3000 to 4000 pounds. However, their weight increases according to the vehicle layout and cabin facilities.
The damaged and failed jack stands cannot support the weight of automobiles. In such circumstances, their weight handling range reduces, and the frame loses stability.
It can fall on the ground with sudden pressure, which damage the frame. In these circumstances, their failure can injure the person underneath the car’s body.
According to various surveys, failed jack stands can harm around 5500 individuals in a year across the USA.
They cannot safely lift the vehicle, and sudden frame falling can cause accidents. In addition, due to their faults, their base becomes flat on the ground.
Also, their sudden collapse can cause irreversible vehicle damage. Their failure is a dangerous situation that can affect the individual under the automobile.
Their incorrect adjustment can affect the frame of an automobile. In addition, a few metallic parts can bend due to incorrect weight distribution for several hours.
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