Sears floor jack
All cars need some work, and some of that needs to be done underneath the car, either changing the oil or installing new brake pads. Here are some tips to do it safely in your own driveway.
Jacks. There is a number of ways to get a car off the ground. The absolute best way for an individual to pick up a car in his own driveway is a hydraulic floor jack and jackstands. There is some modest expense involved, but staying out of the emergency room is priceless.
In the bad old days of the 60's and 70's bumper jacks were popular and cheap. However, it was almost guaranteed that a car was going to fall on you. When bumper jacks went out of fashion, screw jacks and bottle jacks were popular, along with piles of timber and concrete blocks to hold a car up. These devices all suffered from small footprints and the tendency of the car to move around. Then ramps became popular, and was somewhat more stable, but cars can and do roll off of them.
Floor jacks. A hydraulic floor jack has a larger footprint than those other jacks, and have the advantage of getting your car off the ground quickly and easily. You can get them rather cheaply, Sears has a 2 ½ ton model for fifty bucks. That is adequate for most cars and small pickups. Add 2 jackstands for 25 bucks and you're in the car repair business.
Using them safely. Lets start by saying “Be Careful!”. Cars are really heavy, and you don't want that thing to squash you. Also it is a good idea to have another human being on the premises in case you come to some kind of grief. However, I've been jacking up cars in the driveway for forty years or better, and can report that it can be done without drama.
Concrete is the best surface to work on, however not everyone has that luxury. Gravel can be done, but is a little tougher to move the jack around. Blacktop gets soft in warm weather and the jacks and stands can sink into it. The yard is doable, but you will probably need to bring along your own plywood floor.
To jack up the car, set the parking brake and push the floor jack under it and find some nice solid part of the subframe. This is usually the solid part that holds the engine or rear suspension. Place the jackstands along the sides of the car. There are ridges that run the length of the car for your car's emergency jack that are sturdy enough to hold the car up. Let the car back down onto the jackstands and let them hold the car up. Then shake the car to make sure it's going to stay there. I always like to leave the floor jack under there somewhere as an added safety, but don't depend on it alone! When hydraulics fail, they fail instantly.
When you're done, you will have to pick the car back up to get the jackstands out. Remember, let the jackstands take the load, that is what they are meant to do. The floor jack is just to get the car up and down. Never use it alone!
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