A funny thing happened last sunday

"themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles" (themanwithsauce) 12/05/2013 at 12:41 • Filed to: Humor, Safety, Bierwagen, Rant

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Before I begin this, I just want to make it clear that I have seen doctors about this incident and no lasting damage was found to anything besides my pride and really that only suffered a small dent. With that being said, this starts last Sunday, the 1st of December. I drive a 1998 jetta as my daily beater and had heard an exhaust leak on my way back home after the thanksgiving holiday. I decided to give it a quick look and see what parts I needed to buy. That almost got much more expensive than I ever could've planned.

On sunday morning, I got up, got dressed, and resolved to take a look at the exhaust before getting distracted and forgetting about it entirely. I threw a jack underneath the rear and threw a stand under the driver's rear corner. All wheels were left on so I just had some space underneath the car to take a look at it up close. I had found the pipe disconnected after the catalytic converter and played around for a bit to decide what parts I should get and i I should get a whole new system or just the bolt-on cat. I then hear a small creak and groan.

After that, I am pinned to the ground by 3000lbs of jetta landing on my head. This is actually a bit of an exaggeration for two reasons - 1) The car still had all four wheels on so when it "fell" on me, the suspension and tires were supporting the majority of the weight. 2) The frame rail lip was what "connected" with me. The very rusty, notoriously flimsy frame rail lip. Please look at the picture below for why this, in hindsight, wasn't as fatal as it probably should've been.

So now I'm stuck and screaming my head off. I really can't describe the panic in words because I can barely fathom just how bad it is after going through it. It hurt, yes, but the pain was only on par with dental work. It was the fear of being stuck there long enough for actual damage to occur. I was on flat concrete but in my mind, images of the car somehow rolling or me not being seen by one of my neighbors pulling in were filling my head. After maybe only fifteen to twenty seconds of screaming for help, I finally got my arms coordinated enough to push against the car. I thought it was foolish at the time as I was sure I was completely pinned. In hindsight, I think my neck pain was caused by me straining against the car to bend the metal back a bit more. It took a few tries, but I did eventually get free. Thirty seconds of absolute hell were over, my ear was crushed, I was bleeding from both sides of my head, all the dogs within a mile of me were barking, aaaaand......silence otherwise. Forget everything else about this ordeal, that last part will forever be my take away from this - I was pinned underneath my car by my head, screaming at the top of my lungs for help but no one even bothered to look out a window .

I pounded on my neighbor's door since I saw her car and figured she must have heard something (she's also a physical therapist). I had sat on the ground in near shock for a few minutes and when no one even asked "are you okay" I figured no one bothered to call 911 either. When she finally did come, she seemed oddly calm despite what had just happened. Turned out she hadn't heard a thing. But she did check out my ear and let me know it was still attached and in decent shape, so I had that going for me. I took a quick shower to clean up the wounds as best I could. I hadn't lost conciousness and I wasn't dizzy or having trouble thinking, but I knew better than to chance things so I drove to the hospital. Side rant - the nearest "urgent care" was over half an hour away but my insurance company makes an ER visit over twice that of an urgent care visit. But after a head injury, I'll bite the bullet when the ER is less than five minutes away vs. half an hour or more.

At this point, I'm starting to calm down a bit. My blood pressure was recorded at 140/90 after 45 minutes in the waiting room, but "I survived getting my head crushed by my car an hour ago" is a sufficient explanation for elevated blood pressure. It was actually in the little hospital room that I started to have a sense of humor about this whole situation. The medical staff didn't all appreciate it, but I had some fun with it.

Doctor #1: I heard you lost a fight with your car?
Me: Woah woah woah, let's be clear here. Unless I fractured my skull, it is a draw at worst. My car is still broken.

Doctor #2: Do you have any memory loss?
Me: Well, earlier I was answering no but given some time to rest and think about it, I do.
Doctor #2 and nurse: *gasp*! WHat? What's wrong?
Me: Well when I woke up today there were a few things I wanted to get done but after all this happened, I can't remember any of them. Funny how an ER trip can do that.
Doctor #2: ...

Doctor #1: So you were trapped underneath your car......how did you get out?
Me: I pushed
Doctor: You just pushed yourself out with brute force?
Me: Yep.
Doctor: That doesn't make sense
Me: It's not a very strong car

Nurse: (while cleaning the wounds and applying the anti-bacterial stuff) Well, the good news is as long as you avoid another blow to the head in the next week or two you should be fine. But you will probably have a headache if you don't have one already.
Me: ....I had a CAR land on my HEAD. If I don't have a headache after that either I'm horribly crippled or a superhero.
Nurse: Well you did get yourself out just fine. Maybe you have some super strength?
Me: Being resistant to damage from old german cars is an oddly specific, and useless, super power. I don't think the Justice League will consider my membership application just because a rusty jetta can't phase me.

After all that, I went home and just relaxed as best I could. The swelling and bleeding did eventually recede so I am in the clear. As I'm sure some of you have experienced first hand - I am a very hard headed individual. I now recommend that more people are hard headed. It can save your life when you least expect it. The picture below is from monday and it shows the extent of the "damage" and the only thing missing is the nice long slash on the side of my face that makes me look like a badass. I plan to hit the bar tonight and see if the combination of "badass scar" and my story of "meh, was working on my car last weekend and it fell on my head. I'm fine" will work or not.

I can only guess as to how all of this went down, but it all does come down to common sense. I probably should've used another jackstand on the side I was lifting up so that if one failed, the other would still give me some clearance. I should've double checked that I got the car into the stand correctly. I am glad that I did NOT remove the wheels and tires for a job where that was unnecessary. Remember kids - properly mounted wheels and tires are the sturdiest jack stands your car will ever see. They just don't offer much clearance. But my theory as to what happened is that the lip folded a bit, and since it was not in the notch of the stand, the weight shift caused it to slide and tip over the stand. And I ended up paying the price for it.

At the end of the day though, I got lucky. An incident that could easily have killed me if a few circumstances were different left me with a headache and some scratches. Had it been "stanced" and this happened? I'd probably be dead. If I had rock hard, zero ground clearance coilovers? Dead. Had it been in better condition with metal not likely to bend? Dead. And despite all of this? I just got a set of fender flares in and I can't wait to paint and install them. The new catalytic converter will come in next week but, having learned my lesson, I will have a professional exhaust shop that I have gone to before do it. I can attach fender flares with minimal risk to life and limb. I really don't want to be conked in the head with a rusty catalytic converter......again. Yes, accidents will happen, but I won't let that dull my enthusiasm for what I love. Wrench safe everyone.

Edit and shameless plug: If you enjoyed reading about how I almost died under an old jetta, please consider taking a moment to read some of my other articles in the neo-hipsterish series !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

For Sweden > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 12:46

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What brand of jack stands?

RyanFrew > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 12:49

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Damn - glad you're alright. That's terrifying. I'm sure 8 million people are going to comment and demand that you not get underneath your car without it being on stands only. I'll join them. Don't get under your car when it's on anything besides jack stands.

Anyways, why did it fall? Jack failed? Did it slip off the point where you put it on the stand? Terrifying story.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > For Sweden 12/05/2013 at 12:49

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Don't know. My dad gave them to me when I went off to college a few years ago but they were old when he gave them to me. No branding or anything on them.

For Sweden > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 12:52

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Do you have a technical or engineering school nearby you could take them too?

Speaking as a safety engineer, please do not treat this incident as "just something that happens" and throw the jack stands away. Get the jack stands inspected by a professional lab. Depending on where you live, I might be able to recommend one to you.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > RyanFrew 12/05/2013 at 12:53

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As I said in the end there, I think that lip on the car was not in the notch in the jack stand. That lip bent a bit and slid "into" the notch which was enough force to destabilize the stand and down it went.

I only had that stand to elevate that one corner.

RyanFrew > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 12:54

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Yeah, that was an utter reading comprehension fail on my end.

TexMex > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 12:54

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Jeez, I think that's one of all of our worst nightmares around here. Glad you made it through ok.

KB Garage > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 12:56

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WARNING
Volkswagen Jetta: Not a hat

Kugelblitz > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 12:57

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When I learned to love the jackstands.

Note-This was stupid.

Other note-I was a broke teenager.

I was doing something similar to my Mach 1 (1972) except I thought the lame assed scissors jack which came with the car would be enough. I parked the car over a drainage ditch in front of my parent's house, jacked it up and crawled under the front end. Jack failed.

Went something like this. Creaking noise. I turn my head to look at the jack, jack collapses and tranny falls right onto my face, stopping 1 cm away.

I crawled out from under the car and really scraped myself up doing it. I was fortunate that the ditch was soft earth. Man that was a bad memory.

HammerheadFistpunch > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 12:59

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Im always afraid of this, fortunatly with my truck im never too concerned because most of the time I don't need jack stands or jacks at all to get underneath there and when I do all the mounting points are pretty beefy. But the Jetta sportwagen....i will be extra cautious around her.

Gamecat235 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 12:59

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Your idea of "funny" and mine are surprisingly in line.

KB Garage > KB Garage 12/05/2013 at 12:59

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ddavidn > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 13:00

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I don't trust anything to hold my car above my head. With the stupidly low clearance, it would kill me instantly I'm sure. Always nerve-wracking to get under it, I usually use ramps and blocks. Glad you're all right.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > For Sweden 12/05/2013 at 13:02

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Well it is far more likely that my car was what failed, however that would be fun to see the strength of the metal on the car. The stand itself isn't functionally broken, although the lever to disengage them isn't the best. But the "cups" on mine aren't the biggest and they're a bit narrow. As I said to another comment on here - they're old and were free. If I'm going to continue, I figure this was the wakeup call that stands and jacks are not items to cheap out on.

When I've worked on my car at my friend's house, he's got a nice set of beefy stands with a very wide base and support section. It is very easy to use them on the subframe as a support for lifting up the front end.

Busslayer > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 13:02

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Another good reason to avoid "stance." You never know when you might need the head room.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Busslayer 12/05/2013 at 13:03

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"Ground clearance" takes on a whole new meaning when it's your head on the ground.

davedave1111 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 13:03

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That's why I always like to have something fairly solid and larger than my head on the ground next to me when I'm under the car. There's almost always something lying around that fits the bill, whether it's a lump of wood, a couple of breeze blocks, a nice strong toolbox - there'll be something. If nothing else, there's always the spare wheel.

I'm guessing it fell off the jack stand because it was on an angle instead of pushing down vertically. You should always use a pair, at least.

timateo81 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 13:04

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Not here to preach, and also only read first couple paragraphs. but seriously:

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LUCKY YOU ARE.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > For Sweden 12/05/2013 at 13:06

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Sweden, asking the questions that matter. Actually, this question does matter! I want to know as well so I know not to buy these ones!

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > HammerheadFistpunch 12/05/2013 at 13:06

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I definitely recommend using stands under points on the subframe or suspension (on the appropriate points, of course). I live in michigan so that frame lip is probably too rotten to be of use for much longer. Yes it was designed to act as a support but it being so rotten was both a factor in this happening in the first place, and what saved me from worse damage. Take a look at that top picture. THat was caused by about an inch of gravity dropping it on a very thick melon. That is supposed to be used to help support the weight of the car (according to the VW manual). After 15 years, it's no good.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > timateo81 12/05/2013 at 13:08

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My car's frame rail lip rolled a 1, but I rolled a 20 on my save.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > KB Garage 12/05/2013 at 13:11

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Makes a dandy umbrella though. It rained later that day and if I was still stuck under there, at least my face wold be mostly dry.

shpuker > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 13:11

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I refuse to use a jack stand that doesn't have this type of head to it. Far sturdier and far more consistent mounting. Glad to hear you're okay though, could've been a helluva lot worse.

Think the worst situation like this that I've been in happened while I was working at Discount Tire, co worker completely botched the lift of a newer F-150, left one side of mounts in their lowest position, one side a notch up. So as it got lifted (with me on the one side already starting on the lugs, because speed is all that mattered there) the trucks weight all shifted towards me, causing it to predictably start to slide off the lift and onto me. In an instant of panic I decided that throwing all of my weight into holding the truck from falling on me was the best idea (in hindsight I should've just booked it away from it). Shockingly the truck got held up on something (or I gained massively super human strength for a short time) and it held in place long enough to get it on floor jacks.

Yes they fired the kid that was lifting the truck.

thebigbossyboss > ddavidn 12/05/2013 at 13:12

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Same. I am about 2 inches of ground clearance. I was thinking of investing in ramps. Currently I don`t work under my car, just in the engine bay, but when I do start, I will be getting ramps.

ddavidn > thebigbossyboss 12/05/2013 at 13:16

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Make sure to also have chocks on hand.

thebigbossyboss > ddavidn 12/05/2013 at 13:19

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Are end cuts of 2x4`s and stuff good, or do they need to be actual ramp chalks?

Stupidru > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 13:22

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Glad to hear you're safe! That was a close call...

It's stories like this which is why if I ever get under the car, I jack up all 4 corners and use 4 stands.

If I have to take the wheels off, it's 4 stands PLUS each wheel laying flat on the ground underneath the doors.

ddavidn > thebigbossyboss 12/05/2013 at 13:22

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I wouldn't advise anything but actual wheel chocks. But I usually use wooden blocks, yes... Not 2x4, but more like 4x4.

HoonQueen > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 13:29

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This is my worst fucking nightmare. I'm glad you're alright.

dinobot666 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 13:37

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Are those Dunlop Graspics?

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > dinobot666 12/05/2013 at 13:39

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Don't know, grabbed a random picture off of VW vortex of a VW on stands. It isn't mine.

thebigbossyboss > ddavidn 12/05/2013 at 13:40

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For non structural sort of stuff, I just make 4x4`s by bolting two 2x4`s together. Way cheaper for stuff that doesn`t need huge structural rigidity like the cat`s perch.

ddavidn > thebigbossyboss 12/05/2013 at 13:43

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My dad's got all sorts of scraps, and I usually work on my car at his house (level gravel driveway as opposed to ~30 degree angle on mine) so I can find nice blocks there.

McLarry > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:03

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I'm always afraid of something like this happening any time I have to so much as change oil in a low car... glad it wasn't any worse.

dinobot666 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:13

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Ah. I had those on my Impreza last winter. They didn't grip as well as my General Altimax Arctics do. Glad to hear you're alive after all of this. :)

505Turbeaux > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:28

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I had an Audi 90Q bounce off my chest once and crack 3 ribs...same exact situation, except I was checking diff fluid

Fuel_of_Satan > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:28

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I thought that looked suspiciously clean for a beater. Even with that plastic cover still in place!

CarlitoBenito > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:30

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Glad you are ok dude!! Holy moly... having just changed the oil in my Dodge Dart Turbo for the first time last night... I kept thinking I need some ramps, combined with, "please don't let this Americanized Italian meatball fall on me".

The wheelbase is so short that the jack took the rear wheels off the ground. Once on jack stands + jack, the rear wheels didn't have much contact with the ground. I finished the job intact, but as soon as I started to remove the jackstands, they shifted.... I nearly pissed myself.

OzzyOnIce > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:31

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gets his head crushed, and jokes about it Gygax style. Bravo!

RiddldedTomcat > Stupidru 12/05/2013 at 14:32

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Thats a good idea with the wheels. Makes entry a little harder but still worth it.

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:33

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A couple years ago I got a smokin' deal on jack stands from Harbor Freight. Called a friend to tell him about it in case he wanted to pick some up. His response:

"Dude, if you're brave enough to get under a car held up by Harbor Freight stuff, you don't need jack stands to hold it up. You should just use use your huge balls."

DRobin78 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:35

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Ok now I'm terrified to work under my car.

Thanks a lot bro... :-P

timaishu > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:37

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This is why I always leave my jack in place even with stands. Yes the stands can hold the weight of the car, but if something were to happen, I like the idea of the jack being in place to hold the car while I scramble out. I usually set it up so the load is distributed between two stands and the jack. I give the jack a few pumps so its well connected to the car. Only then do I get under mine.

LordRae > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:37

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From Married with Children: Peggy - "Oh Al. You always do this. You get the slightest little injury and you get all whiny. Y'know, like last summer when you were changing the tires and the car fell on you? Boy, I really got a lot of sleep that night! "I can't feel my legs! I can't feel my legs!" You are such a baby sometimes! Now just go to sleep. Some of us feel okay."

Sorry it popped in my head...

Gary Yogurt > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:39

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My Sunday school teacher was a fellow named Eddie Meadows, probably one of the coolest people I've ever met. Scrappy to the last, he raced/races Corvairs (Yenko Stinger on drum brakes !) and made the news a few years ago after getting lost in a Florida swamp. In his youth—in an accident one never repeats—he had his 1957 Chevrolet up on the jack which in turn was resting on an icy road. He had the crookedest smile I've ever seen and he flashed it often.

JohnnyWasASchoolBoy > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:40

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"Side rant - the nearest "urgent care" was over half an hour away but my insurance company makes an ER visit over twice that of an urgent care visit. But after a head injury, I'll bite the bullet when the ER is less than five minutes away vs. half an hour or more."

Not to be deliberately political or trying to poke a hornet's nest but: A functioning medical system wouldn't make this a question of finances. Here in Canada, you drop a car on your head, you go to emergency. Period. Why? Because you don't have to do a time/distance/cost calculation to see what's the cheapest option.

427zeo6 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:40

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My story is better. Back in the Neadrathal days of points distributors and 4 speed manual transmissions, I owned a 1970 Cougar Eliminator (Boss 302) I was working on the wiring below the dash when I popped the " hair trigger" parking brake release, next thing I know I going for a ride down my mothers sloped driveway trying to stab the brake pedal with my hands THEN I feel the drivers side tire rolling over my right ankle.....watch the tire cross my chest and at that point I didn't give a damn about the car. I was in shock went into the house and proclaimed " my car ran over me " my older brother ( damn Mustang owner) said..NO WAY! my mother an RN observing me white as a sheet said come here sit down! I told my brother to go get my car as it had rolled into the street, I was worried it had plowed into my neighbors Cougar (69 351 Windsor 4 speed car) My brother came back into the house incredulous that my car was in the middle of the street with the keys in it....HEY his car ran him over! Took the trip to the ER no cracked ribs just a neat set of bruises in the tread pattern of Positraction Torque Twisters that I had to explain off for several weeks in High School Football and PE class. Positraction Tires now I'm really dating myself!

Gos > thebigbossyboss 12/05/2013 at 14:43

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Get some low pro ramps. The regular ones don't work. Believe me. I have to use bricks to get up on my current ones and my front bumper lip always drags on them. Also it wont be as stressful as the regular ones are really steep so you have to gun the engine (do a bit of a burnout), slam on brakes and pray to God that you did not go too far.

RiddldedTomcat > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:43

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I always use 4 stands if wheels are coming off the ground. Never just a jack

Gos > shpuker 12/05/2013 at 14:43

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I have four of these

Thunder > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username 12/05/2013 at 14:44

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Truth!

Meatcoma > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:44

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Glad to hear you are ok.

I normally jack the car up, toss stands under it, let jack down til it rests on stands and then leave the jack to catch it should something go wrong. I guess I'm just paranoid. Same reason I am getting a 2nd jack for xmas(I needed a low profile anyhow).

427zeo6 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:44

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Forgot to add now I give any car a good shake when its on jackstands before going under and also probably the reason I now own a Rotary car lift. Sad thing is my current project won't fit inside garage VW Syncro Westy which is why its sitting on ramps in my driveway.....soon to get its 1.8T GTI motor and $5K transmission installed!

ComradeSlow > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:46

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On some cars I've worked on there is an indent in that lip that is for jackstands, on others there are points on the subframe that need to be used, presumably because something like this can happen, especially as the metal ages. I always use a jack, then place jackstands and blocks, leave the jack in place and if the wheels aren't on they are laying down under the car. There is no such thing as too safe under a car, and as you experienced in this modern introverted world it's more and more likely no one even notice you screaming for help.

You've used up your get out of jail free card so be extra careful!

Hydrochloric > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:46

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Curious question, as I never hear anyone else mention this.

When I lift a car, be it on our two-post lift (lift in the garage FTW!) or on jack and jackstands, the first thing I do after getting it in the air (wheels just off the ground for the lift) is shake the ever-loving SHIT out of the car, up-down, side-side, back and forth, as hard as I can, the intent being to dislodge any dodgy placement of the supports. Once or twice it has caused everything to settle, at which point I do it all over again.

Am I the only one who does this?

TheBobmanNH > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:47

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Ha! My only scare with a car falling on me (kind of) was also with a VW. I was under my '93 Passat (many years ago) and was changing the starter. Turns out, unbenownced to me, that one of the bolts that holds the starter on is also some sort of motor mount! So when I got it sufficiently far out, the engine, which was over my head, managed to drop about 2 inches (but was luckily still held up by another mount and other stuff). So it never actually touched me, but it was close enough of a brush with death for me never to forget....

designerbation > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:47

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I usually toss the removed tires under the car frame in case something happens, not sure where I heard to do that, but (knock on wood) I haven't had to test its effectiveness. Thinking back my setups used to be so much more wreckless, glad nothing ever happened.

JoelA237 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:47

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this is why I toss a spare rim/tire under the car. Yelling coming from the garage here is normal... I would be screwed.

camotoy > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:47

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if you do take the wheels off, i always put them under the car just incase the stands fail. but good for you to actually use stands and not just rely on the jack.

beetlejuice > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:48

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Oh man, you got so lucky. This story revived an old memory of when I was a stupid teenager. Back in high school, I lifted my '71 Mustang to inspect something under the car (can't remember what it was). So figuring that it would only take a few minutes, I trusted the jack and threw myself under the car without jack stands. Well, after a couple of minutes, the jack suddenly started creaking, and I knew that was a red flag. I got out from under the car and no more than 10 seconds later... BAM.. that sucker gave out and the car went down. If it wasn't for that warning sound I would've had my head smashed in by a 3400lb car because of my own neglect. Needless to say, I haven't crawled under a car without stands since. Glad you're OK!

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Hydrochloric 12/05/2013 at 14:49

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When I worked in a shop as an oil changer, yeah we used to do that all the time. Especially if the lift points weren't 100% obvious or seemed a bit sketch. You'd rock it at waist height off the ground a bit to see how it held.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > DRobin78 12/05/2013 at 14:51

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Don't work under old VWs. Problem solved.

BigBlock440 > ddavidn 12/05/2013 at 14:51

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When you take a tire off, throw it under the car so it'll land on the tire/wheel and not you.

langadamd > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:53

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This is absolutely nuts! Glad you are alright!

ddavidn > BigBlock440 12/05/2013 at 14:53

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Do people normally get under their cars to change tires? I never change my tires...

SwedeMachine > For Sweden 12/05/2013 at 14:54

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I used to work for a national auto parts association retailer and recalls for jack stands and related jacking tools were a big deal. Ever as recently as March-April of this year, we were recalling jacks and stands for life threatening defects made over 6 years ago. We made every effort to find every customer that had purchased the recall tool and get it out of their hands, mostly to avoid a lawsuit.

I would recommend you and your Dad figuring out where these came from and see if they were on a nation recall list. If they were recalled at any point, you may be able to get a reimbursement on your medical bills. Just something to think about.

tina10k > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:54

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My friend in high school had the same accident with a Honda. He's ok and is more careful now but he wears a helmet when under a car. odd.

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:54

5

PRO TIP: If you're ever unsure whether the jack stand is seated properly on the lift points, just send your kids under there to check. They fit better and can get a closer look.

davidj210 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:55

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Those glasses look seriously painful in the last picture.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:55

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Patrick, if you read this, I take issue with the title you used when you shared this. The car did not "fall on my head". Check the picture - it wrapped around my head.

Human skull > Old jetta.

themikehunt > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:55

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Was it a widowmaker jack?

themikehunt > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:55

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Was it a widowmaker jack?

Dayne Putnam > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:56

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I had a similar experience while changing my oil in my old car. I (scissor) jacked up the car, went under to get the oil filter off and heard the unmistakable sound of a jack folding, and scrambled out from the car as fast as possible. The door bumped my head as I got out from under the car.

I have always worked on my car with a friend since, or paid a lube place some cash to let me borrow their bay for a bit.

TheCrudMan > ddavidn 12/05/2013 at 14:56

1

I trust my jack stands. Am I doing something wrong?

backRoads > davedave1111 12/05/2013 at 14:56

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that's a good idea.

GBond > Busslayer 12/05/2013 at 14:57

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Guess those Bro trucks really are safer sometimes.

CaptCrunch > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:57

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After doing my lift kit in my jeep I have no idea how people think it is safe to use anything but good jack stands with safety pins and a real floor jack. And the tire trick can be a life saver.

bluetie > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username 12/05/2013 at 14:57

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Great tools for one time uses. I bought a $17 reciprocating saw to scrap a car with. Just needed to cut the car in half to fit it in the bed of my truck. Not 2" left to cut and the motor seized up and I threw it away. The same can be said about a lot of their tools...

TheCrudMan > Meatcoma 12/05/2013 at 14:58

2

This is what I do too.

ddavidn > TheCrudMan 12/05/2013 at 14:58

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Not at all. If I had trusty jack stands and a good jack, I'd do the same!

TheCrudMan > shpuker 12/05/2013 at 14:58

4

Harbor Freight…NO THANKS!

user6548845 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 14:59

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First things first - I'm glad you're okay, dude. Every time I crawl under my car I freak out a little bit about something like this happening. If I were you I'd be watching Unbreakable on a loop right now.

Now, this brings up an excellent point that I think the Jalopnik commentariat is uniquely suited to address:

What are the best jack stands available for purchase today?

Let's narrow the scope a little and limit this to stands rated for 5-tons or less. The sky is the limit on price.

Ad_absurdum_per_aspera > davedave1111 12/05/2013 at 15:01

1

It lays in the yard, it's round and it's hard, it's bigger around than a dog! If jackstands should fail, I'll have time to bail, it's log, log, log!

"But seriously, folks": Having some kind of "catcher" in place even though I'm using jackstands always gives me that belt-and-suspenders feeling.

Mind your pinch points , too, when working around suspension components or other car parts that can move relative to the car or might have stored energy, even if the car per se is solidly supported.

Glad this came out well for the original poster, and thanks for sharing the cautionary tale.

TheCrudMan > ddavidn 12/05/2013 at 15:01

1

Pick some up man! Jackstands are like $30, jack is also like $30.

BigBlock440 > ddavidn 12/05/2013 at 15:01

1

No, but brake work, exhaust work, etc where the tire gets in the way. If I have the tire off, and any part of me will be under there, the tire goes under. I like my legs and hands as they are. Not necessary for rotating tires though, as there's no reason to climb under if that's all you're doing.

CalzoneGolem > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username 12/05/2013 at 15:01

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Top Tip: They don't have to be your children.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > SwedeMachine 12/05/2013 at 15:02

1

Won't be worth it.

A) Impossible to prove it isn't the jetta falling apart as the underside is clearly in the middle stages of rustbelt rot

B) My out of pocket has been 5$ for antibiotic ointment since I put some money in a flexible healthcare spending account for just such an occasion. I had a 150$ bill for "treatment provided in ER"

However, definitely a good idea for all of us to double check our equipment and discard what's obviously in disrepair or difficult to use.

ddavidn > BigBlock440 12/05/2013 at 15:02

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Good plan. I haven't done my own brakes yet. Mostly just in the bay, under the dash and oil changes.

ddavidn > TheCrudMan 12/05/2013 at 15:03

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Totally! But if I had $60 extra, I'd replace my wife's radiator first!

dogisbadob > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 15:03

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wow that's a funny place for stands! Mine go right by the wheels! :O

BLOZUP > JohnnyWasASchoolBoy 12/05/2013 at 15:03

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Don't think you'll find much disagreement. While there are plenty of arguments about how to fix it, some politicians here insist that the current system is perfectly fine.

GoPadge > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 15:04

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I ALWAYS use either two jack stands or a jack stand and my hydraulic jack under my '97 Jetta. And I've had both the front end and rear end of the cat pipes rust out. In my case I had enough spare pipe to pull things back together... But you are LUCKY!

dogisbadob > SwedeMachine 12/05/2013 at 15:04

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Napa is awesome!

Have Jeep, will travel. > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 15:04

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Every VW enthusiast should know.

OtizzyStarBai > shpuker 12/05/2013 at 15:05

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not being stupid, or trying to be annoying... but seriously... what other kind is there? this is all I've ever known/owned/seen and didn't know there were other styles of stands out there...

BLOZUP > Hydrochloric 12/05/2013 at 15:05

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Yeah I do this. Damn straight my car isn't going to be the thing that kills me.

Ted > Meatcoma 12/05/2013 at 15:06

9

I do the same. I lower the jack so that the car rests on the jack stands and then leave the jack in place as another emergency support. Always paranoid about working under my cars.

If I'm doing work under the car that involves the wheels being off I try to slide the removed wheel/tire assembly under the car so that if the car were to fall it would land on the wheels and give my body some clearance.

@themanwithsauce - consider yourself lucky. My grandfather's brother was killed when the car he was working on fell on top of him. BE MORE CAREFUL.

AlienProbe > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 15:06

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I used a combination of ramps and stands on my sloped driveway... it drives my wife nuts. She's always worried the car is gonna fall on me.

Your solution: Get married and work on car while spouse is home. <3

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > dogisbadob 12/05/2013 at 15:06

1

The lip by the wheels can often degrade over time due to rust and repeated use. It is great for side of the road tire replacements, but if you're not on a hoist, those locations are far sturdier and typically give your stands a better grip on the car. When I did the coilover conversion on my car, that's where they went. Also when I did my front brakes, I put the jack under the radiator support and had stands under the control arm elbows or whatever they're called (mental blank, had a car crush my skull, forgive me) so we could really go to town on the brakes with the impacts and wrenches without fear of the car being unstable.

OUScooby > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/05/2013 at 15:08

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I was once saved from being run over by an run.away MG only by virtue of the fact that the battery is behind the seats.
I was attempting to fix the starter of my MGB, and I must have connected up some wires wrong, because as soon as I reconnected the negative battery terminal the starter began to crank the motor. The car was up on ramps and I had (stupidly) just left it in gear to prevent it rolling back instead of putting a brick behind the wheels.
Well as soon as the negative terminal touch the battery the starter started turning and the car began driving forward and off the ramps while I scrambled to remove the negative lead from the battery. Had the battery been in the front of the car in the engine bay I would have been standing in front of the car and when it began moving it would have driving straight at me falling on top of me when it drove off the ramp and then proceed to run me over before hitting the neighbor's fence.
Instead I had my legs dangling out the passenger side door and all my limbs remained uncrushed, all thanks to something as simple as battery placement. I'm convienced the British engineers had careless idiots Luke me in mind when designing the car so they added this important if not overlooked safety feature of the battery placement. Those Brits thought of everything! Who says the could design a decent car?