Safety Director’s Report

 

       One of the benefits to owning a 4x4 vehicle definitely has to be the extra height that most of them have over the average car.  First off, the taller ride height usually gives us as drivers a better view of the terrain, be it the parking lot at the mall or out on the trail.  Obviously, the extra ground clearance is very beneficial to us with our hobby, as being only a few inches from the trail’s surface would greatly limit the amount of obstacles that we could traverse.  Another benefit to this extra height is the fact that it is generally easier for us to service our rigs.  For example, when was the last time you had to get the ramps out to change the oil in your trail machine?

 

       However, with those benefits also come some negatives.  Obviously, the first concern that we should have when working under any vehicle is making sure that it is properly supported.  While the vehicle is sitting on the tires, there is really no issue to getting underneath of it, as long as the wheels are chocked to prevent rolling.  However, for jobs which require removing the tires, such as working on the brakes, a taller than average vehicle can sometimes be more difficult.

       One of the first mistakes that I have seen is people using only a jack to support the vehicle they are working on.  Jacks are only designed for lifting and should not be used to actually support a load after it has been raised.  Even with the best hydraulic jack, an o-ring that only costs a few cents is what holds up all of the weight.

 

       Probably the most common mistake I’ve seen is using concrete blocks to support the weight of a vehicle.  No matter how you position a concrete block, if it fails in any one part, the entire block will most likely fail, allowing the raised load to fall suddenly.  Now, in all honesty, I have personally never seen a block fail while under a vehicle, but I know that it is a very real possibility.

 

       Jack stands are usually the best solution for both of the above items.  Jack stands are simple and affordable tools that help to make supporting a raised load safer.  Jack stands are available in many sizes, although the most common “3-ton” stands can quickly be too short for many of our applications.  There are larger sizes available that should be able to meet the requirements of most 4x4 owners.  Considering the very reasonable price of a set of jack stands, there is really no reason to even use cinder blocks for the job.

 

       For those who still are not compelled to purchase a set of jack stands, there is still another option that is safer than the cinder block.  After my garage was built, I saved most of the 4x4 and 4x6 scraps.  Pieces of lumber such as this can also be used to support lifted items.  However, this is not nearly a stable as a single support, so take that into consideration before you stack them too high.  Also, when stacking wood blocks, I prefer to use two blocks per layer and cross each layer.  Obviously, the longer the block, the more stable it will be.

 

       Take into consideration that I am not suggestion that cribbing a vehicle up with wooden blocks is the absolute safest thing, but it is definitely better than using concrete blocks.  However, done properly and within reasonable judgment, it is very unlikely that a wood block would ever cause a problem.

 

       Finally, when working under a vehicle, even if it is sitting on the tires, you must be sure it is not going to roll.  If it is on level ground, simply having the transmission either in park or in a low gear is probably adequate.  However, the added safety of chocking a tire is simple and cheap insurance.  The chock doesn’t need to be fancy; a 2x4 scrap is probably enough for most concrete floors.  With a small amount of work, a rubber foot can be added to the bottom of the chock to prevent it from slipping.  When outside, larger blocks, such as a 4x4, may be more suitable.  This is especially true for use on either soft or uneven areas and vehicles with larger diameter tires.