Date:         Mon, 28 Dec 2015 19:04:31 -0500
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: scissor jack under control arm?
Comments: To: Michael McSwain <michaelmcswain@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CAE_mVa2zjMWZ5rDJxeLH30bRS_YcER7DcOj9yztM2+xL9C2ZVw@mail.g
              mail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 06:05 PM 12/28/2015, Michael McSwain wrote:
>drivers side up a bit to get the wheel back on, (both sides were on jack
>stands sitting on a square of 2x6 lumber), and as I raised the drivers side
>the van shifted past the tipping point of the remaining jack stand and down
>it went. On nice flat concrete the original jack seems ok. On anything

The stock jack provides -- *by design* -- ZERO horizontal
stability.  It is absolutely on you to chock wheels on every use.

Why is this a good thing?  Two reasons.  First, you're supposed to
chock the wheels when you use a jack.  This one doesn't give you
false peace of mind that this time you can get away without using
chocks.  But the second reason is the important one.  Because the
jack rotates freely in the jacking point, if you are forced to use it
on a hill you can place the jack vertical instead of perpendicular to
the hill.  With the jack vertical, all of your jacking force is
lifting directly against gravity, instead of having a horizontal
component that is trying to roll the van ahead or astern.

Yrs,
d