Bottle Jack Awareness Thread - Pics

[T4RFool]

I'm starting this thread to raise awareness about the safeties and precautions needed when using the stock bottle jack. So that those who aren't taking precautions might learn from my mistakes. A year ago today I was outside working on my truck. My goal was to clean and examine my rear brake assembly. The E-brake has never worked on my truck ever since I bought it and I wanted to just take a look, I was more or less wasting some time. I got out my bottle jack and raised the passenger side rear tire using the recommended jacking point

I removed the tire and removed the drum and began my examination. I didn't have the tire off very long before things went so very wrong. In the blink of an eye and before I could react, I had the rear brake assembly on my right foot. It caught my ankle on the way down.
** removed **
Before resting on my foot.
** removed **
Its at this point that I realized that the rear end of the truck is very heavy. At first I tried lifting to see if maybe I could maybe slide my foot out, but that was a no go and only managed to slice open my hand on some sharp metal. I gave up on the lifting idea and realized I was going to have to try and jack up the axle. The jack had kicked out behind the axle and I was lucky it was just within reach. I then had to reduce the height of the jack which seems to take forever when a truck isn't on your foot, it seemed like an eternity when your in a real hurry. I had to turn myself at a crazy angle to get the jack back under the axle but eventually got the thing lifted off my foot. From there I hobbled myself over to my back up car and left footed myself to the clinic we have in town, thinking that my foot was for sure broken.
** removed **
Luckily the x-ray tech for the clinic hadn't left home for the day, otherwise I would have had to drive 15mi to the closest hospital. My foot was not broken, just badly bruised and smashed. I couldn't believe it wasn't broken.

I had a lot of time to reflect on how it managed to slip out like that. I had the jack square on the axle, dead center on it. I had the truck on a level concrete surface. I had the wheels rotated to help reduce the chances of it shifting. If I had just taken the time to throw a jack stand under it, this would have never happened.

So for all of you still using the bottle jack, make sure you have a jack stand or blocks or even throw the tire under. I now keep a jack stand in my truck at all times. Its not worth having something like this happen or worse.

 

[4R99JB]

Thanks for sharing your pain. I'm sure we all get a little complacent now and then. I do anyways

I could have sworn that said bottle "of" jack. Lol. :sobbing:

 

[im4u2nvss]

Good thing your ok. Always want to use a jackstand unless you are simply trying to change a flat tire on the side of the road. I would consider the factory bottle jack a "emergency only" tool(also helpful on upper a-arm when doing suspension work).

 

[T4RFool]

Good thing your ok. Always want to use a jackstand unless you are simply trying to change a flat tire on the side of the road. I would consider the factory bottle jack a "emergency only" tool(also helpful on upper a-arm when doing suspension work).

I now have a 3 Ton jack and I still wouldn't use it unless I had the jack stands to go with it. Its just not worth the risk.

 

[8sm]

You are very lucky my friend. Several thousand pounds of falling dead steel on flesh and bone usually results in a severed limb(s). Count your blessing, I'm glad your ok.

Regards 8sm

 

[LittleCaesar]

You are very lucky; your situation should be a learning lesson to all here who DIY wrench on their 4runners to spend at least $150+ on a 3ton jack, at least one pair of 6ton jack stands, and some chocks.

Safety should always come first.

 

[T4RFool]

You are very lucky; your situation should be a learning lesson to all here who DIY wrench on their 4runners to spend at least $150+ on a 3ton jack, at least one pair of 6ton jack stands, and some chocks.

Safety should always come first.

That is what I have learned, the hard way. That's why I created this thread, so that others might consider the safety of wrenching first. I have since bought a 3 ton jack, jack stands and chocks.

 

[Antman]

Wow! Glad you're OK. Thanks for sharing.
That reminds me of my close call about 10 years ago.

My friend asked me to look at his 3rd Gen's (ironically!) rear brakes. At the time I had one of those cheap 2-ton floor jacks. I jacked the right side of his axle into the air, removed the wheel and went back into the garage to get some tools when I heard a loud crash.

The jack had actually flipped onto it's side, I guess a combination of a slightly sloped driveway, and a cheap, unstable jack. It hit the driveway hard enough to leave a giant dent in the blacktop.

I almost got sick to my stomach after realizing my legs were under there about 10 seconds before it fell.

Never without jack-stands. NEVER!

 

[Atlanta_man]

Be well soon.

I learned about chock'ing wheels the hard way once. Especially when working on a steep driveway. I was able to scoot my middle out from the path of the truck wheel but not my leg.

Now I am Mr Safety First even though it takes extra jacking and an extra pair of jack stands for most jobs.

The best advice is take extra time, think and plan before doing even a simple job. Avoid the mental 'autopilot'. Seems enough things go wrong on car fiddling without letting something hurt you too.

 

[NorCalBorn]

^Don't stop at just chocking the wheels. One of the shops we sell to just had a floor air line fail while it had a railway inspection truck up on their strut lift.

Apparently the dirt under the service area's been slowly eroding away over the years b/c when we investigated you could see the cement totally gave way. When we hosed the floor down you could see the air giving off big oily bubbles from the cracks. Luckily they had a lockable frame brace right there or the lift would have totally given way likely injuring the mechanic.

The first lesson you ever learn in automotive repair as well as recovery classes is to stabilize the vehicle, fully (The 3 "S's", Safety-Safety-Safety.) Take that wheel you just removed and place it under the lowest point you're sure about, in this case it should have been either the rear pumpkin or even as simple as a frame rail. Jacks fail. Jackstands fail. Lifts fail. (Trust me, I think I have seen it all, luckily most were after the fact during reporting/investigating.)

I have seen this used very seldom these days yet my Grandfather and a friend of his did it as a commonplace step to any job.

Glad you're relatively ok.

 

[NOT ME OR SOMEBODY]

Glad it wasn't worst, you'll be sore for a long time. I injured my foot (Puncture wound ) several years ago and I still get aches from it.

This picture is from my lift install. Yes there are two jack stands also and wheel chocks

 

[T4RFool]

It was tender for a while, the worst part was losing the nail on my big toe and waiting for it to grow back, that took 9 months!

 

[opie74]

In addition the the proper equipment to keep things in the air, some points to keep in mind when raising a vehicle off the ground.

Park and emergency brake do nothing if the rear is off the ground. Even with jack stands the possibility exists to have the vehicle move. Engaging 4 wheel drive will allow the emergency brake to essentially lock the front as it would the rear.

 

[nissanh]

make sure to get the wheels underneath the chassis. If everything fails... the removed wheels will hold it.

 

[BrianSD_42]

I'm starting this thread to raise awareness about the safeties and precautions needed when using the stock bottle jack. So that those who aren't taking precautions might learn from my mistakes. A year ago today I was outside working on my truck. My goal was to clean and examine my rear brake assembly. The E-brake has never worked on my truck ever since I bought it and I wanted to just take a look, I was more or less wasting some time. I got out my bottle jack and raised the passenger side rear tire using the recommended jacking point

I removed the tire and removed the drum and began my examination. I didn't have the tire off very long before things went so very wrong. In the blink of an eye and before I could react, I had the rear brake assembly on my right foot. It caught my ankle on the way down.

Glad to read that you will recover fully. I am trying to understand what happened.

It sounds like you put the vehicle in park, jacked up the rear and then the truck rolled forward and fell off the jack.

Does that sound right?

Besides using actual jack stands to hold the vehicle and investing in a good 6-ton jack, I highly recommend bracing the brake pedal against the front seat with a piece of wood or something whenever you lift the truck. This will lock the front wheels and is necessary for proper safety.

 

[T4RFool]

Does that sound right?

Besides using actual jack stands to hold the vehicle and investing in a good 6-ton jack, I highly recommend bracing the brake pedal against the front seat with a piece of wood or something whenever you lift the truck. This will lock the front wheels and is necessary for proper safety.

Yeah, that's pretty much what happened from my understanding but it's difficult to say for sure.

I did invest in some chock blocks for the wheels as well.

 

[1bad4r]

I was working on the rear of my 3rd gen about a year ago when the jack slipped out from underneath it and it fell about 6 inches before the axle hit the ground and kept it from going any further...I was underneath the rear wheel well and the truck bounced off my head...I thought I was a goner! Now I'm very safe when doing even simple things

 

[JohnsD90]

I highly recommend bracing the brake pedal against the front seat with a piece of wood or something whenever you lift the truck. This will lock the front wheels and is necessary for proper safety.

Like so?:

 

[kball]

Glad you're okay! Amazing nothing was broken. Lots of little bones in the feet.

 

[T4RFool]

Glad you're okay! Amazing nothing was broken. Lots of little bones in the feet.

I honestly believe that my shoes saved my toes, that and the fact that I didnt try pulling my foot out. I wear some old skater shoes as my "work" shoes, general "getting dirty" stuff. They have a hugely thick cushion for a tongue on the shoe. I think if I had been wearing normal tennis shoes or even my boots, I would have broken something for sure.