Where to put jack stands?

Hi
2000 blazer 56000 miles.
Just wondering where the safe places are to put
jackstands front and back?

One of the first things I want to do is remove
the transmission pan, change filter, and put drain
plug in pan. I am paranoid about being safe crawling way
under the vehicle.

Hi
2000 blazer 56000 miles.
Just wondering where the safe places are to put
jackstands front and back?

One of the first things I want to do is remove
the transmission pan, change filter, and put drain
plug in pan. I am paranoid about being safe crawling way
under the vehicle.

Understandable, this question has been asked a lot but there's never been a straight answer.

I don't know if this is totally wrong, but when I jacked up the front of my jimmy I put my jackstands under the frame around where the jack goes (there are holes there). Some people have put jacks underneath their axles in the rear but this seems unwise to me. I'd go with the frame if possible. My jackstands have a grip that's perfect for my frame.

On a side note, sometimes I'm glad I got a jimmy. My friend has a Honda CRV and it a pain to jack up because of the unibody. I think something cracked last time he put it up. There just aren't enough secure points.

Hondas are lifted by the pinch weld. Dont open the door on a honda while its in the air either.
Safest place to lift the s10 is by the frame.

Hi
2000 blazer 56000 miles.
Just wondering where the safe places are to put
jackstands front and back?

One of the first things I want to do is remove
the transmission pan, change filter, and put drain
plug in pan. I am paranoid about being safe crawling way
under the vehicle.

Please read your owner's manual, it will state in there.

Please read your owner's manual, it will state in there.

BlazerLT - I have read my owners manual many times and see
not mention of jackstands. I also have the Haynes manual. Haynes
advises you to use jackstands, but does not tell you where to put
them.

Maybe I missed it in the owners manual - would you tell me
what section and page number.

thanks

BlazerLT - I have read my owners manual many times and see
not mention of jackstands. I also have the Haynes manual. Haynes
advises you to use jackstands, but does not tell you where to put
them.

Maybe I missed it in the owners manual - would you tell me
what section and page number.

thanks


Behind the front wheels and in front of the back wheels will be the places to put the jack stands if you aren't going to lift the rear and put the jack stands under the axles.

You will see the round wholes in the fram where the factory wheels jack is supposed to go.

If you plan on doing under car work often you may want to invest in some ramps. I hate driving up mine, they usually slide. They have a detachable incline, so I usually leave that part off and jack the front up and let the tires rest on the base. They have a cup shape so the front tires do not want to roll. I also have wheel chocks like semi's use to block the rear tires, sometimes even with this method I will place a jack stand here or there. You cannot be too safe when under there, you questions well asked and I am glad you are concerned when under there, the respect for what can go wrong and plan for it not to happen will make you safer.

I've got a set of ramps too. I use them when ever I can. My jackstands are still in the box. The ramps I have are plastic and all one piece, they have rubber cleats on the bottom to keep them from sliding. They are extremely stable. I'm going to buy another set, so that I can drive up on all four at the same time. I have never really trusted jackstands, I've seen a few cars fall. Luckily a blazer sets up high enough, that if it falls more than likely you won't be crushed. One of my friends had a camaro fall on him, it damn near killed him, he was messed up bad for a long time.

Gentlement,

Thanks a million for the replys.

Going to get a set of ramps.

Will use jackstands when I do brakes.

Again thanks!!!

Forgot to ask....

Any brand of ramp better than others? Obviously would
need ones to support the weight!!

Thanks

I use jack stands for brakes also and you can do the brakes without getting your body under the car. If you look on JC Whitney web site I have ramps like below the 2 pc version but like I said driving up them is a pain because they are metal and slide on concrete. I bought them locally about 20 years ago from Carquest or some local auto store.

PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE CORP. PORTABLE CAR AND TRUCK RAMPS
For all vehicles with up to 8"W tires
Heavy-duty 2-pc. Ramps: 6,000-lb. axle weight, 10,000-lb. GVW capacity per pair. Lift car 7-1/2". Welded heavy-gauge steel. Detachable ramps with embossed surface. Rubber feet prevent slipping. Ideal for low-clearance vehicles. 11"W x 8-1/2"H x 36"L.
1-pc. Ramps: 4,000-lb. axle weight., 6,500-lb. GVW capacity per pair. Lift car 8". 10"W x 9-1/4"H x 33"L.

Best deal in town that I have found is at Sams Club....2 each 6-ton Chrome jack stands with wide based feet....$26 bucks....for the set.

1 Michelin Floor Jack 3.5 Ton speed jack....$59 bucks...

Since my blazer weighs 4350 pounds I can jack the front up and feel pretty safe (as safe as I can) with two 6-ton jack stands holding my blazer pluse the floor jack snug for good measure....

I bought 4 jack stands, the jack and know that it will also work for the silverado 3/4ton too....that truck is beast....

I don't know how much ramps are, but they were always a pain-in-the-ass for me .....

....Luckily a blazer sets up high enough, that if it falls more than likely you won't be crushed. ....

I'm not trying to be a wise-a** here, but the Blazer CAN "bounce" down if it falls, then rebound (on the shocks) & it'll go down low enough to crush many important bones in the process, too.
Happened to one of the patients I saw at the hospital where I work...he had punctured lungs...broken ribs & several broken bones in his face. I think the tranmission or driveshaft tagged his face. Not a "fun with physics" moment for sure...

Everybody makes fun of me when I jack my Blazer up cause I typically use at least two jackstands even when I'm only raising one corner of the truck, and sometimes ramps, concrete blocks, floorjacks, whatever, anyplace I can find room when I'm raising one end. Better paranoid than crushed!

-Mike

I have been fixing my own and families cars for 25 years now and have seen alot. I have a garage that is detached and about 75 feet from the main house. So 2 other things I keep with me under the car are a cordless phone or cell phone and a fire extinguisher. I live in the Northeast salt belt so usually need torches to free up rusted bolts, brake bleeders, etc. If something happened and I did get pinned by the car hopefully I could use the phone to call the main house or 911 if needed.

I'm not trying to be a wise-a** here, but the Blazer CAN "bounce" down if it falls, then rebound (on the shocks) & it'll go down low enough to crush many important bones in the process, too.
Happened to one of the patients I saw at the hospital where I work...he had punctured lungs...broken ribs & several broken bones in his face. I think the tranmission or driveshaft tagged his face. Not a "fun with physics" moment for sure...

Everybody makes fun of me when I jack my Blazer up cause I typically use at least two jackstands even when I'm only raising one corner of the truck, and sometimes ramps, concrete blocks, floorjacks, whatever, anyplace I can find room when I'm raising one end. Better paranoid than crushed!

-Mike

Yes I know it will bounce when it falls. I meant that blazers set up so high that more than likely you want be crushed fatally as would be the case with many other vehicles.

Of course this also depends on how fat you are. :)

If your roll up ramps slip on concrete, buy a rope. Seriously. Put 20 feet of rope through a hole in the ramp near the end, or as close as possible. If there is no hole, drill one. Tie it into place and stretch it out from the ramp in a straight line. Do it to the other side too. When you approach the ramps, your rear wheels will be already "standing" on the rope, preventing them from shifting forward. ;)

I recommend roll up ramps unless you are servicing your brakes. Your own wheels are the most stable place to hold a vehicle. Think about it: How many of these trucks do you see spontaneously "falling" off of their own wheels?

If your roll up ramps slip on concrete, buy a rope. Seriously. Put 20 feet of rope through a hole in the ramp near the end, or as close as possible. If there is no hole, drill one. Tie it into place and stretch it out from the ramp in a straight line. Do it to the other side too. When you approach the ramps, your rear wheels will be already "standing" on the rope, preventing them from shifting forward. ;)

I recommend roll up ramps unless you are servicing your brakes. Your own wheels are the most stable place to hold a vehicle. Think about it: How many of these trucks do you see spontaneously "falling" off of their own wheels?


Now that's the best idea I have heard yet....what a great idea from keeping your ramps moving forward......!!!

:thumbsup:

If your roll up ramps slip on concrete, buy a rope. Seriously. Put 20 feet of rope through a hole in the ramp near the end, or as close as possible. If there is no hole, drill one. Tie it into place and stretch it out from the ramp in a straight line. Do it to the other side too. When you approach the ramps, your rear wheels will be already "standing" on the rope, preventing them from shifting forward. ;)

I recommend roll up ramps unless you are servicing your brakes. Your own wheels are the most stable place to hold a vehicle. Think about it: How many of these trucks do you see spontaneously "falling" off of their own wheels?

Heck of a good idea... I was just trying to do some tranny work on a 2wd Envoy the other day and couldn't get the front up on the ramps because the floor was slick concrete. I ended up backing the rear onto the ramps, but when I drove off, the ramps shot out the rear like a couple of missiles. I will do the rope thing from now on! Thanks again.

You are all quite welcome. Use this knowledge only for the forces of good. :D

I just had a set of two piece ramps collapse when I was coming off of them because I put on the brakes on the way down. The ramp part pulled the tower part over and it bent the hell out of the front of my mustang, fortunately it's mostly plastic so it went back into shape fairly well. Point is, get one piece ramps or don't put on the brakes on the way down.

Don't buy the two piece ones.

Buy the one piece, they are much stronger.

Depends what you buy, my two piece ramps are made from angle iron, welded together and have a nice deep pocket fro the wheel to sit in. The rated capacity is much higher than most one pieces. I have seen one piece ramps made from sheet metal, formed, folded, and spot welded together. They looked weak and did not have a very good capacity rating. There are one piece solid ramps made from some type of rubber material that look very strong and will not slide on concrete. The purpose of 2 piece is the ramp can be removed giving you and your creeper better access from the side of the vehicle while it is up.

I've owned metal ramps before. I now have plastic one piece ramps. The plastic ones are much better*. They are stronger and more stable. The ones I have are "Blitz Rhino Ramps". They sell them at lots of places, Autozone, Advance Auto, and Sears, to name a few. I think Sears is the cheapest. (about $25.00).
http://content.sears.com/data/product_images/009/51170/00951170000-190.jpg http://www.partsamerica.com/product_images/AAP/BLI/11905.jpg

*Compared to the metal ones that I have owned. I'm sure there are better ones than the ones I had, but I still prefer the plastic ramps I have now to any others that I have used before.