OTC Stinger 3 Ton Jack Stands, no good

[michaelluscher]

After the Harbor Freight stands that failed on me (conveniently recalled the week after), I'm shopping for a new set I bought these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GMIX5BA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Here's what I got They don't look or feel much better than the HF units I'm sending them back, maybe I'm not spending enough

 

[simple_gifts]

When you are dealing with safety and possibly your life, what you want is the cheapest things out there..... When we used to buckle pilots into their ejector seat in the ANG, we'd remind the pilot that all the safety stuff was designed and built by the lowest bidder.

 

[doitmyself]

They look like any other jack stand. Welds look good. Nice foot pads. For some reason, I prefer a flatter saddle. I have these NAPA branded Chinese jack stands, purchased about 20 years ago. Somehow, NAPA rates theirs higher at 4 tons: https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NLE7915050?partTypeName=Jack+Stand&keywordInput=jack+stand They seem o.k., but I don't know how anyone can judge quality on visual observations alone. On sale now for $69 a pair.

 

[4WD]

I have a mental problem with jack stands and the internet scenes don't help. Somehow I do all kinds of work without jacks stands. It's not just the quality … it's how they fail that bothers me. First choice will be ramps, one, two, or 4 ramps. Brakes I will use a 12 ton bottle jack and load share with a floor jack - and then make sure I'm not in the fall path. I once had to replace an entire Dana 44 front end = built a support from landscape timber and 2x8's using 3" screws keeping it unitized …

 

[Driz]

Originally Posted by 4WD

I have a mental problem with jack stands and the internet scenes don't help. Somehow I do all kinds of work without jacks stands. It's not just the quality … it's how they fail that bothers me. First choice will be ramps, one, two, or 4 ramps. Brakes I will use a 12 ton bottle jack and load share with a floor jack - and then make sure I'm not in the fall path. I once had to replace an entire Dana 44 front end = built a support from landscape timber and 2x8's using 3" screws keeping it unitized …

Me too!! The cars got lighter from the 60s and too easy to jostle. I always leave the jack with weight on it . If not possible there's nothin beats good old 8x8 blocking. Car sinks right down into it an it's not jumping or sliding anyplace. They're do darned low slung nowdays that you can't even depend on leaving the wheels on to save you.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted by 4WD

I have a mental problem with jack stands and the internet scenes don't help.

If you look closely at the ratchet mechanism design and how it wedges the cast part into the frame, I am not sure how they can slip. As I stated above, we cannot really judge the quality of the cast iron or the welds very easily. I bet that most people don't read the instructions. I believe that every instruction sheet states to only use one pair to support only 1/2 of any vehicle. Do not use 2 pairs to support the entire vehicle with all wheels removed. "Although jack stands are individually rated, they are to be used • in a matched pair to support one end of a vehicle only. Stands are not to be used to simultaneously support both ends or one side of a vehicle." From: https://www.norcoindustries.com/downloads/manuals/JackStand_Manual.pdf

 

[Zebra312]

I don't know how any of ya'll get anything done with all the time spent worrying about stuff and building wooden frames. Ratcheting jackstands work fine when used correctly. The ones pictured are just fine. I have a pair of the HF Recalled stands I have used for years. The recenlty spent 6 months holding a 69 F150 in the air while I put new floors and cab mounts in it. I intend to take them back to HF and replace them with the same thing. Their issue was not one of design, but of manufacturing defect, which can happen to anyone.

 

[bullwinkle]

I exchanged my HF 3 ton ones when they were only going to give me a $20 GC for them, I don't have a problem with leaving jacks underneath as a backup, or even ramps if high enough. If I used them everyday I would just build a pole barn garage with a 4 post lift in it...

 

[clinebarger]

I don't see anything wrong with them. Stinger is OTC's bottom of the barrel line!!

 

[Leo99]

It's doesn't cost hundreds of dollars to built a simple metal stand that can support a couple tons. I don't like anything suspended above me that weighs enough to crush me. Wouldn't change my elevated blood pressure whether they were $30 HF stands or $700 stands. Anything can fail.

 

[Lyman]

I have a set branded AC Delco that look just like those. I always leave my floor jack under at least one corner as backup. If I am pulling wheels off they always go under for added safety. Years ago a guy living in my City was crushed under his car as his method of jacking his car up failed. With my luck the way it is I take no chances.

 

[IndyIan]

I use to throw a 1' cube of pine under the car as a back up incase the stands failed or tipped, but it got used to prop up something outside. Making a hollow cube out of 2x4's should make an easy to move and stable back up in case something happens.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by IndyIan

I use to throw a 1' cube of pine under the car as a back up incase the stands failed or tipped, but it got used to prop up something outside. Making a hollow cube out of 2x4's should make an easy to move and stable back up in case something happens.

I don't know about making it hollow. Sounds like a failure point to me. Not sure if my method of using cut down pieces of 2x6's is any better though. I just stack up until I have the height I want. I did try today use a piece of decking, as I wanted just an inch, but under load it started making sounds and I decided that thicker was better.

 

[CentAmDL650]

I have that exact set of OTC Stinger 3 ton jacks, also from Amazon. I've successfully used them dozens of time to support my '01 Silverado 2500 HD when I've done bushings, ball joints, tie rods, brakes, torsion bar keys, steering, complete AC replacement, diff cover gasket, rear axle seals, etc. I crawled around underneath extensively while one end was supported by the stationary jacks. No problem at all - I felt perfectly safe. Of course the non-lifted end did have nice tire chocks on both sides of the tires, but that and using park/ parking brake are always a good start.

 

[JHZR2]

I have otc stands but they're USA made. Not sure why you would think one vendor vs another from the third world would be that different. If looking for cheaper third world stands, some of the sunex ones I've seen discussed on here look promising.

 

[ajchien]

These: http://www.usjack.com/images/pdfs/Garage_Stands_19_Web.pdf

 

[dlundblad]

I've been happy with my pin style Larin jack stands. The welds look good too.

 

[another Todd]

How thick is the metal on these? I just measured my 30 year old "Allied" brand 3 ton jack stands which I am pretty sure I bought at HF and look similar to those OTC ones except, the saddle looks larger and flatter on mine and instead of feet welded on the bottom mine have a triangular brace welded into the lower leg corners on the inside. The lower part of the jack stand was formed with .110 metal, and the upper business end was formed with .165 metal. They have served me well for at least 30 years, although not used much anymore...cars and truck are a lot more reliable now, and I no longer customize my vehicles as much.

 

[JHZR2]

How thick is the metal on these? I just measured my 30 year old "Allied" brand 3 ton jack stands which I am pretty sure I bought at HF and look similar to those OTC ones except, the saddle looks larger and flatter on mine and instead of feet welded on the bottom mine have a triangular brace welded into the lower leg corners on the inside. The lower part of the jack stand was formed with .110 metal, and the upper business end was formed with .165 metal. They have served me well for at least 30 years, although not used much anymore...cars and truck are a lot more reliable now, and I no longer customize my vehicles as much.

My USA made OTC stands are fairly thin metal, but it’s kind of the same principle as a unibody car. It’s folded into a pyramid of sorts, and isn’t that thick because of that.

 

[atikovi]

The only problem with those styles is, where do you jack the car from so you can place the stand? Usually there is only one jack point at each corner. I've used this style if that is the case so they are one and the same place.