What’s the likelihood of a car falling on you if you’re on level ground with a trusted jack+ stands? I wanna get into doing some basic mechanical work on the side, but I have this immense fear of getting under the vehicle and it falling on me.
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it is a reasonable fear. for peace of mind check out hydraulic press channels testing of jack stands. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjmXQNhKCks reputable jack stands will hold a good deal past their stated rating. the car is more likely to roll backwards and fall onto you than the jack stands failing but thats why you pull the Ebrake and chock the wheels. like barney said it is a good idea to hump test the four corners with a good amount of force to make sure the stands are secure.
Always belt and braces it, if you are removing wheels stack them under the sills as a just in case, even bricks if you have to, wood blocks are better if it’s to hand.
I have been working on cars for close to 50 years. I always use top quality jack stands and pay attention to my surroundings.
Use good quality jackstands and a high quality jack (or two), block any wheels that are still on the ground front and rear, and make sure the vehicle is stable (no movement). I have a set of shop-made jackstands that I have literally used for over 45 years, plus some high quality ones I purchased about 15 years ago. I also use ramps if I‘m not needing to raise both ends, just one, and not remove any wheels/tires. These methods are very reliable, and reduce any chances of issues.