If you have a Schwaben Jack Pad Adapter read this now

[Weaverj]

I don't need any advice I just need this information to get out about the Schwaben rocker panel jack pad adapter. I recently bought one and used it for the first time today and it snapped in two nearly crushing my leg and slamming my car into the ground after holding the weight of the car for only a minute or two while I repositioned my jackstands. I highly recommend you do not use these or purchase them if you are looking. They appear to be made from filling a steel tube with cast aluminum, which doesn't have nearly as high of a sheer strength as steel does causing this to fail under the normal weight of the car. I always use jackstands when working on my car but the fact that this adapter can't even handle the weight of the car on its own is simply dangerous.

[samy01]

Bad product, but why was your leg under the car while the car was only supported by a hydraulic jack using the jack adapter? I assume that was the situation because you were repositioning the jackstands which implies the car had to be raised (using the hydraulic jack).

[Weaverj]

I agree I may not have been in the safest position, part of my leg was in the wheel well while I was grabbing the jackstand to position it under the car when the adapter broke. Can't exactly get a jackstand in position without having at least a leg or arm under the car to move it into position.

[samy01]

Shouldn't be necessary to reach in below the car more than a few inches to position the jackstand. The feet on my jackstands are about 5 inches away from the jackstand center so I can actually position it by grabbing it by one foot without actually ever having a hand under the car, because the actual jack support area on the car is less than 5 inches inwards.

Grab the jackstand at the floor low enough where the car won't smash your hand if it came down. If all that somehow doesn't work for you, then you must use a piece of wood to position or stop working on cars because you're risking injury.

[TechnicalViolet]

Thank you for the warning. I was the guy who bought harbor freight jack stands so I’m sure I would have bought these too.

Did you notify the company? I am sure they would want to know.

[Weaverj]

I have email TurnerMotorsports, who I bought it through but I have not received anything back yet. I'm gonna try and get in touch with the manufacturer as well.

[amancuso]

I haven't had any luck with Schwaben products.

[Weaverj]

I'm trying to shed some light on this product failure, no need to barade me. I was simply reposition the jack stand from the sub frame mount where I had it placed originally, which is why I had to reach so far under the car, to the outside.

[XnWarden]

Yikes that is scary. Glad you're okay. I had a jackstand punch thru a rusty jack point once. I was about to crawl under the car when it came crashing down. Got super lucky there. I've also known 2 people who have died from cars falling on them. Ever since then i try to mitigate my exposure when under the car. And I usually stack something under the car to act as a buffer in case it does fall.

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[ChuckDizzle]

Yikes that is scary. Glad you're okay. I had a jackstand punch thru a rusty jack point once. I was about to crawl under the car when it came crashing down. Got super lucky there. I've also known 2 people who have died from cars falling on them. Ever since then i try to mitigate my exposure when under the car. And I usually stack something under the car to act as a buffer in case it does fall.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Cinder blocks, spare rims etc. It looks like I'm making a mess but it's all in the name of safety.

[Weaverj]

I know a few people that have lost fingers and toes from vehicles falling from Jacks, and I always use jackstands whenever I'm working on my car, it just happened to break right when I didn't have one under.

[samy01]

I'm trying to shed some light on this product failure, no need to barade me. I was simply reposition the jack stand from the sub frame mount where I had it placed originally, which is why I had to reach so far under the car, to the outside.

The chain of events that results in injury can be stopped at any point. One was the product not failing, another one is you taking precaution. You must support the car with something else if it's resting on the hydraulic jack and you're moving the jackstands.

[bonoz]

Thanks for this post. Does anyone have recommendations on how to jack up my car at the factory jack points and be able to put a jack stand under factory jack points at the same time?

[pbonsalb]

Other than using one of those outrigger jack adapters, no. But if you have 2 jacks, jack one front jacking point to get the car high enough to slip the other Jack under the front subframe. Then place your jack stands. Or jack both sides as and put the jackstands inboard at the subframe/suspension mounting points. In the rear, use a jack under the rear subframe and then put your jackstands in place either under the subframe at suspension mounting points or the rear factory jack points.

[Eric93se]

For my jack stands I put a piece of rubber from an old car tire, I do not put my fingers in between. For my jack I put a piece of dense foam rubber (old pad used to kneel on, thick).

To raise the front end I drive onto starter ramps that I made, then I jack on the main cross member as high as I want, then use the jack stands under the factory lift points. I have fairly level concrete. Never jack on loose ground. With the front in the air I can raise the rear on the diff carrier and put jack stands on the factory lift points.

[pbonsalb]

Ramps is a good idea! Investing in a set of quick jacks would also be a great idea if you can afford it and plan to keep working on cars but won’t be able to have a lift anytime soon. Many recommend buying the higher weight capacity because they are more likely to reach the factory jack points on longer, newer cars.

[gc325is]

do you have a photo of the failed jack pad. Can it be a fake?

Schwaben Rocker Jack Pad Adapter.Featuring:

• Heat treated 4140 high strength steel
• Fully seam welded 70mm jacking plate
• Exact-fit profile for limited movement in vehicle
• Black zinc coated for corrosion resistance
• Long shaft to position jack plate away from the body for adequate jack clearance

[scooper]

I use pieces of wood between floor jacks and jack stands and the chassis of the vehicle. NEVER crawl under to work on a vehicle just using a floor jack because that can fail without warning ANYTIME!

Remove the 4 jack pucks from the chassis
Use floor jack under the rear subframe (wood piece in between)
Place jack stands at the rear jack points (wood pieces in between)
For raising the front you can either jack under front subframe or use jack pad adapters (I have black ones made by SIR tools) in the holes on either side of the vehicle
Place jack stands at the front jack points (wood pieces in between)
Push on the vehicle to make sure nothing moves
Get to work

[Jjdcan]

I use hockey pucks between the jack points and the floor jack cradle/stand head. I’ve had wood fail under the weight of a vehicle

[tsk94]

Also curious if you could post pictures of the failure?
I have these myself and have used them a few times without issue, but that is scary to hear of a failure like that. Glad you're alright.

[MajorJWM]

Even when I have jack stands in place, I also use 4 sets of my custom insurance: 5 pressure treated 4x4 post pieces, cut into 16" lenghts. One piece in center and other 4 attached parallel to it (giving stability in four directions against tilting). They are lagged together with 10" long, Heavy duty stainless steel lags, washers and locking nuts (2 in each). I then added a metal strap around the circumference. A single 4x4 post can support 6000 lbs vertically. So each unit, which I place adjecent to each jack stand, has the psi rating of aprox 30,000 lbs. Now with four under my car I have a weight tolerance of about 120,000 lbs per square inch with aprox. 15 1/2" of contact per unit. CouId stack bull elephants on top of my E36 Sedan and still be safe under it. In all, to build it cost me about 60 bucks for 4 4x4's and 10 bucks for the fastners. Under a hundred dollars for my own safety assurance, I'd say its worrh it 👍.

[Spyke]

The Turner Motorports is the one you want... if it's still available. Worth it's weight in platinum.