Jacking a car safely - Would sliding a car wheel under the car help in an emergency?

Flight3287462

I have discovered that 80%+ of the time you are jacking the car up you are in the middle of nowhere and don't have axle stands and trolley jacks so using the wheel will save a lot of hassle if the car falls off the jack.  Trying to jack a car up when it is sitting on the hubs is not easy.

mrmagoo38

No offense, but lots of people have misinterpreted the question. Whether thats my fault or theirs, i dont quite know. But it is frustrating.
Last time.
Imagine a car jacked up at the front, this car is held up at the front by two axle stands. Right. Now. The car ALSO has a spare wheel (tyre and hub) slipped under the centre of the car. This wheel is to act as extra safety should the axle stands fail. Now, the question was, is the wheel strong enough to save a life should the stands fail..
Lol jeez

facade

mrmagoo38 said:

Now, the question was, is the wheel strong enough to save a life should the stands fail..

Yes, but only if the life can be saved by something 6 to 8" high.

It would take many tons to flatten a wheel.

mrmagoo38

facade said:

mrmagoo38 said:

Now, the question was, is the wheel strong enough to save a life should the stands fail..

Yes, but only if the life can be saved by something 6 to 8" high.

It would take many tons to flatten a wheel.

Thanks mate

SpudGunPaul

mrmagoo38 said:

No offense, but lots of people have misinterpreted the question. Whether thats my fault or theirs, i dont quite know. But it is frustrating.
Last time.
Imagine a car jacked up at the front, this car is held up at the front by two axle stands. Right. Now. The car ALSO has a spare wheel (tyre and hub) slipped under the centre of the car. This wheel is to act as extra  should the axle stands fail. Now, the question was, is the wheel strong enough to save a life should the stands fail..
Lol jeez

Do you mean wheel rim, hopefully the hub is still attached to the car. 

mrmagoo38

SpudGunPaul said:

mrmagoo38 said:

No offense, but lots of people have misinterpreted the question. Whether thats my fault or theirs, i dont quite know. But it is frustrating.
Last time.
Imagine a car jacked up at the front, this car is held up at the front by two axle stands. Right. Now. The car ALSO has a spare wheel (tyre and hub) slipped under the centre of the car. This wheel is to act as extra  should the axle stands fail. Now, the question was, is the wheel strong enough to save a life should the stands fail..
Lol jeez

Do you mean wheel rim, hopefully the hub is still attached to the car. 

Lol, i did say that some of the fault would be mine. The rim, yeah, the metal bit that the tyre goes around.
Sorry to anybody for any confusion, and possible projection.

diystarter7

Hi
No worries here as very clear to most, lol.
Thanks

born_again

mrmagoo38 said:

Yes, im using axle stands and a jack.
The question is purely regarding the wheel as a back up option. If the axle stands fail but i ALSO have a wheel slid under the car, will it save me?

Put it like this, it's going to depend on what just "Save" means. You won't be as squashed, but could still be trapped under the car.

It's going to depend on how big you are.

daivid

I always jack then deploy axle stands if going under the car. If the work involves removing a wheel I'll slide it under as this makes working much safer - can't trip over it when I go for a brew or to hunt for the spanner I need…

The real answer has already been given; if the axle stands are in good condition you'll be fine, if not scrap them and buy a new set £20ish for a set suitable for most cars.

JKenH

I slide the wheel under and stuff in bits of wood between the wheel and the sill of the car. If jacking from the front I would take off both front wheels and wedge under the car forward of the centre of gravity of the car. If the wheel you were using as a wedge was under the centre of the car and the jack and/or axles stand under the front collapsed then the wheel might act as a fulcrum and the front of the car might pivot down and crush you.