Mitsubishi Delica Owners Club UK™

tttonyyy · Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 1529 Location: Southampton

A sobering lesson in not hurrying a job on nearly 2 ton of vehicle.

Took kids and wife to cinema so knew I had a little while to spare - thought I'd rotate the tyres front to back in the time... anyway, NORMALLY I'd put a fat plunk under my axle stand so it doesn't dig into the gravel. I must've forgotten in my rush.

So I had the front jacked, dropped on the stand, and the wheel off.

I was just jacking under the rear axle when I heard a scary noise - gravel slowly crunching from the front of the Deli. Looking forward, I saw the stand slowly tilting over...

At this stage, the "what the hell can I throw under the front?" question went through my mind - grabbed the section of tree trunk I use to chop logs on... but it was too fat... the Deli is slowly tipping over still... run around side of house to grab a couple of scaffold planks (that I normally use to put the stands on), and threw them under the hub carrier just seconds before the Deli drops to the ground. Shocked

Definitely a lucky escape - no damage done - but a sobering experience nonetheless...

(Photo taken after putting the jack back under the front to take the load)

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Dantheman · Joined: 07 Nov 2005 Posts: 312 Location: Zumerzet

Ouch! and lucky!

I'm still waiting for the jack i ordered as my current one doesn't even go up to the jack point lol!

Mystery Machine · Joined: 16 Mar 2004 Posts: 1837 Location: Bristol

The joys of gravel and weight!!

Those scaffold planks look like the sort of thing you should have been using under the stands.

Like you say, stupid mistake and all too easy when rushing! You're a lucky boy......I can't believe it went slowly enough for you to run around getting wood under there! lessos learnt etc... Wink

Gravel and jacking vehicles is a far from ideal combination.....so get yourself plenty of heavy duty load spreaders (like those scaffold planks)

Lucky, lucky, lucky! 8-)
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tttonyyy · Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 1529 Location: Southampton

I was shaking from the adrenaline rush for some time after - just couldn't believe what had happened!

Lewis · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:28 Post subject:

Err! what did you have that jack stand located under?

The jacking point it should have been put under is just visible poking down behind the front wishbone.

Surely it didn't fall that many feet forward and sideways! :?
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tttonyyy · Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 1529 Location: Southampton

That big round crossmember that runs side-to-side between the jacking points (fits nicely into the rounded top of the axle stand, usually!)

Lewis · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 12:40 Post subject:

tttonyyy · Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 1529 Location: Southampton

Heh yeah the reason I've been putting the axle stand there is to use the bottle-jack on the closer jack point (otherwise there wouldn't be room to waggle the handle up and down). To date this has not been a problem with the base of the axle stand properly supported (fat plank) but as previously stated my mistake was hurrying and not paying attention...

Ironically I do have a big trolley jack but the seals need replacing (I've got the kit for it but not yet got around to it Rolling Eyes

). Now might be a good time! ;)