106
votes
Does kicking a tire off your car from underneath it while it's held up by a stable jack pose safety threats?
The ONLY time you should crawl under a car is when it is supported by a jack stand or on a lift. A jack is used to jack the car up and let it down. It is a huge safety concern to use it to support the ...
- 153k
80
votes
Accepted
Are classic cars safe?
Physical safety
Modern cars are amazingly more safe than classic cars. Guys that are into classic cars frequently throw around phrases like "They don't make them like they used to!" or "This is ...
- 13.3k
69
votes
Accepted
Why don't rally cars have airbags?
For the most part, they don't need it. The purpose of the air bag is to protect the occupant as the body is thrown forward in a crash. Most racers have such vastly improved safety equipment over what ...
- 153k
53
votes
Why don't rally cars have airbags?
If you are ever lucky enough to drive a competition car, the first thing that will strike you is that you can't move. Once you're in your bucket seat with your fire retardant overalls on, wearing a ...
- 23.5k
51
votes
Accepted
Is it safe to use a hydraulic jack as a stand? If not, why?
There is no such thing as "absolutely, perfectly, 100% safe."
Each tool has its proper and improper uses, and each works either in parallel with other tools to increase safety and dependability, or ...
- 1,587
48
votes
Accepted
How do I save myself from a sinking vehicle?
If you can open the door, do it
Then unbuckle, and bail out.
If your car has sunroof and it works, open it and exit from it
Your car electrics need to be functioning for this to work though. On ...
- 39.1k
46
votes
Accepted
Why don't cars have circuit breakers instead of fuses?
(1) Fuses are cheap. Really cheap. You can get a variety pack of 100 for $8 or so. Circuit breakers for 12V systems are available, but are not cheap (more like $10 each). My car has 40 or 50 circuits, ...
- 576
39
votes
Does kicking a tire off your car from underneath it while it's held up by a stable jack pose safety threats?
Yes, you do have something to worry about. Even with a lot of weight on a jack, the jack could move, either back and forth, or side to side, and the whole shebang could pivot down until the car rests ...
- 3,643
38
votes
How do I save myself from a sinking vehicle?
Get an emergency escape tool
For being proactive, the best option is a emergency glass breaking device with a seatbelt cutter like this model:
(Click image to enlarge)
The Mythbusters have done two ...
- 13.3k
34
votes
Is a tire with exposed wire safe to drive on?
The only advice anyone could possibly give about this tire is that it should not be taken on the road. Out of respect for other peoples lives, the car should not be driven with even one tire like ...
- 24.9k
30
votes
Are classic cars safe?
No, they are not safe
Safety standards dating back to before now were not as stringent as they are now.
The further in time you go back the less safe they become.
Safety has been driven by ...
- 33k
27
votes
Accepted
How to raise the car higher than the jack stands will allow?
You could always look into jack stands that are typically used for heavy duty trucks and semis. One time I had a lifted truck I had to go to Northern Tool and purchase high reaction jack stands:
...
- 3,685
26
votes
Accepted
What's the best gear to leave a manual vehicle in when parked?
The lower the gear, the better the job the engine compression will do at holding the car if the brake fails, that's because a lower gear makes the engine spin faster and requires it to do more work ...
- 14.4k
26
votes
Does kicking a tire off your car from underneath it while it's held up by a stable jack pose safety threats?
What you did was dangerous, there are Darwin Awards for just this type of thing! The likelihood of something going wrong is low, but the consequences are terrible if it does. There are many failure ...
- 16.2k
25
votes
Accepted
Is a bigger car safer than a smaller car?
In aggregate yes, however that's not the same as saying all large vehicles are safer than all small ones. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety aggregates and publishes data about fatality rates ...
25
votes
Is it safe to use a hydraulic jack as a stand? If not, why?
TL DR: Nope, I'd say not.
When I was a young man, my Dad always told me, "Use the tool which is designed for the job." For instance, if you are trying to remove a bolt out of your suspension holding ...
- 153k
23
votes
Are classic cars safe?
You've already seen the safety comparisons.
With that being said, classic cars are for fun. If you're looking for safety, a classic car isn't for you. If you're looking to have fun, go for it.
...
- 331
20
votes
Do these tyre cracks necessitate replacement?
Those cracks are due to prolonged heat and UV exposure. They are a sign that the tires are old and will soon need replacing.
Cracks of this size are not a safety concern in and of themselves but they ...
- 39.1k
19
votes
I drove with my Parking Brake on for 30 mins: should I be worried?
If it has been driving fine since then, all you have probably done is worn the brake pads down. Not fatal - but check when you pull the handbrake on that it is solidly holding the car stationary.
If ...
- 18.6k
19
votes
How to raise the car higher than the jack stands will allow?
Wood. It's plenty strong. Cut some 2x6 or 2x8 and stack them accordingly. This is the most cost effective way to solve your problem. The only danger you will encounter is if you used rotten wood.
I ...
- 4,730
19
votes
What's the best gear to leave a manual vehicle in when parked?
When I'm on a hill with the front of my car facing up the hill I park the car in first and turn the wheels away from the curb so the transmission is fighting against gravity.
When I'm on a hill with ...
- 347
19
votes
Accepted
How are showroom/display vehicles prepared?
Here in the States, cars on showroom floors are driven on and driven off. There are large doors (triple wide as compared to normal doors) which are opened to allow them to be driven into position. The ...
- 153k
18
votes
Are classic cars safe?
Classic cars are significantly less safe than modern cars. In a classic car, it is both harder to avoid a crash and more likely that you will sustain serious or fatal injuries in the event of a crash. ...
- 335
18
votes
Accepted
Does my electronic parking brake remain engaged if I disconnect the battery?
It is my understanding that electronic parking brakes remain in whatever state they were in when the battery dies or is disconnected. The electronic system does not "hold" the brake. It simply engages ...
- 306
18
votes
Accepted
What does this symbol of a car balancing on two wheels mean?
I am completely sure that it is a rollover warning label.
(source: c-suvs.com)
It is an official symbol, at least in the US, and it became required by the NHTSA on SUVs around 1999. From the LA Times,...
- 4,900
18
votes
Accepted
Is it OK practice to start a car while it's on jackstands?
The jack points of a motor vehicle are the design locations to allow one to lift the vehicle without creating undue stress in inappropriate locations. This is done for service lifts for the purposes ...
- 4,455
17
votes
How do I save myself from a sinking vehicle?
Depends how proactive you want to be. A really sensible preparation is to have a window shattering tool in your glove box.
As soon as you have "finished" ending up in the water, get your seatbelt off ...
- 18.6k
17
votes
Does kicking a tire off your car from underneath it while it's held up by a stable jack pose safety threats?
Assuming you had to do this on the road (why else would you want to put a donut on?), I wouldn't go under the car no matter how steady it is, even on a jack stand on a completely flat patch of ...
- 2,642
17
votes
Is it OK practice to start a car while it's on jackstands?
If a vehicle is supported correctly via jack stands, I wouldn't have a problem starting the vehicle. The main thing you need to worry about with the knuckles and front suspension not is place is, ...
- 153k
16
votes
How to raise the car higher than the jack stands will allow?
Hydraulic car ramps are a great option if you can source them.
They give oodles of clearance by lifting the wheels themselves. You have to drive the wheels into them before using the hydraulic pump ...
- 39.1k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible