For those of you who are still looking for "Safety Stands", have I got a deal for you! On sale now at Northern Tool: 2" x 2" x 12" standard receiver tubes, already powder coated black, for only $10.00 each (plus shipping, of course). I doubt you will find a sweeter deal. Better hurry, so Santa can deliver them before Christmas!
Ultra-Tow Standard Receiver Tube — 2in. Mount, 12in.L | Receiver Tubes| (http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200442400_200442400)
(https://www.foreforums.com/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northerntool.com%2Fimages%2Fproduct%2F700x700%2F605%2F605675_700x700.jpg&hash=01a2d3691c9fe683bbde21350e76528b" rel="cached" data-hash="01a2d3691c9fe683bbde21350e76528b" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/700x700/605/605675_700x700.jpg)
That IS a buy!
Harbor Freight is $18.00 for the same thing...
Ok tell me again - how many do i need for the whole coach 4 or 8?
Great find!
John: Opinions on the forum vary - some say 4, some say 8. I ordered 8 of them. Makes more sense to me to put one at each air bag.
I also noticed another item on sale at Northern, in case someone wants (or needs) the absolute maximum working space under the coach. With the air bags in "full up" position, you could insert one jack at each air bag (instead of the stand) and pump it up tight. Then the coach would not drop even slightly when you released the air bag pressure. The jack weighs the same as the "safety stands", and is the same price. So, different strokes for different folks. Your choice!
Torin Black Jack Hydraulic Bottle Jack — 4-Ton Capacity, Model# T90403W | (http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200614830_200614830)
(https://www.foreforums.com/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northerntool.com%2Fimages%2Fproduct%2F700x700%2F401%2F40188_700x700.jpg&hash=f32daf45bb1f0a6f126cb753fdc95248" rel="cached" data-hash="f32daf45bb1f0a6f126cb753fdc95248" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/700x700/401/40188_700x700.jpg)
Thanks.. 8 seems good
Northern also has the black trucker's wheel chocks on sale as well.
Northern also has 48" rcvrs for $30. Make 4 posts at 11' or whatever length you want. $7.50 each.
A 4 ton jack would be OK but it is likely not enough to lift a wheel at any one corner. My coach would need at least a 6 ton jack to lift a rear corner off the ground.
Roger
Don't think he is trying to lift the wheels he is "replacing" the air bags with the hydraulic jacks.
Roland
Dave: Along with 8 of the 12" receivers, I also ordered 4 black rubber chocks @ $9.99. That put my order total over $100, which got me the "free" $10.00 electronic gift card, which was applied to my order. What a Deal!
Roger: I saw the 48" receiver on sale, but then I'd have to get it cut apart somewhere, which would leave one or more un-coated ends on each stand. I thought the "pre-cut" 12" size was a better deal, at least for me.
Roland: Exactly - you could use a jack INSTEAD of a safety stand. I'll go back and clarify that point. By the way, have you noticed how close our build numbers are? Our two coaches were almost from the same litter. :))
I understood that the jacks were going to be used instead of the tubes. If you are going to have a jack (or 8 of them) it would be nice if at least one had enough capacity to lift a corner of the coach, ie. get a tire off the ground. I would need a 6 ton one for the rear axle on my coach.
I would probably have chewed up the paint on the ends of the 12" tubes after the first time I used them anyway.
Just the way I think.
Roger
Roger: OK, I got you now. And a good point about the jacks. However, if I was going to try to lift either axel on one of these coaches, I would be looking at one of those 20-ton combo air-hydraulic jacks with a 20" max lift height. I see them for sale around $100. Lots easier letting the air pressure do the work!
As to the paint on the "safety stands", I'm hoping the powder coating is decent quality and will hold up for a while. Will just have to see how that goes...
Cheers!
I doubt if a 6 ton jack would raise a rear wheel off the ground. It would sure be overloaded and I would not trust it not to blow out. How often do you think you would use the safety stands?
I've used safety stands several times. Specific instances include: adjusting pressure relief plungers on the steering gear, putting some zip ties and pipe wrap on new fuel lines, fixing a poor electrical contact on the door step relay, replacing an air regulator, checking wiring on the headlights, fixing a fault in the dash air conditional condenser fan.
They are cheap to buy or fabricate and easy to use. The air springs can deflate and leave you in a bad spot.
My rear axle max load is about 21,000 lbs. Half is 10,500. 6 tons would be 12,000. Should be enough. If I were actually going to buy one I would probably go for 10 tons or more.
Roger
Within the first two years of having our 270, a rear airbag blew while sitting in a friend's driveway. After ordering an airbag from James T, I also ordered a 20-ton jack from Northern or HF. Borrowed 8"x8" wooden blocks from a neighbor of the friend, and replaced my first airbag. (Did not have safety stands back in those early days.) I carry the jack with me now. (Strapped down, would not want that thing moving in a panic stop!) Worrying about the "unpainted" end of safety stand seems silly to me. I use four stands, set on the most forward and rearward spots. At home, with a huge compressor available, I use an air-driven jack ($100 as previously stated in another note) when needed. andy1
I crawled under the coach this afternoon and measured ground to the bottom of the front axle. Is is about nine inches. If you are on soft ground or on concrete you don't want to damage, a 10 or 12 inch square of LVL or 2x12 under the jack would be nice. So you need one of those stubby jacks whose minimum height is around 7 1/2". I think there is more clearance in the rear but more weight too so that makes a jack pad even more important.
I ordered some receiver tubes today, delivered to a nearby store. Thanks for the heads up. That 4 ton jack is back to $29.
Roger
In all the years I was running vehicle and heavy equipment shops the absolute rule was NEVER get under anything supported by fluid (air and/or oil) alone. Always have a mechanical safety such as stands capable of supporting all the weight they might encounter.
Keith
Chuck,
Thanks for the heads up. I ordered 4 this weekend.
Jimmy
1998 U295 36'
Sorry to revive this thread from the dead but I'm striking out in the search. Are these still the preferred "blocks"? I thought I vaguely remembered some red blocks that HF sold that had brackets on the end but I can't for the life of me find that thread again.
Look for reciever hitch extensions at Harbor Freight, should come up
Wait for a sale or use the discount coupon. I bought 2 20 tonf or $59/ea with the HF coupon. The are GREAT and can be used without air. too. Best to make an adapter to the frame so there is no possible way for the coach to come off the jack. Coach air works fine to raise them. Think these 20 ton air/hydraulic jacks are all made at the same factory. Excellent reviews. Watch video at:
https://www.harborfreight.com/20-ton-air-over-hydraulic-jack-95553.html
Pierce
Are these the ones you are recalling?
https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?action=media;sa=album;in=99
Working Safely around your Foretravel (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=10632.msg57853#msg57853)
More safety info here (a
long thread):
Working Safely around your Foretravel (https://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=10632.0)
Bah, yes! Those are what I was thinking of. It appears I was wrong about them being available at HF. I guess I'll go with 8 of those receiver hitch extensions
I panted my "safety blocks" aka hitch extenders a bright yellow to make them more visible: reminding me to remove them when I am finished and I can see they are in position when under the coach.
https://www.harborfreight.com/class-iii-12-in-x-2-in-standard-receiver-tube-69879.html
Yep, these are exactly what I've bought over the last five or so weeks. I could only find one store with two of these in stock. Been stopping into HF stores in our travels back to Florida, found only one in each subsequent store... Guess they are hot sellers? Have six of them now.
Have a few small air leaks to fix...
Should I use eight of these to support the rig or is six sufficient? Two on the front four in back???
Jeff
Use 8 safety stands. One stand next to each air bag (not including the tag axle bags if you have those).
Thanks! I was trying to find a picture on how to use the stand for long time.
A picture is worth than thousands words.
Now I know exactly how to use it.
I bought 4. Needs another 4
Reply #18 – 8 months ago
This is a place I used to get my safety stands. I called via phone and requested two inch steel channel 1/4 inch thick cut into 8 separate pieces each 11 inches in length. The cost was $7.00 each. I was 45 miles from one of their locations so I picked mine up but they will ship right to you. Easy peasy and so much safer.
Speedy Metals Online Industrial Metal Supply
Speedy Metals Online Industrial Metal Supply (https://www.speedymetals.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=speedybrand&utm_content=responsiveads&gclid=CjwKCAiA_eb-BRB2EiwAGBnXXqOIBM8PRPQIBR2kNGRyRTulSdi7OA8_PioEyBuLwyR0oNL418wvZRoCatsQAvD_BwE)