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By carl - 13 Years Ago
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Deceided to share the detailes of a accident i had last tuesday.I had a 56 Ford Wagon jacked up in the front with oak blocks 10" x 10" x 24" under the front wheels.I was taking the trans. out and getting everthing under the car ready to pull the engine.I didnt have the rear end off the floor and i had blocks behind the rear wheels so it wouldnt roll backwards.I didnt block the front of the rear wheels because i didnt see anyway it could roll forward,but guess what it did roll forward.I didnt get out in time and the passenger side tire landed on my legs.My garage is about 100 feet from the house and it took about 10 min of yelling before i got my wifes attention.10 min can be a long time! Am really glad i had taught her how to use a floor jack. Dont know how but didnt break anything but i am really sore and black and blue.You can bet i will block both sides of the wheels next time(that is if the wife lets me back in the garage Also forgot to mention the emergency brake didnt work Thats my story Carl Lynn
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By MarkMontereyBay - 13 Years Ago
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Carl,
What a harrowing experience to go through. Glad you escaped without serious injuries or worse and thankfully your wife was nearby to get you out. Working alone has hazards and I try to think of escape routes when possible. Maybe it's time to chuck the wood blocks and get a couple sets of good jack stands to keep the load on the frame/axles and not on the wheels. An accident like that can really shake the confidence. Heal soon and get back to the garage.
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By MoonShadow - 13 Years Ago
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Jeez Carl, take it easy I might need some more parts! Glad everything turned out ok. Back when I was a teen I had a 57 Ford convertable that I converted to floor shift. The shifter was a Vette turned backwards to work. Anyway with those old Ford trannies it would often hang up between 1st and reverse. One night it locked up and I nursed it home in low. Next morning I went out, stuck a bumper jack under the front, jacked it up and crawled under. By the way the front coils were cut 1.5 turns to lower the car. Took the shifting rods off and took my big crescent wrench and popped the levers back into neutral. Guess what happend next? Car rolled back off the bumper jack and dropped. Now we are talking about a 57 with about 2" clearence between the lower radiator guard and the ground. I got lucky! I managed to get my head in the gap between the tailshaft and frame. No damage done, just pride. The car was sitting on my chest so heavy that I couldn't move. After 15-20minutes of yelling my Mom came out and asked what the problem was. I said "get this @#$ car off of me. To which Mom says "stop cussing and I will". Anyway she jacked up the car and out I came, embarassed but not hurt. Thank god my dad wasn't there or I would have caught a lot of cra&. Thats when I learned, and I mean really learned, about jack stands and wheel chocks. I never leave home without em! Chuck
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By Big6ft6 - 13 Years Ago
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Wow. I think about this a lot, especially when I'm at my second garage that I rent in town where nobody knows I'm back there. I'd have to yell for strangers on the street. I often thinking about positioning my cell phone under my car in a way I could reach it to call 911, but when you're moving around that isn't possible. Of course that is if you're able to call, if something with not enough cround clearance fell on your head calling for help would no longer be a concern. Very very scary. Thanks for sharing...helps keep me on my toes.
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By slumlord444 - 13 Years Ago
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Had a '57 Ford fall off a bumper jack in a garage full of guys back in the late '60's when someone else jacked it up too far. Try to be more careful since then but sometimes it is tempting to not take the time to put jack stands under it to crawl under a car for just a few seconds. DON"T do it! This is a reason I also ALWAYS have my cell phone on my belt. Gives you a way to call for help if you are consious and can reach it.
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By junkyardjeff - 13 Years Ago
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I done something like that over 20 years ago,I had my 55 Olds convertible on ramps to take out the brake booster and did not block the rear tires. The booster was mounted to the panel that goes around the column on the floor so I thought I would take it out the bottom and the trans linkage was in the way and without thinking moved it and the car rolled down on top of me,I was in grandmas garage about 2 blocks from the house alone on a creeper with me pinned under the car and no way to contact anyone or no one could have heard me yelling. I was able to get the creeper out from under me and wiggled out from under the car and drove it back up on the ramps and blocked the wheels and removed the booster,the next day my ribs hurt and went to have them checked out only to bruise them and nothing broke even though the creeper was broke. I am glad the door was down or it could have gotten worse and the door was old and heavy and did not get damaged.
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 13 Years Ago
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When I was 16 I had my '48 Ford fall off the bumper jack while I was sitting under the back of the car. Pushed my face down to the driveway. Fortunately, I was only a few feet from the house and Dad and Mom were both home. They jacked it back up and I crawled out, suffering only a lower back ache and a terrified feeling in my brain.
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By Duck - 13 Years Ago
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Fortunately it wasn't any worse. I lost a very good friend that way, years ago. He stayed after work one Friday evening to put a clutch in his car. Why he didn't use the jack stands that were there, was never known. The floor jack he used failed, and he was pinned, with the trans laying crosswise on his chest, the car on top of that. I was the one who discovered him the following Monday morning.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 13 Years Ago
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FYI: I learned the hard way not to use both ramps with the wheel stops facing the same direction. Forgot to set the E. brake, and when I lowered the front end, the car rolled backward. Major bodywork expense straightening/repainting those rocker panels.
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By bird55 - 13 Years Ago
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I started cringing as soon as I began to read this. I have been in the same spot before as well. And from reading these others guys have too. SO, what have we learned? Get some great Jacks stands and use them properly. Very cheap insurance!
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By carl - 13 Years Ago
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The bad part is i have a good set of jack stands but they were under my 56 crown,i had it up cleaning the wheels and tires ,getting it ready to take to a show tomorrow.Maybe i will buy another set.What i would really like to have is a lift but dont have the head room Carl
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By Ted - 13 Years Ago
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Carl. That was close call. Thanks for sharing as it re-emphasizes how complacency can rear its ugly head at any time. Sure glad you squeaked through that episode without being seriously hurt or worse.
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By The Master Cylinder - 13 Years Ago
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Working on the '56
Sorry couldn't resist, trying lighten the mood a little. Glad your OK, Carl. I've had WAY to many close calls.
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By carl - 13 Years Ago
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WOW that is scarey,also its a 55 crown not a 56 Carl
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By Talkwrench - 13 Years Ago
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Im gonna have to put my hand up here.. Maybe it just might stop someone, make them think!.. Recently working on my Cuda I jacked up the back end and put some blocks underneath the wheels and chocked infront of the front wheels, this was so I could do the unis. At some point I had the released the brakes etc so that I could turn the shaft. For some reason I went to the front of the car and had my head in the engine bay and was leaning on the front.. I felt this strange sensation.. what the ??!! I had fogotten to re-apply the brake and put in Park.. the Cuda was now rolling backwards off the blocks!!! BANG! It hit the garge door which was thankfully closed, yes thankfully.... if it had been open as sometimes it is it would have continued rolling and after one car length my drive goes down they would have been no way for me to stop the car ..once rolling no way at all, It would have continued 70 yards building up speed that would have gone through the neigbours house distroying it and the car .. The garage door was easily pushed back on place and the Cuda barely marked the bumper overriders... Also last night working on thr rockers of the 56 I copped the fan blade across the knuckles.. I wouldn't be the only one .. BE CAREFUL .. 
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