Car jack tipped over while changing my flat... need recommendation for new jack

[gizmo99]

The unthinkable happened, my jack that came with the car tipped over while I was changing my flat. Luckily the tire was still on but my hand was stuck between the cement and the flat. Incredibly my hand is just bruised and there were no broken bones.

I am traumatized to change a flat now. But I need a better jack. Can someone recommend me a solid / untippable jack

[Ro1121]

thats pretty fucked up. lol Norco makes soild car jacks.

[Kookie]

Holy crap..

LAAAAWWWWWWSUUUUUUUUIIIIITTTTT!

jk. hopefully it wasn't user error? Like did it just tip, or did a component of the jack fail...?

[gizmo99]

Holy crap..

LAAAAWWWWWWSUUUUUUUUIIIIITTTTT!

jk. hopefully it wasn't user error? Like did it just tip, or did a component of the jack fail...?


You could say its user error. When I was removing the tire , I lifted it up a bit and therefore the jack tipped. I am not blaming anyone but myself.

But I definitely need a better jack

[Kookie]

Glad to hear it was just minor bruises.

I can't find anything searching.. My advice is to just be more careful, or nab an extra jack for some added stability.. that's what I had in my X5.. although the original jack does just fine when used properly. No offense, we all make mistakes. I've found using your toe with heel planted to hold up the wheel and lateral pull with your hands, the tire comes off with no effort or exertion of force on the chassis..

[kitae80325]

u have to put the side brake on when you're using those stock jacks..

[VegasAIV]

In your defense, the "widow maker jack" is a huge POS. Same thing happened to me and I DID NOT lift the wheel and my ebrake WAS on. I dont wanna change shit anymore after almost losing my arm

[jriddle11]

That sucks! I always take the easy way and just call Audi Roadside and if I didnt have them I would call AAA.

[Scrwedtxboy31]

Definitely get a different jack, there are 8676435346944564 threads about this exact same thing, and the stock jack is known throughout the zine and elsewhere to be a killer.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00950165000P?vName=Tools

Get some cheap Jack stands from walmart while your at it.. no reason to be anything but completely safe!

Thats what I have, it was recommended to me by an old timer mechanic, he said their the best, they have low clearance for slammed cars too. Good luck, and Glad to hear you made it out safely. and hey even a broken hand would've been better than a dead you! Cheers!

[4ty-phive]

The unthinkable happened, my jack that came with the car tipped over while I was changing my flat. Luckily the tire was still on but my hand was stuck between the cement and the flat. Incredibly my hand is just bruised and there were no broken bones.

I am traumatized to change a flat now. But I need a better jack. Can someone recommend me a solid / untippable jack

Glad you're ok. That sucks what happened

[denytuesday]

My jack actually broke on me in the process of changing a tire. The part that holds the pinch weld bent, causing the car to fall. I got it replaced for free by the dealership, but no way in hell was I going to use that POS again. I have a small scissor jack in my trunk now, mostly because I don't feel like having a huge floor jack in my car at all times.

[Ramathorn]

now you know where they came up with the "widowmaker" nickname for the jacks we get with our cars and vw's

[CrtchRktRcr]

Wow the craftsman at sears is a killer deal! I'm gonna go grab one this week. You did loosen the lugs before jacking the car up right?

[SEXICÄN]

They don't call our jacks "THE WIDOW MAKER" for nothing

[cheemn]

I have an "large volume" bicycle pump and a tire flat spray can in my trunk., along with a tire pressure gauge. I had a VW passat before this car and learned my lesson from that. If I get a flat I just use either and drive to the closest shop. I much prefer doing that. Besides then I dont get dirty. ;-) Of course that wont work if your tire is shredded.

[Sal_B7]

man sorry to hear about that! That is my one fear while working on my car when i do oil changes and stuff like that. Glad you are ok. I bought a jack and stand combo at Kragen it was like $40 bucks or something. Havent had to use my stock jack yet. "knock on wood" but i usually take my jack when i go on long trips just in case it ever happens.

[gizmo99]

I didn't take the right precaution when changing the tire. I didn't pull Ebrake, I didnt lose the tug nuts while the car was on the ground. One thing I didnt like about the jack stand was that it did not even stand up straight on its own with no weight on it. Making it very easy to tip over.

I don't think I am going to change a tire ever again.

[smartbabo]

Try using that POS jack out in the snow to put chains on while your car has coilovers. Not a very good feeling when you do not trust the jack but have to put your arm deep into the wheels to put on/ take off chains.

[fajimr]

as per the OP's question: I'd also like to know of a good jack to replace the POS one in the car, i.e. not a floor jack but something to carry in the car.

thanks
jim

[Kevin2772]

I havent checked on my b7, but my B5 had that ridge down the middle that fit into the jack. Are there other jacking points that dont have that "ridge" or "line" running donw them so you dont need the U shaped jack it comes with? I changed 3 flats on my b5 in 2 years and never had a problem but always thought the jacked seemed to be a bit weak....

[RS.Fez]

I've used the jack for 3 seasons to change my own winters/summers and NEVER had any problems with it. Always made sure to put bricks behind the rear wheels, e-break on, loosen the wheel nuts only a bit and make sure the jack goes on the right spot on the frame - its held some pretty good yanks from me.

Sorry to hear about your accident.

[Grishbok]

Widow maker strikes again!

[CrtchRktRcr]

i didn't take the right precaution when changing the tire. I didn't pull ebrake, i didnt lose the tug nuts while the car was on the ground. One thing i didnt like about the jack stand was that it did not even stand up straight on its own with no weight on it. Making it very easy to tip over.

I don't think i am going to change a tire ever again.

wow, sounds like you need triple a not a new jack. Aren't kids supposed to learn how to do this before they even drive?

[VMRWheels]

damn, it's amazing that you weren't seriously injured. You might want to take a look at some bottle jacks, you can get them pretty cheap at harbor freight, compact enough to keep in your car for an emergency! As long as you're not slammed it should work.

[Matt@EuropaParts]

Throw the OEM jack out. It's crap.

My buddies Suburban had a scissor jack in it that I think would fit under my car...gotta see if it'll work. It's a hell of lot more stable than the Audi jack.

[14S4GWM]

5 year Necro bump, wow

[p0isin]

Some say the car is still tipped over to this day....

[Muggerrudd]

how does it tip over? is it the jack that came with the car? don't use that....


http://cdn.meme.am/instances/55845143.jpg

[Ashtonts]

5 year Necro bump, wow

Not even, that was a 6 year necro bump [facepalm]

[Copen-cisco]

Some say the car is still tipped over to this day....

Some say his hand is still stuck under the wheel

http://media.onsugar.com/files/2010/08/34/2/192/1922283/8d417d4caf03b4cd_Picture_3.preview.jpg

[Seerlah]

Some say the oem jack is now being used for the missing bottom leg of his couch.

[Copen-cisco]

Some say the oem jack is now being used for the missing bottom leg of his couch.

What if the couch tipped over while using the oem jack? Is he stuck under the couch now?

We need puppies in this thread

[Seerlah]

That would mean the unthinkable has happened. Only logical thing to do is to bump this thread 5-6 years from now.

[14S4GWM]

Not even, that was a 6 year necro bump [facepalm]

haha, you're right, just woke up when I was reading that one.

[Okedokey]

Did you try to loosen the nuts whilst jacked?

[Theiceman]

I bet the jack is still lying quietly in the dark in trunks today .. ready to make its next widow.

all my german car jacks are still packed away , im actually afraid that if I take it out ill never figure out how to get it back in,

I picked up a couple cheap scissor jacks at the wreckers.. works fine ..

[Axis]

http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt98/davidnaimian/widowmakerxo8.jpg?t=1327080101

[80sGuy]

Holy 6 year-old thread!
Yeah, these Jacks on our cars SUCKED. It slipped off on me once while removing a tire and damaging the p.o.s. itself (jack body slightly cracked open), and yes the handbrake was engaged. Also, this is one of the reasons why I never get under a car with Jack or Jackstands - unless I have at least 10-12" worth of solid wood planks laid under all tires.

[B-Time]

I used it inside my house to lift my big ass wood bed to get a carpet underneath. Worked well. Did not fall over.

[plat]

My new B8.5 S5 no longer came with the widow maker. It has a standard scissor jack that is much stable. I am not sure if there is space in your B7 A4 to pack this kind of jack but it is a lot more portable than a floor jack that others are recommending above.

[2pointOh]

Some say the car is still tipped over to this day....


Some say his hand is still stuck under the wheel

http://media.onsugar.com/files/2010/08/34/2/192/1922283/8d417d4caf03b4cd_Picture_3.preview.jpg


Some say the oem jack is now being used for the missing bottom leg of his couch.
Some say he's the only man who has used an audi widow maker jack and lived.. all we know is HE'S CALLED THE STIG!

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[Seerlah]

Last time I seen his jack, it was on the corner of the Walmart exit holding up a Homeless sign. Gave it $5.

[PedroPickleB7]

I use the widow maker to raise my penis up when I see a hot chick.

[Okedokey]

Sounds like a problem for viagra.

[PedroPickleB7]

http://www.thousandaire.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/honey-boo-boos-mom.jpg

My mom uses it to find her vagina. Very useful. Definitely why they call it a widow maker. God bless his soul.

[mpv314]

Happened to me three separate times. Meant to buy this, but I actually was given a real jack stand prior to the purchase. Still going to get it in the near future, its good to have for any car

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-compact-trolley-jack-68783.html?hftref=cj