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MG MGF Technical - MGF & Axle Stands

I am about to attempt a gear selector change on my F. I have a set of axle stands, but a worrying thought crossed my mind. As the F is rear wheel drive and handbrakes only effect the back wheels, what do others do to prevent the car from rolling forward and falling off the stands. The obvious solution is to use chocks, but I am not sure if I am happy trusting a few bits of wood from preventing a squashed torso!

Rog

Roger

Roger, chocks should be fine, place the car on a level drive and try to push it over some chocks- you'll see.
If you are really worried then someting big under the sump in case it falls (pile of wood etc)
Will Munns

If you are really worried a simple solution that I use is to firmly fix a piece of timber such as a length of 3 X 3 about 9 inches long to a strip of plywood about 9 inches wide by about 24 inches long - make two, one for each wheel, then before jacking up the car drive it onto the plywood and against the chocks. The cars weight will hold the whole thing rigidly in place.

Ted
Ted Newman

Chocks are quite adequate to keep the car from rolling away Roger :o)

Used axle stands and chocks frequently for work on my F.
Rob Bell

Remember that just because you are lifting the back of the car this doesn't give it the tendancy to roll, it's sloping ground rather than sloping car which causes cars to roll downhill, otherwise I could make a killing selling cars with pumped up rear suspension!

Will
Will Munns

Will

Back in my Air Force days I can remember at least two cases of vehicles rolling off the axle stands
Ted Newman

I think Will was refering to perpetual motion machines Ted - but your point is extremely important.

Always be very VERY careful when working under the car.
Rob Bell

Another bit of useless information from my endless collection.

Before BA had all the service kit for the then new, Boeing 747, someone calculated that a railway sleeper in front of each of the four sets of wheels would allow them to rev up the engines on the ground. So a bit of 2" x 2" should hold an MGF.

Brian

Point taken Rob BUT the idea of putting the vehicle up is so one can work on it and any pressure against the car in a forward (or reverse) direction can be enough to tip the balance.

I have to say that when I do any under car work I chock the wheels from both directions and going back to my Air Force days we had double chocks which were especially good for working on large bowsers and other such vehicles.

Ted
Ted Newman

Place your pair wheel under the car as you work under it.
The wheel will protect you if the car slips.

Regardless of the car, I never trust axle stands.

Many jacks are simply accidents waiting to happen.
Especially OE jacks - why are they so bad?

Peter
Peter

Thanks for that!!

I will trust your judgement(s)!!

Cheers,

Rog.
Roger

Roger, place chocks both sides of one of the front wheels - the car can roll backwards as well as forwards!

Ralph
Ralph

>> The obvious solution is to use chocks <<

I use chocks too. BOTH sides of the wheels, i also (generally) place the spare wheel under the car (just in case the worst happens).

I occasionally use ramps instead, but have difficulty nowadays due to the lowered suspension.

SF
Scarlet Fever

This thread was discussed on 21/08/2002

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