2 x 4 Riser Wheel Stands - Why Pro Build Shops Use Them

[@charliedee9276]

I was a carpenter, I made mine years ago just because they were free being built from job scraps. Trusted them a lot more than jack stands. Had no idea about this particular reason however I understand. Had a 74 Vette that had to be jacked up carefully or it would get tweaked.

[@kermitbearden7142]

If floor is uneven I support front suspension on the tires and support the rear axle at the differential. 3 points of support will allow the body to equalize itself. I did this with a 3rd gen camaro while installing subframe connectors and when finished the door fit was way better.

[@damontellegen3569]

Obviously not a hot rod but if you ever put a Chrysler LeBaron convertible on the two post lift you can't even get the door open once it's up in the air. Great videos I've been following you for a while... genius

[@RedlineStands]

LOL. I'm going to step out on a limb on this one and say that LeBaron isn't a very rigid car.

[@damontellegen3569]

Like a tin can with wheels

[@seanseoltoir]

@@RedlineStands -- The roof provides a lot of structural integrity in a car, so in order to do a proper convertible, the designer needs to significantly reinforce it when makes the convertible heavier than the original hardtop version. Most manufacturers start out with a hardtop version and then decide to make a convertible version. If they don't add reinforcements, it could definitely give some flex when on a lift. On the other hand, Porsche came out with the Cayman after the Boxster, so it ended up being quite stiff since the Boxster was already engineered with reinforcements being that it was designed as a convertible.

[@TonyBasuro]

Back half the lebaron!. So I guess turn it into a chariot since it is front wheel drive

[@waterkeeper03]

Seen the opposite on a 60s corvette conv. Up on the lift and the door gap almost let them pop open.

[@keyzpainting4133]

Wow, good to know. I have been fitting all my new panels and getting ready to weld them on. My car is on jack stands on my drive on lift.

[@SavetheRepublic]

Been there, and have had my fair share of heated conversation over it as well.

[@benargee]

Seeing is believing and here we are.

[@rugwalle]

Didn't know I was running a pro build shop in my garage, but now I know!

[@snapon666]

for many many years now me too

[@teagreen2220]

Definitely! Always build from the axles up. Of course you could also put the lifting device under the axles if 4wd. Great video!

[@VIKING-SON]

Great advice I'm going to be restoring and modifying my 1984 Z/28 It makes perfect sense to go the extra mile to achieve great results...

[@RoddyDa]

Damn! I built my wheel stands for my 70’ Nova for the comfort aspect. Never would have considered the amount of flex it would get from taking it off the wheels

[@melvync]

Long time ago I used some pieces of 12”x12” oak beams, from an old barn. Get the car up nice and high and rock solid stable.

[@keayrhyasen1154]

wow. i was just getting ready to weld on sub frame connectors on my '79 stang and was thinking about putting it on jack stands supporting the rear axle housing and some other spots up front. Thank You.

[@markbro4427]

I remember getting a set of tyres on a pillarless coupe.... The tyre shop had a low lift, just enough to do tyres. I had to open a door for some reason and it wouldn't close correctly yet when back on the ground on its wheels it was fine.

[@ronkrueger3496]

Yes. If you ever see a house moved to put in a basement or new foundation they use beams and cribs to set the house on to reduce flex on walls and windows

[@Dwigt_Rortugal]

Right, but keep in mind that that cribbing is not made of soft 2x4s.

[@BenVanAmburg]

Incredible advice! Archive this!

[@T3glider]

The 1/16” of flex you observed was the result of the difference between the wheelbase and the lift points of the hoist, which wasn’t very far apart! Wow!

[@ComplicatedStuff]

It’s also having the suspension components supporting the car versus having the suspension components hanging on the car outside of the lifting points.

[@robertfontaine3650]

Wheel cribs don't fail and they're cheap... definitely making me some tomorrow.

[@thevanvirgin]

Oh wow! That's incredible, would not have credited it would open up that much.

[@noeltrujillo6154]

What length are those 2x4 are cut? How many are cut for each? At what height? Thank you.

[@seanseoltoir]

I would not use his design for cribbing. The wheels are trying to push the cribbing apart instead of just being in compression, so there is more of a failure potential for them.

[@craigfinley7215]

Mine are all 12”x12”, 4 pieces per.

[@MustangGuru]

@@seanseoltoirthe wheel cribs are only supporting about 500lbs each

[@seanseoltoir]

@@MustangGuru -- Doesn't matter... It's a very unsafe design...

[@denali9449]

@@seanseoltoir Back this up with real numbers. Otherwise it is strictly conjecture on your part.

[@Denbar137]

It's called cribbing and I've used it for years. I make single stack blocks with mine which makes it easier and makes the height adjustable.

[@RC-NW]

I trust wooden cribbing like this more than I trust even a 500 dollar pair of heavy duty jack stands.

[@impactodelsurenterprise2440]

500 dollars for 2 stands is a rip off😂

[@craigd1275]

The old train trestles over rivers and other gaps were made of wood. They could hold a lot of weight and were reliable.

[@seanseoltoir]

Yes, *proper* cribbing can be trusted, but this is most definitely not "proper" cribbing. Proper cribbing is entirely in compression...

[@user-bg2oi4bz3p]

@@seanseoltoir That's right. I wouldn't use that contraption in the video. I made some and it is a solid block. "How Much Weight Can A 2×4 Hold? Horizontally, a 2×4 supports 20-40 pounds per foot if weight is evenly spread."

[@danielbarlow4344]

My full weight 92 Vette has been sitting on them for 4 years . I would much rather work under the car on those than any jack stands .

[@noddey]

Would be interesting to see if there is a difference when using the liftpoints under rocker cover to using the stronger structural bodyparts underneath the car. If i can avoid it i never use the rocker cover lifting points.

[@gmgt1982]

Also helps with cars that have been sitting awhile, so if a leak occurs you’ll be more likely to spot it.

[@masscomnet]

I need some tuba-4 stands too.

[@benshakespeare268]

Man, that’s going to look good when it’s done!

[@reno911yo]

Wow! This is golden info honestly thank you

[@RedlineStands]

You're very welcome. Please consider subscribing.

[@xmo552]

@@RedlineStands My dad did stuff like this. He was a body and paint man. The older the car is the more they flex also. He would critique these pro builds, because they looked like a million bucks to most people but a body guy can pick it apart from across the lawn. Body gaps can make or break your finish quality.

[@Padanky05]

I watched an old coworker put quarters and floors in an old GTO and when they bolted it onto the frame, it buckled both quarters in front of rear tires. Looked like someone punted a foot ball into the sides.

[@selbermacher1267]

Valuable tip, but... You have a caliper in your hand and then wiggle it around and say "probably a 16th". Can't help but notice the irony.

[@quinsattorney]

Good stuff. Thanks Dave. Thanks Redline.

[@johnbarker5009]

Cribbing will also support a huge amount of weight. If you had a way to make it stable you could probably put the entire weight of the car on one stack of properly built 2x4 cribbing.

[@Dwigt_Rortugal]

Properly built being the key. I'd go with a truss design, but I'm an engineer. (That puts his pants on the same way as any of you. I'm not talking down.)

[@johnbarker5009]

@@Dwigt_Rortugal I don't think you're talking down at all. I found it fascinating to realize so many of us endanger our lives under cheap, sheetmetal jackstands when a much better alternative is available. Not that these completely replace jackstands, but I think you get the point.

[@scottmoto]

Just found this. Very good info.

[@murrayjonasson]

Fantastic advice, thank you.

[@JT-CO]

Solid advice. Thanks!

[@damianporter7114]

What about welding it on a cart?

[@kevingross7082]

68 leMans convertible with a boxed frame. When I put it up on jack stands I cannot almost open the driver's door.

[@FilmBySaga]

how much weight can these wooden blocks hold?

[@RedlineStands]

Idk. I certainly haven't tested them to capacity, but I can tell you they appear to hold my 3200 lb car with ease.

[@vdubjunkie]

Thanks for this very insightful information!

[@racer67]

If you dont have a car lift it helps put the car higher up to get under it unless ur doing work were the wheel needs to be off its more trusting than jack stands🇺🇲

[@royboy3597]

I have a car dolly I ordered from you guys coming tomorrow! And now you tell me l should of went to Home Depot!?

[@RedlineStands]

I don't follow you sir. These 2x4 wooden stands are not a dolly. Dollies support the car from the frame and allow you to roll it around. These 2x4 stands support it from the wheels and do not allow for any rolling. Two totally different things.

[@royboy3597]

Hi, I was kinda half kidding. I get what you said. When my 68 mustang convertible is on the lift. The door gap gets bigger. I bought the Dolly (should be on my porch today!...no joke) to work on 65 fastback. Floor pans etc. The rockers are good and without the drivetrain I think the Dolly should be perfect. Thanks for the reply 👍

[@RedlineStands]

@@royboy3597 Make sure you put a good endoskeleton in the car. You should never remove the floorpan without an inner structure to hold it all together. Thanks for the business!

[@vice4134]

Out of curious, how did you build your stands?

[@chrisallen2005]

Serious? 2 x 4s and srews. May need a tape measure and a wood saw too.

[@crookedaxle]

Tuba four???

[@talltom1129]

I heard that too

[@Dnasty1]

How do you know the wood can support the car?

[@RedlineStands]

It's really just an estimated guess. 2x4's are pretty strong and I used 3" wood screws.

[@greenhometony]

People have been doing this for quite a while.

[@seanseoltoir]

It all depends upon the design. This is not a particularly good design though. The 2x4s should be only in compression.

[@jwbakker5100]

have a set too. Just hope you guessed right . Strang that you all have a lift like that , and see clearly how flexible it always is , and still use it to weld cars .

[@williepelzer384]

Same reason muffler shops use drive on hoists , so both sides are even! 😊

[@markflierl1624]

Great video and your explanation makes sense.

[@erichuff2538]

Dang.... good advice 👍🏻

[@simoncowbell.6783]

I have 22" stands made from 4x4's and 2x4's with a detachable ramp. Best things ever. Not suitable for cars with low and long tail, though.

[@ronbunker5778]

Thats a good experiment...most of us would not have thought about that! Any special way to build those stands?

[@RedlineStands]

Not at all. It's just 2x4's and 3" wood screews. I just cut a couple pieces and mocked-up what I thought would be the appropriate spacing before I went crazy building them.

[@FlyGates8421]

Yeah I really appreciate that

[@dogsbyfire]

Great video. Thanks!

[@kurtthompson7732]

These cribs are improperly built and appear unsafe compared to designs where the longer 2x4's are underneath the tire supporting weight.

[@RedlineStands]

Maybe he's right; maybe he's wrong. Idk. I can only tell you that I've been using them for 6 months with no issue.

[@corystansbury]

​@@RedlineStands If we don't hear from you for a while, we'll assume you've changed your opinion. Looks fine to me.

[@mikeheggem9488]

All they need is blocking between each crossways 2×4 all the way to floor. Today's lumber isn't what it used to be.

[@jeffrey1312]

They are cheap and sturdy if built correctly, but they are heavy and hard to store. If I wasn't so cheap I'd buy a set of the foam ones.

[@adamcurtis83]

Superb tip

[@atikovi1]

The way your tire sits in the wood like that, it's pressing the pieces outwards like a wedge. I hope the nails or screws you used are strong enough in side force, which they aren't really designed for. Would be be much better to make them so the force of the tire is straight down. Like maybe using 2x12 boards on the top 2 layers.

[@RedlineStands]

Used 3 inch wood screws. Been using these blocks on and off for years and they're still solid as the day I built them.

[@hansosl]

Some people really dont understand how tough wood is and wood screws

[@josephdifabio6083]

What's a tuba for?

[@dustingilmore2710]

Playing in a band silly. Don't travel much huh?

[@seanseoltoir]

That is not the proper way to do cribbing blocks. The 2x4s should strictly be in compression.

[@neilsullada385]

I agree that looks sketchy as all hell

[@janofb]

Doesn't really apply to cars with full frames. I use a frame on the body dolly or I use a wooden dolly that connects at the frame mounting points.

[@RedlineStands]

I assure you sir it does. My car has an aftermarket frame.

[@janofb]

@@RedlineStands Then your lift is lifting on the body, not the frame and the body if flexing. Is your frame being used as a rocker? The lift is lifting on your rocker. If what your saying is true, your gaps change every time you go over a bump because then you're not sitting with the weight on the suspension.

[@denali9449]

@@janofb Ever been driving down the road with the top down and your arm resting on that gap between the door and the B pillar when you hit a bump? Still got the scar on the back of my upper arm from the 20 stitches they used to close up the gash when the frame on my GTO flexed and pinched my arm. Frames do flex and gaps change as you drive. The idea is to have the car in its natural 'at rest' position when you attach the panels.

[@janofb]

@@denali9449 It flexed because you had a convertible which has zero rigidity. Bodies on frames don't actually sit on the frame. They sit on rubber discs which absorb the minor flex a frame might exhibit in an extreme situation. A convertible body will flex in the wind even on a frame because it's inherently non-rigid BUT it will return to it correct gaps. It doesn't change because of what happens with the suspension.

[@denali9449]

@@janofb Your statement addressed cars with full frames, you did not exclude convertibles. Actually convertibles have additional bracing in the frame and weigh more than a comparable sedan or coupe. Supporting a frame at any point on the frame other than the suspension mount locations will alter the geometry of the frame/body compared to one resting on the suspension mounts - I think you tried to say this but it did not come across clearly.

[@johnlynch7990]

What’s a Tubafour???

[@joejoe5137]

What is a tubafore wheel stand?

[@jwbakker5100]

made from a music instrument

[@rtkl13]

I'm kind of surprised that this is being brought up, I always thought it was common knowledge amongst car builders, but then again rotisseries have only been around for maybe 20 yrs

[@v1-vr-rotatev2-vy_vx31]

Has to sit on all fours for proper body alignment during welding

[@muthagoose69]

awesome information ... I know most people build them because it's like a new fad but glad to know what the purpose in them is.

[@denali9449]

New fad? We were doing this back in the 60's with our SCCA cars and then with our 'street-legal' hot rods.

[@muthagoose69]

@@denali9449 yeah i know it's been around forever, my uncle used to have em in his shop. It has become a recent fad. Go back 5 years ago and look at car shop vids and you rarely see them, but look at vids from this past year and everybody has em now.

[@austindorf83]

What’s a tooba four?

[@geraldsims3137]

Calif. Pink ?

[@RedlineStands]

Don't look at me man... The cheapest 2x4's at Home Depot on that day were pink. Idk why

[@genfiveten595]

Tuba four?

[@LastWonBeats]

Smart people doing smart things

[@Dwigt_Rortugal]

I'm not a smart man but I know what love is.

[@jeffprice2008]

how long are each 2by4 18in. , 24ins. ?

[@terriecotham1567]

Good cooks are worth the price.

[@brandonadler1022]

Good point but whats the purpose of the caliper if you don’t read the disparity?

[@TheGregWallace]

Comment.....I can't disagree with you and would do the same thing. I'm just wondering how a car factory does its welding because when a new car is built....they are not doing this.....?

[@Dancing_Alone_wRentals]

Well that a new twist on what I had thought.

[@arneminderman3770]

Exelent info thanks from the netherlands

[@shakester2010]

Nice f'n car!!! Love the wheels and tires!!!! :)

[@RedlineStands]

Thanks man!

[@james10739]

Ya, you can do stuff at ride hight and falling off is almost impossible its much sturdier

[@ianpaterson5000]

I would never get under a car supported by wooden crates or hydraulic jacks. Steel ramps are sturdy and reliable.

[@milsgarage]

*Awesome.*

[@karlmadsen3179]

No. I've not noticed that. In fact, this is the first time anyone has mentioned it.

[@jacko6652]

EXCELLENT! Thank you!

[@iPrint3D]

Nice flag 🇺🇸🇺🇸 But in other news, I work at a bodyshop and ALWAYS weld the quarters/rearbodys with the suspension loaded.

[@martycaldwell7197]

Thinking the same thing we have known it years

[@josemedeiros007]

Excellent tip and video!

[@vehdynam]

Thank you !

[@RedlineStands]

You're very welcome!

[@dff19707]

You think that is bad? I don’t even consider trying to close a door on my convertible when I jack up a corner.

[@Yosser70]

😂

[@tomstiel7576]

somebody should show this to the nascar teams,,,,never ever seen them there ? wierd

[@carpballet]

Guys probably use 2x4s because of convenience. But holy ship, in compression only. That pink “stack” is a mess.

[@davidrichards7722]

Coming from the UK, that is is a really nice work shop, how do you keep it so tidy. You must have OCD😂😂

[@RedlineStands]

You down wit OCD? Yeah you know me!

[@jeffalvich9434]

And don't forget when you install the glass and the other hardware in the door the door is going to sink about 1/8"

[@johngarrison4228]

Cribbing is king!

[@greg20152015]

This is awesome! 🤙

[@RedlineStands]

Thanks. Really glad to see my videos helping people.

[@Jrock-69]

Same reason why you dont open convertible tops while its on a hoist

[@keything8487]

why not show the numbers on the video?

[@HalfBackCrack]

I use 2x4 cribs all the time.

[@JasonStamis]

Where are you from, sir? I've never heard someone say "tuba" four before. I've heard a lot of different accents. I'm not making fun. I mean, I say I drink Wooder, so...

[@RedlineStands]

Born and raised in the Memphis area, so the South. I sounded "very" southern in high school, but that changed in college and morphed into whatever in the hell is this lingo I speak today.

[@JasonStamis]

Interesting, I guess I have more experience with the Carolina's and lower not as westward. Thanks for responding!

[@aconesworld4936]

Naw never seen a shop use a “tuba fer bluks”……cause they use steel. Something about catch on fur and burn.

[@tangomike1306]

about 10 Years too late for me.... learnd the hard way.

[@rubenaguilera4527]

I prefer put the car in heavy jack stsn snd those wood stand left them in the wheel in case something go wrong

[@stevedyer2003]

Put casters on them

[@samg5543]

never weld a car together if it's not in a jig or on the suspension.

[@chrisregister8021]

Wow you don't even need the caliper you can see the difference!!!

[@Longtimerolling]

Why not just use axle stands so the wheels can be removed (out of the way).

[@RedlineStands]

Because 2x4's are cheap

[@vanlendl1]

Concrete plates are probably the cheapest way to lift up a car.

[@OU81TWO]

If you're going to use wood for cribbing then make sure it's always in compression. What you're showing there is a 2x4 in bending along it's weakest axis. Christ.

[@jd4810]

1st Responders use such wooden cribbing when conducting driver & passenger extrications from vehicle accidents. It's safer.