Someone please explain why one of our ‘Snowbirds’ would go to all the trouble to jack up a car to get the tires off a concrete driveway, only to place it on four concrete blocks?
We live in a retierment community in SW Florida and I’m guessing the owner is from Michigan or Canada.
I have no idea. And they way they’ve done it is dangerous, that’s the weakest way to use a cinder block. One could collapse without warning.
Maybe he figures its harder to steal that way. Back in the old days of nylon tires, if you let a tire sit for an extended time, it would take a set and create a flat spot. So the idea was to put the car on blocks so that the tires would hang in mid air or be taken off. This guy is not only a little out of date, he missed the second part of the class.
Perhaps it floods where you are and he thinks he’s buying a few extra inches of flood protection?
The proper way to put a car on blocks is under the frame. This just looks crazy.
I’m guessing the idea is provides some kind of minor flood protection for the car. Other than that, I can’t think of a reason. When they come back, ask them, and tell us here. Maybe they have a good reason, and I’ll start parking like that … lol
Someone told him to “put it up on blocks” so that is what he did without putting any more thought into it…
I agree with texases. That is very unsafe. Any or all of them could fail without warning. Other than flood, I see no good reason for doing that. If you see him under it working, it may be worth poking your nose in and offering advice…
I agree with the others that this is dangerous. Can you leave a note on the car or in the mailbox letting the owner know this? I’d feel bad if something happened that could have been prevented.
On another note, I’m sorry you have to look at this thing on a daily basis!
It makes for better access to the catalytic converter so that thieves won’t damage the car when they remove it. He’s an employer and has to give something a raise.
This is a very good example of going from bad to worse.
Yes, this is unsafe, but I bet it’s to keep the car out of water if it floods during hurricane season. From that perspective, it makes sense … kind of. Someone I work with had to replace his car last year because of flood damage.
One advantaged to having the car off the ground ideally with at least one tyre stored away from the car, is the reduced chance of someone stealing the car. Few thieves bother to carry an assortment of tyres with them.
Joseph, in this case, it looks like the tires are still mounted on the car, resting on top of the concrete blocks. That is why I think it’s about flood protection; it looks like the car owner was going for maximum ground clearance.
If the owner insists on using cinder blocks, my guess is that it would be quite a bit safer to turn them 90 degrees (with the holes at the top and bottom) and then put a board on top of each block.
…and perhaps a piece of wood or metal on each one to distribute the weight, but still not an adequate substitute for jack stands or ramps.
From what I have been told, it is done to prevent the tires from developing a flat spot as they gradually loose air.
It just shows you that wisdom does not automatically come with age.
Many years ago as a young mechanic in a dealership, I was working on a car when its owner came out to chat. He was a guy in his 70s, with a very deformed face - one that was difficult to look at.
The reason he came out to chat was that years earlier, he had a car up on cinder blocks which fell on him. He was lucky to be alive, and he wanted to make sure I never made that mistake.
To this day I still remember and appreciate his going out of his way to impart that lesson on me.
I’ve known a couple friends who lost family members as a result of cars falling on them. I’ve always been so paranoid of such things that I’ve been pretty careful, but it never hurts to have a reminder.
Car repair is dangerous duty. Better safe than sorry. Living in earthquake country, I have an a assortment of 4 x 4 and 6 x 6 lumber which I place under the car as fail-safes for the jack stands.