The locking mechanism in one of mine wouldn't release and this is what I found
Locking pawl:
This stand will now only support this
This is a
six ton stand I had for about 18 years.
The jeep has been sitting on four of these for the last 3 weeks and I've probably been under it a hundred times in that period. About a week or so ago I was working in the engine bay and heard what I thought was the frame settling on the stand (I had just repositioned two of the stands) and never really gave it much thought. I wonder now if the noise was the pawl breaking.
A piece about a third of the tip broke off.
I will always wonder now every time I get under another vehicle on stands.
Vince