Thanks for taking your time to read our reviews on the best jack stands (Axle stands) that are currently available on the United Kingdom marketplace. These are simply all about keeping you safe when you are working on a car that has been lifted by a car jack.
It isn't enough to simply jack up your car and change a wheel as the jack may slip. Likewise, if you are under a vehicle for any reason, such as when doing an oil change, then you never want to be relying on a car jack alone holding the car up and off the ground.
The best way of doing that is to use what are called jack stands which are more commonly known as axle stands.
Just below you will see our top list of jack stands. However, we also know you are busy, so if you don't have time to read our full review, we would highly recommend the best selling Silverline 763620 axle stands. These stands are absolutely superb and if you want a good set at a reasonable price then these are it.
Just below, we have also completed some summary reviews on each of these, so as you can see which is the best option for you.
Best Seller Jack Stand
94% buyer satisfaction from over 3,500+ customer reviews
The Silverline 763620 Axle Stand Set is the biggest seller online and is also an affordable option for most people
This is a set of 2 stands and are made from heavy duty cast iron
They have a height range from 285 - 420 mm and can support up to 3 tonnes in weight per stand
They use a ratcheting system which is the easiest and fastest method of deploying axle stands
I found these quite heavy and of a good standard, definitely a safe option
Best Value Jack Stand
90% buyer satisfaction from over 400+ customer reviews
The Goodyear 75519 Jack Stand 3 Ton is also a big seller online and is an affordable option for most people
The dimensions are 24 x 15 x 2 centimetres
This is a single stand and is made from heavy duty cast iron
It has a height range from 280mm - 420 mm and can support up to 3 tonnes in weight per stand
This is a pretty heavy duty model which weighs around 1Kg
Best Ratcheting Axle Stand
94% buyer satisfaction from over 300+ customer reviews
The Draper 30881 axle stands are in our opinion the best ratcheting axle stands that are currently available on the UK market
Models avalable in this range are 2, 3 and 6 ton. This one is the 3 tone version
The dimensions are 34.8 x 20.2 x 24.2 cm and the pair together weigh 6.76 Kilograms
This is a set of 2 stands and are made from heavy duty cast iron
They have a height range from 285 - 435 mm and can support up to 3 tonnes in weight per stand
Best Budget Axle Stand
86% buyer satisfaction from over 80+ customer reviews
The Carpoint 2 tone axle stands are the cheaper, non ratchet type and these are the sort of stands we all used when we were younger!
The dimensions are 29.2 x 10.4 x 10.1 cm and the pair together weigh 1.77 Kilograms
This is a set of 2 stands and I would class them as pretty lightweight
You can see that they are cheap and cheerful so if you only need to use them on the odd occassion then they could do a good job for you
Personally,when i compare them to some of the better models, i wouldnt mind spending another £20 to get something a bit more robust
Best High Axle Stand
98% buyer satisfaction from over 50+ customer reviews
These heavy duty Draper high lift axle stands are one of the highest you can get and they will do up to 6 ton each
The dimensions are 75 x 45.2 x 44 cm and the pair together weigh 20 Kilograms
This is a set of 2 stands and I would class them as professional standard
The range is from 535mm to 870mm so they are genuinely high lift indeed!
I guess you wont need these for a standard car but there are lots of SUVs and jeeps about now, so these size of stands are getting used more and more often
A very quick video review
We have looked over all the video reviews and found this great short presentation on these tools. It gives you an instant idea of what to expect as well as telling you all the features and spec in and easy to understand format.
I hope you enjoy watching it as I always think its much better to see a tool in action rather than just reading about it or seeing pictures. This guy is particularly good at explaining the features and he is well known for demonstrating tools.
Axle Stand Buying Guide
We always like to provide a buying guide as it helps explain products in a lot more detail. Oure readers find these really helpful if they have never bought the type of product before and want to avoid making a bad buying decision.
With jack stands you are relying on those to keep your car safely off the ground. You will be under it so making sure you own high quality jack stands that can support the weight of the car is extremely important.
For jobs like oil changes you will need a pair of jack stands. For other jobs like changing a tyre or a wheel, changing brake pads then one stand is really all you need. In most cases these are sold in pairs which is always better value for your money.
Most manufacturers refer to the supporting weight in a tonne value. We have explained what those mean just below.
What is a Tonne?
A tonne is a metric ton which is 1,000 KG
A ton (UK term) is 2,240 lbs (1016.05 kg)
Almost all jack stands are shown in tonnes, and essentially it is the weight of the vehicle that the stands can support. This is usually expressed in tonne value per stand.
Kerb Weight of a Vehicle
This is the most commonly used terminology for vehicle weight and is used by most manufacturers. This includes the weight of the car with all of its standard equipment and the fluids it needs to operate.
It does not include the weight of the driver, passengers, and any cargo in the vehicle. Kerb weight is best explained as the weight of the vehicle as it sits on the showroom floor.
Average Weights of Vehicles
This will be in your vehicle book. Many manufacturers will also have a sticker, usually placed on the inside of the driver’s door of your car, with the weight displayed.
The average car weighs 2,871 pounds or 1,302 KG (1.3 tonnes)
Below you will find a table for the different sized cars with average weights.
(You should always check the exact weight of your vehicle in the handbook or on the inside of the driver's door or at the manufacturer's website)
Vehicle Type | Ave weight (lbs) | Ave Weight (Kgs) | Ave Weight (Tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|
Small Car - Suzuki Swift, Toyota Auris | 2600 | 1200 | 1.2 |
Medium Car - Mazda 3, Ford Focus, Audi A4 | 3500 | 1600 | 1.6 |
Large Car -, Audi A8 | 4400 | 2000 | 2.0 |
Small SUV/Truck - Kia Soul | 3300 | 1500 | 1.5 |
Medium SUV/Truck - Nissan Navara | 5300 | 2400 | 2.4 |
Large SUV/Truck - Chevrolet Tahoe | 6600 | 3000 | 3.0 |
Ratcheting Axle Stands
We would recommend buying jack stands that use a ratchet style system to move them up and down to the right height. The alternative to that style is to try and put a pin through sets of holes and that can get quite tricky when working under the confines of space under a vehicle.
The ratchet makes it faster and quicker to find the right height and the release mechanism is also simpler.