The locking pins are not required, the issue with the recalled units is the pawl. The forges that were used to make the pawl/catch wore over time to a point they were no longer locking enough to be safe. So stands without pins are safe, I just like that warm and fuzzy the safety pins give me when I need to put some ass into cracking a rusty bolt loose.
@Ghost GTI. I’ve always liked the look of option 1, but I have a couple issues with their design.
The footprint is fairly small and distributes the load over a greater flat area. My work surfaces are not glass smooth anymore so the point loading of option 2 gives me a lazier set up. Also, with lateral forces being applied, that point loading is harder to slide across the surface of my workspace. Now I’m not an engineer and I’m likely taking out my ass, but I’m all about warm and fuzzy feelings when I’m in the squish zone... so that’s my preference. I also like the idea is that big stupid pawl and a safety pin as back-up, rather than relying on just a pin in single sheer. Add to it questionable aluminum quality and a hardened steel pin, there is going to be wear over time and what does that do for my warm and fuzzy? I’m also concerned with how the load is carried. It seems like your option 1 carries the load to a small central point, and the base simply holds the stand vertical. While option 2 moves that load out to a wider footprint. To me this seems more stable. It would be interesting to see an engineer’s take on the two.
You’ll have to remember my bias also stems from me working under 7-8ton vehicles at one point, and my current Tacoma tipping the scales at pretty close to 3ton now.
I do question the logic I see in option 1’s reviews though. “They are light and easy to store.” They keep me alive, I don’t mind them being built like a shit brick house and heavy as my car.
But the biggest driver is, I can get four of the steel traditionals with safety pins for the price of two aluminum post types. Everyone with two jack stands has said “I wish I had bought four stands” at one point. Conversely, nobody with four stands has ever said “you know what, I wish I would have only bought two stands.” You will use all four simultaneously more than you think.
On edit:
When using stands:
1. When you get stands into position and carrying the load, check the first pair to make sure they didn’t shift during placement of the second pair. I’ve had them tilt onto two legs during jacking.
2. When the stands (2 or 4) are in place, grab the vehicle and give it a solid shake to check stability and make sure stands are fully locked. Hip checking is better.
3. slide the wheels, or 8x8 blocks under the rockers/frame rails to catch the vehicle if something fails. You’ll break some ribs, but you’ll survive.
4. keep the jack just under/touching a central jack point and locked, with no load to give you that extra fraction of a second if something fails.
5. use the biggest stand you can cram under there. I have 6 3t stands and 4 6t in the garage. I’ll sometimes use the 3t as a holder to get low cars up onto the 6t stands (so I’m lifting the front/rear in two stages). I only use the smaller stands to hold think like the Taco’s axle tube while the frame/truck is on the 6t stands.
6. I ONLY use stands if wheels/axles are coming off. Otherwise I’m on ramps or cradles under the wheels.