Product test

Gary Stretton finds out which axle stands offer the best supporting role for your Land Rover

3-tonne axles stands under the spotlight. Do you always get what you pay for?

Given the weight of most Land Rovers, the SWL (Safe Working Load) is an important factor when buying axle stands. The 3-tonne stands tested here will be suitable for most Land Rovers and, if your vehicle is loaded with kit when it’s supported, the additional SWL will be welcome.

Traditional tripod designs with a locking pin are still popular and, if their base print is broad for stability, they work well. Four-legged designs, typically with ratchet posts, are taking over though, offering a one handed affair for setting the height and for lowering the post afterwards. Consider also that some axle stand feet might sink into a Tarmac surface in warm weather.

If you use axle stands solely on a Land Rover vehicle, it’s worth sourcing those with a height – when set at minimum – that is close to the height required to raise an axle sufficiently to allow a wheel to be changed. The less extended a stand is, the more stable it will be.

The cradle of an axle stand is equally as important as the base, and should be considered before buying. For supporting the round shape of a beam axle casing, avoid flat cradle designs at all costs. They should only be used to support flat areas of the chassis. Iron cradles are preferable to steel, and a crescent shape cradle will be better at preventing an axle from slipping.