Shoutout to the old guy who told me to use a car jack to lift a stuck counterweight

I was stuck on a job in an old building downtown, the counterweight was jammed solid and my service jack was back at the shop. I remembered this retired mechanic's story and tried a 3-ton floor jack from my truck. It worked, but the whole assembly shifted sideways and nearly pinched the governor rope. Learned that a jack can lift, but it sure doesn't guide. Anyone ever had a quick fix go sideways like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

wells.morgan2mo ago

Used to think any heavy lift was just about force. Your story about the jack shifting is a perfect example of why control matters more. That quick fix mindset can get you into real trouble fast.

hall.ruby2mo ago

Exactly. So @wells.morgan, what finally made you switch from just using force to focusing on control? I'm guessing it took more than one close call.

leo_campbell1mo ago

Yeah but it's not even about close calls for me. It was seeing how much easier the work gets when you're not fighting the load. Like @hall.ruby gets, control isn't just safer, it's less tiring. You stop wasting energy on corrections and just guide it. That shift in thinking changed everything.