I didn't know it at the time.

That using Cinder Blocks is a very poor choice to support a vehicle and they cannot be trusted

After doing a search on the topic, I learned a lot of valuable information about what makes them so unsafe.
Here are a couple of examples.
a) Failure to set them on a flat hard surface. Can cause uneven pressure points leading to failure.
b) A bolt head on the bottom of a frame member being lowered on to a cinder block, causing an uneven pressure point leading to failure.
c) Not setting them in the correct orientation, laying them on there side. Holes must be vertical as they would be set on a block wall.
d) Unseen internal casting flaws.
f) Rough handling before they were purchased, causing cracks.
g) Bad material batch when casted.
h) They fail with no warning into a pile of rubble.

Like I said, I didn't know any of this at the time when I purchased 4 Cinder Blocks, to provide a flat level surface to perform a rough alignment on my Fiero.
Not to mention at a cost of $1.08 a piece what a deal!

So I got everything set up. Fabricated some leveling jack screws, attached them to the cinder blocks and leveled everything up.
Jounced the suspension a few times, made a rear camber adjustment and called it a night and posted some pictures.

Lucky for me!..... It wasn't long after I posted, I received a PM from a concerned forum member who shared his observations about my......... "set up."

I had placed the cinder block on it weakest side and converted it into a truss with the jack screws
With no support in the center, the majority of the stress was on the thin horizontal sections of the block.



The cracks beginning to form on the Cinder Block.
It could have collapsed at any time with out warning!




So back to home center for a 4x6x8 and a 1x8x8.




I'm eating crow, but if it prevents someone from getting injured it's worth it!

quote Originally posted by Jims88: Lucky for me!..... It wasn't long after I posted, I received a PM from a concerned forum member who shared his observations about my......... "set up."

Glad to hear that a PFF member saved your bacon. So who was it? He deserves some credit.

Concrete blocks are made from aerated concrete to save weight. As such they are full of air spaces and do not take well to the slightest side to side loading. SOLID blocks of wood while softer (and compressible to a point) is the far safer bet for support but steel is still the best. IMO, short of a lift, steel ramps are the way to go

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" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Powerlog manifold, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Flotech Afterburner Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

In theory, yes steel is stronger and safer but in reality some of the steel ramps I have used in the past were down right dangerous!! Dang things have a very nasty tendency to move or "scoot" while you are driving your car up them.
Personally, I like using Rhino Ramps. Plus, they tend to have a long, gradual incline, which helps a lot if your car is lowered.
Kit

I have used cinder blocks but not in that direction. I used them with the holes in vertical position. The way you used them is the worst case and weight was in weakest point. Wood is definitely better and lighter to handle/move around.

I trust solid wood the most, so for best safety I think combination of solid wood and jack stands.

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86 Fiero GT: 3800sc/Manual, Cam/Mods.

quote Originally posted by Alex4mula: I have used cinder blocks but not in that direction. I used them with the holes in vertical position. The way you used them is the worst case and weight was in weakest point. Wood is definitely better and lighter to handle/move around.

Doesn't matter.
Concrete does not handle uneven or spot loads. Even solid blocks won't take that. Concrete on soft or uneven surface under them, including top post above, is very bad and then put a load w/ small area in contact is good way to kill people.

quote Originally posted by sco77: I trust solid wood the most, so for best safety I think combination of solid wood and jack stands.

Sorry but Wood can fail too. Example: Wood can split easy if loaded on end grain. There are rules to support loads w/ wood for good reasons.

I cover some item in my Cave, Safe Jacking

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top and bottom of every forum page...)

Big difference between cinder blocks and cement blocks. Around here homes are not allowed to be built using cinder blocks however cement blocks "which look the same" are legal. Not sure if I can even buy a cinder block anymore.

http://www.wisegeek.org/what-are-cinder-blocks.htm

Spoon

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"Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut

quote Originally posted by Spoon: Big difference between cinder blocks and cement blocks. Around here homes are not allowed to be built using cinder blocks however cement blocks "which look the same" are legal. Not sure if I can even buy a cinder block anymore. http://www.wisegeek.org/what-are-cinder-blocks.htm

Many people called cinder blocks are really cement blocks or vice versa...

Yes, cinder blocks are weaker then cement blocks but does not matter much in this thread. Both can and will fail often will fatal results.

Also and More bad news...
Rotors and lugs can bend, crack or even break when loading like above. You could find that takes small effort to "warp" a rotor when loading on edge.

quote Originally posted by theogre: Also and More bad news... Rotors and lugs can bend, crack or even break when loading like above. You could find that takes small effort to "warp" a rotor when loading on edge.

Thank you for mentioning that theogre, I will check my rotors for run out and look the rotors over before I mount the wheels.

[This message has been edited by Jims88 (edited 10-14-2014).]