Scotty Kilmer's neighbors must HATE him.
Using car ramps to change oil/ transmission fluid.
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I prefer ramps, and use a decade old set of plastic ramps which have been great. Mine are made by Blitz, back when they owned the Rhino brand. Mine have much more webbing underneath than the current Rhino ramps appear to have.
Getting a FWD car up on a ramp is easy with the proper technique. Stand on the brake pedal with your left foot and apply some throttle with your right foot. Once you have some throttle applied, DON'T MOVE YOUR RIGHT FOOT. Release your left foot to release the brakes just enough to slowly move the car up the ramp. If you lose momentum, release more brake; do NOT add more throttle. Once you get to the top, add more brake to stop the car (your right foot is still on the throttle). Only once stopped, release the throttle, shift to park, apply the parking brake, and you're done.
With this technique, there is ZERO drama in climbing a ramp.
With a manual transmission, there's obviously more to it. But for an automatic, the two-foot method works great.
Getting a FWD car up on a ramp is easy with the proper technique. Stand on the brake pedal with your left foot and apply some throttle with your right foot. Once you have some throttle applied, DON'T MOVE YOUR RIGHT FOOT. Release your left foot to release the brakes just enough to slowly move the car up the ramp. If you lose momentum, release more brake; do NOT add more throttle. Once you get to the top, add more brake to stop the car (your right foot is still on the throttle). Only once stopped, release the throttle, shift to park, apply the parking brake, and you're done.
With this technique, there is ZERO drama in climbing a ramp.
With a manual transmission, there's obviously more to it. But for an automatic, the two-foot method works great.
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Ramps, including plastic ramps, are perfectly safe to use as long as you know what they are rated for, how heavy your car is, and are used correctly.
The problem is that 'used correctly' means different things to different people. You also need to be able to realize when they are rusted or fatigued and should not be used anymore.
^^^^ Wise words.
The trick, for me at least, is that the ramps are really only there to GET the car up. I don't consider them sufficient to KEEP it up. Once my car is up on the ramp, and the tire chocks are in place, I go get my 3-ton metal jack stands, and place them at the appropriate jack points.
ALWAYS use Jack stands when you're under the car, even if you're 100% confident in your ramp or jack.
Ramps, including plastic ramps, are perfectly safe to use as long as you know what they are rated for, how heavy your car is, and are used correctly.
The problem is that 'used correctly' means different things to different people. You also need to be able to realize when they are rusted or fatigued and should not be used anymore.
^^^^ Wise words.
The trick, for me at least, is that the ramps are really only there to GET the car up. I don't consider them sufficient to KEEP it up. Once my car is up on the ramp, and the tire chocks are in place, I go get my 3-ton metal jack stands, and place them at the appropriate jack points.
ALWAYS use Jack stands when you're under the car, even if you're 100% confident in your ramp or jack.
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
On a Honda turn the wheels toward the passenger side and drain plug is easily accessible.
This isn't the case on later model Civics - not sure about the other models but I think since 2006, the Civic's tranny drain plug faces inward on the driver's side. I know it's this way on my 2011. Also, unless you're the size of a toddler, you'll probably need to jack the car up a bit or use ramps to access the engine oil or tranny drain plug. I always use good jack stands with the floor jack positioned as a back up. But you guys got me looking into ramps now.
On a Honda turn the wheels toward the passenger side and drain plug is easily accessible.
This isn't the case on later model Civics - not sure about the other models but I think since 2006, the Civic's tranny drain plug faces inward on the driver's side. I know it's this way on my 2011. Also, unless you're the size of a toddler, you'll probably need to jack the car up a bit or use ramps to access the engine oil or tranny drain plug. I always use good jack stands with the floor jack positioned as a back up. But you guys got me looking into ramps now.
I've had my rhino ramps and haven't had an issue with them, coupled with jack stands and a wheel chock. I had a clearance issue with a previous ramp with my f-body, but no prob with the rhino ramps.
No ramps required for my Jeep, which is awesome. Just wiggle under and go to work!
No ramps required for my Jeep, which is awesome. Just wiggle under and go to work!
I made my own set of ramps using different lengths of pressure treated wooden planks.
Bought 3 pieces of 2x6 planks 10 feet long. Then cut them so I had 2 sets each of 5ft, 4ft, 3ft, and 2ft long and then drilled them all together.
Bought 3 pieces of 2x6 planks 10 feet long. Then cut them so I had 2 sets each of 5ft, 4ft, 3ft, and 2ft long and then drilled them all together.
Originally Posted By: slowbird
I made my own set of ramps using different lengths of pressure treated wooden planks.
Bought 3 pieces of 2x6 planks 10 feet long. Then cut them so I had 2 sets each of 5ft, 4ft, 3ft, and 2ft long and then drilled them all together.
6" wide?
I made my own set of ramps using different lengths of pressure treated wooden planks.
Bought 3 pieces of 2x6 planks 10 feet long. Then cut them so I had 2 sets each of 5ft, 4ft, 3ft, and 2ft long and then drilled them all together.
6" wide?
That is lots of very heavy wood to haul around. I would use 10 or 12 inch wide but, then they would be too heavy for one person to move. Ed
Originally Posted By: Eddie
That is lots of very heavy wood to haul around. I would use 10 or 12 inch wide but, then they would be too heavy for one person to move. Ed
10"-12" wide would be perfect, but like you said, heavy. 6" would be too narrow for me.
That is lots of very heavy wood to haul around. I would use 10 or 12 inch wide but, then they would be too heavy for one person to move. Ed
10"-12" wide would be perfect, but like you said, heavy. 6" would be too narrow for me.
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
1. Front wheel drive cars don't climb ramps well.
Uh, that is the polar opposite of my experience. Every FWD car I have driven up ramps (plastic and steel) has been a 100% drama-free no-fuss affair. RWD cars have occasionally caused minor drama in the form of getting started up the ramp and then having the ramp(s) slide forward out from under the tire dropping one or both front tires back onto the garage floor. A couple times when I have been driving regular body-on-frame SUVs up ramps in normal RWD mode I experienced the same ramp slippage, even to the point where I had to engage 4x4 to crawl up the ramps after 2-3 failed attempts in RWD.
Now my standard practice is FWD drive right up no problem; RWD go slow and hope the ramps don't spit out the front; 4x4 engage 4x4 mode and drive right up no problem.
1. Front wheel drive cars don't climb ramps well.
Uh, that is the polar opposite of my experience. Every FWD car I have driven up ramps (plastic and steel) has been a 100% drama-free no-fuss affair. RWD cars have occasionally caused minor drama in the form of getting started up the ramp and then having the ramp(s) slide forward out from under the tire dropping one or both front tires back onto the garage floor. A couple times when I have been driving regular body-on-frame SUVs up ramps in normal RWD mode I experienced the same ramp slippage, even to the point where I had to engage 4x4 to crawl up the ramps after 2-3 failed attempts in RWD.
Now my standard practice is FWD drive right up no problem; RWD go slow and hope the ramps don't spit out the front; 4x4 engage 4x4 mode and drive right up no problem.
For me if I'm getting under the car its jack stands with the jack barely kissing the lift point as a backup. I don't have ramps.
If I'm just doing some quick work that requires the car to be lifted but not me going underneath then I'll just use the jack and slide the tire under the frame.
If I'm just doing some quick work that requires the car to be lifted but not me going underneath then I'll just use the jack and slide the tire under the frame.
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