Using ramps to change oil?

[mongo161]

Nice ramps you made there.

To help keep them from sliding with the Polyurethane finish, you could glue some sandpaper or another abrasive material to the bottom of the ramps.

This might help to keep them from sliding around, especially on carpet or a slick surface. I would not trust putting rubber mats under these ramps, since any debris that is trapped under the ramps, might allow the ramps to slide on the surface.

 

[[email protected]]

Sure, the ramps look real nice and I, personally, am not capable of doing such a nice job on them BUT how much do those puppies weigh?! They've got to be cumbersome for the weight.

I have a pair of the rhinoramps or whatever they're called... had them for 5-6 years and love them. I hang them up on the garage wall when Im not using them, out of the way. Ive never seen them bow from weigh nor do they show any stress.

 

[PhillyJoe]

Rhino ramps and a jack stand on the driver's side as a backup (so I don't forget to remove it). I do oil changes for the 5 cars in the family. I put the ramps in front of the tires and use a spotter to make sure I am driving up the ramps evenly. Won't let anyone else drive the cars on the ramps, though. This thread will make me inspect the ramps next time as that is not something I normally do.

 

[bigmike]

Originally Posted By: mongo161
Nice ramps you made there.

To help keep them from sliding with the Polyurethane finish, you could glue some sandpaper or another abrasive material to the bottom of the ramps.

This might help to keep them from sliding around, especially on carpet or a slick surface. I would not trust putting rubber mats under these ramps, since any debris that is trapped under the ramps, might allow the ramps to slide on the surface.


Not a bad idea.. I've considered tread stair tape and a few other options, but haven't decided.

 

[bigmike]

Originally Posted By: [email protected]
Sure, the ramps look real nice and I, personally, am not capable of doing such a nice job on them BUT how much do those puppies weigh?! They've got to be cumbersome for the weight.

I have a pair of the rhinoramps or whatever they're called... had them for 5-6 years and love them. I hang them up on the garage wall when Im not using them, out of the way. Ive never seen them bow from weigh nor do they show any stress.


They're probably 30-40 pounds, if I had to guess. A few suggestions made to me were to add a strap handle, possibly put a roller bar or wheels on them, etc. I stand them upright against the wall in the garage. I just walk them cat-corner to wherever I need them. They slide pretty well on carpet as well.

BTW, they're easier to make than you might think. These took me 2 days, but that was due to drying times on the urethane. I took the time to make things square and nice looking, but not everyone would need/want to do that. I'm just [censored]-retentive.

I've got nothing against Rhino ramps. Blitz is a fine company and I use a few of their products.

 

[morris]

to:ajchien sorry i didnt get back to you sooner. the $200 for stands wasnt to be a good number, it just a number off the top of my head. my Q still stands, what is your life worth?

 

[tonycarguy]

Guys, if you're going to make DIY ramps, the key is to make their slope very low and make the first "step" long enough to fit the entire tire. If you do this, it won't slide even with a RWD vehicle.

Bigmike's ramps are too nice. I'd just make them out of 1/2" plywood

I use metal ramps with the extenders, and never had a problem w/ any vehicle pushing the ramp (RWD, FWD, & AWD)

 

[doitmyself]

To me, morris's accident example seems to be user error, not equipment error. People get killed using jack stands also.

If using a "spotter" with the ramps, make sure they don't stand in FRONT of the car. There is at least one example (here or elsewhere) of a person getting confused and over-driving the ramps and hitting the "spotter".

 

[oldmaninsc]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
To me, morris's accident example seems to be user error, not equipment error. People get killed using jack stands also.

If using a "spotter" with the ramps, make sure they don't stand in FRONT of the car. There is at least one example (here or elsewhere) of a person getting confused and over-driving the ramps and hitting the "spotter".

I agree. In my many decades of working on vehicles I've never seen any ramp fail especially when used according to the ramps rated weight.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

Let's face it, we all want to buy a lift for ourselves.

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: GROUCHO MARX
Let's face it, we all want to buy a lift for ourselves.


^+1, it's the truth.

 

[Ursae_Majoris]

Yep. My wife volunteered to buy one for me once we buy a house with a garage. I periodically remark how much easier/cheaper it would be to change ALL fluids myself, w/o the dealer's involvement.
The fact that her dad owned 100+ cars over the years, may have something to do with her attitude

 

[Craig in Canada]

Originally Posted By: GROUCHO MARX
Let's face it, we all want to buy a lift for ourselves.


Yep. A decent one is not THAT much $$$ for a serious DIYer depending on what you buy. Of course your garage has to be suited to it, with headroom to actually lift the car.

It's on my bucket list to have one while I'm still well enough to work on my cars.

 

[cjcride]

She is a Keeper.

 

[OneEyeJack]

This thread has opened my eyes to things I would have never ever considered. I set the ramps out at the front wheels of my car, drive the car up to the top, set two jack stands and go to work. I never gave much thought to the process. The plastic ramps look like they are way over engineered for the task at hand and driving up to the top is no big deal.

 

[TxHeat]

Well I changed oil in the F150 last Wednesday using a pair of 12000 lb Blitz Rhino Ramps.

I did not use jack stands, and I did not feel at all uncomfortable without them.

I will the next time since a friend has since given me a pair of ACDelco 3 ton stands.

The F150 went right up them without any trouble. The drain plug on this truck is on the side of the oil pan and I believe a few ounces of oil remained after a full drain. It's hard to say for sure how much because even though I poured oil out of the filter some remained, some remained in the drain pan that I had to wipe out, and I spilled some onto the cardboard I'd put down under the truck. Still, I ended up with about 5 and a half out of six quarts of used oil to take to Wally World.

I just want to say thanks to everyone for their responses to my original question. All the info put forth encouraged me to get and use the ramps. I'll never willingly go back to crawling around under that truck without the ramps! It was a joy! Even lubing the farthest rear U-joint was easier!

 

[tommygunn]

Originally Posted By: rslifkin
It depends on where the drain plug is. If it's toward the back of the pan, ramps are fine. Otherwise, I'd rather do it with the vehicle level.
Really, if you think about it, it can work both ways.


If the plug is in the "back" - then put the front wheels on ramps.

If the plug is in the front, put the rear wheels on ramps - carefully

Definitely safer than using a jack.....hehe


BTW, jacking up all four wheels, you are back at square one, level

Sure, it's easier "access" but not as safe to work under.......then again, my neighbor has had their CRX on 4 jackstands for the past 3 months, and it seems to be doing fine Granted, we don't have earth quakes, or ronchy neighbor kids to play run-around-the-CRX....lol.