Homemade Ramps
- Thread starter StevieC
- Start date
- Status
4WD
$50 site donor 2024
What would work better than the wedges ? Cutting boards longer so the tire has room to make each landing before climbing the next … that is my only regret …
What's funny is despite having two 5.3L 4WD's … nothing climbs my ramps like the FWD Fusion Hybrid … the electric torque does not hesitate …
Worst? RWD Charger and 300 … why I cut 30 degrees on boards …
What's funny is despite having two 5.3L 4WD's … nothing climbs my ramps like the FWD Fusion Hybrid … the electric torque does not hesitate …
Worst? RWD Charger and 300 … why I cut 30 degrees on boards …
They look great. Wish I had them. Ed
Nice. But should have been wider.
I own a set of metal ones, a set of plastic ones and a proper floor jack with stands. If I were to build these I would use 2x10's and I would stack the wood as shown by other folks here, so it's good and solid. I would also mark a center line down the ramp to line up with the center of the tire so that if you were off a tad on each it would be close enough to be safe given that 2x10's are in use, and would be wider than most tires.
I might also put guides on the sides to keep the wheels on the wood ramps when at the top.
I might also put guides on the sides to keep the wheels on the wood ramps when at the top.
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Donald
Nice. But should have been wider.
Right. Easy to fix, just screw and glue on 2x4-based boards on the sides of the base to stabilize it better in tilt.
Also, referring again to the original design shown in the first post, maybe make the ramp-up part longer; too much flat part at the top. The shallower the ramp, the less it might scoot-slip when you drive up it.
More: Put in a bunch of small hex head or phillips head screws (small!), with the heads sticking up a little, into the driving surface to grip the tires better.
Nice. But should have been wider.
Right. Easy to fix, just screw and glue on 2x4-based boards on the sides of the base to stabilize it better in tilt.
Also, referring again to the original design shown in the first post, maybe make the ramp-up part longer; too much flat part at the top. The shallower the ramp, the less it might scoot-slip when you drive up it.
More: Put in a bunch of small hex head or phillips head screws (small!), with the heads sticking up a little, into the driving surface to grip the tires better.
Last edited:
Originally Posted by StevieC
I own a set of metal ones, a set of plastic ones and a proper floor jack with stands. If I were to build these I would use 2x10's and I would stack the wood as shown by other folks here, so it's good and solid. I would also mark a center line down the ramp to line up with the center of the tire so that if you were off a tad on each it would be close enough to be safe given that 2x10's are in use, and would be wider than most tires.
I might also put guides on the sides to keep the wheels on the wood ramps when at the top.
This is the best idea and is what I have. For oil changes you just need enough clearance to get to the plug and filter. Mine have a small wood cleat as a stop.
I own a set of metal ones, a set of plastic ones and a proper floor jack with stands. If I were to build these I would use 2x10's and I would stack the wood as shown by other folks here, so it's good and solid. I would also mark a center line down the ramp to line up with the center of the tire so that if you were off a tad on each it would be close enough to be safe given that 2x10's are in use, and would be wider than most tires.
I might also put guides on the sides to keep the wheels on the wood ramps when at the top.
This is the best idea and is what I have. For oil changes you just need enough clearance to get to the plug and filter. Mine have a small wood cleat as a stop.
Originally Posted by eljefino
Unless you're driving Matchbox cars on 'em.
Any kid gets near them, that's what they'll be used for, so that's a suitable add on.
Unless you're driving Matchbox cars on 'em.
Any kid gets near them, that's what they'll be used for, so that's a suitable add on.
I have cheap store-bought steel ramps, but don't use them for oil changes, because they're much too tall, and so steep the car body hits the ramp ahead of the wheel, and the sharp bottom edges can sink into asphalt (or dirt). Instead, I use a cumbersome array of one short scrap 2×6 per side as the inclined surface, plus a shorter 2×6 as pre-ramp to avoid the body interference problem, plus a solid block of wood or concrete to support the high end of the inclined 2×6. (The taller concrete block goes on the low side, to compensate for being on a hill with slight side tilt.)
There's a hypothetical risk my inclined board could break and drop the car halfway up, but I'm inside the car at that point, not underneath it. Once the car is all the way up, there's no chance the solid block under the wheel can crush.
Another risk of some of these home-made affairs, including mine, is driving off the front end if one isn't careful to stop in time.
Needing to use ramps to change oil is irksome. That complication wasn't necessary on any previous vehicle I've had, or my parents had when I was changing their oil.
There's a hypothetical risk my inclined board could break and drop the car halfway up, but I'm inside the car at that point, not underneath it. Once the car is all the way up, there's no chance the solid block under the wheel can crush.
Another risk of some of these home-made affairs, including mine, is driving off the front end if one isn't careful to stop in time.
Needing to use ramps to change oil is irksome. That complication wasn't necessary on any previous vehicle I've had, or my parents had when I was changing their oil.
Last edited:
I made wood ones out of 2x8 scrap. I can count as I go up and they will not slide.
Originally Posted by claluja
My homemade wood ramps will never slide out when driving up them if I'm in 4 wheel drive (but almost always will in 2 wheel drive). ...
That's just one more drawback of RWD.
My homemade wood ramps will never slide out when driving up them if I'm in 4 wheel drive (but almost always will in 2 wheel drive). ...
That's just one more drawback of RWD.
I never had to much luck with ramps. I never mastered the trick of getting up on them without at least one sliding. I'm a jack with a good jack-stand guy. Seems pretty safe to me.
I guess I have a rare non-hollow set of Rhino ramps...
To fix the ramp sliding problem with my Rhino Ramps and my Vic, I have some old rubber "Michelin" brand floor mats I drop under them first. Then they dont scoot.
Those ramps are too skinny for my comfort. I have gotten spoiled because I have a lift but when I do go on the ground it's with a rhino set of ramps with a proven capacity rating and safe. Some things just don't make sense to build in my opinion.
Originally Posted by GMBoy
Those ramps are too skinny for my comfort. I have gotten spoiled because I have a lift but when I do go on the ground it's with a rhino set of ramps with a proven capacity rating and safe. Some things just don't make sense to build in my opinion.
Too skinny for my liking as well. I also have access to a lift.
Those ramps are too skinny for my comfort. I have gotten spoiled because I have a lift but when I do go on the ground it's with a rhino set of ramps with a proven capacity rating and safe. Some things just don't make sense to build in my opinion.
Too skinny for my liking as well. I also have access to a lift.
- Status
