Best Oil Change Ramps ??

Joined
Mar 30, 2015
Messages
11,768
Location
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Now that we're in our new place, I have to come up with a better way to change my oil. Before my driveway had one of those double radius curbs you drove over to get on and off your driveway. I used to put one wheel on that, then the other on a couple of 2 X 6's. And I was good to go.

Now my driveway is flush with the street, (thank God). Plus my garage is much bigger, so I'm going to do my oil changes inside from now on. The floor is Epoxy coated, so any drips will wipe up easily without staining. But it's also a bit slick. So I don't want something a rear wheel drive vehicle will push along the floor. What I need are a pair of good ramps.

Ramps are like women. There are really good one's. Mediocre one's. And many are nothing but a cheap disaster waiting to happen. What are you guys using? And perhaps more importantly, which one's have you ended up cussing at and threw out? (Or gave to someone you didn't like). I want a set that will accommodate all 3 vehicles. 2018 Toyota Camry. (Very little ground clearance, with plastic trim everywhere that can get easily damaged). 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee. And my old 1991 F-150.

I hate buying these things because they're big, usually heavy, and 99.9% of the time they are just laying around taking up space. And like most tools, if you use the wrong one's, you'll end up screwing something up worse. But when you need them you have to have them.
 
I have the 12,000 lb Rhino ramps and they're great. They store easily and don't take up a lot of room. You might have to place 3/4" plywood or something similar under them to assist with low clearance vehicles. I will find out in a few weeks when I change the oil in my father's car. But making accommodations for a low to the ground vehicle doesn't seem like it will be much of a problem to me.
 
I have Rhino Ramps. I think they're rated for 8K#(not the 12K#). And I have 4 of them for when I need to get the whole vehicle up & level. But for most of my work/OCIs, I drive up on 2 of them and they're low enough for any of the cars in my signature.

They have rubber stoppers on the bottom of the ramps to help from sliding however, I can't answer for how they'll react on an epoxy floor. I would consider modifying a couple of 2x's to put between the FRONT of each ramp and the BACK of the garage wall to hold the ramps from sliding forward while driving up a vehicle. Be creative & good luck.
 
I would also suggest you buy 4 ramps. The obvious is you can work on two cars at once. Then there are certain jobs like dropping a transmission pan, servicing differentials, a transfer case, and a ton of other repair items where having all 4 wheels off the ground and the vehicle level is a big plus. I put my Jeeps in 4L take my foot off the brake and up onto 4 ramps they go, with no effort at all. It made the transmission pan drops and servicing the differentials and transfer cases a snap.
 
I've actually driven my wife's Lexus RX AWD up on all 4 ramps as there was enough ground clearance to also put 2 ramps in front of the rear tires as well and just drive up. PERFECT for higher ground clearance vehicles.
 
Homemade wooden ramps. With 5 levels your can raise one side a little higher if a drain plug is on the side of the engine.

[Linked Image from fototime.com]
 
I like those homemade ones… But I also have a pair of the Rhino Ramps; they nest together and stand up on one end so that minimizes their footprint in the garage.

Mine haven't tried to move (concrete floor) but then again I use 4 Lo when getting up on them.
 
Originally Posted by atikovi
Homemade wooden ramps. With 5 levels your can raise one side a little higher if a drain plug is on the side of the engine.

[Linked Image from fototime.com]


That's actually a very good idea, and a bit similar to what I was doing. You have managed to carry the idea to new, "heights". (Pun intended). Lowe's and Home Depot sell a lot of 2" X 6" studs, because many homes out here incorporate them for the ability they provide for added outside wall insulation. I could buy several and simply cut them to different lengths as you did.

Another nice feature is it gives you the ability to establish whatever ramp angle you want or need. Not to mention they're about as cost effective and strong as you can get. Harbor Freight sells self stick hard rubber strips that I could use on the bottom, to give them some added adhesion on my epoxy floor.

https://www.harborfreight.com/self-adhesive-rubber-safety-step-tread-98856.html
 
I have the 12K Rhino Ramps (the old style pictured below). Wouldn't trade them for the world. 8 years old and what seems like a thousand repairs/oil changes later, they still perform/look like brand new. Best automotive investment I ever made. Possibly best investment ever.
thumbsup2.gif


BTW, I have ZERO regrets going with the 12Ks. They've come in handy a few times where I would have been very hesitant with 8Ks.

Edit: yes, I stole this pic from the interwebs because I'm too lazy to go take a pic
lol.gif


power-built-creeper-rhino-ramps-3-items-1_25112015203520780508.jpg
 
Last edited:
My Rhinos do the job but they are low.
Welders are scared away from cobbling ramps together due to real liability questions. That's completely understandable.
 
Now my driveway is flush with the street, (thank God). Plus my garage is much bigger, so I'm going to do my oil changes inside from now on. The floor is Epoxy coated, so any drips will wipe up easily without staining. But it's also a bit slick. So I don't want something a rear wheel drive vehicle will push along the floor. What I need are a pair of good ramps.

I too use Rhino Ramps and faced this same situation. My solution was to get an old area rug we had laying around and cut out two pieces that were each larger than the bottom of the ramps. Put the ramps on top and the rubber backing on the rugs keep the ramps from sliding. This method has never failed me. Didn't cost a penny since the old rugs were just sitting in the garage awaiting a trip to the dump.
 
OP doesn't mention if he's FWD, RWD, or anticipating current or future clearance issues from low riding cars.

But the wood ramps won't fail anyone.

If you get metal ramps, it's my understanding that you should restrain their movement from the ramp end, not the vertical one so they don't stress/ fold over. Less convenient.

I say stake your claim and get the ramps in the space they deserve to go in before someone else puts their junk in your new garage.
cheers3.gif
 
I got the Rhino ramps on sale at pepboys ebay store. It was a very good buy, I've used them many times. I do have to say, however, that I would have preferred the section the tires rest on, to be both wider and longer. There does not seem to be much leeway in the event I take a split second longer to lay off the gas and hit the break. FWIW I have the larger, 16K set. However, the only steel set that I saw (not Rhino) were over 100 bucks, so dollar for dollar its hard to argue with a rhino.
 
I have Rhino ones from Walmart and I like them a lot. No issues. I only use them for oil changes on my Cherokee, everything else is high enough up that I don't need them.
 
I have Rhino ramps but only use them so I can access the transaxle fill bolt on my Rav4. I can change the oil in my Camry without ramps. It's a tight squeeze and the oil filter canister is pain to deal with but I manage.
 
Originally Posted by billt460
Now that we're in our new place, I have to come up with a better way to change my oil. Before my driveway had one of those double radius curbs you drove over to get on and off your driveway. I used to put one wheel on that, then the other on a couple of 2 X 6's. And I was good to go.

Now my driveway is flush with the street, (thank God). Plus my garage is much bigger, so I'm going to do my oil changes inside from now on. The floor is Epoxy coated, so any drips will wipe up easily without staining. But it's also a bit slick. So I don't want something a rear wheel drive vehicle will push along the floor. What I need are a pair of good ramps.

Ramps are like women. There are really good one's. Mediocre one's. And many are nothing but a cheap disaster waiting to happen. What are you guys using? And perhaps more importantly, which one's have you ended up cussing at and threw out? (Or gave to someone you didn't like). I want a set that will accommodate all 3 vehicles. 2018 Toyota Camry. (Very little ground clearance, with plastic trim everywhere that can get easily damaged). 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee. And my old 1991 F-150.

I hate buying these things because they're big, usually heavy, and 99.9% of the time they are just laying around taking up space. And like most tools, if you use the wrong one's, you'll end up screwing something up worse. But when you need them you have to have them.


Rhino ramps are what I have when I need a ramp. But I can get under all my vehicles for an oil change by just sucking in my gut a little. (OK, a lot). With a Fumoto valve on both Subaru vehicles I just need to be able to touch the valve with my fingers to open or close it. I do not need to get up to it so I can see it.
 
Back
Top