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Drive up ramps

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earth_grinder

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Jan 23, 2010
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47
Location
Elizabethtown, PA
I don't know if that is the proper name. I am referring to the ramps that are made to drive your vehicle on the raise it up to 8" off the floor. My truck has more ground clearance than a car, but not enough to slide under on a creeper to change oil and filter. I drive my car up on ramps like this to change oil and it works great because it is front wheel drive. Try driving a two wheel drive truck up those ramps! I even tried a 2" thick plank with a longer 1/2" plywood piece fastened to the bottom so the weight would be on the plywood before the tire started up the incline and all it did was push the whole assembly forward. Any ideas on what I could make to raise the truck a few inches to be able to slide underneath on a creeper?
 
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mach158

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Dec 22, 2013
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Marion, IA
Why not just use a jack?

I dont have any good ideas, just curious.

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A

AaronArf

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Aug 18, 2015
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VA Beach
First post, been lurking on here for a bit.

Here's a great option for ramps, little pricey but beat the junk ramps you find at most places.

Race Ramps, Available in many sizes and styles.
uploadfromtaptalk1439949856036.jpg

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Charles (in GA)

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Jan 11, 2006
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50 mi south of Atlanta
I have some rather old all metal ramps. They date to the mid '80's and are in excellent condition. I used to use them all the time but now that I have a two post lift, they don't often get used. I had the same problem with the Ranger pushing the ramps, even on broom finished concrete. Finally realized I had a slight lip at the door to the shop, and I would **** the ramps up to the lip and drive the truck up on them. This put me outside (on a concrete pad) changing oil and transmission fluid, but it worked real well.
 
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58Yeoman

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Oct 1, 2010
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Central IL
I've got a set of the hard plastic ramps that have a little rubber patch at the high side that is supposed to stop them from moving. They would still move. I have some soft rubber sheets that I'd gotten from work, and I lay them on the floor under the ramps, and they pretty much stay in place now.
 
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nh_yota

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Mar 10, 2015
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Location
Seacoast New Hampshire
58Yeoman said:
I've got a set of the hard plastic ramps that have a little rubber patch at the high side that is supposed to stop them from moving. They would still move. I have some soft rubber sheets that I'd gotten from work, and I lay them on the floor under the ramps, and they pretty much stay in place now.
Click to expand...

I have the same ones. The easiest solution I've found is to just put the truck in 4WD and it drives right up the ramps with minimal slipping.
 
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mrodgers

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Nov 15, 2007
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French fries on salad, PA
2x4's up against the back wall with the ramps butted up against the 2x4's?

I have to build the wooden ramps shown above as I could make them as long as I want. My Jetta even stock height hits the ramps I have with the bumper 6 inches before the tires do. Or I could lay a piece of wood to drive up on before the ramp I suppose. I end up just using a jack and stands when I change the oil.
 
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maxpower_hd

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Apr 17, 2015
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Location
Massachusetts
I just use a jack and jack stands but have been thinking about making a set of wooden ones out of timbers. We have some at work that are large with quite an angle on them we use for oil changes on tractors. They work very well and never move because of the gradual angle on them. They are very stable too although they take a little practice to align correctly so you don't drive off. I thought a smaller version might be perfect for the driveway or my home shop.

The teeter totter one funflyer posted looks cool but a little scary. The KwikLift looks pretty good too but I'm guessing pricey for occasional use and bulky too unless you need it a lot.
 
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mrodgers

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French fries on salad, PA
Now looking around with Google on car ramps, I found this picture from a thread on Garage Journal. Love this idea and the 3 piece setup to remove the center to be able to crawl under and work from the side. I have to do something like this. I've been wanting to get my car all 4 wheels up off the ground.

(Photos by GJ member g20v)

DSCN9778.jpg


DSCN9783.jpg


Post in the thread by member g20v....

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1769762&postcount=106
 
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Low N Slow

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Dec 19, 2013
Messages
10
Tie a rope to the ramps and put the other end of the rope under your back tires, it doesn't take much to stop them from sliding, I used about 3/16 diameter rope.
 
3

38Chevy454

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Dec 26, 2006
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Cincinnati, OH
I just use wood ones I made like remedialmofo showed. I have two sets, one that is two 2x high and one set that is four 2x high.
 
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QBall68

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Sep 21, 2009
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I have the metal ramps & have had success wedging them under the front gap of the tires, if that makes sense - you can wiggle them back & forth just a bit, pushing them forward & under the front tires, so that when you then start to drive up the ramps there's already some weight or pressure on them that keeps them from sliding backwards.

Hope that awkward description helps...
 
K

Keel

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LaLaLand
mach158 said:
Well I hope you're using jackstands when you're on ramps too. Ramps can fail just like a jack.

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Click to expand...

only if you use stamped steel ramps, that are very hard to find today,

most are plastic, with a honeycomb like support structure, they only fail if you put a 10 ton truck on a set made for 3 tons

to the o/p my ramps came with a 2"x2" rubber foot to try to keep it from moving as you drive up.. I've added to this, using old mud flaps as the material for the rubber foot, they also make longer ramps with less of an incline that is less likely to just get pushed
 
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redmondjp

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Nov 25, 2014
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Redmond, WA
Keel said:
only if you use stamped steel ramps, that are very hard to find today,

most are plastic, with a honeycomb like support structure, they only fail if you put a 10 ton truck on a set made for 3 tons

to the o/p my ramps came with a 2"x2" rubber foot to try to keep it from moving as you drive up.. I've added to this, using old mud flaps as the material for the rubber foot, they also make longer ramps with less of an incline that is less likely to just get pushed
Click to expand...

And those 2x2 rubber blocks like to come out and get lost quite easily. I have had four pairs of those ramps, and have figured out that if you take 2-3 drywall or deck screws and screw through the plastic into the rubber blocks, then they will stay in place.
 
K

Keel

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LaLaLand
mrodgers said:
Now looking around with Google on car ramps, I found this picture from a thread on Garage Journal. Love this idea and the 3 piece setup to remove the center to be able to crawl under and work from the side. I have to do something like this. I've been wanting to get my car all 4 wheels up off the ground.

(Photos by GJ member g20v)

DSCN9778.jpg


DSCN9783.jpg


Post in the thread by member g20v....





http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1769762&postcount=106
Click to expand...



I think if I was to build something like that, the center would also be 2 pieces and I'd use 2x12's for the height , nothing worse than not having the room to move your arm when under the vehicle..


a few have posted about "race ramps" They seem to be nice, and should be as they are mighty proud of them.. you are 2/3rds of the way to a lift for a set of those pricey things..
 
OP
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earth_grinder

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Joined
Jan 23, 2010
Messages
47
Location
Elizabethtown, PA
It has been some time since I first posted the ramp inquiry. Thought someone may be interested to see what I ended up building. Over all length is 4". My F-150 goes up the ramps nice without pushing them.
 

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earth_grinder

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Jan 23, 2010
Messages
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Location
Elizabethtown, PA
Well I only drove up on them once, but no problem with them sliding. I have a two piece ramp similar to the plastic ones the gentleman uses with his wooden ramps above, but they would slide as I tried to go up on them. My problem with the truck is with the running boards on I cannot go under on a creeper to change oil. With the height I have now I should be able to do that. I will change oil very soon and see how that goes.
 
V

visiting guest

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Apr 27, 2015
Messages
177
we had the kwik lift in the shop for 3 years.
it took up alot of room ( a little more space than 1 large vehicle is lost to the kwiklift) and it is heavy and difficult to drive up on without a spotter.
and uses a very big jack to raise the rear section of it up into place
just sold the kwik lift 2 months ago.

that is why we are looking at the harbor freight scissor lift .

but looking at that 2 x6 wood ramp set up above
and how simple and cheap it is to build and slide out of the way
has me thinking
 
C

crab

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Jan 8, 2015
Messages
940
The problem I have with ramps is that they take up to much room when not in use and are very rarely needed . A floor jack and jack stands meet all my needs really. They may be the ticket for other people, just depends on what you do in the garage. I suppose what you drive would be a factor also.
 
A

aka Larry

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May 2, 2012
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Eastern, NC
visiting guest said:
that is why we are looking at the harbor freight scissor lift .
Click to expand...

I helped my buddy build a set of wooden ramps for his HF scissor lift a few weeks ago. The whole system is affordable and works like a champ. For anyone without room for a 2-post lift or a full rise lift, I'd recommend it.

20160514_190004_zpsowwyoid1.jpg
 
M

MeanGreenZ71

Active member
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May 10, 2016
Messages
32
Location
NC
remedialmofo said:
Make some that will work



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Click to expand...

I made a pair like the ones on the left for my Pontiac since it is fairly low to the ground. They make plenty of access for changing the oil or any minor repairs. Plus I don't have to worry about anything collapsing since they are solid.
 
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