Fold down aluminum ramps idea.

[green.bubbly]

I like changing my own oil. Problem is, our vehicles are cars and they are too low to the ground to get under. This usually means I have to drag out the floor jack and jack stands and jack it up. I do not have the need to justify a lift so that is out of the question.

Portable ramps can tear up my floor and are a pain in the **** to safely drive a car up on.

So I was thinking of having some aluminum ramps built about 10 feet long and a foot or so high. Mount these ramps on hinges on the back wall of my garage so that they can neatly fold up against the back wall when not in use. Then when I need them, I could simply lower them onto the floor either by using a rope and pulley or even an electric hoist.

I attached a detailed engineering CAD drawing.

Thoughts???

 

[rslaback]

Isn't rolling under the car from the side going to ****? By the time you are far enough back to miss the ramp you won't have much extra space between the body and the floor.

I use these low profile extensions. They work great and prevent the car from pushing the ramps. I make my high school auto students use the extensions regardless of the ground clearance of the car.

 

[lutter94]

You would either have to roll in from the rear, or crawl between the ramps and go under the front bumper. I suspect those rams would reach the rear tires.....

 

[DIC]

They would need a lot of bracing it would be hard to get under car from the sides

 

[MikeGyver]

Sounds like a lot of time and money just to save a few minutes of jacking up the car. Aren't there plastic composite ramps available?

 

[green.bubbly]

Well, thanks for killing my glorious idea.

 

[rmsg0040]

Make your own out of wood:

http://mustangworld.com/ourpics/News/mwramps/index.htm

 

[Alchymist]

Make your own out of wood:

http://mustangworld.com/ourpics/News/mwramps/index.htm

Couple things amused me about those ramps - he didn't even take the few minutes to bevel the ends of each step, and:

"You might buy 20 foot long pieces and cut them according to our sketch."
Guess he's gonna haul them on top of his Mustang - 20 footers are difficult enough with a pickup, and that's gonna blow his "Cost to make: Around $30 in wood".

Then: "You can get 2 x 11's if need be".
Those are gonna be hard to find.

And last: "Bend the nails over at the bottom of each ramp if they stick out.. ".

Guess I'm too much of a perfectionist.

 

[rmsg0040]

Couple things amused me about those ramps - he didn't even take the few minutes to bevel the ends of each step, and:

"You might buy 20 foot long pieces and cut them according to our sketch."
Guess he's gonna haul them on top of his Mustang - 20 footers are difficult enough with a pickup, and that's gonna blow his "Cost to make: Around $30 in wood".

Then: "You can get 2 x 11's if need be".
Those are gonna be hard to find.

And last: "Bend the nails over at the bottom of each ramp if they stick out.. ".

Guess I'm too much of a perfectionist.

However he got it done and if it works for him great. Just throwing an idea out there.

 

[5lima30]

Or just get vehicles with better ground clearance! My wifes Jeep Wrangler and my Tacoma don't need to be jacked at all to get under for an oil change. YMMV.

 

[carhunter]

could you build your idea with a hinge or joint so the angled portion is removable? It would allow access from the side.

Kinda thinking of building a nicer version of the wood ramps now that i've seen them.

Cover the sides with masonite and paint them, and they'd look ok.

 

[Crusty Nut]

Couple things amused me about those ramps - he didn't even take the few minutes to bevel the ends of each step, and:

"You might buy 20 foot long pieces and cut them according to our sketch."
Guess he's gonna haul them on top of his Mustang - 20 footers are difficult enough with a pickup, and that's gonna blow his "Cost to make: Around $30 in wood".

Then: "You can get 2 x 11's if need be".
Those are gonna be hard to find.

And last: "Bend the nails over at the bottom of each ramp if they stick out.. ".

Guess I'm too much of a perfectionist.

geez who pooped in your cheerios? They are just quick and dirty ramps to suit his need. I wouldn't bevel the edges either, would make for a way to gauge how far up the ramp you are by counting the steps. He might have borrowed a bud's truck, and maybe meant to write 2 x 12's. Not everything needs to be built like a piano. My biggest beef with this style of ramp is how heavy they are. I'm glad you are perfect though. I'm a realist and will build to suit the need and recognize the difference between rough cut ramps and fine detail work.

 

[Alchymist]

geez who pooped in your cheerios? They are just quick and dirty ramps to suit his need. I wouldn't bevel the edges either, would make for a way to gauge how far up the ramp you are by counting the steps. He might have borrowed a bud's truck, and maybe meant to write 2 x 12's. Not everything needs to be built like a piano. My biggest beef with this style of ramp is how heavy they are. I'm glad you are perfect though. I'm a realist and will build to suit the need and recognize the difference between rough cut ramps and fine detail work.

So, someone pooped in my cheerios and this makes you touchy?

 

[Joe Reed]

Just use your portable ramps. Place them on the floor where you want them to be with the car on them. Cut a couple of 2x4s to fit between them and the back wall of the garage. Lay the 2x4s there when you're driving onto the ramps, then kick them out of the way. That leaves you maximum access to the underside of the car.

I have ramps but almost never use them for anything. I find it's actually quicker to grab a floor jack and lift the car than it is to put the ramps and brace in place, then drive the car onto them.

 

[evildky]

raceramps.com, they make high density foam ramps, won't hurt the floor, lightweight and they have some that have removable approach and even full customs....not cheap

 

[Zeke]

That does seem like it will permanently take up wall space and then leave you little access to the front of the car even if it's to walk around the front.

I think I'd make or buy the ramps and hang them out of the way until it's time to use them. There have been good suggestions here on how to avoid having them slip.

One more thing: static distance apart makes them impossible to use on a wider or narrower track vehicle.

 

[JamieK]

Build a set like shown above. (I built myself a set, and they are heavy as hell, but I feel much safer that those sheet metal ramps auto parts store sell). They will easily stand up on the end by themselves, and you can shove them up against the wall. When you need to use them, lower them down and slide them back a few feet so you can access the front of the car. Depending on the floor surface, you may need to glue a rubber floor mat to the bottom to keep them from sliding. Since they're not attached to the wall, you can vary the distance between them, or even drag them out into the driveway.

 

[bora492]

"Portable ramps can tear up my floor and are a pain in the **** to safely drive a car up on."

I solved my ramp problem. I carefully positioned the front-end of my daily driver up on ramps just where I wanted it. Then, I drew around the front of the ramp with magic marker. Then, I got out a masonry drill and drilled two 1/4" holes about 1 1/2" deep at the front of each ramp, and cut four 1/4" steel rods about 2" long to insert in the holes.

Now when I want to change my oil, I place the ramps on the magic marker outline, and drop in the steel rods (so the ramps don't scoot). Easy!

Sometimes I use my ramps like jackstands. Jack up the car, place the ramp under the tire, lower the jack. Reverse to lower the car.

 

[mr84monte]

raceramps.com, they make high density foam ramps, won't hurt the floor, lightweight and they have some that have removable approach and even full customs....not cheap

This is what I use, and although they are expensive, I'd buy them again. No sliding on the garage floor.

 

[bazzateer]

Scissor lift?

 

[BlazenXLT]

I've used wood ramps for a while now. Not too bad, but they are heavy.

 

[jamesemery728]

Do the Rhino ramps work for your cars? I have been using them for years and they work on most cars. They have a rubber chunk on the bottom of them that keeps them from sliding when you drive up on them.

 

[rmsg0040]

Do the Rhino ramps work for your cars? I have been using them for years and they work on most cars. They have a rubber chunk on the bottom of them that keeps them from sliding when you drive up on them.

No, tried them. My trailblazer just pushes them. Were returned a day later.

 

[4BT]

Make your own out of wood:

http://mustangworld.com/ourpics/News/mwramps/index.htm

those ramps are waaay to long! the transition section only needs to be about 3 inches long before the next step

I made some wood ramps to change the oil in my VW, I just bought a section of 2x8 and stacked two pieces in a staircase manner with a angle cut on the sides facing the wheel. They only need to be long enough to hold the contact patch of the tires. Works perfect in my apartment complex and gives plenty of room to manuever.

 

[borgdog]

Make your own out of wood:

http://mustangworld.com/ourpics/News/mwramps/index.htm

I made some shorter length ones like this out of scrap I had lying around, cost me nothing. Worked great, but then I have no slammed cars to need the longer approach.

 

[camarotoolman]

I use an old 6x6 x12 piece of scrap, (end of a porch post) and old 2x12x4. Side of an old water bed frame. Cheap and it works for me.