Jack Stand Vs Drive On Mini Ramp?

[oldschoolcraft]

I haven’t owned jackstands in forever. Gifted them to a friend when I moved cross country a decade ago. I want to get back into doing basic car repair, including oil changes primarily.

One of the advice on this forum was a little drive up ramp thing for oil changes, saves you the trouble of using a jack even, since you just drive on it and you get like 6” of clearance maybe idk to help with the oil change.

To be honest I think I used to change my own oil in an old civic, without any kind of height assistance, I just crawled under the parked car. I have a newer civic and I’m not sure if at my age, now much older, if that would ****.

I figure having jack stands is worthwhile anyway, especially if I want to do something like change brake pads.

I figure the drive up ramp thing is a convenience and since I change my oil annually, due to not driving much, and since I lack storage space, the jack stands seem way more versatile, but I figured I’d ask. If you were in limited storage space would you still have both or just stick to jack stands? Do these drive up ramps do anything a jack and jack stand can’t? Other than save a few minutes time?

Is there any downside to going for bigger jack stands? I only want one pair due to space storage limitations at least for now, it’s obviously larger and more expensive, but would it get in the way being too large? What’s the right size for most people’s cars that aren’t a big truck or big suv?

Also back in the day I was younger and stupid and figured it would be okay to get under the car with just the jack holding it up as long as I only had my body under the car in a place that if the car fell on me, it would hit me. Basically like if I could slide under the parked car and have clearance, then it was okay to have my body there with the car jacked up. I look back as an adult and realize if the jack broke, and the car fell, then the suspension would let the car go lower than it normally does to the ground, temporarily due to momentum as it fell. Older and wiser now!

 

[Kscardsfan]

I use 3 ton jack stands for everything because that seems to be the most accessible size I’ve found. They might make some smaller/shorter ones, but I don’t know for a fact.

 

[Skin]

I use ramps for fluid changes personally. Stored on end they dont take up much room. I cant keep a floor jack within reach a lot of times so a few years ago I actually bought one of the Powerbuilt Unijacks (bottle jack stuck to a jack stand). I love the thing for quick wheel removal stuff and actually keep meaning to buy a second.

For jack stands in general I prefer 6 ton as you get a wider range of height.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GJJZ5NI/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I looked around and this is pretty much the only company that makes something like this. Given the negative reviews on the front page I was expecting some failure but its been about 3-4 years now and its still going. I wish the quality was a bit better but the damn thing is so handy I cant complain.

 

[Firebrick43]

I use a jack with wood wheel cribs to do basic maintenance. The cribs are easy to use compared to jack stands. The store better than ramps as well. I actually got rid of my ramps this winter as I hadn’t used them in a while. They slid on me while trying to drive up them and making sure you were centered and didn’t drive off them was a pain . They were invariably in the way of a creeper as well

 

[TudorTom]

I prefer ramps when it's feasible to use them. But remember that you can't do brakes, suspension work, or other stuff (like bleed a power steering system) without jack stands. I've also found that ramps can't always accommodate the low ground clearance of many late-model vehicles.

 

[sparky 1971]

I use ramps for everything that doesn't require taking a wheel off. For storage, they just hang on the wall. I think I would pay someone to change my oil before I dicked around jacking a car up and putting stands under it for about three minutes of actual work time under there.

I have Rhino ramps, and two sets of Torin jack stands, one 3 ton set and the other is 6 tons.

 

[JoeMcGov]

I use Rhino brand plastic ramps with jack stands for safety. Soooo friggin easy.

 

[Wamsutta]

I've been lifting the front of the car onto the Rhino ramps, and then backing the car off the ramps when I'm done.

 

[Philbert]

Both have their purpose. For fluid change and other work ramps are fine. If your doing wheel bearings and tire work, jack stands would be a better choice.

 

[whateg01]

It's also difficult to drive a non-running vehicle up onto ramps, and pushing them is even harder!

 

[demarpaint]

I use Rhino ramps for some oil changes. Then four ramps for transmission servicing, differentials and transfer cases, and 3 and 6 ton jack stands for everything else under the vehicle. For years all I used was jack stands, now I can't see how I did without both.

 

[RKA]

My preference is jack and stands if I had to pick one. I can do more with those. Get the smallest stands you can (min height at 11” should work). The taller stands under passenger cars are more difficult to place. You have to lift up one side pretty high tilting the car at a pretty good angle to get the stand under it. Sometimes you’ll also bump into the upper limit on the jack height range. And if you needed more height with the smaller stands, you can always raise the stand and inch or two.

 

[nieuport17]

I have both.
Ramp is quick and easy. Don’t have to bring out the jack. But, you can’t do anything to the wheels or brakes

 

[RKA]

One additional suggestion if you decide on jack + stands, crawl under the car and sort out where you will place the jack to lift and where you will place the stands. It seems like a simple thing, but it can be a little tricky. The jack requires a little room to roll forward (4”?) and the stands require some clear area around the support point for the feet of the stand (4-6” depending on the size if the stands you choose). With smaller cars you may find the jack will roll into the feet on the stands.

The other alternative is the civic may have a center lift point so you can place the stands at the pinch welds. That center point will be pretty far back and getting a jack to fit that far under the car might be tricky, especially if there are aero fittings under the front bumper reducing ground clearance. (The kind concrete parking stops will tear off). The workaround is driving the car over 2x6 boards to buy another couple inches of height to fit a jack under the center lift point. At some point it may be easier to just use ramps, provided the lower part of the front bumper doesn’t hit the ramps and push them away as you’re trying to drive up.

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

...
I want to get back into doing basic car repair, including oil changes primarily.

...

Is there any downside to going for bigger jack stands?

...
What’s the right size for most people’s cars that aren’t a big truck or big suv?

If you are only doing oil changes, I would go with ramps. Drive up, change and drive off. If you will occasionally be doing other things that require taking a wheel off, you should get jack stands, unless you can borrow them for occasional use.

There may be clearance issues with larger jack stands if your cars are low to the ground.

The right size of jack stands depends on what you are lifting. 3 ton jack stand range is typically around 11 to 17 inches and 6 ton range is typically around 15 to 23 inches (some brands may be a bit different, but this what you typically find). You have to measure the sitting height of your car’s jack points, lift range of of your jack, etc. to see what would work for you.

I suggest getting both. They both have their place.

 

[MikeF2316]

The correct answer is both. If you're working under the middle, ramps are quicker. If you're working on suspension or brakes, you need stands. But you can start with ramps, then jack. It gives you a little more room to work.

 

[Qualitytools]

I use both, I use Rhino Ramps for some tasks where their height is enough and also use the ramps as a first step to raise the car or truck further with a jack and use ESCO stands for support.

As mentioned above my ramps get stored on their end for space saving

 

[Showkey]

No to ramps.........take up storage space, not flexible.
Quick jacks alternative for $1500 not cost effective, access problems, height limitations, storage issue.

Use three floor jacks .......one on each side front, one in the rear. Jack up the whole vehicle, jacks stands and done. Full service and full access to all components. Less than 5 minutes to have the vehicle up. Yes, Certainly slow compared to ramps.

Don’t have a lift. Have the floor space not the ceiling height. Every oil change is a tire rotation.

 

[whateg01]

... Less than 5 minutes to have the vehicle up. Yes, Certainly slow compared to ramps....

Gonna have to disagree with you on that. Less than 5 minutes if you treat it like a nascar style pit stop. Nobody is moving at that place changing their oil on a leisurely Sunday afternoon. Also 3 floor jacks take up far more space than a couple of ramps stood in the corner. More versatile, yes, by far, but not less space. Otherwise, I agree with more jacks, no ramps!

 

[unslow1]

I gave away my ramps a few months ago after not using them for at least a decade. Pretty much everything I work on was too low to clear them or was brakes/suspension. I'd actually forgotten I even had them until I had to start clearing out and downsizing.

 

[M635_Guy]

I thought when I got my QuickJack I'd be done with my jack stands. Nope. Also added Rhino ramps for quick stuff since then. These days I dig having the options...

 

[Chevy-SS]

Whatever you use, make sure you have a backup support in case the primary support system fails. It happens all the time. Looks like a very miserable way to die.

 

[HomeTheaterMan]

I almost never use my ramps, yet I use my jack stands on a regular basis. If I could only have one set, it would definitely be jack stands. There is just so much more that you can do and they take up significantly less space to store. I rotate my tires with every oil change, so the ramps don't even work for that for me. You can't do brake work, suspension work, etc. work with ramps, but you can with jack stands.

As for downsides to large jack stands, the only downside I've see is when dealing with larger 6 ton style jack stands, if I'm working with a car, sometimes the jack won't lift he car high enough to get the stand under it, even at the lowest setting. My 4 ton jack stands are a good compromise and work well 99% of the time on everything from lowered cars to trucks.

 

[39 LaSalle]

I got rid of my traditional stamped steel ramps and went to the Race Ramps blocks. I can lift my car with a floor jack, position them and have enough room to hold a party underneath my car. Completely stable, no having to drive on them "just right", no concerns about them sliding forward on the driveway, and no fears of overshooting the end and not being able to hit the brakes quick enough. Plus, they don't weigh over 5 lbs. If the wheels need to come off though, as others have mentioned, jack stands are a necessity.

 

[whateg01]

Whatever you use, make sure you have a backup support in case the primary support system fails. It happens all the time. Looks like a very miserable way to die.

Not sure I completely follow this. If you are using a jack, the Jack stands are the backup. If you are using Jack stands to support the vehicle, are you suggesting a second set of Jack stands? If you drive the car up on ramps are you saying that you should also have Jack stands? None of that makes any sense!

 

[M635_Guy]

Not sure I completely follow this. If you are using a jack, the Jack stands are the backup. If you are using Jack stands to support the vehicle, are you suggesting a second set of Jack stands? If you drive the car up on ramps are you saying that you should also have Jack stands? None of that makes any sense!

You've got it backwards - a jack would back up the stands, not the other way around.

Backing up stands can be a jack, a couple tires tossed under the car, etc.

His post is perfectly clear, and if you don't get what he's talking about, you probably shouldn't be getting under a car.

 

[Skin]

You've got it backwards - a jack would back up the stands, not the other way around.

Backing up stands can be a jack, a couple tires tossed under the car, etc.

His post is perfectly clear, and if you don't get what he's talking about, you probably shouldn't be getting under a car.

Except for the "it happens all the time" part. If it was common the news wouldnt report on it and 99 times out of 100 its involving a jack without the use of stands which isnt what this thread is about.

 

[stupidjet]

you guys that change oil on ramps, not concerned with car not being level?

 

[Skin]

you guys that change oil on ramps, not concerned with car not being level?

You mean because some oil might be trapped in the pan from the angle? You never get it all out anyway. At least a quart stays inside from oil change to oil change comparative to the first fill amount when the engine was brand new and completely empty.

 

[stupidjet]

yeah, i know you dont get it all out, but wont you even get less out on a ramp. wonder how much less?

 

[whateg01]

you guys that change oil on ramps, not concerned with car not being level?

I use a jack and I don't go around jacking all four corners up so the car is level!

 

[Vahispd]

you guys that change oil on ramps, not concerned with car not being level?

Jacking the vehicle up may help depending on where the drain plug is.

My Dakota and the wife's Mini Cooper both benefit from lifting the front or side slightly.

 

[jonesg]

you guys that change oil on ramps, not concerned with car not being level?

only if you back the car onto ramps, driving fwd positions the drain plug exactly where it needs be, at the lowest point of the sump.
Lifts have their own problems when in the wrong hands.

 

[Qualitytools]

you guys that change oil on ramps, not concerned with car not being level?

In my case when the truck is on ramps (front end up), my oil drain plug is in the back of the pan so I get all the oil out since it's tipped in the direction of the drain.

 

[Ilikeike]

I just bought some Race Ramps for quick checks under the car, no jack required.

 

[Qualitytools]

I just bought some Race Ramps for quick checks under the car, no jack required.

Let us know how you like those ramps, I checked them out a while back and they are pricey for me.

 

[MikeF2316]

you guys that change oil on ramps, not concerned with car not being level?

All the cars I've owned have had the drain plug toward the rear of the sump. so having the front up slightly is beneficial. On the hoist, the front is generally down slightly, so more old oil stays in.

And even though I know it really doesn't matter if you get it all out, the more I get out the better I feel. If time and space allow, I let it drip for an hour or more.

 

[Bacon!]

Save a few minutes? It takes me little if any additional time to jack a vehicle and place a couple stands, opposed to having to position the ramps and drive up on them. Literally, I can have front end of a vehicle up on stands in a minute and this is not rushing... maybe two minutes if a vehicle I'm unfamiliar with so I have to pick the jack and stand placement points.

Ramps aren't even a solution when it comes to front or rear end suspension, steering, etc work, or any other time you need to remove the front wheel to gain access to something through the wheel well opening, which is becoming more and more common with more cramped engine bays.

I don't use my ramps often, but not going to get rid of them either as I'm not that tight for space. Some day might come when I find their location better used for something else, then I'll just throw a couple hooks into wall studs and hang them.

 

[Radio Flyer]

The problem that I've run into lately is that I jack up the car by the lifting points (usually pinch welds), and then i am left with no place to place a jack stands. Or if there is a place to put it, its not ideal.

The Unijack seems like a cool idea though.

 

[Bighead38]

I have short ramps, tall ramps, jack stands, big jack stands. What I use is determined by what I’m doing.

Short stepped ramps to get the car high enough for a jack to get under. Then placed on blocks.

Big ramps that I use for fluid changes.

The smaller jack stands

I don’t have a picture of my bigger jacket stands but only use them for trucks or if I need something really high.