Wheel Ramp Alternative

[mayday0017]

I am starting to expand the amount of work I do for others in my home garage and find myself doing more and more work under cars. I'm wanting to buy a new house with some land in a couple years to build a shop on so I don't want to spend a ton of money now only to buy a lift in a couple years.

With that said, I'm planning on picking up some wheel ramps to place under the tires after jacking the car up, I'm not sure this will give me the amount of clearance to work under the car but it is possible it is. My question is, is there anything else I should consider getting instead of picking up a couple sets of ramps?

I do already have 2 sets of small and 2 sets of large jack stands, and 2 sets of jacks. I work mostly on newer BMW's and they don't have very many great places to put jack stands so I don't feel as safe as I would just having the car sit up on ramps.

 

[#1SomeGuy]

You could get a portable mid-rise scissor lift...that way you could take it with you to your next place.

Ramps are a pain in the ***, at least the normal kind you get at the big box stores...usually they don't clear the nose of any modern car with the lower skirts and bumpers and such. You could check out race ramps though but they're pricey:
http://www.raceramps.com/

 

[mayday0017]

Thanks,
Scissor lifts will take up much more room and are a pain to get under the car with, and are in the way often when rolling under a car. Plus I don't have but 8ft ceilings in current garage so couldn't lift very high to really take advantage of the lift. I probably should of mentioned all of this.... Unless there is another scissor lift I don't know about?

I don't plan on driving the car up any ramps though, just going to use a jack and lift the car with it and then slide them under the wheels or at least thats the plan...

 

[jeffk14]

There have been a few guys on here who just made up some cribbing blocks out of lumber. They looked stable and safe and you can build them up to just the height that you want.

 

[#1SomeGuy]

Thanks,
Scissor lifts will take up much more room and are a pain to get under the car with, and are in the way often when rolling under a car. Plus I don't have but 8ft ceilings in current garage so couldn't lift very high to really take advantage of the lift. I probably should of mentioned all of this.... Unless there is another scissor lift I don't know about?

I don't plan on driving the car up any ramps though, just going to use a jack and lift the car with it and then slide them under the wheels or at least thats the plan...

I'm in the same boat, 8 foot ceilings...have had my eye on this one for a while:
http://www.bendpak.com/car-lifts/specialty-lifts/p-6b.aspx

Enough to make getting the car up and working under it relatively painless, still using a creeper but at least stable and high enough.

 

[thatmaskedman]

Ever consider a pit. Insurance companys frown on them. They are as safe as the user. A good plank cover for when not in use is mandatory. Design it into your new home. If the pit bottom is properly finished, you can pick up spills, clean, with a snow shovel. If you want to pull a heavy pickup ******, just bridge across with some of the cover planks in the right place for your jack. You'll never go back to doing it on your back.

 

[mayday0017]

Any other options? A pit isn't an option for me... Also scissor lift is to expensive for something that won't meet my needs at the new house. Sounding like other then traditional ramps there's nothing out there to fit my need. No biggie just figured I would check before running out and buying something.

 

[beerdog]

google home build car ramps. People have built some pretty nice set-ups to get the car a foot or more off the ground. I have a friend who bought some type of drive up teeter-tot style lift that gets the car about 18 inches of the ground for A few hundred bucks of craigslist.

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en...5j5j4j1.15.0...0.0...1ac.1.14.img.Yt_WtCB0x2k

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

I have a car lift but purchase this super heavy ramp set up from a fellow for $50 more in scrap metal then that. but you drive up and then the ramp pivots and you pin the rear supports. I can't take pictures because it is not together and takes more than two people maybe my tractor to set in place.

 

[wmartin]

I was just closing my eyes and thinking about a variant of jack stands. For hobbyists doing everything-but-suspension-and-brakes-work, it would be interesting to see some sort of broad-based stand that bolted to the car in place of the wheels. There's be a lot less pucker factor on R&R'ing a transmission for instance.

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

here is something that might work for you

and another choice is this unit

 

[doan]

I made these when my son and I put a new engine transmission in his camaro. We could not have done the Job in my garage without them. 7 courses of 2x4's is about as high as my floor jack would go. Made for plenty of room to work underneath. About $75 in materials.

I later put wheels on them while restoring my Austin Healey. Made it easy to move it around the garage while working on it

Then when the wheels were off I put jackstands on the woodstands. The woodstands have been a great addition to my garage.

 

[General Geoff]

doan,

Can you tell me what type/thickness plywood you used, and what dimensions? Those platforms look amazing, and I'd like to build a set. Thanks!

 

[doan]

They are 2x4's except for the top layer that the wheels sit on which are 2x8's. They are 21" x 16".

I should disclose that I got the idea from here

 

[mayday0017]

Damn, after seeing those I might have to do 1 more car using jack stands tomorrow and build a set of those. I have enough 2x4's stacked up out back to build a set of those so it won't cost a dime. How heavy is each section to pick up? The reason I ask is they will need to be stored in the attic when they are not in use.

 

[doan]

I'm guessing 20lbs a piece... I store them stacked, they are not hard to manage. I built mine with 3" deck screws, no glue. Easy to subtract or add layers as needed.

 

[zkling]

With that said, I'm planning on picking up some wheel ramps to place under the tires after jacking the car up

Uhm... You do understand how RAMPS work right? Or are you planning to use them like tire cradles?

I work mostly on newer BMW's and they don't have very many great places to put jack stands so I don't feel as safe as I would just having the car sit up on ramps.

I hear you on that. I have one friend that has a 328i, and a girl I work with has a small Mercedes (I forget what model). They really didn't design those cars to be jack and jack stand friendly.

Since it sounds like you do quite a bit of work on other peoples high end cars, I think a mid rise lift would be the ticket. If you buy a used one, you could probably sell it in a few years and get your money back. Who knows you may even like it enough to take it with you. I am not sure of the technical name but try to find one that is just two parallel platforms, with no center bracing. That way you have freedom to place the lift pucks where you like and it gives you a bit of space to work on the driveshaft / exhaust. Compared to the more common mid rise lifts that have bracing in the center.

Example http://heshbon.en.ec21.com/Automotive_Lifts_Mid_rise_Lift--186411_186419.html

How do you do currently perform brake work?

I think they have mixed reviews, but maybe look into those Jack Point Jack Stands. No personal experience or opinion. Seems like a neat idea though.

http://www.jackpointjackstands.com/

 

[andyray]

Check these diy alternatives to race ramps...I have the materials in my garage to build but haven't got around to it.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=632872

 

[BrentBiss]

where is the instructions to build anything? the cribbing blocks sound interesting I just want to get under my car when its up and level to do oil changes etc. I got a honda accord