car ramps

[Richard Dickinson]

I have a set of steel ramps that I've had for years, don't remember where I got them. They work fine once you get on them, but they tend to slide on the concrete floor making it difficult to drive on them. The set shown with extensions might work better. They're good for changing oil and lube work but not much else.

 

[tahoe healey]

That's them. The ramps were about 30 and the extension less than 15. I use them mostly for oil changes.

 

[Keoke]

Well elrey, unless you have a racing jack getting a Healey up on jacks is a PITA to me, especially when I just want to change oil. Plus I have never heard of ramps falling over but Jack Stands can.--Fwiw Keoke- :frown:

 

[tahoe healey]

You get more oil out at that ramp angle too.

 

[elrey]

I've got a number of jacks, my favorite being a heavy duty long low nosed floor jack by that reduces to about two and one half inches or so off the floor. Perfect for todays low clearance vehicles. Ditto the Healey. I also have plenty of jack stands, some of which are wide footed and sturdy enough to handle longbed truck action, i.e rear end swaps

 

[longbridgehealey]

Ah, Man - I'm as confused as I need to be! Over driving, too low rear ends, jack stands falling over, lining up the ramps..... All I wanna do is get under my cars!

Larry

 

[BabaKahawa]

I'v got the solution, bigger tires............

Good luck with your choice, maybe you need ramps , a
good jack and stands,, think she will go for it??

 

[elrey]

Larry, save your forehead, buy the peterson style ramps with the two piece extensions, Push them against the wheels first then slowly mount the ramps. piece of cake! the Rino type are also good and can be found in a few differing heights. I prefer the taller steel ramps w/extensions because I like lots of room to work. Plus I can get my head going faster before I slam it into something under the car But if your auto is too low in the low in the rear use the lower ramps. Or Jam a piece of plywood with a shallow bevel cut on the end in front of the rear wheels, just do not gas it and you will be O.K. Always chock the rear wheels. If using the ply technique clamp a block behind the wheel on the ramp. Happy motoring, --elrey

 

[Keoke]

Ah, Man - I'm as confused as I need to be! Over driving, too low rear ends, jack stands falling over, lining up the ramps..... All I wanna do is get under my cars!

Larry

The bottom line here is you need both!!!---Keoke-

 

[tahoe healey]

Whatever you decide, just don't get under the car with just a floor jack. And don't jack up your car or even use jack stands if you have the vinyl floor covering. The wheels on the floor jack don't move on vinyl when you are elevating the car and it will pull the car off the jack. I learned the hard way. Got rid of the floor covering and had a commercial grade epoxy floor applied.
If you intend to raise the rear, you could drive onto a couple of sets of 2x6's screwed together (the top one shorter than the bottom by 5 inches, making a low ramp). The over all length must be the same as the ramp. Then you could get the floor jack under the pumpkin and remove the wood. Then you could use your jack stands in addition to the front ramp. This makes a very stable hoist. I've only done this twice. Fist time was scary but the next time it was easy.

 

[why]

Older I got, the more nervous in the service dept I get. Will not get under a car (other than just reaching in) with any lift system that allows air between top and bottom. So have a pile of of 1" X12" X24" boards that after using jack to lift wheel I put under tire. Four of these boards have a 2X4X12 screwed on to front and back, they are always the top board to keep car from going forward or backward.
Also took a series of boards 6',5',4',3',2' lined em up even at one end, voila a ramp, screw 'em together, 2X4 at high end--can push car up.
Oil change should be possible without any lift,most big box parts stores have metal pan that fits under oil pan, can get an extra inch or two with floor jack as needed, I always do that anyway after most oil drained to tilt pan for extra little bit
Jay '65 3000

 

[longbridgehealey]

to everyone for helping shed light on the ramp issue. This is Larry's wife, Pam. After reading all the different posts I have decided Larry isn't a good candidate for ramps. If something could go wrong with the ramps, jacks, lifts, etc. it would most likely happen to him. He works in the garage, alone, when nobody else is home. We have had conversations regarding safety issues for almost a year now and everyone's input allowed me to make up my mind. In my quest to gather ramp information I did stumble onto two 2 post car lifts in our local paper from an Automobile shop that went belly up. The guy wants $2000.00 per unit. That is out of my price range. I think Larry will just have to keep using his jack stands....he has plenty of experience with them!

Thanks again!

 

[Keoke]

Well Larry SWMBO has spoken---Keoke-- :lol:

 

[57_BN4]

Asian made two post hoists are very cheap these days, particularly on hp for a few dollars a week. Much safer designs than the old Molnar hydraulic/cable lifts which are have earned the name Widowmaker here.

https://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Vehicle_2_Post_Lifts_s/37.htm

 

[longbridgehealey]

Yep, seems that way. It drives her crazy when she comes home and I've got one of the cars up on stands, with my feet hanging out from under them. I think she thought the ramps would be safer. That's what started the whole research deal on the ramps. I told her that the safest thing was being careful, regardless of what you were using. She loves the cars, she drives one of the Sprites as her daily driver. I'm pretty lucky to have another lbc enthusiast as my wife. Oh well, no ramps from her this birthday! I keep telling her that she ought to join this forum herself, the way she helps maintain the healeys.

 

[Keoke]

Larry: it don't get no better than that---Keoke-- :thumbsup:

 

[elrey]

I guess it's time to ramp down this thread-- elrey

 

[longbridgehealey]

yep!