changing oil on gravel driveway

[Lignums]

I have changed oil in my gravel driveway for 17 years, among many many other car repairs, from changing differential seals, ball joints, transmission flushes, and even an oil pump on my envoy. Not a big deal. Plywood 12 by 12 inch square plywood for the jack stands is a must. A good clean work towel to lay parts on also always helpful. Wouldnt want to lose any nusts or washers in that gravel.

 

[SilverSnake]

Get your driveway paved.

 

[Tlhfirelion]

"Get your driveway paved."

you gonna pay for it?

 

[philipp10]

Originally Posted By: Tlhfirelion
"Get your driveway paved."

you gonna pay for it?
\

I wish I could have gravel....looks rustic.

 

[IndyIan]

I just put a board under the weight bearing ends of my metal ramps, and slide card board under mostly to let me slide under easily.
I

 

[Tlhfirelion]

I'm gonna go the wood under the jack and stands method and make sure it's solid. Thanks for the helpful replies.

 

[Soggydog]

A diesel mechanic friend of mine used to do auto repairs at his rural home on the weekends. He was doing some transmission work on a late 80's town car in his gravel floored barn when the car fell on him crushing him. He somehow managed to free himself and begin a 2.5 hour crawl the 80 feet from his barn to his house with a broken pelvis. He was trying to get up his back steps when his girlfriend found him.
He was towards the end of a long recoverey when he got his terminal cancer diagnosis.
I remember him everytime I jack up a vehicle in my crushed limestone driveway.

 

[maxdustington]

I like the pavers idea if you rent but I would just pour a concrete pad. It's not that hard and would not have to be large. 12x12 or 12x18?

 

[Ducked]

Dont like softwood, (which I'd imagine is pretty much the default with lumber in the US) in this application. It can split unpredictably along the grain.

Tropical hardwood (the default here) is better. Plywood is better still but none of them are as reliable as steel.

Used to use a couple of railway tie cleat plates (railways usually have a few lying around) but now I have some tread-plate squares for jack and axle stand bases. These fit inside the spare wheel which makes a good base if I need extra lift.

 

[HorseThief]

Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
I agree. And the best part is if there's an oil spill, who cares?!


I used to be of the same opinion, but one day I saw my driveway on google maps... I had a pretty decent leak on my old car at that point.

While its not preferred, I will use scissor jacks with a piece of 2x10. Otherwise i have used a small 2 ton floor jack with a longer piece of wood before when I needed to, but it was really sketchy. Once the jackstands are under the frame I feel a whole lot better.

The only thing I don't trust is wheel chocks on dirt or gravel.

 

[BrianF]

I have some old school stamped steel ramps (they are made in Canada so you know they are old) that I use for my Tb or any small vehicle. My trucks just got a few shims of 2x6 under the fronts. Its all that I required to get comfortable clearance to go under. If it is on gravel or dirt I will use plywood to lay on, if its on grass I will usually just slide on under.

Never needed anything fancy. I usually use some lengths of 2x5 under jack stands or anything less than a floor jack.

Has not let me down yet.

 

[Merkava_4]

Put plywood under the Rhino ramps then!

 

[Linctex]

I use two full 4x8 sheets of 3/4 plywood when doing vehicle repairs over dirt/gravel

 

[SilverSnake]

Originally Posted By: Tlhfirelion
"Get your driveway paved."

you gonna pay for it?


Sorry, I used all my driveway money getting mine paved.

 

[Oldtom]

My gravel driveway is half weeds and has ripples like a pond on a windy day. This is about the worst case driveway to do anything on. Years ago I made a set of stepped ramps out of 2 by 12 lumber held together with 3 inch screws. The ramps are about a foot high, three feet long, and heavy as hail. Some days I use a hand truck to move the mammoth things to the driveway. I drive the vehicle onto the ramps, put trans in park, chock the rear wheels front and rear, and set the parking brake.

No problems or any " near miss " in 15 years. I may have jinxed myself by posting this and get smooshed like a bug the next oil change

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
When I rented a place with gravel I dug down and permanently installed a couple solid concrete pavers inset in there with their tops flush with ground level. I then put my drive-on ramps on these so they wouldn't sink in. In hindsight a couple layers of plywood would be safer since concrete cracks if it's on uneven ground, and the ground could settle/ wash out over time.


That's brilliant!

 

[Hootbro]

Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
Originally Posted By: Tlhfirelion
"Get your driveway paved."

you gonna pay for it?


Sorry, I used all my driveway money getting mine paved.


Nice comeback!

Seriously though, if you cannot afford a whole driveway paving, consider getting a car sized concrete slab poured if you plan to work on your cars with any frequency. Gravel sucks.

 

[SilverSnake]

Originally Posted By: Hootbro
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
Originally Posted By: Tlhfirelion
"Get your driveway paved."

you gonna pay for it?


Sorry, I used all my driveway money getting mine paved.


Nice comeback!

Seriously though, if you cannot afford a whole driveway paving, consider getting a car sized concrete slab poured if you plan to work on your cars with any frequency. Gravel sucks.


That actually is a very good solution to the problem.

 

[Omahaug]

Do not use Rhino Ramps on gravel, they will crack and you'll die if they collapse. Go look on YouTube, there are people who have done this.

My main worry is that whatever you're putting on the gravel is going to shift when the gravel under it does. I'd find something thick and wide to put on top of the gravel so that if a small amount of gravel shifts, the load is balanced over more than just that gravel. It has to be something thick and strong so that something like jack stand legs don't punch right through it.

 

[Carmudgeon]

If you have the space, look into getting a steel road plate or two.

That's what we did at our dirt/gravel equipment yard for a maintenance/working space for the vehicles.