Well. its my first time doing a oil change at my own house, because I moved away from the AUto hobby shop. Where can i get some cheap Jackstands or ramps? which is safer,, jackstands or ramps?
I guess theres one advantage of owning a SUV, you don't need either of them.. just climb on under and change your oil anywhere!
Jackstands or Ramps?
- Thread starter Korean_redneck
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I second the Rhino ramps. Well made. I got a pair when I couldn't get my son's Camaro on to my steeper metal ramps because of the clearance. Corvette owners were recommending them.
12,000 pound GVW capacity--molded right in. I think they were $30. They are yellow, but I don't know if that designates the capacity or if the same model comes in different colors.
I third the Rhino Ramps. If you have a problem with the bumper scraping going up..just lay a 2 x 6 in front of each one.
I think the Rhino ramps are crap. I thought they were good and had a set for years until I finally had one collapse (not on me, luckily!), under a 3000lb. car the other day.
I was just about ready to slide underneath when I noticed one side seemed a little low. I looked at the ramp saw it beginning to deform and sag! Needless to say, I got in the car to back it down right away. That was all it took to totally smash the thing down flat before I even got the car started.
I'll be using nothing but jackstands from now on, thank you very much.
quote:
Originally posted by acewiza: .... I finally had one collapse (not on me, luckily!), under a 3000lb. car the other day. .... I'll be using nothing but jackstands from now on, thank you very much.
![[Eek!]](images/icons/shocked.gif){kind=icon}
Is it possible to post a picture ?
I heard of one other set collapsing. I think it was someone here. If I remember correctly, Rhino was very interested, and wanted the broken piece back to investigate.I have 2 pairs one is rated at 12000 lb the other is rated lower. I would go for the higher capacity set, it's wider and has more support ribs underneath.
When I bought the lower rated pair I did not realize that it was different rated ramp. After using them both for a few times I noticed the size difference when I put them next to each other.
I wonder if the front spoiler on my Matrix will clear on the Rhinos...I need something so I can get under my car to start doing my own oil changes again
I wish I had gotten the heavier duty Rino ramp because my PU is to heavy for the black $20 ones. Works just fine for my smaller cars though.
I just bought a pair of Jackstands at Walmart, they are 2 ton and cost 10.00. they are ANSI certified.. whatever that means....
Nope, it went out with the trash last Friday. Still trying to decide what I'll do with the other one. 'Spose it might still be good for getting one corner up in the air to refill coolant on the wife's car, but you'll never see me underneath it again!
The best investment I ever made was in a Kwiklift. It lays down nearly flat so I can park on it when it's not in use. When I need it just lift the front, pull the vehicle on and raise the back. No worries about jacks or ramps slipping. The ramps are wide enough to stand on while you're refilling the oil after draining it. It's built so you can use a bottle jack to raise a wheel if you need to take one off while the vehicle is on the lift.
Kestas
Staff member
I screwed some 2" x 12" pieces of wood together to drive on if I need a few more inches of clearance. No safety issues here.
Man, that kwiklift is cool. What'd it cost?
I'm going to an auction Thursday where a two pole vehicle lift is on the slate.
Back to topic, I greatly prefer jackstands. It takes more time to jack the car up, but the stands are a lot more rugged, and you can place a second set of stands as backup to the first set. I take no chances when I am under a car.
Besides, anything involving removal of a wheel is impossible with ramps.
Unfortunately, my last two new car purchases, a 2004 GTO, and a 2004 Jaguar Xj8, are not very jack friendly, so I bought a set of the Rhino ramps for these cars. They are adequate for changing oil, but that's about it, and I don't feel safe under the car.
I've never heard of a Rhino collapsing. I have, however, had the Sears ramps collapse once and thank *** I wasn't under the car at the time. A 77 Coupe Deville is not something I'd want to end my life. From then on I use ramps AND stands, to be on the safe side.
That Kwik lift is a nifty alternative. What's the weight rating and price, Michael?
quote:ANSI doesn't "certify" anything. Equipment can be designed and tested to meet ANSI standards. I personally would have reservations about $10 jack stands, but it's possible for them to be alright, if used as intended.
Originally posted by Korean_redneck: I just bought a pair of Jackstands at Walmart, they are 2 ton and cost 10.00. they are ANSI certified.. whatever that means....
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