Rhino ramps are indispensable with my 2001 VW Passat wagon and 2003 Dodge Stratus sedan, and their low slope makes driving up them safely VERY easy. I gave away my old metal ramps, because these new cars' ground effects hit the ramps as I approached them. (Oil changes on the Dodge are a pleasure, because the filter hangs down right next to the drain plug. Thanks to the belly pan and the new oversize oil filter, oil changes on the pampered German car are, shall we say, "not your father's '64 beetle," but the Rhino ramps do help immensely.) My Rhino ramps do have rubber antislip feet on one end.
Ramps for oil changes?
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For the Taurus I use a couple of pieces of 2x12, placed on a slight down slope on a drain in front of the garage. If I needed more height I'd probably cut up some 1 in thick plywood that I have laying around and make some crude stepped ramps. I removed a bit more than an inch off of the top of a 5 gal bucket to catch the oil from the truck, so ramps aren't needed there.
That's similar to the redneck method where they just park it straddling a ditch.
I like having all trucks so I can slide under (though the Aerostar is a slight squeeze). With ramps I expect you may have problems getting all the oil out unless the drain plug is at the back of the pan.
Even with the trucks, I would love to have a garage with a real grease pit. It would be a lot easier to do all kinds of stuff like changing the fuel filter, differential lube, etc.
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One word: manhole cover. Wait, that's two words.
I got some rhino ramps at walmart for $20 on an after christmas sale ive been using for 2 years. They work good but the anti-slip keeps fallling off.
I wonder if ramps could cause oil to run to the back of the oil pan and away from the drain hole?
Personally, I manage to get by without ramps for OCI's on my Toyota PU, Honda Accord, VW Golf and (Belive it or not) Triumph Spitfire.
Personally, I manage to get by without ramps for OCI's on my Toyota PU, Honda Accord, VW Golf and (Belive it or not) Triumph Spitfire.
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I'm sure you do know the answer.
On my car the drain plug is on the driver's side. My driveway is slanted and I position the car in a fashion that makes sure that the drain hole is aiming ever so slightly downwards.
Another vote for Rhinos here.
However, I got lazy lately and used my old but reliable Tempo Oil Boy for my Auto-Rx Passat clean & 190E rinse oils.
When I emptied the Benz rinse oil from the Tempo, I saw several dark speced "coffee ground" sediments from the bottom of the opaque white oil boy casing. The oil was also real thick to pour from that end(liquified sludge!). Same sediments were seen from the oil filter cartridge pleats.
No particles were present from the Passat cleanse oil though..
However, I got lazy lately and used my old but reliable Tempo Oil Boy for my Auto-Rx Passat clean & 190E rinse oils.
When I emptied the Benz rinse oil from the Tempo, I saw several dark speced "coffee ground" sediments from the bottom of the opaque white oil boy casing. The oil was also real thick to pour from that end(liquified sludge!). Same sediments were seen from the oil filter cartridge pleats.
No particles were present from the Passat cleanse oil though..
Another vote for Rhino Ramps. I have a pair of the grey ones. One nice thing is I can get up them when the tires are wet, which I can't do with the metal ones. The stop is pretty big, too, which would make it nearly impossible to drive off the end.
Other than a huge, useless, ill handling, monster I don't need or want and a huge gas bill.
I have Rhino ramps, GOOD jackstands, floor jacks, etc.....all indispensable.
But for oil changes on my cars that barely have (or not enough) clearance....I simply use a "2 by" layed flat..........
AOOOOOOOGAAAAAAAAH - ATTENTION WE HAVE WEINER: WILL LABMAN PLEASE COME TO THE BLUE COURTESY PHONE
But for oil changes on my cars that barely have (or not enough) clearance....I simply use a "2 by" layed flat..........
AOOOOOOOGAAAAAAAAH - ATTENTION WE HAVE WEINER: WILL LABMAN PLEASE COME TO THE BLUE COURTESY PHONE
For those Yugo owners with rotten frame rails, vertical jacks and 135-90x12" tires you can use a 2X4.
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No, RHINOS are dangerous.
Seriously, I've never had problems with ramps. You may want to measure the correct distance of the ramps at both ends from each other if you're not top-gun at eyeballing whether or not they are parallel.
PS: Pablo called labman a "Weiner." Whatever it was supposed to say, it sounds funny!
careful - I didn't actually call Labman a weiner. In fact, I'm sure he's not a weiner. (weiner = winner, at most corndog work picnics)
In the jackpot of what's best to lay your Yugo on when you lube her, it's better to be a weiner than a 2x8.........layed flat.
In the jackpot of what's best to lay your Yugo on when you lube her, it's better to be a weiner than a 2x8.........layed flat.
None of my jacks had enough throw to get the Grand Am up on my jack stands for more serious work. I guess you can buy smaller jack stands. I cut a couple of 9'' lengths out of a 6'' diameter piece of osage orange.
A simple 2 ton hydraulic bottle jack is all that I need for the extra 2 inches needed on my Honda Civic to slide the drain pain under the pan. And then you don't need to get your car's jack out (which is bolted under the spare tire in the trunk in my case). But most vans and sedans will have sufficient clearance for oil changes anyway - so forget the ramps. Also, I hate the trouble of getting my ramps out of the shed.
Floor jack and stands have always worked fine for me and really come in handy when you need to go beyond just an oil plug and filter; i.e.,take off wheels to clean, polish and wax/sealant them, lube a drive shaft, change out you oxygen sensor, etc. Hard to beat a good floor jack and stands. I see Sam's has a very nice 3-ton for under $60, gets low, nice features and well constructed. Stands at Wal-Mart are about $9 a pair.
I guess for an "oil change only guy or gal" or for an "apartment dweller" who uses common safety sense Rhinos would be a good buy.
I guess for an "oil change only guy or gal" or for an "apartment dweller" who uses common safety sense Rhinos would be a good buy.
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Well, you spelled it wrong either way, 'cause the sausage is a "wiener."
Anyway, I had to use my jack stands today. In fact, the car is still on them. I wish they'd sell an adaptor that mates up to the vehicle.
[ January 05, 2005, 11:16 PM: Message edited by: moribundman ]
right you are..........wiener it is....gotta think German. ein
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