Cheapest way to build car ramps?

[Volvoline]

What is the cheapest idea to get the car ramped up safely to change oil etc ?
I don't trust jacks and stands...

I will start by saying that they don't sell pre-made ramps here..
Thanks

[Michael J]

Axle stands are perfectly good for the task. Jack it up, place the stands securely, release the jack and take it away.

You might build a "ramp" (a bit of a jagged one) out of bricks/blocks. If so, do it wisely.

[Bernard333]

My local scrapyard weld a pair of steel wheel rims back to back to use to prop cars up but the welds need to be good and I would assume the local health and safety occifer has not seen this practice but to me they look more stable than axle stands and safer than bricks.

[ruffday]

Jack the car up then put a railway sleeper under the wheel.

But to be honest if you dont trust axel stands then you are doing somthing wrong.

[JamesV70R]

I'd jack it up (one side at a time .. ) and put the axle stands under. Leave the jack under, taking some of the weight - little extra reassurance.

[Andy Northface]

I'd jack it up (one side at a time .. ) and put the axle stands under. Leave the jack under, taking some of the weight - little extra reassurance.

Me too,I always leave the jack under!:thumbs_up:

[volpete]

Hi Volvoline railway sleeper cut in two at an angle and you have two ramps
Volpete,:car-smiley-003:

[moncman]

Perhaps a bit left field but dig a hole in your driveway or other suitable area line with swimming-pool quality cement and cover with inspection pit (drain-cover) concrete slab. If done somewhere with space in front and behind you can roll the car back and fore a get a good look at all areas of the underside.

Inspection pits were all the rage within the floor of domestic garages when I was a lad. Not sure why they went out of fashion

[ewanc0]

Hi Volvoline railway sleeper cut in two at an angle and you have two ramps
My mate got them, There great
Inspection pits were all the rage within the floor of domestic garages when I was a lad. Not sure why they went out of fashion
Aren't they illegal now? My brother fell into one when he was an apprentice - before the days of "where there's blame there's a claim" He just had a few day's off then back to work

[S60D5-185]

Hi Volvoline railway sleeper cut in two at an angle and you have two ramps
Volpete,:car-smiley-003:

Seen it done and they are fine:thumbs_up:

[wooble]

You can't build a pit now because they're a big safety risk, they can either fill up with exhaust fumes and poison somebody working in there, or they can fill with petrol vapour and cause an explosion.

The cheapest way to build a set of ramps is to get some scaffolding boards or similar, cut them into lengths, each one about 10-12" shorter than the last, and screw them all together on top of one another using as many as you need to get the desired height. The resulting ramp is big, heavy and cumbersome, but also very strong, safe, and cheap to make.

[Andy Northface]

You can't build a pit now because they're a big safety risk, they can either fill up with exhaust fumes and poison somebody working in there, or they can fill with petrol vapour and cause an explosion.

That's what I heard too.

[christheancient]

A wide range of good, solid and high weight-loading ramps on ebay! I would trust them, and used to so do many times in the past... but they got 'left behind' after a divorce and nowhere to keep them after that.

[moncman]

You can't build a pit now because they're a big safety risk, they can either fill up with exhaust fumes and poison somebody working in there, or they can fill with petrol vapour and cause an explosion

That will be why they fell out of favour...thanks for the info

However, I suppose that away from industrial premises one can still do it in a domestic situation - in the same way as I don't need 3 grand of scaffolding to paint my upstairs windows.

[Jim760]

i think the best is those classic blue drive on ramps, get your car centered on them and under you go, but they are a bit **** if you want the full car up, you cant fit them in front of the rear wheels :(

[minesa240x3]

When using traditional car ramps find a piece of old carpet and cut it wide enough to fit through the gaps and about two foot long.thread the carpet through the bottom or first rung of each ramp.Drive onto the carpet which will now hold the ramp.
This will hopefully stop the ramp shooting off ahead of the car.I tried using mine on some nice smooth concrete.It was dancing as each time one shot out the other one would then decide to follow it Lol.
I ended up bolting them down.This mainly applies to rear wheel drive cars but be careful even with front wheel drive cars.
And if you jack the car to work on it and have nothing to help support it then place the spare wheel under the car as it may well save you from being crushed just enough.
Regards Brian.

[twinturbo]

That will be why they fell out of favour...thanks for the info

However, I suppose that away from industrial premises one can still do it in a domestic situation - in the same way as I don't need 3 grand of scaffolding to paint my upstairs windows.

You can still do pits, but you have to meet building regs. Another reason they are costly is that they have to be sealed to prevent any fluids entering the watercourse. The cost of building a pit compared to a 2-post ram is vast, and they are less usefull.

TT

[mike210970]

pits arnt illegal but the cost is prohibative for a domestic situation my brother is a fitter for the local bus company they have 6 pits in the workshop they drain into a tank which is emptied by a pump in to a road tanker and have a fume extraction system fitted way beyond the budget of diy'ers i use a trolley jack and axle stands or ramps depending on which is more appropriate to the job in hand

[Volvoline]

I'm gonna go with the wood board option : )
Give me a few hours....

[GMad]

Hi Volvoline railway sleeper cut in two at an angle and you have two ramps
Volpete,:car-smiley-003:

A mate of mine has made some ramps up in this way. They are bloody heavy, but work very well:thumbs_up:

[ewanc0]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RESTORATION-RAMPS-SHOWROOM-CAR-RAMPS-/180714269570?pt=UK_Lifting_Moving_Equipment&hash=item2a1368eb82

[Michael J]

They are nice.

[ewanc0]

or...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mobile-lift-ramp-tilter-restoration-ramp-jig-car-roller-/230666353095?pt=UK_Lifting_Moving_Equipment&hash=item35b4c939c7

[Michael J]

Useful.

[Volvon]

Have you tried filling the inside of the car with loads of helium balloons?