steel frame car ramps any good?

[Marty Dolomite]

Stongs winds and rain should not displace a car from axle stands if they are used correctly,If axle stands were really that unsafe wouldn't ever garage in the land be using ramps, go into any professional garage and you will not see those small ramps but will se cars being safely worked on resting on axle stands!

[TurboZutek]

Originally Posted by Marty Dolomite

Stongs winds and rain should not displace a car from axle stands if they are used correctly,

According to the instructions with my axle stands, they should not be used in winds or rain at all. So that rather rules out 360 days of the year up here, doesn't it?

I'll use them when I need a wheel off, but I won't be venturing under the car in that case. The only time I feel safe under the car is when it's on ramps and I've had that attitude ever since I watched a Fiat Punto fall off axle stands and just miss a friends head (a cracked subframe snapped while the car was in the air, toppling both stands).

If the car is safe on the ground, then it's safe on a ramp as it's supported by its wheels, as intended.

Originally Posted by Marty Dolomite

professional garage and you will not see those small ramps but will se cars being safely worked on resting on axle stands!

Any professional garage I've ever worked in used four post lifts and ramps, the only time I've seen an axle stand being used was for supporting a transmission or a fuel tank while it's removed.

Ramps of the type I've got have a bad press for some reason. I was told when I bought them that they'd never work, would slip under the car, would be hard to get the car onto, could overshoot and damage the car, would give me diabetes and AIDS, etc etc

And in two years of using them with lots of different cars I've never had a single problem and I would not be without them now!

YMMV, of course!

Chris...

[scr8pdo]

I can see both side of the argument with axle stands and ramps, and there is truth in both, if axle stands are used correctly they are quite stable, Ive seen cars totally off the ground with all 4 wheels up in the air and the car sits solid as a rock, however, there is no way you would get me pulling hard on something underneath while its on A/stands, I had a Granada fall down on my and crush me while it was sitting chocked up on the back sills, it was very safe and stable until I started undoing the diff and needed some extra leverage on a tight bolt, the car came off and fell down on my, soaking me from head to toe in petrol as the sender unit had been removed!

As for the ramps, I would say they are definatly safer and more stable. but they are no good if you need your wheels off, plus riding up them in my experience can be troublesome, sometimes there is no problem, but I have on more than a few occasions had them slide out, when I do use them (very rarely) I will normally jack the car up and then lower the car back down onto them, those hydraulic, jack up ramps do look the business and will stop the skidding problem, my favourite method of keeping a car up (apart from a proper 2 or 4 post ramp) is to jack the car to the required height on my big trolley jack and put 2 or 3 wheels under the sill, this is by far the most stable way I have found over the years, far safer than axle stands plus you can have the wheels off

[loki_the_glt]

I've got a set of the pump-up hydraulic ramps that I take out every time the Valdez is due an oil change, because they give me 18" clearance under the car so I can get at the oil-fliter. I tried a set of ordinary ramps but the front airdam fouled on the run up.
Stands are ideal if you're doing the brakes and I've got a set for just that purpose.

[GMad]

Nowt wrong with them and assuming you don't have access to a propper ramp?
You won't be going far wrong........

Why am I answering this and more to the point why is this question being asked?

Are you lonely??

[tt82]

I use the ramps all the time. Even if taking wheel or wheels off I will put it on the ramps, then raise and lower onto axle stands.

The steepness can be an issue be I place 2inch thick and 2 1/2ft long wooden boards on them to reduce the angle. Same sort of boards painter and decoraters use. As long as your carefull with the gas Theres no danger of being evil kenevil and going off the other side.

[crankie]

i have had a pair for the last ten years or more,i put old rubber mats underneath to stop them slipping and if the front of the car is to low two strong peices off plank on the first few inches of ramp clears it.i woudnt be without them.and iv got 2 trollyjacks and stands

[dew1911]

Had a set for years, lifted everything from my C30, 2 Focus, and even a LWB Land Rover!

The only trick with cars is you sometimes need to drive onto a block of wood first to lift the front enough to avoid scraping the bumper, but that's easy enough.

Other than that, wouldn't be without them!

[tt82]

[DaveNP]

I've used ramps for well over 25 years. Yes you do need to be careful with them same as using a jack or axle stands.
On a rough surface like a concrete garage drive I've never had problems with slipping although that can happen on a smooth surface. I always take my time getting on or off the ramps- line them up with the car, roll gently forward until I touch the ramps, GET OUT AND CHECK (realign if necc), then drive SLOWLY up ramp, the few extra seconds prevents a problem. Same cautious approach to getting back down, check the steering alignment and go SLOWLY. OK so it's no good for doing brakes as you need the wheel off but for an oil change or exhaust fix it's ideal. You will probably need to use the trick with a plank wedge to avoid fouling the front/rear bumper/airdam on the ramp.
Axle stands are great for wheel off jobs but I'm also very wary of lying under a car on axle stands while swinging energetically on a tight nut or bolt, given the relativly small base of an axle stand, especially if raised to full height, any sideways forces have to be a worry.