Best home car jack/ramps?
Discussion
I've got a set of quickjacks, they're cheaper from CostCo, occasionally a sale brings them back to their older price of ~£1300 or so.
Speed vs faff compared to a jack and jackstands to get all 4 wheels off the ground and especially to a similar height (and get it back on the floor afterwards and potentially straight back up again), I'd be surprised if a jack is quicker, especially in the aforementioned garage where you've got no width next to the car to work the jack etc... been there, done that, the quickjacks are so fast, you quickly get used to where they line up under the jacking points and connecting 2 hoses doesn't take long.
Yes they lift in an arc, but presumably the garage has doors that let you drive the car in, so have them open whilst it's on the level, jack it up bringing the car further in to the garage, job done.
Speed vs faff compared to a jack and jackstands to get all 4 wheels off the ground and especially to a similar height (and get it back on the floor afterwards and potentially straight back up again), I'd be surprised if a jack is quicker, especially in the aforementioned garage where you've got no width next to the car to work the jack etc... been there, done that, the quickjacks are so fast, you quickly get used to where they line up under the jacking points and connecting 2 hoses doesn't take long.
Yes they lift in an arc, but presumably the garage has doors that let you drive the car in, so have them open whilst it's on the level, jack it up bringing the car further in to the garage, job done.
Hmm I'm not fully sold on them, I just don't like getting right under the car even if I know it's fully secured. But doing stuff like a Haldex service or DSG service doesn't actually require my full body to be under the car so I'm not sure they'd be worth it. Quite good for replacing exhausts/clutches etc but that's not something I'd DIY anyway. Think I'll just sell my trusty Halfords £30 jack which has served me well since 2015, and get something with a bigger footprint and needs less pumping to get to max lift.
Pica-Pica said:
I would never get under a car without a proper, full hoist. Never. It would be too uncomfortable, and my life is worth more than the risk/savings.
A hoist as in something like a Bendpak hydraulic lift bolted into a concrete floor? That's the safest way. I've been completely under a car on metal ramps with wheels and jack stands underneath as 2nd and third line defense and I soon got over the irrational fear. Grinding and undersealing so I was under there for several hours without issue (other than filth). Just not sure those quickjacks are worth it just for an Audi DD and a motorbike which has a centre stand anyway If your drive something 4x4 like then my method could work.
I have 4 ramps, two of which are high and long, two are standard ramps, all steel.
I put the high ramps in front of the front wheels and put the small ramps in front of the rear wheels (further from the wheels to allow for shorter run up), then select low range and drive up onto all 4, rear suspension is on air so lift to level the vehicle out.
It can sit like this indefianately and is absolutely safe to be under.
If you have 2 WD, or a vehicle too low to fit standard ramps under the sills, then drive up onto two and using two trolley jacks lift the back end up to fit the second set of ramps, or study axle stands in place.
I wouldn't like the whole vehicle raised on axle stands or less than a workshop standard lift, seen too many video clips of cars falling off workshop skeleton lifts, with the vehicle at above head height chaps working on said cars have been able to get out the way as it falls, not much chance of you;re laying underneath and it collapses or slips off.
I have 4 ramps, two of which are high and long, two are standard ramps, all steel.
I put the high ramps in front of the front wheels and put the small ramps in front of the rear wheels (further from the wheels to allow for shorter run up), then select low range and drive up onto all 4, rear suspension is on air so lift to level the vehicle out.
It can sit like this indefianately and is absolutely safe to be under.
If you have 2 WD, or a vehicle too low to fit standard ramps under the sills, then drive up onto two and using two trolley jacks lift the back end up to fit the second set of ramps, or study axle stands in place.
I wouldn't like the whole vehicle raised on axle stands or less than a workshop standard lift, seen too many video clips of cars falling off workshop skeleton lifts, with the vehicle at above head height chaps working on said cars have been able to get out the way as it falls, not much chance of you;re laying underneath and it collapses or slips off.
I bought a secondhand Quickjack recently. Suits me perfectly. Not too high for my low-roof garage. Easy to use and with the castor mod ( https://tasteslikepetrol.net/2024/08/quickjack-cas... ) easy to get under the car. It goes on the wall with some hooks and then goes on the ground in the middle or outsides - drive in, pull them out, or push them in, 2 hoses, and connect the jump leads and away you go. Lifts the sills to 20" off the ground. Replaced the front suspension of my Mondeo the other day with it - perfect and means you can use jacks safely for pushing up hubs etc.
I have a set Rhino Ramps at home that look similar to this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/RhinoGear-11909ABMI-Rhino...
For the house, they're perfect because the stack into each other for storage and they have no problems holding larger cars like my Bentley Turbo R and Jaguar XJ12.
At the hobby shop, I have a 2 post , 4 post and a scissor lift as well as another one of these and I still find myself using it because they're so easy to set up don't require me to do the car shuffle.
For the house, they're perfect because the stack into each other for storage and they have no problems holding larger cars like my Bentley Turbo R and Jaguar XJ12.
At the hobby shop, I have a 2 post , 4 post and a scissor lift as well as another one of these and I still find myself using it because they're so easy to set up don't require me to do the car shuffle.
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