Jacking pads for driveway
Discussion
We have a gravel over earth driveway which makes jacking up the cars and using axle stands a bit sketchy. I'm thinking that if I put a few strategically placed council slabs down I could make some 'pads' that are just covered by the gravel. When needed I can simply brush the gravel off and the trolley jack would run on these. However not sure what sub base the slabs would need, could I get away with throwing a couple of gravel grids down and laying the slabs directly on to these or do I need to dig down, layer of compacted MOT, some sort of screed and the slab placed on top of this.
Heaviest vehicle I'd be lifting is a Peugeot 308 estate so nothing silly
Heaviest vehicle I'd be lifting is a Peugeot 308 estate so nothing silly
JimM169 said:
We have a gravel over earth driveway which makes jacking up the cars and using axle stands a bit sketchy. I'm thinking that if I put a few strategically placed council slabs down I could make some 'pads' that are just covered by the gravel. When needed I can simply brush the gravel off and the trolley jack would run on these. However not sure what sub base the slabs would need, could I get away with throwing a couple of gravel grids down and laying the slabs directly on to these or do I need to dig down, layer of compacted MOT, some sort of screed and the slab placed on top of this.
Heaviest vehicle I'd be lifting is a Peugeot 308 estate so nothing silly
Can you still get those 3x2 slabs? Bloody heavy and solid. Just dig in a bit and they're not going anywhere. Heaviest vehicle I'd be lifting is a Peugeot 308 estate so nothing silly
To be fair other than a bit of wheels off for major cleaning or winter wheel swops we didn't exactly do major mechanics but on our old gravel drive way we just used a couple of scaffold boards under the jack or stands when occasionally needed. If you go with the paving idea just be careful how buried they are as you don't want to be driving onto the edge and flipping them up as they make a nasty mess of the sill.
If it's only going to have 500kg or so on a 50mm slab you don't need to go mad with it, you'd be working hard to get something that size to sink.
Mostly it just needs a layer of sand under it, that's all they traditionally had. Only needs more than that if the ground is soft enough for it to snap, if which case it needs something stiffer underneath.
100mm of sand/cement with a full sized 50mm slab on top is a fairly substantial thing.
Not sure how well it'd keep gravel on top though unless it's set deep enough to hold a thick layer.
Mostly it just needs a layer of sand under it, that's all they traditionally had. Only needs more than that if the ground is soft enough for it to snap, if which case it needs something stiffer underneath.
100mm of sand/cement with a full sized 50mm slab on top is a fairly substantial thing.
Not sure how well it'd keep gravel on top though unless it's set deep enough to hold a thick layer.
Point loading a concrete slab with a jack could crack it if it's not well supported.
A stout bit of timber is OK, but I'm wary that anything as narrow as a scaffold board could tip if the gravel shifts.
I have some monster blocks of timber and double up supports under jacking points and suspension etc, but I still wouldn't get under a car jacked on loose gravel.
My brother has gravel grids. Two layers of thick plywood on a gravel grid is pretty firm.
But don't leave the plywood out in the weather under a project.
I've seen a lot of shaky things in boatyards, and a few 'mishaps'.
A stout bit of timber is OK, but I'm wary that anything as narrow as a scaffold board could tip if the gravel shifts.
I have some monster blocks of timber and double up supports under jacking points and suspension etc, but I still wouldn't get under a car jacked on loose gravel.
My brother has gravel grids. Two layers of thick plywood on a gravel grid is pretty firm.
But don't leave the plywood out in the weather under a project.
I've seen a lot of shaky things in boatyards, and a few 'mishaps'.
Slabs can and do crack.
OSB3 board is better and cheaper than ply, it can take some weather too.
A sheet is around £20 for 18mm. You want a strip for each jack which is about 30cm wider than the jack's wheels and long enough that placement isn't super critical to allow for the jack moving when you lift.
You can make some pads for your axle stands from the remainder.
You might only need a half sheet. Use OSB3 and paint any cut edges with any oil based paint/varnish and it'll last decades.
Places like B&Q will cut to size.
OSB3 board is better and cheaper than ply, it can take some weather too.
A sheet is around £20 for 18mm. You want a strip for each jack which is about 30cm wider than the jack's wheels and long enough that placement isn't super critical to allow for the jack moving when you lift.
You can make some pads for your axle stands from the remainder.
You might only need a half sheet. Use OSB3 and paint any cut edges with any oil based paint/varnish and it'll last decades.
Places like B&Q will cut to size.
I swap the wheels on my q7 (2300kg) twice a year (winter/summer tyres) on a 20mm granite chipping gravel drive.
I just sling a piece of 18mm ply under the trolley jack. Works fine. A few bits of the laminate have got a bit crushed by the tiny wheels on the trolley jack, I’ll swap it out soon for a fresh piece or maybe OSB depending on what scraps I have to hand.
Just use a piece of timber or sheet to spread the load.
I just sling a piece of 18mm ply under the trolley jack. Works fine. A few bits of the laminate have got a bit crushed by the tiny wheels on the trolley jack, I’ll swap it out soon for a fresh piece or maybe OSB depending on what scraps I have to hand.
Just use a piece of timber or sheet to spread the load.
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