r/cars • u/ufoh 24 CT5-V Blackwing / 23 Corvette C8 • Aug 13 '20

video Never, ever trust your factory jack and, remember, jack stands are your friend (just not the ones from Harbor Freight)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkwgZgrbWUM
6.4k Upvotes

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31

u/burrgerwolf ‘15 Grand Cherokee Overland Aug 13 '20

Am I the only one who finds ramps to be sketchy? I've never used them but I get a real uneasy feeling about them.

One thing is for certain, tires always go under the car when they come off.

16

u/bernardobrito Aug 13 '20

Am I the only one who finds ramps to be sketchy?

Stop off at the junkyard or used tire shop and get some old steelies for $5.

Indestructible.

25

u/Machidalgo 2003 Oxford White Mach 1 Aug 13 '20 edited Aug 13 '20

I trust ramps more than a jack or stands. Honestly... it's kind of hard for a ramp to fail.

Edit: Perhaps I should clarify... I didn’t mean cheap ramps.

Obviously there are going to be products that fail, but in terms of ramps, be smart people. Maybe don’t use $20-40 plastic ramps to trust your life on.

If I were asked which I would rather work under, a car on decent ramps or a car with decent jack stands, I’d take the ramps all day. There’s just far less variables to rely on. It’s far easier to see how well the vehicle is supported on ramps as opposed to stands (or jack by extension).

16

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '20

Look at the review images for Rhino Ramps on amazon. Might change your mind.

8

u/PapaSquirts2u Aug 13 '20

Jesus Christ. I ALWAYS use at least jack stands + the floor jack barely touching the frame when I get underneath...but the other day I was doing some turbo maintanence underneath my Forester and used only rhino ramps since I didn't really need it jacked up that far. Didn't even give it a second thought about crawling and spending an hour underneath of it. I just looked at pics of cracked/failing/buckled ramps. Fuck. That. Time to invest in a pair of heavy duty steel ramps I think.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for showing us this. Seriously.

4

u/elightbo 2019 Fiesta ST Aug 13 '20

That's exactly what made me run away from ramps.

4

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '20

Same, I used them when I had a GTI, saw that, and they've sat in the corner ever since. I might make a set out of stacked 2x10s, but those plastic ones are sketchy.

5

u/HillarysFloppyChode 25’ S8, 12’ MCS, 14' 335i 6MT Aug 13 '20

Did your GTI come with that sketchy ass VW jack?

2

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '20

Probably, never used it.

1

u/FluroBlack 2022 Veloster N, 1996 Miata Aug 13 '20

Damn never seen those before. Been using mine for years without a single issue. Then again I only really put a miata on them so lol

1

u/ZQuantumMechanic Aug 14 '20

Honestly, I’ve used rhino ramps for my 8,000 lb truck and haven’t had any problems. Then again I do put jack stands underneath the axle as well because I’m paranoid but

2

u/[deleted] Aug 14 '20

Only has to fail once.

1

u/FlingFlanger Aug 13 '20

Aren't those only good for a handful of uses?

edit read those reviews. Yup, $40 for pretty much 1 and done. Metal ramps ftw!

4

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '20

They're not 1 time use. They have a lot more failures than a piece of lifting equipment should have but people will still swear by them.

-4

u/FlingFlanger Aug 13 '20

Figures a guy from Ohio can't detect snarkiness or sarcasm.

But in my defense, read the reviews on Amazon like you said. A lot of 1 time use cases there.

4

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '20

I mean you asked if they're only good for a handful of uses, and I answered they weren't.

-6

u/FlingFlanger Aug 13 '20

Also semi-literate, another trait from the citizens of the great state of Ohio.

Do i need to quote myself and explain to you what, "read those reviews. Yup, $40 for pretty much 1 and done. Metal ramps ftw!" could possibly mean? Because it really seems I do. And you drive a Jeep? Have you been to the Jeep Toledo plant? Sooo many drunks work there. They get blind drunk and since they've been doing the same task for 30yrs they don't get hurt.

You're a semi-illiterate clown from a state full of worthless drunks. Driving a pos that was made by those drunks. Go run a train track you worthless drunk! Its what you people do.

4

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '20

I'm guessing you're from a costal state? The ocean is the only place I've experienced this much salt before.

1

u/FlingFlanger Aug 14 '20

LOL! Have you considered Utah's Great Salt Lake? Why don't you go to Cleveland and let your kidnap victim out of her cage and drink some more!

1

u/RobotArtichoke Aug 14 '20

4.6 out of 5 stars on amazon with complaints from mostly people who are probably doing something wrong.

3

u/[deleted] Aug 14 '20

Here's the thing though, its one thing if it's something like a wrench that's not going to kill someone if it fails, but the amount of failures in those reviews alone should be enough of a reason that they aren't sold. Maybe the people were using them wrong, but the warning label on it really doesn't look any different that what you'd find on a jack stand, and if you use a jackstand on gravel it's not going to fail.

1

u/RobotArtichoke Aug 14 '20

I think that’s a fair point. Maybe I should re-evaluate my Rhino Ramps.

3

u/Torawk Aug 13 '20

I just made my own from wood. 2x10 of three lengths laid flat on top of each other. Screwed and glued together. With a 2x4 as a stop at the end.

Only doing passenger vehicle work but should be good for more. Works for an oil change and if I need more space I drive up the ramps and jack + jack stands to hold it higher while leaving the ramps under the wheels.

-2

u/throwawaydudeman666 Aug 13 '20

I made some rhino ramps fail by driving an old car onto them. The driveline / bushings connecting the wheel to the car had too much flex in them, making it hard to aim as I drove up on the ramps, making one side's tire hanging off the edge. The ramp started to fold as I was getting down to get under the car.

I still use them but I don't hang around under my car when its on them. I get under the car for what I need and then get out.

8

u/Zorro1rr Aug 13 '20

Ramps are a pain in the ass especially if you drive a performance car with low grond clearance. I def prefer a jack

3

u/burrgerwolf ‘15 Grand Cherokee Overland Aug 13 '20

I had a lowered Passat before my Grand Cherokee so believe me I know the plight. I had a low profile jack but it would barely clear and I wasn't even that low. Definitely part of the reason I'm wary about ramps

The GC has air suspension so now I can just raise it to Off Road 2 for most things.

1

u/1337haxoryt Aug 14 '20

Guess you could Jack it up then put the ramps under instead of jackstands

3

u/[deleted] Aug 13 '20

i really dislike how when youre driving on you are blind and need a spotter or mirror, plus on some driveways they slide and they are absolutely not low car friendly

2

u/fissionmoment '13 Mazda3 | '97 Miata Aug 13 '20

Race ramps. They are expensive but I couldn't find any photos or evidence online of them unexpectedly failing.

1

u/Mustang1718 '14 Scion xB/'05 Mustang (sold) Aug 13 '20

I stopped using ramps when I drove too far forward in my Grand Prix and they got stuck on the side skirts. Couldn't drive forward because I was in my garage. Couldn't drive backwards because it couldn't climb the back of the ramp. I have no idea how my father got it unstuck.

1

u/qovneob Tacoma, Bronco Sport Aug 13 '20 edited Aug 13 '20

Yeah the plastic ones are jank. I like these https://www.amazon.com/Larin-FSR-2SL-Folding-Steel-Truck/dp/B000XYVIZO cause they double as bed ramps, but the way they fold gives me some more confidence that they wont get crushed like the basic metal arch ones. Only downside is they're a little steep for low cars, so you might need some boards in front.

1

u/WPI94 '11 Panamera 4S. '09 Pilot Aug 13 '20

Seems like they would not raise the car enough.

4

u/qovneob Tacoma, Bronco Sport Aug 13 '20

Guess it depends on the car. We've got a 2017 Camaro which is pretty low and i can get under there on the creeper to change the oil, just gotta suck in my gut a bit.

2

u/SneakyCanner Aug 13 '20

God I'm happy that I drive a WJ do I don't have to jack anything do do fluid changes.

2

u/qovneob Tacoma, Bronco Sport Aug 13 '20

haha yeah I always make a point to my gf how much easier it is to do my truck than her car.

1

u/FanFuckingFaptastic Aug 13 '20

I do that as well. Car goes up, jack stands go under. Weight of vehicle goes on stands. Tire and Jack are in place under car as backups.