Car Ramps and other Access Options

[Harrymonk]

Been looking at ways to provide improved access for a while now. I have seen these two Items come up a lot, the first seems like a sturdy option for under-work (exhaust removal maybe even my clutch). The second seems a little more questionable. Just wondered if people have had experience with either as these days online reviews seem to mean very little.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/332869495992?r ... 2869495992

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MOBILE-SCISS ... SwcUBYLvBi

[ChrisHolmes]

There is a guy near me in Cheltenham selling some sets of car sales display ramps for £200. The long ones that you drive up and say a prayer whilst they rock into the horizontal position.

[Harrymonk]

There is a guy near me in Cheltenham selling some sets of car sales display ramps for £200. The long ones that you drive up and say a prayer whilst they rock into the horizontal position.

As much as they sound perfect, thats a bit of a drive and without something to shift them in Assume they would be okay for servicing if you can lock them have seen DIY sets which lock but don't have a welder

[Bullet5]

I've got a black set of the ramp/lift combination ones, although I'm sure I paid much closer to £100 for them. They are sturdy, but are rather poorly put together (no set squares were used during the construction), however for the purpose they serve they are great. You can only reverse up these, as the front of an 8 is far too low to drive up them without either extensions or something under the wheels to lift the nose up a fair bit. Once you've the rear up on them you can lift it up very high as per the below, perfect for accessing the exhaust from the manifold back and especially brilliant for protecting the underside.

If you'd prefer a trolley jack and axle stands I can also confirm that the Halfords Advanced 3 Tonne jack manages to reach the diff easily on the flat. I've not tried accessing the front jacking point yet as to be honest I very rarely need to get under the front.

All the best,
Bullet5.

P.S. If the images don't load for you use this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4t3jcW323EAu38nSA

[Dan-Lincs]

Whats the brand of these / where did you get them?

[Bullet5]

I bought them from eBay a few years back. They were branded "Tech7". Do a search for "Tech7 Vehicle Car Ramp Lift 2 Ton Hydraulic" you'll likely find them. One other thing I should note is that you wouldn't want to go much more than a 235 or 245 profile tyre from memory. I have 225's fitted in the photos, but anything much wider would cause the side walls to begin binding on the angled sides of the plates if not aligned properly.

Cheers,
Bullet5.

Edit: Infact, dig around a little on eBay. I've just come across a new pair that look identical for circa £90.

[Secla]

how much higher does the hydraulic jack actually get the car? doesnt look like much in the pictures

[warpc0il]

It looks like you couldn't lift the rear wheels that much higher, without the nose of the car hitting the ground, unless you also put something under the front wheels

[Dr. FrankenRex]

I've got a hefty hydraulic race jack that cost me ~£130 from Screwfix which lifts the car mentally high. Only problem is it doesn't fit under my lowered R3

I generally use a combination of ramps and jack. Reverse it up a pair of ramps and then jack the front up with the trolley jack. Once jacked up put a single axle stand under the front central jacking point on the crossmember and lower it down. It'll level itself out and sits nice and high

[Eddie_r32]

I keep looking at these:
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 3390172815

Not sure I'm quite that lazy yet to spend 400 quid on them but I do get tempted now and then. I could save another grand or so and just buy a quikjack from bendpack

[bigpete8]

Been looking at ways to provide improved access for a while now. I have seen these two Items come up a lot, the first seems like a sturdy option for under-work (exhaust removal maybe even my clutch). The second seems a little more questionable. Just wondered if people have had experience with either as these days online reviews seem to mean very little.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/332869495992?r ... 2869495992

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MOBILE-SCISS ... SwcUBYLvBi

WRT scissor lift I looked at them but discounted due to:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=75573&hilit=scissor#p1120932

In the end bought a halfords advanced low profile jack.

[Harrymonk]

I've got a black set of the ramp/lift combination ones, although I'm sure I paid much closer to £100 for them. They are sturdy, but are rather poorly put together (no set squares were used during the construction), however for the purpose they serve they are great. You can only reverse up these, as the front of an 8 is far too low to drive up them without either extensions or something under the wheels to lift the nose up a fair bit. Once you've the rear up on them you can lift it up very high as per the below, perfect for accessing the exhaust from the manifold back and especially brilliant for protecting the underside.

If you'd prefer a trolley jack and axle stands I can also confirm that the Halfords Advanced 3 Tonne jack manages to reach the diff easily on the flat. I've not tried accessing the front jacking point yet as to be honest I very rarely need to get under the front.

All the best,
Bullet5.

P.S. If the images don't load for you use this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4t3jcW323EAu38nSA

Thanks all for comments, for the time being have opted for a set of these, hoping with the extra lift and swapping front to back I can carry out the clutch replacement and get her back on the road. Definate requirement of by next house to have garage big enough to put 2 post ramp/lift in lol. Sure it will be the same as people who buy pick ups and everyone will want to pop over to use it...

[Harrymonk]

Well after struggling a bit as I’m not the smallest chap I bought a second set, this is the most cost effective and convenient way to get the beast nearly 2ft clear of the deck. Made the job much easier.

[Harrymonk]

A photo to show access, made it so much easier as could drop gearbox and slide her out with ease..The platforms even had an extra pin hole to go so could have gained an extra 2". Even the 255s fitted on with no issue.

IMG-20190408-WA0001 by Martin Harris, on Flickr

[PeteH]

What was the process to get the car on the ramps? The front ramps obviously don't fit under the cills of the car. So I assume you reversed up the rear ramps, then jacked the front of the car up and slid the front ramps under. Then jacked all four platforms up. ?? Did you jack the front of the car up on the central jacking point? If so, I guess you had to slide the jack in from behind the front wheel (since I imagine there is no way it would go under the front of the car at the angle the car was sitting.

[Phil Bate]

I've got a black set of the ramp/lift combination ones...

IMG_20180901_103554.jpg

I'm going to lose sleep over those loosely arranged tiles. How could you leave them like that and not click them together?!

[boosted]

Ive got those lifting ramps...been great but i had to make a set of additional assister ramps as anything low will not go up...i made mine outta decking board....and quite easy to forget to let the bottle jack down...i drove straight off them in my scooby and then had to remove bumper as car was beached...
There good for gearboxes servicing exhaust as gets the car quite high...

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

[Keke]

What was the process to get the car on the ramps? The front ramps obviously don't fit under the cills of the car. So I assume you reversed up the rear ramps, then jacked the front of the car up and slid the front ramps under. Then jacked all four platforms up. ?? Did you jack the front of the car up on the central jacking point? If so, I guess you had to slide the jack in from behind the front wheel (since I imagine there is no way it would go under the front of the car at the angle the car was sitting.

I an wondering the same thing,
I recently purchased a pair due to this post,

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

[Bullet5]

I'm going to lose sleep over those loosely arranged tiles. How could you leave them like that and not click them together?!

I've already lost enough sleep over them. Two sets bought at different times years ago for the caravan, and typically they have different locking patterns.

I normally throw those down and then put a sheet of cardboard on top so I can still slide around easily, still benefiting from the comfort of the pads underneath. The only downside of these really is the fact that you can't drive up forwards without a ramp extension, then again not many ramps fit under the front of an 8 without them.

[warpc0il]

Offcuts of vinyl cushion floor are great for working under the car.

They're tough enough that the (smaller) stones don't puncture from underneath, while being softer and warmer than concrete.

Avoid anti-slip finishes as you want them slippery, and a quick spray with furniture polish helps too, to manoeuvre around underneath.
If you really get stuck, or get cramp, then someone can at least drag you out by your feet.

They don't take too kindly to brake fluid or solvent spills, but usually fine if you wipe away and don't let pool.

The uniform surface also makes it easier to find things, nuts, bolts, screws, sockets, etc that you've dropped.

[Harrymonk]

What was the process to get the car on the ramps? The front ramps obviously don't fit under the cills of the car. So I assume you reversed up the rear ramps, then jacked the front of the car up and slid the front ramps under. Then jacked all four platforms up. ?? Did you jack the front of the car up on the central jacking point? If so, I guess you had to slide the jack in from behind the front wheel (since I imagine there is no way it would go under the front of the car at the angle the car was sitting.

Pretty much as above, actually pushed her up onto the rear ramps as couldn't drive her, Then actually as I had access to 2 jacks jacked the front up level onto axle stands until I could get a jack with block under the central jack point then up she went onto front ramps, hence they are the wrong way round but that was to provide better access to gearbox. Then jacked up the platforms one slot at a time. Sound like a bind but only took a few minutes. To get her down was pretty much reverse of that.

As said the ramps were £90 a pair, so for £180 I can get 2ft of level clearance, I struggled to find anything else near that price and that can just sit at the back of the garage piled up.

I normally throw those down and then put a sheet of cardboard on top so I can still slide around easily, still benefiting from the comfort of the pads underneath. The only downside of these really is the fact that you can't drive up forwards without a ramp extension, then again not many ramps fit under the front of an 8 without them.

A small block of wood did the same job as the ramp extensions, of lifting it high enough to get her on forwards.

[Harrymonk]

Offcuts of vinyl cushion floor are great for working under the car.

They're tough enough that the (smaller) stones don't puncture from underneath, while being softer and warmer than concrete.

Avoid anti-slip finishes as you want them slippery, and a quick spray with furniture polish helps too, to manoeuvre around underneath.
If you really get stuck, or get cramp, then someone can at least drag you out by your feet.

They don't take too kindly to brake fluid or solvent spills, but usually fine if you wipe away and don't let pool.

The uniform surface also makes it easier to find things, nuts, bolts, screws, sockets, etc that you've dropped.

Something like this would be my next investment as all I had was the 4 boxes the ramps came in so used the old cardboard workshop service tray lol