Jack Stands - Be Careful
#16
Lexus Fanatic
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#20
Lexus Fanatic
Most common store-bought ramps are stressed to at least 5000 lbs, which is good enough for most of today's vehicles, except some heavier trucks and SUVs. But they often don't work with low-riding vehicles or those with low-hanging bodywork, because the air dam or botom of the front fenders hit the ramp before the wheel can actually start lifting the car off the ground, up the ramp. To continue on like that would damage or pull off the bodywork.
#22
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Vancouver, BC
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#23
When I take my wheels off, I lay them down on the ground on a piece of cardboard I have in the trunk(face up so as not to scratch), JUST IN CASE the jack and/or stands fail. I don't have them making actual contact with the car at all. They are just there as a last ditch safety effort IF everything else fails and the car falls. By comparison, I would much rather scratch/chip/bend a wheel rather than have THE CAR completely fall on me while under it. I was an avid user of ramps, and do believe them to be the safest method to work under a car, for the DIY'er, however it does make it a PITA when you have to do work which requires the removal of the wheels. As MMarshall cited, I have a hard time with ramps now, after my car was lowered. Being that I am only an inch lower than stock, I can still use them, however there is LITTLE to NO ROOM between the ramp and the body of the car while trying to maneuver up the ramp.
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