Ramps or Jackstands - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

vstech · #16 07-25-2008, 09:46 AM

as I am reading your post, I was thinking "wow TWO floor jacks as backup?" then I got to the part about earthquakes... yeah, I would even put a ratchet strap on things if I was worried about pending tectonic activity...
I remember living in iceland and watching my dad crawling all around VW beetles changing this and that, and he always shoved a large block of wood under the entire car, because the earthquakes/ volcanic activity there was always shaking the ground...

kerry · #17 07-25-2008, 09:51 AM

When I was a kid, I knew a guy with a VW Beetle. If he ever had to work on the underside, he wouldn't jack it up. He'd drive it sideways onto a steep grassy slope, push the car over on to its side, work on the bottom and then get some help to push it upright again.

Cervan · #18 07-25-2008, 09:54 AM

jackstands cause there cheaper than ramps lol.

vstech · #19 07-25-2008, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

When I was a kid, I knew a guy with a VW Beetle. If he ever had to work on the underside, he wouldn't jack it up. He'd drive it sideways onto a steep grassy slope, push the car over on to its side, work on the bottom and then get some help to push it upright again.

HA!
more than once me and some of my buddies would pick up beetles and move them to different parking places... what fun...
one time we grabbed one and pulled it up onto a curb... just for fun. (we knew the owner... ribbed him about it the next day...)

Cervan · #20 07-25-2008, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

HA!
more than once me and some of my buddies would pick up beetles and move them to different parking places... what fun...
one time we grabbed one and pulled it up onto a curb... just for fun. (we knew the owner... ribbed him about it the next day...)

thats fricken hillarious, you should have put one of them like sideways across two of them. make them look like they just pulled in there like they were nuts.

Chad300tdt · #21 07-25-2008, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

When I was a kid, I knew a guy with a VW Beetle. If he ever had to work on the underside, he wouldn't jack it up. He'd drive it sideways onto a steep grassy slope, push the car over on to its side, work on the bottom and then get some help to push it upright again.

These are pretty cool:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVUajr3009c

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=21187&itemType=PRODUCT

I'd imagine you'd need to drain the fluids first though.

Cervan · #22 07-25-2008, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

These are pretty cool:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVUajr3009c

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=21187&itemType=PRODUCT

I'd imagine you'd need to drain the fluids first though.

pretty awesome, but oil in the cylinders = hydrolock :/

kerry · #23 07-25-2008, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

HA!
more than once me and some of my buddies would pick up beetles and move them to different parking places... what fun...
one time we grabbed one and pulled it up onto a curb... just for fun. (we knew the owner... ribbed him about it the next day...)

As a teenager I had a friend with an MG Midget. One Halloween a bunch of us got together, picked it up and carried it up onto his front porch.

vstech · #24 07-25-2008, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

These are pretty cool:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVUajr3009c

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=21187&itemType=PRODUCT

I'd imagine you'd need to drain the fluids first though.

... glad there is a disclaimer to drain vehicle fluids and remove the battery!
that is pretty sweet!
I would prefer a lift though.

Chad300tdt · #25 07-25-2008, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

... glad there is a disclaimer to drain vehicle fluids and remove the battery!
that is pretty sweet!
I would prefer a lift though.

Me too! ... although rolling the car would be nice for doing an exhaust system. You could work on a rolling stool without any neck and shoulder strain.

LUVMBDiesels · #26 07-25-2008, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

HA!
more than once me and some of my buddies would pick up beetles and move them to different parking places... what fun...
one time we grabbed one and pulled it up onto a curb... just for fun. (we knew the owner... ribbed him about it the next day...)

In HS (1981) we did that with VW Rabbits. Once we moved a teacher's Wabbit from one end of the parking lot to the other. Took four of us to lift and carry it that far. Of course she came out and thought it was STOLEN (as if anybody would STEAL a Wabbit) Boy was she embarrassed when the cops took her to her car

To get back on track, I use ramps when I am not removing a wheel. If I am, I use the stands on top of plywood so that they do not sink into the ground, and I keep the floor jack pumped up on the side I am going to be sticking my head.

Angel · #27 07-25-2008, 12:29 PM

I use both when possible, If I need to use jackstands I'll back it up with a Jack (not very redundant I know, but better than no backup)

No matter what I am doing, I always get the car up, get it set, then use **2 hands** and all my upper body to pull on the car in 2 directions with all my strength (front-back and side to side). I'll even attempt to "wiggle" it off the stands or ramps as if someone had vibrated the floor and if there is any motion, then I check/re-set the stands or ramps.

Some of the few things I am 100% serious about are gun safety and working under lifted cars.

gcoffelt · #28 07-25-2008, 12:34 PM

Another one for ramps when the wheels aren't coming off.

In all the automotive stores in my town there were only plastic ramps to buy, supposedly rated for 8 tons .. for $40! The job I was doing at the time needed to be done just then (plus my jack & stands were being borrowed out of town), and couldn't drive the next town over to search for real metal ramps. In the end the $40 was dropped .. for the increased chance of a Benz dropping on my head.

Big stress marks were bent into them after the first use, they've been collecting dust since then. So buy a set of metal ones that'll outlast you

raslaje · #29 07-25-2008, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I nearly killed myself once with ramps!

Give me a good jackstand (at least 2 actually) on a decent level concrete floor any day.

Tom W

Wow. What happened? I copied the following from a different site and wondered about it's accuracy.

They are stamped form sheet metal and come with a tiny warning not to get under the vehicle, they are known to collapse killing anyone under the vehicle, hence the nickname "Suicide ramps", much like cheap wrenches are called "knuckle busters" as they tend to spread and slip off the bolt transfering all your force into impacting you knuckles on the nearest sharp edge. Like all professions mechanics is filled with little phrases, each derived from someone elses misfortune, unfortunately almost everyone learns them early but ignores them until injured.

Never cut toward yourself.

Always look at what your hand will hit WHEN the wrench fails of or the bolt strips or breaks.

Never get under anything you do not want to fall on your head.

If you are squinting, you need to stop and put on safety goggles.

Never stand in the path of a possible projectile.

If you would not stick your hand in it, be sure you are wearing gloves.

If it smells bad, it probably is.

Always put a coat or blanket on a winch line, it will keep it from cutting your head off or breaking a windshield if it breaks.

Just because there are ruts in the road, does not mean you have to drive in them.

If you would not take her home to mom, don't take her home.

If they say they have dived the seven seas and done 300ft on air, they are either a good diver or a poor liar, the sea is the touchstone.

Etc.

Cervan · #30 07-25-2008, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raslaje

Wow. What happened? I copied the following from a different site and wondered about it's accuracy.

They are stamped form sheet metal and come with a tiny warning not to get under the vehicle, they are known to collapse killing anyone under the vehicle, hence the nickname "Suicide ramps", much like cheap wrenches are called "knuckle busters" as they tend to spread and slip off the bolt transfering all your force into impacting you knuckles on the nearest sharp edge. Like all professions mechanics is filled with little phrases, each derived from someone elses misfortune, unfortunately almost everyone learns them early but ignores them until injured.

Never cut toward yourself.

Always look at what your hand will hit WHEN the wrench fails of or the bolt strips or breaks.

Never get under anything you do not want to fall on your head.

If you are squinting, you need to stop and put on safety goggles.

Never stand in the path of a possible projectile.

If you would not stick your hand in it, be sure you are wearing gloves.

If it smells bad, it probably is.

Always put a coat or blanket on a winch line, it will keep it from cutting your head off or breaking a windshield if it breaks.

Just because there are ruts in the road, does not mean you have to drive in them.

If you would not take her home to mom, don't take her home.

If they say they have dived the seven seas and done 300ft on air, they are either a good diver or a poor liar, the sea is the touchstone.

Etc.

hahaha Just because there are ruts in the road, does not mean you have to drive in them. Sooo true but i do it anyways xD