Should I get the RhinoRamps 11909 which supports 12,000 lb for $45 or the Harbor Freight 3 Ton heavy duty jack stands? I've had jacl stands before from Costco but I found that you would have to raise the car so high at fit the jack stand under the car. I hardly ever used them. These RhinoRamps look convenient. These are better than the cheapos at Wlmart that are said to support 8000 lbs but you would never trust them when you saw them bucket under the diesel front end. Thoughts?

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85 300CD Signal Red/Tan sold
83 300D Manganese Brown 109K
97 E420 Midnight Blue 197K sold
98 BMW 328i Vert White 100K, sold
95 BMW 525i White 125K, sold
93 BMW 525iT Red 193K, sold
95 E320 Green Wagon 125K, sold
94 E320 White 127K, sold
85 300SD 156K Grey (Annie), sold
84 300D Lapis Blue 170K (Judy), sold
99 ML 320 Black (lease), 1998 C230 White (lease)
00 Honda S2000 Red (lease)
86 Mercedes 300E (sold)
84 Porsche 911 Red (sold), 1965 Porsche 911 White (sold)

I have a set of the Rhino Ramps that I have been using for about 6 years now and they have held up great. I only use jack stands if I have to remove a wheel.

Jack stands have their purpose, which is supporting the car while working on the suspension. All the other times it makes sense to use something to support the car by the wheels. Ramps are ok, but I prefer cribs.



I made a set of 16 - cheap, strong, simple and adjustable.



Here's the basic dimensions of the top pieces that support the tires.



The other 12 in the set do not have the 3/4 plywood tire support and use 2x4s instead of 2x3 as the cross pieces.

If you need to go higher, I would recommend building a "base" piece with a broader footprint to keep the stack from becoming laterally unstable.

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

Are those the plastic ramps? I have heard a lot of bad experiences since the plastic will just slide against pavement or cement as soon as you try to drive up on them...until it catches on a bump or something. I prefer jackstands myself...adjustable to desired height and you can work on hubs/take off wheels/etc.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I use both. If I have to work on the rear suspension of the TD, the ramps are necessary. I jack the car up and slide the ramps under to avoid the issue TC mentioned.

Most of the time I prefer jack stands with the jack as a back up. Sometimes I'll even put a rim or two under there with me so I feel safer while torquing around on stuff.

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Chad
2013 Jeep Unlimited Rubicon
OBK#44
"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

SOLD
1985 300TD - Red Dragon
1986 300SDL - Coda
1991 - 300TE
1995 - E320
1985 300CD - Gladys
2006 Nissan Pathfinder LE
1998 Acura 3.0 CL

TBO, they won't slide unless you hold your foot on the brake. You have to be careful and have confidence that you will stop before going off the end.

Ramps and jack stands both have their place. Ramps won't do much good if you're doing brake or suspension work. A good floor jack and jack stands will cover everything. Having both is a good thing too.

Whatever you use BE CAREFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Nice, mach4, do you glue and nail them together?

Glue and screw and paint for longevity.

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

There is a thread somewhere.

Someone’s Son was under the Car on a Creeper.

The Car was on the type of Jack Stands that have a Lever and ratcheting type Pale on them to lock and adjust the height.

It is believed that his Creeper hit the Lever and unlocked the Jack Stand resulting in His Death.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

the front tip of genuine rhino ramps have a rubber bumper to prevent just this. i still get some sliding though, about an inch or two. to avoid this i drive onto them really slow. i'm always afraid i'll overshoot the 'cup' that the tire goes onto, but it's never a problem.

by the way i would never work on any car that's jacked up, unless the wheels are removed and stacked under the car, so if the car falls off the jacks i don't die. even at the junkyard i will stack wheels under any car i'm working under. call it paranoia

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man that's exactly what i'm talking about right there. all it takes is not paying attention to one small thing for you to die. this kind of stuff happens a lot more than is reported

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When I have my car on stand I keep the jack on a jack point just below the frame so it catches the car. I hope I never have to experience that.

I'll be getting a set of these soon,

http://www.amazon.com/Torin-T43004-Aluminum-Jack-Stands/dp/B0007XTGCI/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1340768902&sr=8-9&keywords=Jack+stands

So…how, exactly, do you keep track of unreported accidental deaths? And…how are the bodies being disposed of?

Those are nice, but beware of the small base. They are prone to tip over.

I have a dumb question...How do you get the car (actually, the tires on the car) high enough to get that many of your cribs under the tires?

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Mike Frederick
1986 300SDL, 240K+ miles
1985 300D KaliKar, 270K+ miles