Low Clearance Car Ramps

sliq · Postby **sliq** » Mon May 26, 2008 1:21 am

Hi Guys,

This may be a stupid question... but..

Is there a certain brand of car ramps that has enough clearance for your mx5 to get up on without damaging/scratching the front bar? I've got a set of car ramps which I tried getting my car up on and it has left massive scratches at the bottom of the bar :cry:

There's some work I need to do in the engine bay i.e. replace radiator and do some drilling from underneath.

I don't have any jackstands btw.

Or does anyone have clever ideas on hoisting a car up?

MasterZ · Postby **MasterZ** » Mon May 26, 2008 10:52 am

could you get 2 pieces of wood and sorta make it less of a slope by putting the wood from the ground to the ramp if you know what i mean?

i drew a diagram in paint lol

sliq · Postby **sliq** » Mon May 26, 2008 11:24 am

yeah I thought about doing that, but the thing is, my driveway is really small and even worse, it's in the shape of a semi circle, so i prefer something that doesn't require two long planks of wood lol

thanks for the suggestion though

MxJadeMonkey · Postby **MxJadeMonkey** » Mon May 26, 2008 12:44 pm

I Have an NA 30mm lower than standard and have a set of ramps that i just drive straight up onto, they are the same height as all the others i have seen, I have also used a mates shitty super cheep ones and they were fine too, and that was on wet grass! how low is your car man?

sliq · Postby **sliq** » Mon May 26, 2008 1:09 pm

it's standard NB8B height..

or maybe it's the ramp that is just high.. hrmm.. but whichever it is, it left two nasty lines on the front bar :evil:

Steampunk · Postby **Steampunk** » Mon May 26, 2008 1:38 pm

Ditto to what Josh wrote. Since your car isn't lowered, are you taking a \"run-up\" to get up the ramp? If you are going any faster than, say, 2km/h it may be enough to compress the suspension enough to squat the car enough to hit the ramps

lowmiata · Postby **lowmiata** » Mon May 26, 2008 2:17 pm

The NB8B probably has a smaller entry angle hence you guys are comparing apples to oranges

some sujestions
-as per how it was detailed aboveexcept don't take the timber all the way to the top
(just pump it high enough to clear and get to the ramps then go up them)
-don't use bricks under the timber, get a decent 10x2 sleeper

-if there is a gutter close by you could might be able to utilise it by dropping the back wheels into it to raise the front
-if your trying to attack them on an angle(viewed from above) ie on your semi circle drive way you will always have problems try and straighten out the angle maybe?
-never sucumb to doing it on grass!
there are lots of ways of doing it lots can be dangerous too

get yourself a spotter so that you dont have to keep stopping and checking as you car will go up and down when you get out of it!

if its got a hard top remove it take what ever you can out to raise the height!
your car will go down approx 8mm from and empty tank to a full one!

I don't bother with ramps obviously
FWIW even a standard BA xr6 doesn't go up normal car ramps without a bit of thinking!

Think outside the square and you will get there!

Matty · Postby **Matty** » Mon May 26, 2008 3:07 pm

US guys swear by Rhino ramps, which I have only ever seen once (at Autobarn, for a lot of money). Plastic moulded pieces, lower than most with a very shallow approach angle.

sliq · Postby **sliq** » Mon May 26, 2008 4:25 pm

Matty wrote:US guys swear by Rhino ramps, which I have only ever seen once (at Autobarn, for a lot of money). Plastic moulded pieces, lower than most with a very shallow approach angle.

yeah, i was about to head down to autobarn..

how much were they, the last time you saw them matty?

a few guys on clubroadster use them..

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Mon May 26, 2008 5:57 pm

Sliq- I think lowmiata is pretty much on the money - he has done this before- spotter necessary in case you drive off the end of the ramp. If you can get a standard ramp suitable such as the rhino mentioned that would be good- check the approach angle and length. . Personally I think if you are wanting to use a ramp another option is to get the local welding shop to make you a \"ladder \" which you can hook over the slats so that the entry angle is reduced- I'm thinking sound engineering .
The other option maybe better is good floor jack to raise the vehicle, support with stands, chock wheels- which is what I do ( NB) The floor jack and stands last you for years- or borrow from a mate.

sliq · Postby **sliq** » Tue May 27, 2008 10:09 pm

does anyone here use jackstands? i'm a bit reluctant to buy a pair because it looks like the car mite tilt and fall when they're on the jack stands :oops:

Matty · Postby **Matty** » Tue May 27, 2008 10:32 pm

I think the Rhinos were somewhere between $100-200 a pair, sorry I can't really remember as it was at least 8-9 years ago. But there was only one pair in the shop, and it was only ever in one shop that I saw them.

bigdog · Postby **bigdog** » Tue May 27, 2008 10:36 pm

sliq wrote:does anyone here use jackstands? i'm a bit reluctant to buy a pair because it looks like the car mite tilt and fall when they're on the jack stands

Have used stands for years without incident. The trick is always have two forms of support under the area you are working on - ie jack plus axle stands, so that if perchance one gives way the other will support the car.

fattima · Postby **fattima** » Tue May 27, 2008 10:40 pm

sliq wrote:does anyone here use jackstands? i'm a bit reluctant to buy a pair because it looks like the car mite tilt and fall when they're on the jack stands

I use stands all the time, I have for years and never had a problem. Put them under the jacking points and you should be fine.