Mikeyt

What are yall using to support your cars when working under them?
I've seen the wooden cribs and I like that idea just wondering if I'm missing something easier.
Jack stands just don't make me feel.warm and fuzzy. Who's weld is that?

The ramps I see only lift the car about 6 inches. I'd like to raise it about a foot ideally.

1962 98 4 door so she ain't light

Olds64

I always leave my floor jack under the car even when I lower the car onto the safety stands. I have a set of ramps, but like you said they don't lift the car too high.

My coworker actually just changed the brake pads on his Chevy truck and only had the OE scissors jack.

Mikeyt

Thanks Olds I actually do the same with the jack.

I remember using cinder blocks as a misguided youth😳 but old age and seeing way too many bad things happen I like to be over engineered.

jaunty75

Check out this thread.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...anyone-174124/

Fun71

Same here with the floor jack along with the stands. I sometimes put the ramps under the rocker area for "just in case" additional safety.

stan 65 cutlass

dad showed me to slide a wheel/tire under the frame area beside the area your working, just incase. also gets the wheel out of your way nicely after removing it

matt69olds

I made these out of treated 2x12 boards. If I remember correctly I used 4 12 boards. If you look closely the top board is about 6 inches longer than the boards below. I centered the longer board over the shorter one and then screwed a 2x4 on the overhanging part. Built in wheel chocks!!

matt69olds

I built the blocks when I installed the adjustable rear control arms. To set pinion angle you need the car sitting at ride height, with the weight on the wheels exactly as it would be on the ground. This does that, and leaves plenty of room to work.



I have found the homemade car stands very useful. Last summer the fuel pump on dads S-10 failed, of course with a full tank of fuel. I put the car stands/blocks behind the truck and lifted the bed off to access the pump. The car blocks were the perfect height, with the bed floor on the blocks the lower edge of the bed was about 3 inches off the ground. No damage, and rock steady.

I have used them for transmission and converter swaps, exhaust work, anything where the vehicle needs to be high but solid.

deadeyejedi

The tree had to come down away!

Mikeyt

HA! Hadn't thought of that. I got a few of those laying around.

Mikeyt

I like that! Pretty bullet proof.
Just make sure they aren't too high then they may get a little tippy.

Thanks

oldcutlass

The true shade tree mechanic, I used logs like that back in 70's to work on cars.

Oldsguy

If you are an RV type, you'll recognize the vehicle leveling pads. I think you can even get them at Wally World (maybe). The are stackable and designed to hold the weight of most Trailers/RVs. Kind of like the wooden cribs shown in post #7. They may or may not be more convenient or lighter than wood. Just a suggestion, I have used them before while camping with a bumper pull trailer and they work fine.

Mikeyt

Gonna give them a look now. Thanks

BlueCalais79

I bought a Quik-Jack earlier this year. It can raise the car up to 2 feet or so. It's been in my garage since I bought it due to the fact I am too lazy to set it up. Even though it has its own stops for safety, I still plan to place in some jack stands for extra safety. I'm looking forward to getting alot of use out of it. Someday.

1970greensupreme

Everything is only as good as you trust who and what made it. I am a appraiser for mechanical claims as well as a consultant for a lawyer or two. I have went and inspected a 1 month old 10,000 capacity lift that had a weld on an arm fail with a van on it that was less than 6K lbs. Lucky the guy was on the other side when the rf arm base snapped and the van ended up on it's rf fender up against a bench an a toolbox.

matt69olds

The 2x12s are wider than the tires by a considerable amount, and more than double the footprint of car stands. In all reality, the car is just as steady on the blocks as it is on the ground. The biggest drawback is they are heavy!!!

OLDSter Ralph

X 2
Matt, try some screwed in eye bolts and short length of rope. Just drag them around or pick them up.

Koda

I use a railroad tie I sawed into 4 pieces along with jack stands. It will get a side or an end up.

Mikeyt

This is my fear with the quality of things these days.
I'd rather lay on my back knowing it can't go anywhere than trusting some welder halfway around the world.

Mikeyt

Ah Good! They don't look that wide in the pics.
Definitely do the rope thing. Saves the back a little.

herkguy

I have been using the quick jacks on a bunch of cars for 5 years and love them. Been great for working on the olds. Sure help with prep for engine removal and doing exhaust.

BangScreech4-4-2

https://www.raceramps.com

jaunty75

The problem with ramps is that using them rules out entire categories of possible service. Can't work on wheels, brakes, suspension, wheel bearings, steering, etc. You can't even rotate the tires using them. That's a lot of things you can't do.

I use quickjacks, and I love them. They lift at the side rails. Of course, that blocks access to something as well, but not as much as ramps. Every lift method blocks something.

Jack stands have their value in that they can be moved around somewhat depending on the car's available lift points. But one problem with them is that they don't lift the car that high. Quickjacks get the car well off the ground making it so much easier to get around underneath. Lifting itself is so much more convenient. No more wheeling a floor jack from corner to corner lifting each one at a time. Once set, which takes a few minutes, the entire car is lifted at one time quickly, evenly, and cleanly.

One downside to Quickjack. They're not cheap. But if you have several cars and/or do lots of work on them, their convenience pays for itself soon enough.

Run to Rund

I have a lot of steel wheels, different widths, with two welded together, edge to edge. They give me 12" and 16" heights. I weld steel strips several inches wide, 1/8" thick, across the top for support of the car and so I can use them to stand on. I have expanded metal welded to single 7-8" wide wheels for lower heights. I found some VW 15x4" wheels to help me get desired total heights. I use 15" and 16" wheels so they give good stability, and usually a piece of 2x6 wood on top for height and more friction instead of steel on steel to the car's frame.

matt69olds

all the junkyards use wheels welded together like you describe. The biggest salvage yard has been open since the late 50s, no doubt the have had a bunch of wheels over the years.

It really pained me to see car stands made out of Olds rally wheels! Proving once again that at one time these were just common late model cars.

Olds64

I have a set of Race Ramps. They're not very sturdy. Mine are crushed because I pulled too far forward on them in my 96 98. If I could do it over I'd save some money and buy the rubber ramps from Horrible Freight.

Run to Rund

here is a photo of some wheel/stands I use:

BangScreech4-4-2

I haven't overdriven mine, but I have had them skid on the smooth garage floor surface as I ascended them, which was a little scary. And the disadvantage of not being able to remove wheels can be a PITA, as noted by jaunty.

redoldsman

I have a set that I haven't used for years and I wish I had a picture of them. They are stored away somewhere in one of my warehouses. Most of you want even know what they are when I describe them because you are not old enough. When I destroyed the first rear end in my 1940 Ford in 1963, I saved the destroyed rear end and took the axle housings off the center section I then had the outside end cut off and the end scalloped. They are probably 18-20 inches high and not adjustable. I believe these things would easily support and 18-wheeler. Do any of you old times know what I am talking about. Sure wish I had a picture.

Fun71

I like that BBQ grill.

Mikeyt

I really like this idea

69HO43

I guess it depends on what you need/want. I have a set of race ramps I got because of the ZL1 Camaro has a huge air foil up front and it's really LOW to the ground. Making floor jacks or regular ramps a real PITA to use, otherwise. Haven't had a problem yet using the ramps but only for general maintenance. Does suck you can't do much with any brakework with them, but you can't do that with any ramp I'm aware of. I love the fact I can get the car up on the ramps, then take the ramp part off and change oil, or transmission fluid rather easily. I've even backed it up the ramps to change rear fluid. If you have a higher sitting car or truck, I'd probably use something else, but for both the Camaros, they're just the ticket I need. Of course, I bought them when they were around $200 for the set, now they're pushing 350 and up. Kinda pricey now. Only used them on driveway concrete and not inside the garage as I was afraid they might slide like BangScreech said his did.

gear head

Not once in my life have I ever been worried about being under a car supported by Jack stands. As long as they are in good condition, used as intended and you're not trying to do something stupid...they are fine.

bccan

A few notes that came to mind reading this-

When using wood, moreso on a narrow pinch weld as opposed to a comparatively “broad” frame or control arm etc, have the side/cross grain supporting the car, not the end grain. In some extreme case, could potentially become a wood splitter.

Ramps can give you a lot of clearance under the car if you then jack up the opposite end and secure with some sort of jack stands. Worked great doing headers, transmissions, clutches, etc. Obviously make sure ramped wheels can’t roll out but wheels can turn a little as height changes, ie “N” if drive wheels are on the ramps, at least while raising & lowering. Hockey pucks, short 2x 4, that idea to chock on the ramps. Would also allow wheels off at jacked end if you also need room underneath.

Be careful jacking independent suspension, ie front control arms as the jack needs to move as the height changes. A cupped floor jack pad (with wheels) is the idea.

Now, the one ya don’t see coming and it haunts me to this day. My friend’s son in law was killed when a jack & jackstand broke through the concrete floor in the garage and he was crushed. Do you know the integrity of your garage floor? Or other surface for that matter, say, asphalt that has been undermined? Are there any suspected voids where you might be supporting weight?

Like I said, just some thoughts that came to mind.

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wr1970

^^^^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^^^