Mr Nick

Thought I would share a little project I did this summer. I had the itch for a lift recently, and a friends father is selling a hardly used one pretty cheap. So I had to do something to prevent myself from spending the money on it. My garage has a support beam, so my lift height would have been pretty low anyway.

I made these cribbing blocks by following the instructions found here:
http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/multi/wood-block.htm

The main thing I did different, was add 2 more pieces to the bottom of the 2nd level, to keep them locked in place and prevent movement. Not that it would slide around anyway, but it's simple peace of mind.

I can use the floor jack to get the car onto the first level. Then I slide some 12" wide lumber under the jack to lift it to the next level. I will replace them with wider pieces, as they currently aren't much wider than the wheels on the jack and I'm afraid an edge may split while lifting.

I am about 6'6" and can comfortably reach the distributor, I would think anybody not as tall as myself might find working under the hood a bit difficult at this height. Could build another block to stand on!

Build and use these at your own risk!!!!

oldcutlass

Cool.

MDchanic

Cribbing is a tried and true method of raising and keeping raised all kinds of stuff, including buildings and wrecks.

Only downside: In case of emergency, that car's going nowhere fast.

- Eric

Jamesbo

Nice, thanks for posting

Mr Nick

Thanks for the compliments guys!

Also added another shop light mounted at an angle, for better lighting under the hood. There was a light directly over the hood, but with the hood up it was useless.

coppercutlass

I saw this on one of the fb sites I think you posted it. I'm going to be doing this. As I ocasionally have to do exhaust and trans work on my car. I hate doing transmissions with a car on jack stands. I can't get it high enough . This will help that lol.

Jamesbo

Love the light, That way I can see the blood running down my shirt when I crack my head on the tooth

MDchanic

Or you could just do what I did in college when I had to swap a trans (and, no, resting the car on a pile of rocks and cinderblocks is not recommended by leading safety authorities):



Oh, to be young again...

- Eric

RROLDSX

Jamesbo:

I used pieces of kids pools noodles to pad the sharp points and the tooth.

I've saved my head a couple of times already.

Professur

How much higher is that over just using a set of ramps? I put 3 2x12s of different lengths under my ramps so that they add some inches, but I can still get it outta dodge in a hurry if need be. At 5'5, I need a bloody step ladder to reach the air cleaner wingnut anyhow, so it's no great inconvenience.

Koda

My preferred thing was a railroad tie, chunked into 4 pieces.

Mr Nick

Yep, I posted the same pic on the Fast Olds FB page.

Mine are 12" high, could be built higher or slide some planks under the blocks for more height.

Jamesbo

Now that's using your head

MDchanic

... Or, as they say, using your noodle.

- Eric

coppercutlass

Is that cutlass pink lol. Yeah I grew up with my dad telling the story of how his buddy died doing a clutch with out jack stands and the car fell and he dided. I won't use anything but jack stands or these blocks now lol.

Professur

I retired dad's old steel ramps about 5 years back. Prior to that I'd always kept a block of 6x6 under the pad of each one to carry the weight. There's only two levels of paranoia: rampant ... and insufficient.

I'm certainly not the only one who insists on multiple layers of protection. Working on brakes ... The wheel gets shoved under the control arm, a stand under a hard point, and the jack left in place with the weight eased off. I've worked on too many old cars where the jack punched through to ever trust one point alone.

Octania

what are the wheels on that elevated car?

Mr Nick

BG Rod Works Gasser. If you do a Google Image search, my car comes up