Wheel cribs and race ramps suggestions

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Bodyperson said:
I'd like to add something but it's probably not that big of a deal for cribbing but... I have years of experience using blocks of wood when doing automobile collision frame repair and those pressure treated pieces of wood with the little claw marks all over them (wolmanized) do not hold up very well. The wood that is selected is soft so it will absorb the preservative and all of those claw marks are incipient cracks waiting to happen.
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While I'd agree you probably shouldn't pull some wood out of the dirt pile to build cribs, I still think if you did, it would be more safe than a jack stand that cracks. With a crib, you'd have to have all 16 boards in one crib completely disintegrate to be a problem. One of them won't be a problem. Cracks in boards are a completely different problem than a hidden crack in some cast chunk of mystery metal. With cribs you have to worry about "crushing" the wood. Any decent piece of lumber will be fine.
 
I have had jack stands "crush" and the car collapse. The cure is much better stands, though expensive. To this day I still feel uneasy working under a car with jack stands despite the quality of the stands. I should have made these blocks years ago. Thanks for bringing up the subject.
 
Something else to think about is metal to metal slides fairly easy. I feel better with wood on metal when I start prying, pushing or pulling.
 
HF with a coupon, two 2x6s with a 2x4 screwed to the front that keeps the ramps in place when driving up.
Car doesn't move side to side even when trying to make it fall off to test.
Wheel chucks in the back just in case.
Metal ramps are dangerous imo.
Enough space to pull a trans in and out.

I'll use jack stands for brake work and similar, or 6 ton stands with 3 ton next to them.

Had a car fall off a jack when I was a stupid teen, not a good feeling.

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I'll add mine...

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I built them in 2 stacks because i couldn't jack it high enough in one shot....
Working under it feels SAFE. Jack stands are fine for an oil change, but i never trust them...

Jeff
 
RustyRatRod said:
I RARELY use a creeper anymore. I have grown to loathe them. They either roll away too easily when you're trying to apply leverage, OR they get hung up on something and stop rolling. That second one REALLY pisses me OFF. I've just gotten to where I just lay on the floor. Much less headache.
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I have long hair.....no matter how I tie it back, always goes under the wheels. ...ouch!!!!!

Jeff
 
MrJLR said:
I'll add mine...

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I built them in 2 stacks because i couldn't jack it high enough in one shot....
Working under it feels SAFE. Jack stands are fine for an oil change, but i never trust them...

Jeff
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Good idea with the stacking. I know the wood is less likely to slide on each other but.....Could you mark them in pairs and drop a pin through to keep them together. The one photo shows a little crooked. Good idea and thanks for the photo. Craig
 
The wood block style were to heavy, big and bulky for me to store when not in use. I bought the 2 piece 12" riser Race Ramp style and I like them, so light and sturdy. The two piece design is good because most home floor jacks will not lift a car high enough for the full 12". It also allows you to keep the car more level as you go up in stages. I also bought a pair of their low profile ramps to get my 2012 Challenger up for oil changes since a jack will not fit under it.

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Thanks for all the posts folks. I’m studying all the suggestions.
 
gzig5 said:
The kids old swing set is going to magically transform into wheel cribs like Woody's shows. might have to buy some extra material to get the height I want but there are four 4x4s and a 4x6 there. I've got a 6000 lb mid-rise scissor lift under the car and my evil plan is to get it up 2-3 feet, set it on the cribs and then pull the lift out so I can access the middle. May use a sheet of plywood over the lift instead. We'll see.
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As promised. The swing set provided enough material to do one pair and then I had to hit the store for the $50 worth of wood and screws to do the second set. They can be used either three or five 4x4's high depending on need. The long stacked 2x10s are required for the exhaust to clear the lift. You drive up and park on the boards, then you can lift the car. Get it high enough and put the cribs under the wheels and lower the car. It it as stable as when the car is on the lift. I can lay a piece of cardboard or plywood down and get to anything under the car. With the cribs stacked on top of the runners, the tires are 30" off the floor. I wouldn't try to achieve this height using a floor jack to lift. I think I will probably use it most with the first level, this is almost too high to reach some things from your back. For the record, using 4x4's complicated construction and 2x4's are the way to go.

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Wow, that looks high, you must have freakishly long arms! I don't know if my wife would let me work under my car like that. Nice 'Cuda by the way.
 
Just a suggestion, not trying to be critical.
Sorry about the crayon.
Red is just some kind of cross bracing, or
Green could be plywood. Sometimes we can push hard to the side when loosening or tightening nuts and bolts.

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I'm sure it wouldn't hurt but I've put all my weight on it and it barely moved. Still a good idea. Might cross brace if I have to get aggressive on something but for general work it's overkill.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I RARELY use a creeper anymore. I have grown to loathe them. They either roll away too easily when you're trying to apply leverage, OR they get hung up on something and stop rolling. That second one REALLY pisses me OFF. I've just gotten to where I just lay on the floor. Much less headache.
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ON CARDBOARD, H W H BOXES WORK GREAT , IF U KNOW A PLUMBER !
 
matthon said:
HF with a coupon, two 2x6s with a 2x4 screwed to the front that keeps the ramps in place when driving up.
Car doesn't move side to side even when trying to make it fall off to test.
Wheel chucks in the back just in case.
Metal ramps are dangerous imo.
Enough space to pull a trans in and out.

I'll use jack stands for brake work and similar, or 6 ton stands with 3 ton next to them.

Had a car fall off a jack when I was a stupid teen, not a good feeling.

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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^looks like my first new car !!
 
Murray said:
One more dumb question- how do you get a car up high enough to put a 14" block under the tires? Is it done in steps? Do you have a better floor jack than me?
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Yep, you end up jacking each corner 2-3 times. If necessary, use thick blocks of wood to "extend" the jack so it'll lift higher. Although there are jacks that can lift that high in one shot, most of us don't have one that big. So don't make the cribbing one-piece 14" high. 3 pieces 4"-5" high that can be stacked would be better.
 
kursplat said:
i've never liked creepers. same reasons. a good piece of cardboard gives a little cushion and lets you slide if the ground isn't too smooth.

anyone seen these in person? maybe if i run out of other projects i'll make a couple
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Don't like the looks of those. Probably made out of Chinesium too. Plus, I've never liked ramps of any kind anyway.
 
gzig5 said:
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not so much the height as the way the base has been narrowed by placing the cribs on top of the planks. since i also live in california, i always consider what it might do if there's a big jolt. if the whole thing tried to slide 4" to one side and rolled off the planks, well... :eek:
 
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