Recommend a good set of ramps?

The oil change thread has me thinking that these days the biggest hassle of most jobs in my garage is the whole jack/jack stands routine. This is particularly true on my Camaro, where I have to drive onto a stack of 2x6s to even get the jack under it.

So I think its about time to spring for a good set of ramps and I'm hoping the Hive can point me in the right direction. What do you all like or dislike about the set you have? What features are useful? I'd like a set that provides a good amount of lift, but for how low and how much front overhang the Camaro has I'm a little bit concerned about "approach angles" on most of the taller ramps I've seen. What works well on your lowered stuff?

I used good ol stamped steel ramps for years and was perfectly happy with them...until I got a decent garage with a smooth floor. The wheels push them across the floor and make a horrible racket instead of driving up on them. Plus they're too steep for most cars these days.

I picked up a set of the foam Race Ramps from a friend. They're light weight, stable, easy, and about 5' long so anything but the lowest car will be fine. They're rated at 1200lbs each, and I can see them deform just slightly under the front of my Mustang, so I'd never put the F250 on them.

Honestly, IF I ever manage to lose or damage them, I'll buy another set immediately. They're awesome. They're so light I have a hanger loop on the ceiling where I store them.

I have Rhino Ramps. they are made out of recycled plastic. they don't slip at all when pulling onto them like my other metal ones and I can hang them on the wall in my garage when not in use. with a very low car I have put a piece of 2x12 in front to get started. Rhino Ramps

Love my Rhino ramps. I've had many ramps over the years, these are the best I've used.

+1 on the Rhino ramps. My answer sits low enough that I need a piece of 2x6 to get started (the front hits otherwise), but apart from that they're great. Cheap, light, strong enough, and they stack for storage so they don't take up much space.

I also have a set of Race Ramps that I've been using for about 10 years now. They are fantastic--- so light and easy to maneuver. Like Ultraclyde mentioned though--- they will deform if you put too much weight on them. For passenger cars though--- that shouldn't be a problem. They also won't damage or scratch your floor--- like metal ramps are prone to do.

If I ever wear mine out.....I'll immediately buy another set--- I'm that sold on them. They aren't the cheapest option, but they are the best I've found. I use them all the time. (actually will be using them this weekend for an oil change)

http://www.raceramps.com

Another vote for Race Ramps, one of my best car-related purchases.

My issue with most ramps is that they don't go high enough for me to drop the undertray flap. I have to remove the whole thing. Which is a PITA. Same problem with jacking from the crossmember and using stands, so not much help there. Been looking at making my own from 2x10 or scrap 2x4. I could get like 2' of lift that way if I wanted. Would have to make them pretty long though :P

Anybody know of any ramps that would get 15"+ of lift?

Race ramps are nice products, but $200 is a lot to stomach for what's basically four pieces of plastic.

I have a set of the older Rhino Ramps that I've been very pleased with. They've changed the design since then, though, and I don't know about the new ones.

bigev007 wrote: My issue with most ramps is that they don't go high enough for me to drop the undertray flap. I have to remove the whole thing. Which is a PITA. Same problem with jacking from the crossmember and using stands, so not much help there. Been looking at making my own from 2x10 or scrap 2x4. I could get like 2' of lift that way if I wanted. Would have to make them pretty long though :P Anybody know of any ramps that would get 15"+ of lift?

For idea inspiration http://www.tim-yvonne.com/mikemercury/ramp.htm

One more vote for Rhino Ramps. I pitched my steel ramps the last time one slid as I drove up on it. Got the Rhinos cheap from Advance, and have been happy with them. Looks like Race Ramps has lots of good options for specialty applications, but at a much higher price.

My dad bought a set at K-mart when he was working there in the 70's. They are individual steel platforms with bolted together and triangulated legs and have ramp parts that are removable.

I spent my whole adult life looking for a set of my own and only found a set (now marketed as the heavy duty option) after he passed away and I inherited his.

That removable ramp portion makes all the difference in the world when you are trying to slide under the side and can be 18" further forward where the car is higher and where most of what you want to work on is located.

I picked up some nice heavy made in the USA steel ramps from Harbor Freight but they are too steep for my current cars so I screwed together a stack of 4 2x8s.

My dad has race ramps - they work beautifully for his Mustangs and Camaros. However, with my Mazda 6 it was very difficult to go up them because the tires would spin and the ramps would move and with no "cups" at the top I couldn't tell when I was on - I would have to pull the E-brake and jump out of the car to see if I was on good enough. So I wouldn't recommend them for FWD manual transmission cars.

Joe Gearin wrote: I also have a set of Race Ramps that I've been using for about 10 years now. They are fantastic--- so light and easy to maneuver. Like Ultraclyde mentioned though--- they will deform if you put too much weight on them. For passenger cars though--- that shouldn't be a problem. They also won't damage or scratch your floor--- like metal ramps are prone to do. If I ever wear mine out.....I'll immediately buy another set--- I'm that sold on them. They aren't the cheapest option, but they are the best I've found. I use them all the time. (actually will be using them this weekend for an oil change) http://www.raceramps.com

This.

I agree with every point. I have the two piece ramps which are handy for working from the side of the vehicle when needed. The two pieces of each ramp can be stacked by flipping and all four pieces can be stacked on each other for space saving.

No 2x4 needed to get the approach angle corrected. They just work.

They are expensive but if I lost mine today I would order another set tomorrow.

drdisque wrote: My dad has race ramps - they work beautifully for his Mustangs and Camaros. However, with my Mazda 6 it was very difficult to go up them because the tires would spin and the ramps would move and with no "cups" at the top I couldn't tell when I was on - I would have to pull the E-brake and jump out of the car to see if I was on good enough. So I wouldn't recommend them for FWD manual transmission cars.

Weird.

Not trying to discount your experience but I never had this experience with any of my FWD manual transmissions vehicles. What kind of garage floor surface did you have? Mine was bare uncoated concrete garage floor.

My set has a stopper at the end of the ramp to feel if the vehicle is all the way on.

In reply to bigev007: I built my ramps using 2x12 and 1/2" plywood. I can drop the under trays on the answer and the Mazda 3. Plus strong enough to support the Tacoma

Another vote for Rhino Ramps. Only my C4 Vette needed a 2x6 to get started (HUGE front overhang). Worked perfectly for everything else.

Adrift wrote:

drdisque wrote: My dad has race ramps - they work beautifully for his Mustangs and Camaros. However, with my Mazda 6 it was very difficult to go up them because the tires would spin and the ramps would move and with no "cups" at the top I couldn't tell when I was on - I would have to pull the E-brake and jump out of the car to see if I was on good enough. So I wouldn't recommend them for FWD manual transmission cars.

Weird. Not trying to discount your experience but I never had this experience with any of my FWD manual transmissions vehicles. What kind of garage floor surface did you have? Mine was bare uncoated concrete garage floor. My set has a stopper at the end of the ramp to feel if the vehicle is all the way on.

He has a coated concrete floor, I think that may have a lot to do with why the ramps were so slidey. My Mazda 6 was also heavy and torquey and sometimes I would try to go up the ramp when there was some moisture on the tires, I imagine something like a civic would be easier to get up the ramps.

Another vote for rhino ramps.

I made a set of these ramps

Pros: They were cheap. Low profile so probably would work on a lowered car (at least according to the article). Since the car was sitting on wood, I don't worry about anything collapsing. They do move forward a little when driving onto them.

Cons: Kind of heavy and large. Takes up a lot of space in the garage.

Thanks for the input everyone. The Race Ramps look nice, but are a fair bit more than I was planning to spend. I'll check out the Rhino Ramps the next time I'm at Autozone or something. The idea of building ramps is appealing to my cheap side, but at the expense of lightness and ease of stowage. Functionally though I think I actually may prefer the DIY style. Gotta see the Rhinos in person though.

Our Odyssey has a tendency to throw the rhino ramps when trying to drive up them. It helps to modulate the torque with the brake pedal rather than the throttle.

drdisque wrote: He has a coated concrete floor, I think that may have a lot to do with why the ramps were so slidey. My Mazda 6 was also heavy and torquey and sometimes I would try to go up the ramp when there was some moisture on the tires, I imagine something like a civic would be easier to get up the ramps.

I think you're right about the coating - I've backed my wife's 500SL perma-project onto mine without any problems on a non-coated concrete surface and I'd guess that thing might have slightly more torque than your Mazda 6. I've had mine move while trying to drive a car up on a slippery-ish surface, though.

I use steel ramps that I've had for years. One mod I want to make, but haven't yet, is to weld or bolt a section of expanded metal to the ramp itself. Mine will skitter away from the car on a bare concrete floor and the extra traction would help with the FWD cars, at least. The other "fix" I've seen is to drill the floor and put a sleeve in. Then you just drop a bolt through a hole at the base of the ramp into the sleeve and the ramps won't move.