People Who Do Their Own Oil Change...what Type Of Car Ramp Do You Use?

[gs-ing]

People who do their own oil change...what car ramp do you use?

If you recommend them...then where and and how much can i get them? Thanks

[1990LS400]

I've changed engine oil on cars way over a hundred times since by father starting having me do it on the family car several years before I started driving in the mid-1960's. I've never used or needed ramps. At most, I might use a floor jack to raise a car a few inches while I reach under to remove the engine undercover, oil drain plug, and oil filter. I don't put my body under the car while changing oil -- just reach under it to stay safe. And I use a creeper to slide around the floor while working. If I'm doing more major work, I raise the car with my floor jack and use 2 or 4 jack stands depending on the nature of the work.

I have several fairly low profile drain pans to catch the oil from the engine sump and oil filter. That's why I have had to raise a vehicle only a few inches if at all -- and I've owned several sports cars with very little ground clearance.

IMO, car ramps can be rather dangerous. It can be hard to get some cars up onto ramps due to clearance with the body and the ramps sliding on the floor. I've known a few cases where people have driven right off the other side of ramps or where cars have fallen off to the side while being driven up on them.

[steviej]

I use ramps all the time. I think these were from Sears. Just make sure you use the kind with bump stops at the end so you don't drive off the cliff. If you get ramps that are too steep and the bottom of your bumper hits the ramps before the the wheels start up the incline,

then place a 3' 2x6 before the ramp. Drive up on the 2x6, then up on the ramp. It will raise the front end slightly so it doesn't hit the ramps.

steviej

[Dilbert D]

Hi there,

Just like 1990LS400 I do my own oil changes on my 2006 GS300 SEL and I do not need to use ramps.

I have ramps but I hate using them as the risk to the car is high when trying to put the car onto the ramps, I once ran an autin mini completely over the end of the ramps trying to ram the car up onto them since I was chasing the ramps down the road (they were sliding) !

I change my oil on the drive and the sump plug can be reached by lying on the ground with my right shoulder just behind the RHS front wheel. The socket wrench fits nicely on the sump plug and it is fairly easy to manipulate by feel.

The rest of the oil change can be carried out from the front of the car but remember that you do need the special tool to remove the oil filter housing. You may also need to remove the cover underneath the front of the engine compartment directly under the filter housing to get some leverage on the filter housing but this can easily be reached from under the front of the car, you will need a 10mm socket and wrench for the cover screws.

I hope this helps ...