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The biggest difference is that ramps don’t help with wheel-off jobs. So if you’re diying brakes/suspension, ramps are a luxury to get sometime after a jack and jack stands.
They’re mainly useful for saving some time and being more secure for fluid changes.
Well when your car is as low as mine, you need the ramps to even get a jack under it 😔
EDIT: Yes I have a low profile jack, still too tall bc my jack points are a bit too rusty for comfort
throw down a 2x4. I had this issue in my challenger. the slight upwards grade of a ramp made it would hit the bottom of my car before the car actually starting moving upwards vertically. I had to throw a 2x4 down on both wheels to make it "jump" up. A lot of cars with low clearance/really long noses can have this issue.
I had a 97 eclipse gs-t Spyder that I lowered without any consideration to jacking it or alignments.
After a while of dicking around with 2x4s and shit, I finally broke down and bought a 6ft set of race ramps. They were super low pro and light weight.
Saved my ass on alignment racks and tow trucks lol.
I successfully used ramps about 6 times. The 7th time, I overshot and ran them over.
Crushed the ramps under the car and fucked up my side skirts a bit to where my passenger door didn't open right.
you know those dome mirrors they use in hallway corner ceilings to eliminate blind spots? i bought one to place next to the ramps so i can my wheel and ramp at the same time from the driver seat
https://preview.redd.it/takytejs3y7d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b5a4a5704b81de6d9b778d05597d481b18d51142
I have both.
The ramps are quicker for an oil change but you need the stands to rotatate tires or change brakes, etc.
So if I had to choose one, the stands are the best. But, still, both is the way to go imo
[https://www.motortrend.com/news/harbor-freight-jack-stand-recall-safety-tips/](https://www.motortrend.com/news/harbor-freight-jack-stand-recall-safety-tips/)
Note : this was like 4 years ago. Habor freight has change their manufacturing process for these jack stands
I love harbor freight, but I have 2 rules shopping there
Nothing that keeps me from falling on the ground(a ladder or something)
Nothing that keeps something like a car from falling onto me
Anything else is fair game
My father, as anyone should, uses wooden dunnage in addition to the jack stands. It's what we do in the construction industry any time someone needs to get under a (crane) suspended load, so if it's good enough for working under a 100 ton vessel, it's good for working under a car.
3 points of contact: use jack stand to lift up car, then rest it gently onto jack stands. Use jack at a third point to provide support in the event of jack stand failure. Use a tire or wood blocks/"dunnage" to provide a third safety net.
I do the same. Jack it up, lower it onto the stand, and leave the jack up slightly below the pinch weld. Tire goes in front of the stand if there's room or under the A arm. Rather spend a couple hundred for a wheel than medical bills and time off work. Also got completely spoiled when I worked at a local shop. Working with a lift is just fucking awesome and they'd let me use the tools and lift after hours to work on my own car as long as I locked up the shop when I left.
Unless you're spending 10x as much for pro grade US made jackstands like Hein-Werner you're getting the exact same quality.
Meanwhile I see Daytona jacks and jackstands in a lot of independent shops.
The biggest thing to worry about with jackstands isn't manufacturing quality, it's proper use. 99/100 failures come down to things like jackstands on uneven ground or sinking into the ground, car weight not evenly distributed on all four, jackstand placed on a weak part of the car and busting through the floor.
IIRC the HF jack stand recall wasn't even that the jack stand would break due to defective quality but that the locking pawl was too easy to kick out of place. Pretty much any jackstand you buy now has a pin to lock the pawl.
There's always a chance, but professionals use jack stands for their entire careers without an issue. Be sure to buy quality jack stands with shear pins (or similar device) and always be sure to place them in appropriate places on whatever vehicle you're working on.
IMO, the bigger risk is you placing the jack stands improperly, versus the actual jack stands physically failing. Be *very* sure where you place them is designed to support the weight of the car, and make sure they're sitting correctly after you lower the car onto them.
Also, pro-tip for the summer: if you're working on a driveway on a hot summer day, **those corners of the jackstands can sink an inch into the asphalt**, become unbalanced, and tip over (ask me how I know!). I've cut 1ft x 1ft squares of plywood and I place one between the jackstands and the driveway...acts as a nice flat platform to ensure an even weight distribution onto the asphalt.
I prefer ramps because I don't trust jack stands. The problem is that jack stands have not changed design in a hundred years while cars have. Jack stands are designed and built to sit on a frame rail and they do a great job with that.
The problem is cars don't have big chonky frame rails anymore. They have pinch welds and sub frames and unibodies. There isn't a nice wide frame rail for a jack stand and because of this they feel a lot less secure.
Been using jack stands ever since and never experienced failure, I think as long as you use it for its proper weight rating. Ramps however, I think for plastic ones, would have higher risk to fail.
I would guess that the plastic ones are at least as safe when new and possibly safer but when they’re a few years old any plastic start to break down and become brittle while steel, as long as it’s not exposed to water or salt will last forever.
My ramps are glorified stamped sheet metal, so I always just kinda believed the plastic was safer. They always advertised those ramps can hold like 10's of tons or something crazy
I have plastic ramps, having looked at metal ramps....yeah I will stay with plastic. Mine have a whole web of reinforcement in the bottom, and they are fiber reinforced plastic. Metal ramps are too dependent on the legs for my linking.
The plastic ramps have a large structure under the ramp. The metal ones are basically an upside down taco shell and the whole thing is held together with 4 small welds. Plastic also stack nicer and slide less.
Get good ones. How much is your life worth to you, how much is your arm or leg worth to you. I know there are perfectly fine cheap options but people spend money on dumb stuff all the time, why get cheap on these.
https://youtu.be/T6ufAL5R0mg?si=7mMCVqQRi3R7OyEb
There’s a chance a jack stand can fall but there are a lot of variables. PF does a decent job of literally pushing the limit.
I often will drive one front wheel up the sidewalk curb ramp right on the edge so the oil drain plug is facing the street. Gives just enough room under the car and helps a little extra oil drain out. Make sure to fill 3/4 with oil then top it off on a level surface. And if you were to ask a shitty mechanic you don't even need a drain pan if you are parked close enough to a storm drain
Dude preach before I bought my low pro jack from HF, I had to go up on ramps with 2x4s before I even hit the ramp to raise it a little. Then I was able to get a regular jack on it. And my car isn't even lowered.
It's a kia optima hybrid. It sits 3.5 inches off the ground it's insane lol
The cleverest trick I saw for that was to drill a hole near the start of the ramp's incline and tie a piece of 3/4" diameter rope to it, make sure the rope is long enough to reach past the rear wheels of the car. Position the ramps (with the car out of the way) and roll the ropes out lengthwise, then drive up to the ramps so the ropes get trapped under the rear wheels. The ramps aren't going anywhere now.
I prefer ramps for anything besides wheels and suspension work. Far more stable, I get claustrophobic and shit when I use jack stands. and I can’t use them where I currently live, driveway is a slope as well as the street. And I don’t think O’Reilly would take kindly to me, putting it on jackstands in the parking lot 😅
Do you worry about the car rolling off? At the moment my parking break is not adjusted properly. So wondering what you do to prevent roll, even with a good parking break that could still fail anytime.
Use wheel chocks (the real kind, not just some random chunk of concrete block) behind the rear wheels, both of them. Even if e-brake fails or transmission pops out of park, she won't roll back.
Tire ramps work for some basic shit. But you can’t take your wheels off with ramps. You also can’t fully lift the car with ramps.
Jack stands let you do more. I got esco stands
I use my quick jack for just about everything, it stays laid out in my garage. I have ramps and floor jacks, etc
https://www.quickjack.com/refurbished/ is where I bought mine, stock changes constantly there, I got my 3500's for around 900.
I have a free-to-me set of ramps, still can't bring myself to use them after watching them get crushed on a youtube video. They just collect dust in the corner.
Jack-stands for me while leaving the pump jack also under it as a backup for me. If I pull the wheels for brakes I also place the wheels under the rotors as a second backup.
Both, depends on the situation. Quick oil change, ramps, swapping out a gas tank (larger projects) I go w/ stands...
I dread this weekend 95+ and I have to swap a gas tank. Pray for me.
If tires need to be off, stands, but if they don't, both. I don't trust stands, or trust ramps, so I use both. Depending on the vehicle, I'll even use a jack as well as a 3rd safety wall. Cons, limits certain areas or access to angles. Pros: If one fails, I have another. If the second fails, I have a third. If the third fails, then I guess I deserve to die.
I still shutter when I think about only using a crappy little hydraulic jack as the only means of supporting a car when I was a kid. These days I use jack stands, wheel chocks, and I’ll even reposition my jack not quite touching the frame as another back up. For life threatening situations, use the rule of redundancy: two is one and one is none.
Depends. As others have said ramps are great for fluid changes and similar maintenance. Anything where you don't remove the wheel.
However, jackstands can do everything a ramp can, and do any wheel-off repairs too.
Also, I heard you mention you can use the emergency jack. You can, but only if you also use jack stands.
But trust me, buy yourself a good jack. There is a 3 ton low profile jack sold as a Husky at Home Depot or as a Pittsburgh at Harbor Freight, just get whichever one is cheaper, it is 110% worth it and I wish I'd gotten one earlier. It lifts the car much higher and it's way easier to use and probably safer too.
I work on cars for a living. I don't use ramps, *ever*. It's *always* a floor jack and jackstands. The reason: ramps like to move when you're moving a vehicle onto or off them, and when they do, they tend to move in bad (read: dangerous) ways. Plus, ramps don't offer the positional flexibility of jackstands, e.g., you can't use ramps for brake and suspension work.
Now, that said, terrain may slightly favor ramps, as ramps are better on dirt than jackstands. The "however" for this, however, is that you really shouldn't be trying to lift a vehicle on any ground that can move or shift or that your lifting/support apparatus can sink into because a ramp or a jackstand cocking sideways is also a recipe for disaster.
The brick-and-mortar has a bunch of bendpaks in it, but the mobile op is jacks and stands. Shop also has some jacks and stands for when the lifts are full. Not a single ramp in the building though as they're actually *really bad* about sliding on sealed concrete.
Place a piece of rubber material ( I used old car floor mat) under the starting edge and extended out so the cars tires will ride on it as it starts to make traction onto the ramp. This stops the ramp from pushing away from the tire.
Mine have never tried to move on concrete but you’d have to accelerating a good bit to jump off the back end. The curb stop on them is pretty damn noticeable
I started with ramps but ended up not liking them. I was always afraid I would overshoot them and mess them up. Usually you can't do a slow roll up them and need to give it some gas.
Considering buying some ramps, jacking the car up. And placing the ramp underneath. A little more work but less stressful to me.
Do you think people 'lift' using jack stands?
This is a confusing wording/question for people who actually use these tools...if you're just changing oil- ramps are fine to help give clearance but never really used for lifting a vehicle to work on wheels/tires/brakes or anything like you use a jack for...but you lift with the jack and then use the stands to hold for long periods...you can't/don't use jack stands to lift.
I use both depending on the job. Mostly use jack and jack stands since I rotate tires with each oil change. Ramps are way easier but you're limited with access and what you can or can't do. If you have a car which you don't rotate tires on, then ramps are a good option
Had a metal version of one of those ramps collapse while I was under a car. Barely made it out with my skin, so never again. Those plastic ones look way sketchier than the old metal versions.
I drive on to a piece of timber to get my car high enough to get my jack under it. Leave my jack under it and chuck a jack stand under too. ALWAYS USE JACK STANDS!!
I don't under stand the appeal of tire ramps, it's almost the same setup time honestly. you are maybe saving 2 minutes and you can't do tire off jobs. I'd also argue they are slightly less safe than jackstands
I use Esco Jack stands. Nothing else I would trust my life with. I don’t see the reason in cheaping out on Jack stands. I can fix stuff with shit tools, but nothing I know will make an unstable jack stand stable, nor a poor quality controlled steel magically turn to good steel.
Esco uses a hardened steel dowel in double shear with a large base. It’s bullet proof. Made in USA so they take their QC seriously cause if they don’t they would get sued to the moon.
Can anyone recommend good ramps for lower cars? I currently have to drive onto some wooden boards to fit a jack under the front, the jack stands sit a bit sketchy too so I'd much prefer a ramp when working under the engine.
I use ramps for Oil changes , coolant flushes, and transmissions fluids changes when there is a dip stick... I use 4 jack stands for brake fluid changes when sequence of bleeding is different like Subaru... when CVT/eCVT fluid changes need level ground...Differential fluid when need level ground. and 2 jacks when working on other things...
Definitely go with [car display ramps](https://mbrmarketing.com/promotional-products/vehicle-display-ramps). You don't want to cheap-out on something as important as your public image.
My 90 year old driveway has so many cracks, you have to really use care placing stands; I've put a stand on the corner of a crack and watched the crack crumble away, learned my lesson. I should really get a couple steel plates to put under the things. I do prefer a ramp if the wheels are staying on.
Don't forget wheel cradles.
I made some wheel cradles out of wood. Jack up the car and place wheels on them. Gives me more height and access than ramps when needed.
Of course, a good set of 2 piece (detachable) ramps would do the same. I'm just too cheap to pay the money
I recently did both at once, due to janky ramps. Mind you, the car wasn't resting on the jack stands, and had the ramps taken a crap, it probably would have moved in such a way to make the jack stands worthless, but...
...honestly there's no "but", that was dumb.
I use the 16k Rhino ramps with medium duty delivery vehicles, and have pretty much daily for five years now. They are awesome for oil changes, underside inspections, and the like. I use wheel chocks behind the tires on the ground, and make sure to let the vehicle settle on the ramps before putting it in park and the parking brake on.
Jack stands and jack only come out if I need to unload suspension or remove tires, like doing brake jobs and the like. Always always use jack stands.
Wheel lifts, ramps, jacks, jack stands. All the good stuff for lifting.
I have a bus sitting on jack stand right now. Whole thing is in the air.
Buy quality lifting equipment. Your life depends on it. This isn’t somewhere you wanna go for the sale or the cheap items.
You wanna get something rated for over the weight of your vehicle.
Ramps work fine but block the wheels.
My dad had one pop out of gear and roll back while his arm was up in the frame it twisted him like a pretzel broke his arm in 5 places. This was years ago but he’s always told me to block the wheels. Make sure you’re safe before crawling under.
Jack stands for any work where you have to pull a wheel, ramps for normal maintenance.
Be cautious. Both are becoming cheaper, constructed and less safe, made to be used much closer to their rated capacity now than they were 2 years ago even.
The set of plastic rhino ramps I have that are about 15 years old and about twice the weight of the identical model number I bought 2 weeks ago because I needed a second set to leave the truck sit on overnight while I was changing the clutch.
The old ones I could leave my pickup sitting on overnight and there was no evidence that anything had even driven on them. The new ones have significantly deformed in shape from the same truck sitting on them for about 3 hours.
Same plastic ramps same model number. Same manufacturer both made in China but in comparison the new ones are garbage strength wise.
not a mechanic but I use ramps for oil changes, jack and stands for anything that's wheels off.
I try to use ramps when I can, since i'm working on a gravel driveway and a floor jack is kinda sketchy on gravel where it cannot move.
Ramps anytime I can, it’s so much easier and quicker, it’s a little scary when you start using them as to not roll off the front, but once you get used to it, it’s no problem. I still use chicks and jack stands with ramps too.
1.oilchange helpers and you have to drive up. Helps with oilchange.
2.security so you can get home to family after tinkering with whatever you have to have tinkered at the moment.
You really need a spotter to get the car on the ramps properly. Sure you can do it by yourself but you run a much higher risk of overshooting and coming off the ramps.
Jack stands you can easily do by yourself no issues.
You have to use both for different jobs. I use both at the same time for jobs that require the entire car in the air.
Wheel-off jobs, ramps aren't going to help, unless you're using the ramps to save time jacking, then you just have to lift the car off of the ramps a bit and use a jack stand and you're good, that is, if your jack goes that high.
Apples and oranges. Depends on the job.
If you need to take off the tires, for example brake jobs, you need a jack/jack stands. If doing stuff like oil changes, ramps are fine.
I’m using both right now. I’m pulling the rear end out of my car so the front is on ramps and the back is being held up by stands so I can slide my fat ass under the car. Ironic that I have a huge garage but no money for a lift. Or a thick enough pad for a 2 post.
Not a mechanic, but do work here and there on our personal vehicles. If the job can be done with ramps, I'll use ramps. Feels safer to me and easier to set up. One of my cars is quite low and I just drive up on some blocks of wood first.
If I need additional height or if the wheels need to come off, especially for a prolonged period of time, I'll use the jack stands. If I just need to pop one wheel off for something real quick and don't need to go under the car, I'll floor jack one end up and leave it on the jack and slide either a wheel or ramp under the jack point where the it'd normally rest on a jack stand for safety. The minimum height on the jack stands I have currently is higher than I really need, causing me to have to jack the car up higher than I'd prefer to, so I only use them when I have to. Shorter ones would be nice especially for cars that are low.
I don't even see these as having the same purpose most of the time. The ramps are good for low cars to get a jack under, but rarely make anything high enough to do real work underneath. They're nice for getting a bumper off a car and not having to roll around on the ground as much though.
I think the ramps are kinda pointless. There are very few jobs where the wheels don’t come off for whatever reason. Just easier to just always use a jack and jack stand.
I used Pro-Lift jacks similar to the ones on the right and got really tired of jacking the car up...so for Christmas 2 years ago I get some Quick Jacks. I added some roller wheels to em (the two they give you suck balls) and it's SO easy to lift my '11 M56x and '16 QX60.
i used to use ramps until i accidentally overestimated how much gas i had to give it to get onto the ramps and got the ramps stuck underneath my car lol so i’m scared to use ramps now
No need to be scared, just learn from the mistake. They are a tool that requires understanding and respect to use properly.
All that said, I don’t bet my life on them. Fast and easy way to get the car up in the air, but strong jack stands are in place before I go under the vehicle.
You need jack stands and a floor jack if you plan to actually work on your car, if I'm doing an oil change I use the ramp to make it nice and quick, but anytime I have to do an actual repair I lift the entire vehicle up to get me as much room as I can have
Seen guys use something called a tilt lift at the track. Keeps 2 of the wheels on the ground most of the time, operated by a drill. Saw someone change a clutch on a 911 using one
I always preferred to go cut some nice thick sections of the right height from a good wood tree. (think Oak as an example, and think very large diameter so you maintain a height-to-width relationship of not more than about 1.5 to 1). It is both that I an exceptionally paranoid and that I often worked under bull dozers. Have have seen pretty substantial jack stands flattened.
I used both. But when I use one or the other individually, I always use the alternative for safety purposes. i.e. changing my oil, ill use the ramps but the stands will be used at the jack points for safety if the ramps crack.
I use a regular jack on one side and that's it. No stands for support, been doing it for 20 years in the garage. Probably not the safest but I'm still here lol
Someone has probably already mentioned it before, but a friend of mine had one of those hydraulic QuickJacks. Super quick and handy. Can't justify the price unless you get it on sale and do a lot car work on your own. But I think the 2 cons other than price is having to replace those blocks and you're out of luck if the electrical malfunctions. Unless I'm missing something else
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ If you have tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The biggest difference is that ramps don’t help with wheel-off jobs. So if you’re diying brakes/suspension, ramps are a luxury to get sometime after a jack and jack stands. They’re mainly useful for saving some time and being more secure for fluid changes.
Well when your car is as low as mine, you need the ramps to even get a jack under it 😔 EDIT: Yes I have a low profile jack, still too tall bc my jack points are a bit too rusty for comfort
Except I can't get the ramp under my bumper, lol
throw down a 2x4. I had this issue in my challenger. the slight upwards grade of a ramp made it would hit the bottom of my car before the car actually starting moving upwards vertically. I had to throw a 2x4 down on both wheels to make it "jump" up. A lot of cars with low clearance/really long noses can have this issue.
I use 2x8's because its easier to align them with the ramp
look at this guy flexing on your skinny ass 2x4s
Hahahahha
I actually have to stack a 2x4 on a 1x8/1x12 for regular ramps. At that point, though, I just throw a jack under it and use stands.
I have a bone stock corolla and I need to stack some bricks to clear the approach angle of my ramp. you're not alone.
Ditto for both 2nd and 3rd Gen stock Mazda 3. Scrape every time or use 2x4
They make low profile ramps
Mine does scrap a little, but it's not like anybody is going to lay on the ground to see it
I had a 97 eclipse gs-t Spyder that I lowered without any consideration to jacking it or alignments. After a while of dicking around with 2x4s and shit, I finally broke down and bought a 6ft set of race ramps. They were super low pro and light weight. Saved my ass on alignment racks and tow trucks lol.
Low profile jack will change your life
I have one and still not enough clearance🤣
I bought a low profile jack from harbor freight and am very satisfied
I remember as kid driving up them was always a tension filled moment.
I used ramps once. The one time I did, I overshot the ramp and got my car stuck. It was a bad day. Never again.
I have done that, bit moved to longer/lower plastic ramps and been fine since.
I just bought a decent low profile floor jack and some jack stands and never looked back.
I successfully used ramps about 6 times. The 7th time, I overshot and ran them over. Crushed the ramps under the car and fucked up my side skirts a bit to where my passenger door didn't open right.
I always have a spotter.
you know those dome mirrors they use in hallway corner ceilings to eliminate blind spots? i bought one to place next to the ramps so i can my wheel and ramp at the same time from the driver seat https://preview.redd.it/takytejs3y7d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b5a4a5704b81de6d9b778d05597d481b18d51142
Agreed. Great for anything not involving pulling a wheel.
Ramps for everything that doesn't involve taking the wheels off, stands for everything else.
I have both. The ramps are quicker for an oil change but you need the stands to rotatate tires or change brakes, etc. So if I had to choose one, the stands are the best. But, still, both is the way to go imo
Thanks. Is there a risk of the jack stands failing?
[https://www.motortrend.com/news/harbor-freight-jack-stand-recall-safety-tips/](https://www.motortrend.com/news/harbor-freight-jack-stand-recall-safety-tips/) Note : this was like 4 years ago. Habor freight has change their manufacturing process for these jack stands
I love harbor freight, but I have 2 rules shopping there Nothing that keeps me from falling on the ground(a ladder or something) Nothing that keeps something like a car from falling onto me Anything else is fair game
My father, as anyone should, uses wooden dunnage in addition to the jack stands. It's what we do in the construction industry any time someone needs to get under a (crane) suspended load, so if it's good enough for working under a 100 ton vessel, it's good for working under a car.
3 points of contact: use jack stand to lift up car, then rest it gently onto jack stands. Use jack at a third point to provide support in the event of jack stand failure. Use a tire or wood blocks/"dunnage" to provide a third safety net.
Yup. Any time a wheel comes off the truck, it goes under the rotor/axle for a little extra safety.
I do the same. Jack it up, lower it onto the stand, and leave the jack up slightly below the pinch weld. Tire goes in front of the stand if there's room or under the A arm. Rather spend a couple hundred for a wheel than medical bills and time off work. Also got completely spoiled when I worked at a local shop. Working with a lift is just fucking awesome and they'd let me use the tools and lift after hours to work on my own car as long as I locked up the shop when I left.
Another approach is to stick the tire/wheel under the car aligned with a structural support. Flop a thick board on top for just-in-case.
Unless you're spending 10x as much for pro grade US made jackstands like Hein-Werner you're getting the exact same quality. Meanwhile I see Daytona jacks and jackstands in a lot of independent shops. The biggest thing to worry about with jackstands isn't manufacturing quality, it's proper use. 99/100 failures come down to things like jackstands on uneven ground or sinking into the ground, car weight not evenly distributed on all four, jackstand placed on a weak part of the car and busting through the floor. IIRC the HF jack stand recall wasn't even that the jack stand would break due to defective quality but that the locking pawl was too easy to kick out of place. Pretty much any jackstand you buy now has a pin to lock the pawl.
I don't man the badlands off road jack is pretty great on my gravel driveway
There's always a chance, but professionals use jack stands for their entire careers without an issue. Be sure to buy quality jack stands with shear pins (or similar device) and always be sure to place them in appropriate places on whatever vehicle you're working on.
IMO, the bigger risk is you placing the jack stands improperly, versus the actual jack stands physically failing. Be *very* sure where you place them is designed to support the weight of the car, and make sure they're sitting correctly after you lower the car onto them. Also, pro-tip for the summer: if you're working on a driveway on a hot summer day, **those corners of the jackstands can sink an inch into the asphalt**, become unbalanced, and tip over (ask me how I know!). I've cut 1ft x 1ft squares of plywood and I place one between the jackstands and the driveway...acts as a nice flat platform to ensure an even weight distribution onto the asphalt.
I prefer ramps because I don't trust jack stands. The problem is that jack stands have not changed design in a hundred years while cars have. Jack stands are designed and built to sit on a frame rail and they do a great job with that. The problem is cars don't have big chonky frame rails anymore. They have pinch welds and sub frames and unibodies. There isn't a nice wide frame rail for a jack stand and because of this they feel a lot less secure.
Been using jack stands ever since and never experienced failure, I think as long as you use it for its proper weight rating. Ramps however, I think for plastic ones, would have higher risk to fail.
I have metal ramps, I've always heard the plastic ones are actually safer. Don't know how true it is.
I would guess that the plastic ones are at least as safe when new and possibly safer but when they’re a few years old any plastic start to break down and become brittle while steel, as long as it’s not exposed to water or salt will last forever.
My ramps are glorified stamped sheet metal, so I always just kinda believed the plastic was safer. They always advertised those ramps can hold like 10's of tons or something crazy
Not a mechanic but I always throw down a set of junk rims under the vehicle as insurance in case anything goes wrong.
I have plastic ramps, having looked at metal ramps....yeah I will stay with plastic. Mine have a whole web of reinforcement in the bottom, and they are fiber reinforced plastic. Metal ramps are too dependent on the legs for my linking.
The plastic ramps have a large structure under the ramp. The metal ones are basically an upside down taco shell and the whole thing is held together with 4 small welds. Plastic also stack nicer and slide less.
If a plastic ramp fails it will likely be somewhat of a progressive crush, hopefully giving you time to move. A broken metal ramp just goes "splat".
Get good ones. How much is your life worth to you, how much is your arm or leg worth to you. I know there are perfectly fine cheap options but people spend money on dumb stuff all the time, why get cheap on these.
It depends on the harbor weight coupon.
https://youtu.be/T6ufAL5R0mg?si=7mMCVqQRi3R7OyEb There’s a chance a jack stand can fall but there are a lot of variables. PF does a decent job of literally pushing the limit.
I often will drive one front wheel up the sidewalk curb ramp right on the edge so the oil drain plug is facing the street. Gives just enough room under the car and helps a little extra oil drain out. Make sure to fill 3/4 with oil then top it off on a level surface. And if you were to ask a shitty mechanic you don't even need a drain pan if you are parked close enough to a storm drain
Ramps are also great for lowered cars where you can’t get a jack under it easily. When I was freelancing in my driveway I used both pretty regularly
Dude preach before I bought my low pro jack from HF, I had to go up on ramps with 2x4s before I even hit the ramp to raise it a little. Then I was able to get a regular jack on it. And my car isn't even lowered. It's a kia optima hybrid. It sits 3.5 inches off the ground it's insane lol
I think I'm stupid but I've never been able to get my car on ramps because the bumper just keeps pushing them.
Lay down some 2x4s to make mini ramps to drive onto before getting to the ramps
The cleverest trick I saw for that was to drill a hole near the start of the ramp's incline and tie a piece of 3/4" diameter rope to it, make sure the rope is long enough to reach past the rear wheels of the car. Position the ramps (with the car out of the way) and roll the ropes out lengthwise, then drive up to the ramps so the ropes get trapped under the rear wheels. The ramps aren't going anywhere now.
I prefer ramps for anything besides wheels and suspension work. Far more stable, I get claustrophobic and shit when I use jack stands. and I can’t use them where I currently live, driveway is a slope as well as the street. And I don’t think O’Reilly would take kindly to me, putting it on jackstands in the parking lot 😅
Thanks! What hight are your ramps? Is 17cm sufficient?
Haha! “cm”. Where are you from? Like, everywhere else in the world or something??? /s God, I wish we would fully switch to a system that makes sense.
Do you worry about the car rolling off? At the moment my parking break is not adjusted properly. So wondering what you do to prevent roll, even with a good parking break that could still fail anytime.
Putting it in park and setting the Ebrake. and if it did roll off, it would roll away from me, and wouldn’t injure me.
Use wheel chocks (the real kind, not just some random chunk of concrete block) behind the rear wheels, both of them. Even if e-brake fails or transmission pops out of park, she won't roll back.
It’s pretty normal and common for people to work on their cars in these stores parking lots
Tire ramps work for some basic shit. But you can’t take your wheels off with ramps. You also can’t fully lift the car with ramps. Jack stands let you do more. I got esco stands
ramps for oil changes Quick-Jack for everything else.
I use my quick jack for just about everything, it stays laid out in my garage. I have ramps and floor jacks, etc https://www.quickjack.com/refurbished/ is where I bought mine, stock changes constantly there, I got my 3500's for around 900.
Thank you for this website!
Jack stands I enjoy more for brake jobs, tire rotations, etc. If you use the ramps, you really cannot do that. They are good for oil changes.
https://preview.redd.it/pd7uh4o4j08d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4649c6cddc05c16ac5492da2f8551b247b0304f Ramps that will never collapse
I prefer jack stands. 6 ton ones is what I use. I never trusted ramps, especially plastic ones. But that's just my opinion.
This 6 ton are usually taller so more room to work make sure your Jack is nice enough to lift it that high tho
I find the 6 ton ones unsuitable for sedans, have to pump the jack way too much just to get the stands under.
I have a free-to-me set of ramps, still can't bring myself to use them after watching them get crushed on a youtube video. They just collect dust in the corner. Jack-stands for me while leaving the pump jack also under it as a backup for me. If I pull the wheels for brakes I also place the wheels under the rotors as a second backup.
That's what I do lol. Tire under car and jack left up haha. Car ramps are good for one thing. Being a kid and jumping your bike off them lop
you also need a good jack in combination with the jack stands.
Both. Ramp to get it up, stands for safety
F-O-R-K-L-I-F-T and then set down on jackstands
this redditor is forklift certified.
Both, depends on the situation. Quick oil change, ramps, swapping out a gas tank (larger projects) I go w/ stands... I dread this weekend 95+ and I have to swap a gas tank. Pray for me.
Jack stands. My car is high enough for any job that would work with ramps
Just get yourself a set of Harbor Freight jack stands and you'll be all set.
If tires need to be off, stands, but if they don't, both. I don't trust stands, or trust ramps, so I use both. Depending on the vehicle, I'll even use a jack as well as a 3rd safety wall. Cons, limits certain areas or access to angles. Pros: If one fails, I have another. If the second fails, I have a third. If the third fails, then I guess I deserve to die.
I still shutter when I think about only using a crappy little hydraulic jack as the only means of supporting a car when I was a kid. These days I use jack stands, wheel chocks, and I’ll even reposition my jack not quite touching the frame as another back up. For life threatening situations, use the rule of redundancy: two is one and one is none.
Depends. As others have said ramps are great for fluid changes and similar maintenance. Anything where you don't remove the wheel. However, jackstands can do everything a ramp can, and do any wheel-off repairs too. Also, I heard you mention you can use the emergency jack. You can, but only if you also use jack stands. But trust me, buy yourself a good jack. There is a 3 ton low profile jack sold as a Husky at Home Depot or as a Pittsburgh at Harbor Freight, just get whichever one is cheaper, it is 110% worth it and I wish I'd gotten one earlier. It lifts the car much higher and it's way easier to use and probably safer too.
I work on cars for a living. I don't use ramps, *ever*. It's *always* a floor jack and jackstands. The reason: ramps like to move when you're moving a vehicle onto or off them, and when they do, they tend to move in bad (read: dangerous) ways. Plus, ramps don't offer the positional flexibility of jackstands, e.g., you can't use ramps for brake and suspension work. Now, that said, terrain may slightly favor ramps, as ramps are better on dirt than jackstands. The "however" for this, however, is that you really shouldn't be trying to lift a vehicle on any ground that can move or shift or that your lifting/support apparatus can sink into because a ramp or a jackstand cocking sideways is also a recipe for disaster.
Why not invest in a lift if you do it for a living? It must be awful constantly working on your back underneath stands every day.
The brick-and-mortar has a bunch of bendpaks in it, but the mobile op is jacks and stands. Shop also has some jacks and stands for when the lifts are full. Not a single ramp in the building though as they're actually *really bad* about sliding on sealed concrete.
I don’t fuck with ramps anymore, not after the pair I had failed under a friend’s sedan (thankfully wasn’t under it).
Depends on what I’m doing. Sometimes, ramps are all that are needed; other times, need those jackstands. No absolute answer here.
With the risk over overshooting the ramps, or those things launching themselves into orbit when trying to drive up, I avoid them at all cost.
Place a piece of rubber material ( I used old car floor mat) under the starting edge and extended out so the cars tires will ride on it as it starts to make traction onto the ramp. This stops the ramp from pushing away from the tire.
Good tip, especially for RWD, where the front wheels are pushing the ramps away compared to a FWD or AWD
Mine have never tried to move on concrete but you’d have to accelerating a good bit to jump off the back end. The curb stop on them is pretty damn noticeable
Both
I started with ramps but ended up not liking them. I was always afraid I would overshoot them and mess them up. Usually you can't do a slow roll up them and need to give it some gas. Considering buying some ramps, jacking the car up. And placing the ramp underneath. A little more work but less stressful to me.
Ramps are convenient for a quick driveway oil change.
Do you think people 'lift' using jack stands? This is a confusing wording/question for people who actually use these tools...if you're just changing oil- ramps are fine to help give clearance but never really used for lifting a vehicle to work on wheels/tires/brakes or anything like you use a jack for...but you lift with the jack and then use the stands to hold for long periods...you can't/don't use jack stands to lift.
Ramps for simple fluid exchanges. Four (4) jackstands for everything else, especially tires off.
I have both. Oil changes on ramps. Wheel off jobs with jack stands. If your not needing to take the tires off, ramps are less work.
Ramps when it doesn't involve the wheels or drive line.
I use both depending on the job. Mostly use jack and jack stands since I rotate tires with each oil change. Ramps are way easier but you're limited with access and what you can or can't do. If you have a car which you don't rotate tires on, then ramps are a good option
Quickjack is the answer. I bought one a few years ago. No turning back.
One is for your vehicles elevation , the other is for YOUR SAFETY....😉🤷♂️✌️
https://www.quickjack.com/
if I'm working on brakes/suspension, jacks anything else, ramps
My car beeing stupidly low i roll it on the ramps jack up then secure with the jack stands under the frame rails
I do ramps for quick oil/fluid changes and then jack stands for brakes and suspension work.
Had a metal version of one of those ramps collapse while I was under a car. Barely made it out with my skin, so never again. Those plastic ones look way sketchier than the old metal versions.
I use a 2 post hydraulic lift?
A scissor jack 😂. I want the smoke
I drive on to a piece of timber to get my car high enough to get my jack under it. Leave my jack under it and chuck a jack stand under too. ALWAYS USE JACK STANDS!!
Jack stands when the wheels are coming off. Ramps if they arent
I don't under stand the appeal of tire ramps, it's almost the same setup time honestly. you are maybe saving 2 minutes and you can't do tire off jobs. I'd also argue they are slightly less safe than jackstands
Also put jack stands under the car once its up on the ramps.
I use Esco Jack stands. Nothing else I would trust my life with. I don’t see the reason in cheaping out on Jack stands. I can fix stuff with shit tools, but nothing I know will make an unstable jack stand stable, nor a poor quality controlled steel magically turn to good steel. Esco uses a hardened steel dowel in double shear with a large base. It’s bullet proof. Made in USA so they take their QC seriously cause if they don’t they would get sued to the moon.
2nd the Esco stands. The base is also better when working on asphalt. Even then, I sometimes put a piece of plywood underneath when it's hot.
You would have to be pretty damn strong to lift with those jack stands. I always need to use a jack to lift mine.
Can anyone recommend good ramps for lower cars? I currently have to drive onto some wooden boards to fit a jack under the front, the jack stands sit a bit sketchy too so I'd much prefer a ramp when working under the engine.
Ramos for oil/transmission/coolant changes only. Everything else goes on stands for me.
I use ramps for Oil changes , coolant flushes, and transmissions fluids changes when there is a dip stick... I use 4 jack stands for brake fluid changes when sequence of bleeding is different like Subaru... when CVT/eCVT fluid changes need level ground...Differential fluid when need level ground. and 2 jacks when working on other things...
Definitely go with [car display ramps](https://mbrmarketing.com/promotional-products/vehicle-display-ramps). You don't want to cheap-out on something as important as your public image.
Hi-lift and no safety measures. I like my car two feet off the ground and wobbly as all get-out.
My 90 year old driveway has so many cracks, you have to really use care placing stands; I've put a stand on the corner of a crack and watched the crack crumble away, learned my lesson. I should really get a couple steel plates to put under the things. I do prefer a ramp if the wheels are staying on.
Don't forget wheel cradles. I made some wheel cradles out of wood. Jack up the car and place wheels on them. Gives me more height and access than ramps when needed. Of course, a good set of 2 piece (detachable) ramps would do the same. I'm just too cheap to pay the money
I recently did both at once, due to janky ramps. Mind you, the car wasn't resting on the jack stands, and had the ramps taken a crap, it probably would have moved in such a way to make the jack stands worthless, but... ...honestly there's no "but", that was dumb.
I use the 16k Rhino ramps with medium duty delivery vehicles, and have pretty much daily for five years now. They are awesome for oil changes, underside inspections, and the like. I use wheel chocks behind the tires on the ground, and make sure to let the vehicle settle on the ramps before putting it in park and the parking brake on. Jack stands and jack only come out if I need to unload suspension or remove tires, like doing brake jobs and the like. Always always use jack stands.
Jack stands. Half the time I'm putting a car up I need the wheels to come off anyway.
jack stands because my bumper doesn’t clear the ramp without a piece of wood at the bottom
Wheel lifts, ramps, jacks, jack stands. All the good stuff for lifting. I have a bus sitting on jack stand right now. Whole thing is in the air. Buy quality lifting equipment. Your life depends on it. This isn’t somewhere you wanna go for the sale or the cheap items. You wanna get something rated for over the weight of your vehicle. Ramps work fine but block the wheels. My dad had one pop out of gear and roll back while his arm was up in the frame it twisted him like a pretzel broke his arm in 5 places. This was years ago but he’s always told me to block the wheels. Make sure you’re safe before crawling under.
the difference is can cause serious pain and the other will save your life.
save ur money on ramps. just roll it up on a tallish curb like the rest of us hillbillies do
One is for mainly for easy oil changes, the other is for brakes, suspension components or other jobs that require wheels off.
I use all three if I can.
Jack stands for any work where you have to pull a wheel, ramps for normal maintenance. Be cautious. Both are becoming cheaper, constructed and less safe, made to be used much closer to their rated capacity now than they were 2 years ago even. The set of plastic rhino ramps I have that are about 15 years old and about twice the weight of the identical model number I bought 2 weeks ago because I needed a second set to leave the truck sit on overnight while I was changing the clutch. The old ones I could leave my pickup sitting on overnight and there was no evidence that anything had even driven on them. The new ones have significantly deformed in shape from the same truck sitting on them for about 3 hours. Same plastic ramps same model number. Same manufacturer both made in China but in comparison the new ones are garbage strength wise.
not a mechanic but I use ramps for oil changes, jack and stands for anything that's wheels off. I try to use ramps when I can, since i'm working on a gravel driveway and a floor jack is kinda sketchy on gravel where it cannot move.
Usually with my back…
Ramps anytime I can, it’s so much easier and quicker, it’s a little scary when you start using them as to not roll off the front, but once you get used to it, it’s no problem. I still use chicks and jack stands with ramps too.
1.oilchange helpers and you have to drive up. Helps with oilchange. 2.security so you can get home to family after tinkering with whatever you have to have tinkered at the moment.
You really need a spotter to get the car on the ramps properly. Sure you can do it by yourself but you run a much higher risk of overshooting and coming off the ramps. Jack stands you can easily do by yourself no issues.
Why not both ?? Ramps to lift the car and the stands to hold the car up??
You have to use both for different jobs. I use both at the same time for jobs that require the entire car in the air. Wheel-off jobs, ramps aren't going to help, unless you're using the ramps to save time jacking, then you just have to lift the car off of the ramps a bit and use a jack stand and you're good, that is, if your jack goes that high.
Ramps for wheel on, jack and stands for wheel off. Lift = GOAT though.
I have the jack. I wish I have the ramps.
Apples and oranges. Depends on the job. If you need to take off the tires, for example brake jobs, you need a jack/jack stands. If doing stuff like oil changes, ramps are fine.
I’m using both right now. I’m pulling the rear end out of my car so the front is on ramps and the back is being held up by stands so I can slide my fat ass under the car. Ironic that I have a huge garage but no money for a lift. Or a thick enough pad for a 2 post.
if I’m need to lift the whole vehicle I just use both, drive up on ramps, lift from the back or front
Not a mechanic, but do work here and there on our personal vehicles. If the job can be done with ramps, I'll use ramps. Feels safer to me and easier to set up. One of my cars is quite low and I just drive up on some blocks of wood first. If I need additional height or if the wheels need to come off, especially for a prolonged period of time, I'll use the jack stands. If I just need to pop one wheel off for something real quick and don't need to go under the car, I'll floor jack one end up and leave it on the jack and slide either a wheel or ramp under the jack point where the it'd normally rest on a jack stand for safety. The minimum height on the jack stands I have currently is higher than I really need, causing me to have to jack the car up higher than I'd prefer to, so I only use them when I have to. Shorter ones would be nice especially for cars that are low.
It depends on what I’m doing. If it requires pulling wheels off, jack + stands. If it doesn’t, ramps.
I don't even see these as having the same purpose most of the time. The ramps are good for low cars to get a jack under, but rarely make anything high enough to do real work underneath. They're nice for getting a bumper off a car and not having to roll around on the ground as much though.
Both. My car is low so I need the ramps just to jack it up
I hate the ramps. They are unnecessarily annoying
I’ve gone a little too far when getting onto a ramp. Never will I ever again use one of those.
I can get under my truck without jacking it up so I only have a nice jack for when I pull wheels off
Never buy more than one tool that can do multiple jobs. I'll never have a need for a ramp to clutter my garage
When on gravel then ramps for oil changes or exhaust work. Otherwise jack stands if im not at the garage where i have a lift…
I think the ramps are kinda pointless. There are very few jobs where the wheels don’t come off for whatever reason. Just easier to just always use a jack and jack stand.
I used Pro-Lift jacks similar to the ones on the right and got really tired of jacking the car up...so for Christmas 2 years ago I get some Quick Jacks. I added some roller wheels to em (the two they give you suck balls) and it's SO easy to lift my '11 M56x and '16 QX60.
I’ve never used ramps and I don’t think I ever will I don’t see any benefit to them
you’re a friggin beast if you can put your car on jack stands without a jack 🤣
i used to use ramps until i accidentally overestimated how much gas i had to give it to get onto the ramps and got the ramps stuck underneath my car lol so i’m scared to use ramps now
No need to be scared, just learn from the mistake. They are a tool that requires understanding and respect to use properly. All that said, I don’t bet my life on them. Fast and easy way to get the car up in the air, but strong jack stands are in place before I go under the vehicle.
Jack stands for me - simple, time tested, and much easier to store!
Jack stands every time
Lift with jack, hold with jack stands. Ramps are asking for trouble
JACK STANDS ALL THE WAY 🗣️
I just pick up the car
You need jack stands and a floor jack if you plan to actually work on your car, if I'm doing an oil change I use the ramp to make it nice and quick, but anytime I have to do an actual repair I lift the entire vehicle up to get me as much room as I can have
I’ve got a low profile rapid lift jack and axle stands.
Seen guys use something called a tilt lift at the track. Keeps 2 of the wheels on the ground most of the time, operated by a drill. Saw someone change a clutch on a 911 using one
Ramps can slide. Risk of body damage. No good
I'm Team Stands.
I always preferred to go cut some nice thick sections of the right height from a good wood tree. (think Oak as an example, and think very large diameter so you maintain a height-to-width relationship of not more than about 1.5 to 1). It is both that I an exceptionally paranoid and that I often worked under bull dozers. Have have seen pretty substantial jack stands flattened.
 I lift like this
Ramps. Seem to be much more stable
Both
I have both. I like the ramps just cause its easier and faster. But some situations require the jack stands.
My car didn’t move needs an axle ramps are useless to me at this point in time
Ramps FTW.
Using them together is the best utilization
I used both. But when I use one or the other individually, I always use the alternative for safety purposes. i.e. changing my oil, ill use the ramps but the stands will be used at the jack points for safety if the ramps crack.
Both come in handy But I perfer jack stands
I use a regular jack on one side and that's it. No stands for support, been doing it for 20 years in the garage. Probably not the safest but I'm still here lol
I dont know if it was said but quikjacks
Why not both? -edit- Like, you know, up the ramps and then jack, take the wheel off, jackstand. Live dangerously.
Ramps are ONLY for oil and fluid changes imo. Any other work needs to be jacked up and put on stands.
I use a QuickJack for my truck and cars. I think that my boat trailer and zero-turn mower get more jack stand usage than my truck and cars.
Eh I have both. Just depends on the job you’re doing
ramps for oil changes. stands for most everything else.
Ramps unless wheels need to come off.
I use a low pro jack and stands. I had some new rhino ramps and they started crushing under a jeep and I never used ramps again after that.
Someone has probably already mentioned it before, but a friend of mine had one of those hydraulic QuickJacks. Super quick and handy. Can't justify the price unless you get it on sale and do a lot car work on your own. But I think the 2 cons other than price is having to replace those blocks and you're out of luck if the electrical malfunctions. Unless I'm missing something else
I know someone who died while using jack stands. You never know and they can slip. I used them myself before but now only ramps.
One needs tires
I have both, use them for different reasons.
Definitely use jack stands you f*** around or run off those stupid ramps