Car Ramps

[clivvy]

im planning to do some cleaning up of the underside of the maverick-removal of rusty/dirty bits and eventually treatment. To make life easier, id like to use my car ramps, but unsure if they are suitable. I bought them from Halfords years ago for my Mazda MX6, but couldnt get the mazda up them (too low) so packed them away. Is there a certain load rating for car ramps?

and my next stupid question is, any good tips for driving the car up the ramps? its not something ive done much before (i recall driving up ramps one time years ago), last i tried i just kept pushing the ramps away!

then, whats a quick and easy way off applying soem udnersealent, can i use some sort of spray, or does it HAVE to be painted on by brush? planning to waxoyl...

 

[zippy656]

for the ramps.

fix a long tow strop to each ramp, lonall wheels to be on it, then drive up. the ramps cant move and tied to the strops that are under the car.

you can use a spray gun, shults or the like

 

[Peasgood]

A length of carpet doubled over through the bottom rung on the ramps. Once the wheel is on the carpet it can't "skate" away from the car.

 

[tezzer]

put vehicle in 4 wheel drive low range and it will pull up easily,

do you have a compressor? or can you borrow one, and a spray gun, use waxoyl to treat the underside of truck. :thumb2

 

[clivvy]

great ideas guys id never have thought of the carpet trick or even 4x4 doh!

i dont have any carpet but if i cant do it using 4x4 ill find some other thick material, great idea that.

i cant get hold of a compressor, my mate has one but i think its a bit too big for this sort of task...i take it though when i do come to spray i just litterally spray the waxoyl on as if it was an aerosol, covering everything??

i alwasy wonder what a mechanic thinks when he has to remove drop links and such like, when its all covered in waxoyl!?

 

[macabethiel]

underseal

I waxoyled my R3mR using the aerosol cans only took five cans to do all the underside.

Previously I have bought the 5 litre can of waxoyl and used a garden spray to apply it. I have found that the garden sprayers only last a couple of uses so I go for the cheapest.

The waxoyl spray gun kit that waxoyl make is OK especially if your rustrproofing inside sills and door and it does last for a few years if you clean it thoroughly with white spirit but they aint as cheap as a garden spray.

I use the ones that Wilkos & Aldi sell they are 2 litres or so in size and you pump them up not the trigger only type.

 

[jims-terrano]

1st Gear low Box gives you stacks of control. A helping hand from a club member a few miles away is usually available too:thumbs could even do two birds or trucks with one stone:thumb2

Jim

 

[briggie]

or even 3 trucks :augie:sly

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

if your using waxoyl stand it in a bucket of very hot wwater for a while first, even the aresols perform better if you warm them up. If your spraying it you can thin it with a little white spirits, but to be honest i wouldn't use a borrowed spray gun as i might ruin it. The parafin type guns are best but you need to get it hot and thin.

 

[jims-terrano]

if your using waxoyl stand it in a bucket of very hot wwater for a while first, even the aresols perform better if you warm them up. If your spraying it you can thin it with a little white spirits, but to be honest i wouldn't use a borrowed spray gun as i might ruin it. The parafin type guns are best but you need to get it hot and thin.

You'll need a bloody big bucket for a terrano:lol:lol:lol

 

[clivvy]

Jim -great idea!
Briggie - great idea!!

Plank - great idea!! actually, very good tip there and it makes sense.

jim, will get in touch about this, so if you want to get together and help each other out, sounds good to me!

 

[Peasgood]

if your using waxoyl stand it in a bucket of very hot wwater for a while first.

Make sure you take the lid off first.
If you don't it will explode waxoil everywhere. Guess how I know this. :doh

 

[clivvy]

You'll need a bloody big bucket for a terrano:lol:lol:lol

ha ha!

 

[clivvy]

Make sure you take the lid off first.
If you don't it will explode waxoil everywhere. Guess how I know this. :doh

oh no! tell u what, id have left the lid on!!

 

[rustic]

For the ramps, I have placed 56lb weights in front of each ramp, BUT from now on I will use the carpet or strop idea, less messing around.
The last time I used the ramps in the garage I placed a long timber in front of the two ramps then 2 lengths of wood from the wall to stop the wood and ramps moving. You need to ensure that you go far enough up the ramp, so another person can stop you at the right point, and you don't want to overshoot them.:doh

As for the strength of the ramps..... who knows.
My uncle once warned me years ago that if you use ramps that are rusty, that the welds could fail. I would also use axle stands in suitable positions just in case. Remember most of the weight of these trucks is on the front axle.

 

[Jocky]

If you haven't bought the waxoyl yet. Do a google for Dinatrol as its better than waxoyl.

:thumb2

 

[larson]

Remember most of the weight of these trucks is on the front axle.

so why not reverse up as you wont be doing much around the engine bay. i would put cardnoard down so you dont get waxoil all over the drive, and just drive straight up the ramps.. i find you just need to make sure there inline..

larson

 

[clivvy]

so why not reverse up as you wont be doing much around the engine bay. i would put cardnoard down so you dont get waxoil all over the drive, and just drive straight up the ramps.. i find you just need to make sure there inline..

larson

dunno...im fairly sure ill need to do the front end (as you saw) but yeah, ill do one half reveresed up, and one half forward!

 

[jims-terrano]

Make sure you take the lid off first.
If you don't it will explode waxoil everywhere. Guess how I know this. :doh

This could be an advantage, place bucket and tin of Waxoil under car:naughty you get the picture:augie

Jim

 

[clivvy]

i like any idea that saves time!