How do you get under your car?
10-30-07, 07:25 PM
#1
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How do you get under your car?
Just curious how other people get under the back end of their 7's.
My rams have a lip on the front to help keep the car on there that is just barely too high to get under the side skirts so I have to back mine up the ramps.
Or what kind of ramps do you have that don't have the lip? I haven't see any without one for a while now.
My rams have a lip on the front to help keep the car on there that is just barely too high to get under the side skirts so I have to back mine up the ramps.
Or what kind of ramps do you have that don't have the lip? I haven't see any without one for a while now.
10-30-07, 07:43 PM
#2
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i just kind of slide under the car and use a jack but the back end in the air but i think im kind of smaller then most. not that i try to be i just kind of happened.
10-30-07, 11:05 PM
#7
I Jack my car up from the side just like they do in NASCAR. I have a rust/crash repair that sits under the cage members in front of door on both sides that I use. The area just in front of the rear lower control arm is pretty sturdy too. My racecar is much lower than a street car so I have to use a Harbor Freight racing jack to get under it.
If I want to get it really off the ground I jack up the first side as high as I can and put stands under the frame rails. Then I go to the opposite side and raise it as high as I can - which is higher than the first side - then set it on stands. Then I go around to first side and raise it up to level the car.
It is important that you use good jack stands - not the three legged stamped steel POS stands that kill people - and a good floor jack on a clean floor. Never rush this process or we will be reading about you in the Darwin Awards.
If I had a street car I would put the floor jack under the frame rail near the front of the car and lift from there. NEVER try and lift an RX7 from the center of the frame rail (center of the door) as you will crush it.
If I want to get it really off the ground I jack up the first side as high as I can and put stands under the frame rails. Then I go to the opposite side and raise it as high as I can - which is higher than the first side - then set it on stands. Then I go around to first side and raise it up to level the car.
It is important that you use good jack stands - not the three legged stamped steel POS stands that kill people - and a good floor jack on a clean floor. Never rush this process or we will be reading about you in the Darwin Awards.
If I had a street car I would put the floor jack under the frame rail near the front of the car and lift from there. NEVER try and lift an RX7 from the center of the frame rail (center of the door) as you will crush it.
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10-31-07, 12:30 AM
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10-31-07, 09:58 AM
#11
I trust my jack more than I do my stands, but yea you might wanna use a stand or two just in case 
I jack the front by the crossmember, and the rear putting the jack under the pumpkin. Usually leave the weight on the jack and put stands under the frame rails as a precaution.
I jack the front by the crossmember, and the rear putting the jack under the pumpkin. Usually leave the weight on the jack and put stands under the frame rails as a precaution.
10-31-07, 11:36 AM
#13
perfect! i was just about to start a thread on where to get some decent ramps and i saw this. so here goes ...
i use jack stands when working on the Rx-7. depending on what i need to do, i may use spare wheels or cinder blocks, but most times the jack stands are safe and sufficient enough.
and now for my question ...
can anyone offer any suggestions as to where i could get a good pair of ramps? all the local stores either have these new plastic ones (none of them are high enough) or have none at all. i want the older metal ones that raise the car a decent height off the ground. i resigned myself to getting them online now and the only place i've found them is JC Whitney. they're like $100 and i was thinking off keeping it to $60 or less. i NEED a pair. i have to get my MR2 out of here by the holiday season.
anyone have any ideas or sources, please let me know. thanks.
i use jack stands when working on the Rx-7. depending on what i need to do, i may use spare wheels or cinder blocks, but most times the jack stands are safe and sufficient enough.
and now for my question ...
can anyone offer any suggestions as to where i could get a good pair of ramps? all the local stores either have these new plastic ones (none of them are high enough) or have none at all. i want the older metal ones that raise the car a decent height off the ground. i resigned myself to getting them online now and the only place i've found them is JC Whitney. they're like $100 and i was thinking off keeping it to $60 or less. i NEED a pair. i have to get my MR2 out of here by the holiday season.
anyone have any ideas or sources, please let me know. thanks.
10-31-07, 12:29 PM
#14
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perfect! i was just about to start a thread on where to get some decent ramps and i saw this. so here goes ...
i use jack stands when working on the Rx-7. depending on what i need to do, i may use spare wheels or cinder blocks, but most times the jack stands are safe and sufficient enough.
and now for my question ...
can anyone offer any suggestions as to where i could get a good pair of ramps? all the local stores either have these new plastic ones (none of them are high enough) or have none at all. i want the older metal ones that raise the car a decent height off the ground. i resigned myself to getting them online now and the only place i've found them is JC Whitney. they're like $100 and i was thinking off keeping it to $60 or less. i NEED a pair. i have to get my MR2 out of here by the holiday season.
anyone have any ideas or sources, please let me know. thanks.
i use jack stands when working on the Rx-7. depending on what i need to do, i may use spare wheels or cinder blocks, but most times the jack stands are safe and sufficient enough.
and now for my question ...
can anyone offer any suggestions as to where i could get a good pair of ramps? all the local stores either have these new plastic ones (none of them are high enough) or have none at all. i want the older metal ones that raise the car a decent height off the ground. i resigned myself to getting them online now and the only place i've found them is JC Whitney. they're like $100 and i was thinking off keeping it to $60 or less. i NEED a pair. i have to get my MR2 out of here by the holiday season.
anyone have any ideas or sources, please let me know. thanks.
.My plastic ones are a little older so they have a good 2 foot clearance or more. Enough for me to do minor work, if I ever need to do something big I'm hoping my girlfriend uncle will let me use his lift.
He just got this badass one put in, it's got 4 stands that the wheels sit on instead of having cross bars for stability because he's been tearing out entire drive systems in old porches and replacing them with electric motors.
10-31-07, 01:39 PM
#15
that sounds cool. one day i'm hoping i can have a shop - with a decent lift.
anyway, i need as much clearance and stability as possible because it's the only way i'm getting the motor out of this thing here at my house. the jackstands are just not going to cut it for this job.
anyway, i need as much clearance and stability as possible because it's the only way i'm getting the motor out of this thing here at my house. the jackstands are just not going to cut it for this job.
10-31-07, 01:45 PM
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Originally Posted by diabolical1
depending on what i need to do, i may use spare wheels or cinder blocks, but most times the jack stands are safe and sufficient enough.
Sacrilege!
10-31-07, 02:15 PM
#17
perfect! i was just about to start a thread on where to get some decent ramps and i saw this. so here goes ...
i use jack stands when working on the Rx-7. depending on what i need to do, i may use spare wheels or cinder blocks, but most times the jack stands are safe and sufficient enough.
and now for my question ...
can anyone offer any suggestions as to where i could get a good pair of ramps? all the local stores either have these new plastic ones (none of them are high enough) or have none at all. i want the older metal ones that raise the car a decent height off the ground. i resigned myself to getting them online now and the only place i've found them is JC Whitney. they're like $100 and i was thinking off keeping it to $60 or less. i NEED a pair. i have to get my MR2 out of here by the holiday season.
anyone have any ideas or sources, please let me know. thanks.
i use jack stands when working on the Rx-7. depending on what i need to do, i may use spare wheels or cinder blocks, but most times the jack stands are safe and sufficient enough.
and now for my question ...
can anyone offer any suggestions as to where i could get a good pair of ramps? all the local stores either have these new plastic ones (none of them are high enough) or have none at all. i want the older metal ones that raise the car a decent height off the ground. i resigned myself to getting them online now and the only place i've found them is JC Whitney. they're like $100 and i was thinking off keeping it to $60 or less. i NEED a pair. i have to get my MR2 out of here by the holiday season.
anyone have any ideas or sources, please let me know. thanks.
10-31-07, 02:26 PM
#18
anyway, thanks Doc. i will check on who can order one for me, even if it has to be NAPA.
10-31-07, 02:37 PM
#19
well that sucks. i've been to several local auto parts places, exluding NAPA (it's a personal thing), and no one has ever mentioned being able to order them when i bitched about them only having plastic. seems common sense to a salesperson should have made me aware of that ...
anyway, thanks Doc. i will check on who can order one for me, even if it has to be NAPA.
anyway, thanks Doc. i will check on who can order one for me, even if it has to be NAPA.
Most car ramps only have a maximum raise height of around 7-8 inches. This may be because of saftey standards.
If you really want to know what is out there then look up the local number for the snap on guy, proto, or matco tools. Maybe they can give you some better insight.
10-31-07, 02:49 PM
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11-01-07, 06:13 PM
#22
While I do use a floor jack and stands in the shop, I also built a 4X12' hole in the floor and have a pit. Shop has a basement. Pit turned ou to be the best mod to the shop I incorporated in the design when I built it. Eat your hearts out, lol.
11-01-07, 07:01 PM
#23
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I use plastic Rhino ramps (and they do a damn good job!) , or a jack and jackstands depending on what kind of work I'm doing. If I need added clearance, jacks and jack stands. Simple work, Rhino ramps.
11-01-07, 08:50 PM
#24
Here's my low tech backyard gravel drive solution to jacking it up for extended repairs:
I'm fixing up some body problems and other maintenance on this one.
I knew I guy who got killed by a car that slipped off its jacks during some back yard work, so I'm pretty careful about making sure its secure before starting to work.
I'm not worried about the cinder blocks, a 1st gen 7 isn't that heavy and I use blocks in good shape with pieces of plywood in between to defocus the pressure. I've popped a few while jacking up the house to do some foundation work but that was a lot more pressure than the car is making.
When using the ramps, to keep the front end from scraping, I put a 4-5 ft. piece of 2x10 on each of the old metal ramps (I'd be happen with the plastic ones, no rust, but these are still functioning).
I'm fixing up some body problems and other maintenance on this one.
I knew I guy who got killed by a car that slipped off its jacks during some back yard work, so I'm pretty careful about making sure its secure before starting to work.
I'm not worried about the cinder blocks, a 1st gen 7 isn't that heavy and I use blocks in good shape with pieces of plywood in between to defocus the pressure. I've popped a few while jacking up the house to do some foundation work but that was a lot more pressure than the car is making.
When using the ramps, to keep the front end from scraping, I put a 4-5 ft. piece of 2x10 on each of the old metal ramps (I'd be happen with the plastic ones, no rust, but these are still functioning).
i've also used the 2x6 with ramps. the 8" cement block work with no problems when placed right with the opening up(see pic), and a board on top. the block is weaker when layed the other way, and WILL break.