What is everyone using to perform work under their Z, Drive up ramps or a jack. If Rhino Ramps, what brand is preferred?

Thanks

 

jack stands, alot of the work Ive done thus far was through the wheel well, which is far easier to take out if the suspension is extended, only accomplished by jack stands.

I did get under the car while it was on jack stands, but I would feel safer if it had been on ramps, or if Id atleast had the proper mounts.

 

Thanks ares! So you feel that Ramps are safer?

 

The best way to raise up the car without a lift is to jack up the car and leave it up with the jack but place stands under the car in the right palces... I Have had a jack fail while I was under a car.. and the stands kept the car up...

The ramps are fine for oil changes but not muck else....

Get a good jack and a nice set of stands and they will offer much more utility then any set of ramps

 

I've got both a floor jack w/stands, and ghetto ramps

The problem with using my floor jack is that the jack I've got won't go under the car without driving it up on something first to give it a couple inches of clearance.

 

yeah, I actually use the regular jack they gave us to lift the car, then jack stands. if you do use a floor jack, you gotta use the regular jack anyway to lift it like half way up.

I would feel safer under the car if it were on ramps, its not going anywhere, assuming its solidly on the ramps, flat ground, blocks behind the wheels, ect ect, it WILL NOT fall.

but you only get like 5", which brings the total to like a whoping 9" of clearance. jack stands can go as high as 16"(atleast mine can) assuming you need that much space. for something, never know, more flexability.

 

Uh, "Rhino Ramps" is the brand. They are great for oil changes and simple stuff underneath, and I highly recommend them. $30 for the pair. Easy to stand up on the big end to store off to the side.

WayneTN

 

I used to do all of the under car stuff on my last car using a jack and jack stands and I always had that "what-if" thought in the back of my mind. Ramps will definitivelty give you a more secure feeling especially if you need to get way under the car for exhaust, etc. but you will lose the height that you can get with jack stands. If you do go the jack/stands route I would never consider the factory jack, it's just to flimsy.

 

I use factory jack to lift the car.

NEVER NEVER NEVER put any part of your body under a car thats held up in any way by ANY form of jack, factory or otherwise.

I use factory jack to lift the car, then I let it down onto jack stands.

 

I needed something with an even lower grade increase thanks to my car being dropped (Eibach Pro Kit) so when I stumbled (literally) onto a small pile of ~10 "screwed up" PT 2 X 10s (8 feet long) for $20 I couldn't pay for it quick enough. Total ramp is 6 feet long with each step decreasing 1 foot. After only going up halfway, I couldn't believe how much room there was under the car! Each ramp weighs about 50 lbs and they are extremely solid. The tires still had a little room on either side of the ramp although it will be interesting to see what happens now that I have upgraded my front rims to 20 X 9! BTW I did put a brick behind each front tire and a "block" behind each rear wheel.

If MannishBoy's ramps are "ghetto ramps" then I guess these should be called "skid row ramps".

 

I agree. NEVER use factory jack to prop up the car. ALWAYS use jackstands, and put the tire under the car as a backup measure. Once a factory jack collapsed during a brake job and I almost had my legs chopped off. phew.. thank goodness I was taking a cigarette break.

As for the ramps vs jacks, it shouldnt be a choice. You should use both. There's no need to use jack/jackstands for simple stuff like oil changes and etc, but for spring jobs and such, jackstands are necessary.

 

Has anyone bought or found adapters to allow jack stands to be placed under the normal lifting spot on the Z that has a notch that sticks down and would be bent on jack stands unless you have an adapter?

 

I need to jack up each corner of the car so I can remove the wheel and apply some liquid fatmat for soundproofing inside the wheel well. I hope to do this next weekend on all 4 corners, one corner at a time.

Can someone give a detailed description of where to place the jackstands, front and rear? Thanks.

 

there are 2 points between the tires. one near each tire, but they are both towards the inside of the car, if you get down and look youll see a lip, and near the tires youll see 2 indents in the lip, the jack goes right between those indents. if your letting it down onto jack stands, move the jack over a bit(keeping it on the lip the) so that you can put the car down onto the jack stands in the proper location.

my jack stands have a u shape cup, not the perfect fit, but it gives the ridge room so it doesnt get crushed. I havent found the adaptor yet tho.

 

There's a diagram in this thread or you can just click here for a picture.

 

Yup, that's perfect, thanks a bunch!