I'm going to change my plugs/coils/wires and am going to need to get under the car. I like the idea of getting ramps instead of a hydraulic jack - it's cheaper and seems easier.

Anyone see any issues with this? My main thought is that the RX8 being so low it won't clear the ramp driving up on to it.

Thoughts?

 

Use a jack and put stands underneath for support. You'll find it easier to change the plugs if you remove the front driver side tire!
But, if you're comfy with it, and have small hands, ramps are fine. I have the stock bumper, and I've had no issues going up ramps. Just make sure you chock the rear tires for safety!

 

I know someone who had a car fall on him using jacks, and my wife know's someone who's fiance died the same way. I'm a bit leary of using jacks.

 

put your wheels under the car if you put it on jackstands for extra insurance

for heavens sake dont go under there without jackstands.

 

Thanks for making NEVER want to jack up my car again

 

Jackstands, I use jack stands with a 3 ton rating. I feel much safer under these than some ramps.

 

There is a reason why scissor jacks are called widow makers. NEVER GO UNDER A CAR THAT IS SUPPORTED ONLY BY A JACK. I am pretty sure that my jacks even say this right on them.

 

Yeah nice eh? My brother is the person I know who did it. Thankfully he just screwed up his shoulder and nothing more.

I wouldn't do it without jack stands. But honestly I don't expect to get under the car very often so a hydraulic jack seems a bit spendy. Plus I don't have a garage and woud have to haul the jack out of the basement whenever I'd want to use it. Ramps just seem easier.

 

if you have jack stands youll be fine. The ramps are going to get in the way quite a bit. I would only use them for oil changes.

 

Ramps won't help you if you have to remove the tires.

 

Yeah I guess a jack and stands is a better idea. That's what I'll do.

Ordered the plugs/wires/coils today. Should be fun doing it in the NH cold. I'll have to find a dry patch of ground somewhere in my driveway.

 

get you one of those little under the car scooters. jack the old girl way up in the air and have fun!

 

I've worked under my car like 100 times.

but one time, I was lazy as **** that day but I need to do some quick oil change. So what I did was I jack it up one side, put a jack stand there, then go to the other side, I was like meh i will just need to break the bolt loose how long can that take, I should be fine, so I just jack the car up and went straight to try to break it loose. before I even have a chance to touch the bolt, the jack fall off (slip, actually) and the car came down. ******* scared the **** out of me, if I dont have a jackstand on one side, 99.9999999% chance I be dead.

So after that incident. I always ALWAYS use Jackstand, 4 at all corners plus 2 in the middle for "just in case" support.

So NEVER NEVER NEVER use Jack as support, ALWAYS use a jackstand.

As for Ramp vs Jackstand, I have both, sometimes I use Ramp for oil changes, but I still always put 2 jackstand on the side for support.

Remember no matter how much you love your 8 or any car, its still a piece of metal with at least 2-3 tons above your head. so it's better be safe than dead.

 

You can use a jack if you need to raise one corner and you're not going to get under it. That's what you do when you change a flat tire. But even then, make sure the parking brake is set firmly and you've got room behind you if it does topple.

When I use jack stands, I always give the car a test shove before getting under it to make sure it's stable.

Ken

 

Proper placement is also key. Learn where to, and where not to place jacks or jack stands. We left for lunch one day and a guy I used to work with named tobby had just put a corvette up on a lift. He had worked with us for about two weeks at that point. When we came back from lunch the corvette had fallen off the lift. Mainly because he used points on the frame, but not the proper lifting points. Its important to learn the correct spots to put jack stands and to jack a vehicle from! Just because you put a jack stand there, doesn't mean that part of the car is strong enough to support the pinpoint of weight. If the stand slips, or punches through that part of the car its just as dangerious.

 

Where are the proper placements?

 

this is what i thought too, but ramps were just a pain in the *** to use.
i dont have a garage either, but most of the car stuff is in a shed.

first of all, when i was stock height, i barely cleared the ramps, but now i dont think i would be able to use those ramps [gave them away] especially with a lip.

also since my 8 is a manual, it seems like such a steep incline for a very short distance. there were times when i was trying to get up on the ramp and they slid. they even had rubber feet on them.

i decided to get a low profile jack instead. much easier. just use proper points on the frame to jack it up. i also use a jack stand as well to hold it up.

but when i do oil changes, or plugs, i only jack up the left side, a lot easier than using a ramp, thats for sure. plus you get more dirty oil out that way.

 

I did some work on the car and thought I'd share my experience with a new set of cuzco ramps I tried.

Due to the long front overhang normal rhino ramps are too steep, and throwing a straight cut 2x6 in front typically takes numerous tries (at least for me) to get up without things sliding forward. So I just got a set of cuzco ramps which are fairly low, but JUST high enough that I can fit my floor jack under the front (my car is lowered and has smaller diameter tires). The leading edge is super thin (hopefully it won't break too easily) which prevents it from moving as the tire hits. They are also 2-piece, so the portion behind the tire can be removed for easy access to the side jack point. Pricey for what they are ($80+) but for how often I need my car on ramps I feel it's a good purchase as long as they hold up for a few years. Here's a link which also shows the dimensions: CUSCO Jack-Assist Ramp Set - New Information from Cusco USA

 

I always use jackstands with 2 jacks and a wheel chucked under for good measure. I was under a car working when the nylon went on factory supplied jack and left about 2 cm clearance to my chest because i happened to be working on a slight slope, if ground was level it would have almost certainly crushed me. Call it overkill but it's a horrible situation to be stuck in even if you are lucky enough to not get crushed as it seems like an eternity for somebody to come and release you time they find another jack, that was the worst bit, not the actual car dropping.