On the forums it seems like everyone has the mind set that a jack and jack stands are the best option, i would just like to clarify.

If i were going put my own mid pipe in/ change spark plugs/ anything under the car, which is really the best choice?

I feel a little safer under ramps personally, is there a difference or is it all preference.

 

Yes there is a difference.
Most likely the ramps you buy will be from China.
I don't trust them. They posion our pets put lead in children toys, lead in tooth paste plus all kinds of other ****.

They ramps you but won't be hardned steel. If there are they will be half *** and you could become flat as a pancake.

The jacks will be the same just make sure you have a good solid pin.

 

A muffler shouldnt charge you more then like $50 to change a midpipe... considering how easy it is doing it on a lift. At least that is what I was quoted. By yourself is gonna be much harder and much more time consuming.

 

I really want to get to know my car inside and out though, thats the problem.
Im still 16 and havent done any big projects to it yet, which is why i want to start. Ill def. have help with it though.

 

Oh... I see. Just make sure you use jack stands and if you have wooden blocks to use as a back up, you can put those as well. There's nothing really to get to know about an exhaust....Bolt on- Bolt off.

 

haha its that simple? someone was talking about a hangar, how does that work. sorry off topic.

 

....Hangar? Like for Airplanes?

 

LOL idk, this is what im told, didnt make sense to me either but there was a thread with the new mid pipes being sold and they said it did not come with one, and apparently your midpipe rattles without one.

Edit. scratch that............. hanger, apparently im dyslexic. lol

 

a hanger... thats welded onto the midpipe that helps support the midpipe in its place. Yes. HANGER. not HANGAR like plane hangars...lol... GOOD LUCK BRO. Just make it easier for yourself and pay to get it put on. You will be a lot happier.

 

its not a bolt off bolt on type of deal?

 

^look for a DIY. I am getting a headache and you are confusing me.

 

lol @ zumn

Sometimes, giving information is as difficult as it is to absorb it...


Tweek: check out the DIY forums, there should be a thread about it. BTW, i wish i could vouch for using those ramps, but i can't seem to get my car on one

 

funny how a seemingly simple thread became so...unnecessarily confusing.

Some people prefer jacks/stands, others prefer ramps.

Some people use both, or one or the other, depending on what job they're doing.

Everything pretty much is made from China.

Rhino Ramps are what I use, bought from a local autoparts store for fifty bucks. Very solid, I feel more comfortable under these than under stands. But stands are more verstatile in my opinion. My opinion, again.

It's a matter of preference.

hangars/hangers, jesus guys, we all know what he's talking about. Just get some lube spray and a flathead screwdriver, and basically pry the bent metal rods out of the squishy rubber things. Damn.

And to make this thread more off topic, you're sixteen and want to learn more about your car, so that creates a problem for you because you don't want to let someone else do a job which you want to do yourself even though you don't even know how to approach said job.

Read a book, stay in school.

 

lmao, i should have said i want hands on experience.

 

It also depends on the job you're doing. Ramps obviously won't work for a brake job as you need to be able to take off the wheels. Same with the spark plug change (at least if you want the easier way to do it) and suspension work. OTOH, ramps are fine for basic oil changes, transmission fluid changes and differential fluid changes.

 

Regardless of the solution you select, use multiple sources of propping up the car at the same time. That way if one item fails, or slips, the other is a backup.

I think it's a good idea have a jack regardless if you chose a jack stand or ramp. Let's say you're working on corner at a time. How do you do that effectively with a ramp? Additionally, smaller jacks may not raise the car enough to slip under a ramp.

 

You can easily make a ramp by just using some planks like that other guy from the mustang forum did. Only downside i see is it requires a large space to store it when u don't need it and when you need to transport it somewhere else.

 

I typically go with the heavier rated Rhino ramps anytime I don't need to remove the wheels. Otherwise I go with stands (I have Duralast non-ratcheting, but most are the same). I also use inexpensive rubber chocks from Harbor Freight.

For oil changes I use the ramps (given religous 3k changes I'm not concerned with rocking out add'l oil).

For sparkplug changes I use a stand since removing the wheel is best.

For exhaust line I use the ramps for the front wheels and stands for the rear to give me added room to work (although if you can get access to a lift that is really best for exhaust work). I run the fronts up on the ramps and then central-jack at the diff'l fins with stands ready to slip under the outboard rails. A good low-clearance "race" jack is handy.

 

Huey just perfectly described the individual and combined versatility of ramps and jacks/stands. He even has the same setup as me. Rhino Ramps , 8000lb for me, and Duralast stands 2Ton with the pins. I hate the ratcheting stands, I trust a pin much more.

 

Isn't that how a lot of us learned?

FWIW, I vote for stands. Over the years I've had work done at small shops that did not have a lift. Those places always used stands, never ramps. Same thing watching professional race teams work on their cars.

Ken

 

I much more trust stand-pins than ratchets as well. Safety is about reducing unsafe variables not adding them.

 

I vote for stands also.... they offer more flexibility. Ramps may be easier for some jobs, but aren't suited to others, while jack stands are pretty much good for any job (minus dropping the transmission or something where LOTS of under car clearance is needed and special jack stands are needed)

But ramps would be good for oil changes...., meh, I still vote for jack stands.

 

Here's a few times i've learned when using ramps. Yes, I learned them the hard way:

1. Don't use the ramps on the drive tires imo..lol

PS: ESPECIALLY on a slick driveway
PS2: OR a FWD

2. I wouldn't make my own ramps, there's definitely some reputable places to buy ramps that don't suck

3. Don't die

 

I don't understand the exclusive either-or of stands or ramps in this thread. Use the tool that's best for the situation. Use one or the other or both together if that's best. They're not so expensive, nor take up so much storage room, that you can't have both.

 

The car seems low enough that ramps could be a problem; though I guess people are getting it done. Whenever I've used ramps in the past I've always got this fear I'm gonna drive off the end or the sides. I'm sure it's an unreasonable fear but I find jacks and stands work fine. You'll probably get more working room with a ramp though.