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Man, I'm getting old I guess..
I've got a starter to replace in my 74'
I've got a decent floor jack, and jackstands: ramps are out because, well you can guess..
Not even room to have my body 90 degrees un der the thing...
I got the last starter in ok, but when shims were added to the equation, it seems to have compounded the discomfort factor..
It's so frustrating to get a bolt where it needs to be...then, the shim floats to the side...then the other bolt drops...rinse & repeat
ugh!
At one point, I thought, "hey...what if I push it up the ramps with my SUV?"
But, there's no 'push point' that wouldn't really screw up some paint & body
Well, thanks for commiserating... I can feel yer sympathy over the net..
I have old fashion steel ramps. Love 'em, but still pretty low profile. So, I bought a pair 2 x 12, 10 ft long. I cut it in half with 45* bevel cut on the ends of the board.
Using careful measuring, glue and construction screws I made a pair of helper ramps by stacking two boards on top of each other with a bevel end for the tire to roll up.
Then I secured my steel ramps on top of the wood ramps. What a difference that extra 3" thickness makes under the old ramps.
Basically, I have a 30 inch long steel ramp sitting on top of a 40 inch wood ramp sitting on a 50 inch long wood ramp. Front tire climbs three levels,
Lots of room under the front of car now. And I know stacked, glued & screwed 2 X 12s will not break. Might have $25 into it.
Just that three inches higher makes all the difference in the world when pulling starters, PS repair, oil change, etc.
Last edited by HeadsU.P.; Oct 25, 2023 at 05:29 PM.
I have old fashion steel ramps. Love 'em, but still pretty low profile. So, I bought a pair 2 x 12, 8 ft long. I cut it in half with 45* bevel cut on the ends of the board.
Using careful measuring, glue and construction screws I made a pair of helper ramps by stacking two boards on top of each other with a bevel end for the tire to roll up.
Then I secured my steel ramps on top of the wood ramps. What a difference that extra 3" thickness makes under the old ramps.
Basically, I have a 30 inch long steel ramp sitting on top of a 40 inch wood ramp sitting on a 50 inch long wood ramp. Front tire climbs three levels,
Lots of room under the front of car now. And I know stacked, glued & screwed 2 X 12s will not break. Might have $25 into it.
Just that three inches higher makes all the difference in the world when pulling starters, PS repair, oil change, etc.
I get that, & it sounds great.
Sadly, I'm looking at a car that isn;t running..
:O
If you are careful, you can lift each end of the car with a single jack. Lift it just a bit to put some 2x8s under the wheels (or wheel casters, which give you a bit of height, and let you roll it around a concrete floor). Then lift the other end onto your ramps. Or jackstands.
Use wood to protect the front crossmember (and jack from the edge), and use a splitter to raise by the steel spring across the exhaust, or directly from the differential (if the exhaust doesn't meet under the spring).
If you are careful, you can lift each end of the car with a single jack. Lift it just a bit to put some 2x8s under the wheels (or wheel casters, which give you a bit of height, and let you roll it around a concrete floor). Then lift the other end onto your ramps. Or jackstands.
Use wood to protect the front crossmember (and jack from the edge), and use a splitter to raise by the steel spring across the exhaust, or directly from the differential (if the exhaust doesn't meet under the spring).
I tried to lift onto ramps last night, & found out how short the jack came... but I wonder if I used some wood, if I could make up the height..
hmmm
btw, wood floor , old garage..
I tried to lift onto ramps last night, & found out how short the jack came... but I wonder if I used some wood, if I could make up the height..
hmmm
btw, wood floor , old garage..
I'm thinking it's time to dig a pit, what kind of wood floor do you have Planks ? which direction do they run.
I don't know if a wood floor is a bad idea most likely warmer, most of the oil soaks in.My rough broomed concrete or a gravel sucks = simple as that. I am done with that crap
I broke down or at least spent the money on a 4 post, can't express the difference, work on 1 area find you are missing something, lower it go work on a
different. area, so much better, added a roof that raises with the platform, actually is paying for itself in just time now that I'm sitting here
I tried to lift onto ramps last night, & found out how short the jack came... but I wonder if I used some wood, if I could make up the height..
hmmm
btw, wood floor , old garage..
That sounds really unsafe.
Unless you have Yoda to lift your car out of the swamp, consider having it towed to somewhere with a lift.
Unless you have Yoda to lift your car out of the swamp, consider having it towed to somewhere with a lift.
Don't point-load wood with a jack.
Maine, garage could be sitting right on top of a huge Granit rock, or a house over a lake.
and I think Yoda does hang around that area, who needs jacks or ramps.
Yoda is the best part
I'm thinking it's time to dig a pit, what kind of wood floor do you have Planks ? which direction do they run.
I don't know if a wood floor is a bad idea most likely warmer, most of the oil soaks in.My rough broomed concrete or a gravel sucks = simple as that. I am done with that crap
I broke down or at least spent the money on a 4 post, can't express the difference, work on 1 area find you are missing something, lower it go work on a
different. area, so much better, added a roof that raises with the platform, actually is paying for itself in just time now that I'm sitting here
a lift...wow, I just cannot even imagine how convenient that must be..
it is a pain.
jack that is low enough to get under frame.
then small area for jack stand and jack to lift safely without bending frame.
while running out of lift amount
mine is up on 4 stands now..
takes time and effort
Spent the better part of this evening crawling under, back out, back under, back out of my 77 .
on Jackstands in my tiny one car garage.
Rotate wheel to get one bolt lined up on half shaft to properly torque up. Crawl out. Put car in gear. Crawl under, torque that bolt. Crawl out. take car out of gear. Crawl under, rotate wheel to align the next bolt, Crawl back out, put car in gear. Crawl under..........
and on and on.
Only 16 bolts and nuts to torque up on the 2 half shafts.
Yes I'm in my mid 60's. Yes my back is killing me.
Spent the better part of this evening crawling under, back out, back under, back out of my 77 .
on Jackstands in my tiny one car garage.
Rotate wheel to get one bolt lined up on half shaft to properly torque up. Crawl out. Put car in gear. Crawl under, torque that bolt. Crawl out. take car out of gear. Crawl under, rotate wheel to align the next bolt, Crawl back out, put car in gear. Crawl under..........
and on and on.
Only 16 bolts and nuts to torque up on the 2 half shafts.
Yes I'm in my mid 60's. Yes my back is killing me.
ok, my hat’s. off to ya mate!
Sounds like a grand time..
You’ve inspired me to try again
65 here and still have four Harbor Freight jack stands I bought mail order in the early 90's, the floor jack I got with those lasted until around 2014. It is what it is and we use what we got, as I get older I do find myself doing more risk assessment when jacking up the car to crawl under it.
65 here and still have four Harbor Freight jack stands I bought mail order in the early 90's, the floor jack I got with those lasted until around 2014. It is what it is and we use what we got, as I get older I do find myself doing more risk assessment when jacking up the car to crawl under it.
Lifting in this manner (note the 2x8s for clearance for the rear jack) means that the car never rotates more than a few degrees using the jackstands as a the pivot. The wheels are the pivot for the next step (rear jackstands). Perhaps you just need a taller jack to get up on the ramps, and a concrete floor.
I've done some dumb stuff in a gravel driveway, but that was on a car that weighed 2000 lbs.
Lifting in this manner (note the 2x8s for clearance for the rear jack) means that the car never rotates more than a few degrees using the jackstands as a the pivot. The wheels are the pivot for the next step (rear jackstands). Perhaps you just need a taller jack to get up on the ramps, and a concrete floor.
I've done some dumb stuff in a gravel driveway, but that was on a car that weighed 2000 lbs.
I taller Jack I can manage maybe, a concrete floor? That’s not in the cards
Crawling under the 74'
