Hi every one!
I am wondering what people are using to get under their Vettes for routine maintenance?
I'm using Rhino ramps but I must admit my body (not my Corvette's) is getting old and sore when working under my Vette. Jackstands are a pain for just an oil/filter.
Does anyone use the EZ car lift http://www.ezcarlift.com/default.asp ?
Or is there something else you have used and liked?
And no I cannot fit a two post lift in my small (low roof) garage. But I wish I could.

Thanks

 

Its probably a little less safe but here is how I change my oil:

Loosen lugs on driver side front
Jack up driver side
Remove wheel
Put oil catch pan under
Remove oil drain plug
lower car until level
Let oil drain
Jack car up
put in drain plug
move pan under oil filter
remove oil filter
Lower till level
let drain
jack back up
put on new filter
put on wheel
lower car
tourque lugs

Takes about 20 - 30 min depending on if the oil is cold or warm.
I do the wive's 04 the same way.

 

I made me some ramps out of wood 2x6 layered gradually sloping so the front end wont hit. Made them 4 high nailed together works really great!

 

For an oil change I use my ramps. It gets her up enough to reach under and access the filter and plug.

 

My routine is:

Set parking brake, put tranny in first.
Set rear wheel chocks.
Lift side of car at pinchweld behind the front wheel on one side w/floor jack (just enough to get 2nd jack under the front)
Take a second floor jack and then lift from the center.
(I leave this jack in place once I rest it down on the stands, mostly because I'm paranoid of being crushed under my baby)
Slide jackstands under the pinch welds. (I use HD truck jack stands)
Drag pan and 3/4 wrench into place.
Drain oil, put drain plug back in, wipe down.
Move drain pan to filter side and replace it.
Check for stuck "O" ring from old filter.
Prime new filter, oil the "O" ring on the filter and install.
Slide around while down there and look for any other issues that may be begining.
Add butt load of expensive oil for the big road race pan.
Reverse raising procedure, start up, check for leaks.
Shut down, wait a few minutes and verify level is correct.
Roll the car out and wipe up any drips.
Then curse and laugh that it costs me about $65 to change my own oil & filter (M1 filter)
(what is up with Mobil1 oil prices????)

On the Honda, I just take the pass side wheel off, makes that a very simple job to do.
(Sometimes I break out some scrap carpet to lay on to make it less uncomfortable than a concrete floor.)

 

I don't trust the ramps. I use a jack, jack stands, and backup jack stands. You could always dig a pit in your garage floor.

 

Guess we all do it a little differently.
Jack up the drivers side...
Put jack stands to support the vette...
Put catch pan under drain...
Remove plug and filter and replace filter (put oil on filter seal)...
Fill with favorite synthetic...
Take jack stands out and drop vette...
Check for leaks and drink a beer.

 

I use these and they work great.



http://www.vehicleramps.com/default....product_id=198

 

jack it up
cardboard on the floor
most of the time, just me and the floor

 

I have some of the cheesy plastic ramps from an autoparts store. The idea is that you can drive up on them. Unfortunately, my experience has been that the front tires just push them along the floor instead of pulling up onto them. What I do now is back up onto them. The driven wheels won't scoot them along the floor.

Once the rear is up on the ramps, I can get my floor jack to the cross member and jack up the front of the car. Doing it this way lets me only jack up the car one time instead of doing one side, then the other.

Once it is up in the air, I put some jack stands under the frame in the front, just behind the front wheels. I put some tape on the jack stands at the same height as the ramps so that the car sits level. I usually go one notch higher than level when doing and oil change so the car slopes backwards just a bit.

 

I use a jack & a stand for oil changes and whatever....but I put the car on a trailer for the more involved stuff since it is safer to work under and offers a little more wiggle room.

 

I use the Rhino ramps - if necessary, I'll jack up the front a bit more using the support under the front suspension (with the wheels still on the ramps).

 

I have 4 floor jacks, I put one on each corner and up it goes. I lift it high enough to get under the whole car, and the car is even. I'll walk around the car, lifting each corner up a couple inches at a time, till its up to where I want it. I drain the oil for hours, I want it all out, and I'm no quick lube. While its up, I'll roll under the complete under body, checking exhaust, possible oil leaks, brake lines, everything.

I keep the roof on, as I read one time it helps keep the body stiff when lifting. When its all done, like lifting it up, it all goes down at the same time, so as not to twist it. It only gets done once a year, and it gives me an opportunity to look it all over good.

 

Let me get this straight. You get under the car while the entire car is supported by 4 floor jacks and not jack stands?

 

Jacks. If it's something where I have wheel/s off, I use jackstands. If I can leave the wheels on, I have these big blocks made of 3 4x4's screwed together with several long lag bolts. They work great, and I trust them. Ramps are garbage and I wouldn't ever trust them.

 

I use the Rhino ramps and crawl under; I take off the fill cap first, then open the plug and drain, replug and do the filter, then take out the plug an d drain the little bit left that the filter removal let down. Then replug and fill, strt up to check for leaks, and done. Like any Amer. car, it's a cramped mess and oil gets on everything when you spin off the the filter. In my Audi, everything, including the filter, is at the lowest point of the motor; I can open the drain plug and take off the filer and drain both at the same time without moving the pan. The only pain, and it's not anymore because I've done it so often, is taking off the big skid pan on the bottom of the car. However, the Vette is much easier to work on than our Venture. I start cursing a day early if I have to do anything to the van, just to make sure I get it all out!

 

 

i take off the front spoiler (4 bolts) and jack it up

 

I have some of the cheesy plastic ramps from an autoparts store. The idea is that you can drive up on them. Unfortunately, my experience has been that the front tires just push them along the floor instead of pulling up onto them. What I do now is back up onto them. The driven wheels won't scoot them along the floor.


NEAT: The Plastic ramps (Rhino) do tend to be pushed by the fronts. I use small carpet pieces under the tall end of each ramp and this seems to stop the ramps from moving. Additionally, I always make sure the driveway surface under the ramps, etc. is clean of any stones, etc. Give it a try!

SAVE THE WAVE

 

Thanks for all your ideas! I've been using the Rhino ramps and using two floor jacks (one on the side pinch welds) and one in the center of engine cradle. This gets the car up high enough to slide the Rhino ramps underneath. Because yes, the ramps slide when you try to drive on them! There is just about enough room to get under the car (and I'm not a very big person 174lbs 5'10.5").
By the way I like the Pit idea
Anyone use the KwikLift? It looks like a safer alternative to jackstands. Any pros or cons with KwikLift?

Thanks