Quality ramps

[SparrowHawk]

Hi all,

I posted this on the tools sub-forum a while ago, but very few people seem to use it. I'm looking for some new ramps (mostly for oil changes) that ideally are:
- wide enough for at least 225mm wheels
- can be used with low suspension
- are good quality/durable

I've got some old ramps from that are decent and wide but I have to use planks of wood (which can move sometimes) to get the car up. I don't like taking risks with safety or damage, so would like something a little better. I've been struggling to find anything. I'm not too worried about price, but I probably wouldn't go beyond £300 or so. Any ideas?

I found these that look long, but they're only just wide enough, and I couldn't say whether they're good quality: https://www.rangerstork.co.uk/car-ramps-1300mm/

Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[rum4mo]

When I first got my 2011 S4, I fabricated a set of 4 long wide wooden ramps, their platform height was fixed by the ground clearance as obviously when using a set of 4 you need to start off with the rear pair under the side of the car, so the platform is only 125mm high, this could be increased by a further 45mm if I changed the end-stops to being hinged or pivoted.
Then for working on that car doing jobs with the wheels off, I bought a very expensive set of 4 Jackpoint jackstands, they raise the sill height by 325mm.
Both these solutions allow me to get under the car completely - just!
Now I'm sort of thinking that the way forward for getting the car up while on its wheels, is to buy a set of 4 CJ Autos hydraulic ramps as they get the wheels lifted up by 475mm and in their lowered state ate 100mm height, which is quite a big increase to lift for actually being able to work under that car.
I've checked another couple of solutions including a Sealey MR1 - V2 which gives a lift of 430mm but costs round about £2000, easy to store but expensive for what they offer, and a QuickJack BL5000 SLX probably with a pair of extender plates which gives roughly the same "lift" but in a wheels free form, as the CJ Autos hydraulic ramps, but costs, with the accessories roughly the same as the plain jane Sealey MR1 - V2.

So, in my mind, for a cheap but safe way to raise the front only, of your car, to carry out oil changes etc, maybe consider drawing up wooden ramps, making them solid, long enough for ease of driving up and wide enough to extend beyond the width of your tyres - doing that was enough to allow me to many under car jobs while having the car still resting on its wheels.

 

[steelgraygtp]

I use rhino ramps but my car isn't lowered yet. Race ramps are an option for lowered cars.