Jack stands or ramps better for oil changes and gen. maintenance?

The best there is for the Prius;

http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B003ZA8WIE?tag=priuschatcom-20
They are lightweight. They don't slide like Rhino Ramps. They work on concrete, dirt or grass.

And, they won't damage the car or the finished floor.

 

I trust ramps more than stands, but moreover I don't trust anything when I'm under a car. I will use the jack, chock blocks, and extra jack stands when I'm under it, and I'm still leery.

I just bought a 3 ton floor jack for the Prius that lifts 20" and I am going to use the new floor jack, chock blocks, extra jack stands and concrete blocks under the wheels once it's off the ground.

I know a guy that got his skull cracked from a slipped jack. He has never been the same.

 

Yes, they are the safest....much better than jack stands, unless you need the tires off. Years, ago, I got under the car with jack stands. I've seen others change oil or a starter under a bumper jack. I've heard too many cases, where others have been killed under a jacked up car. It does happen more often than you think. It would be even worse, if you were injured. Now, I will only get under a car under ramps.

My life is worth a lot more than $137. What's yours worth? When it comes to safety equipment, I buy the best available.

 

I have a set of Rhino Ramps from Advanced Auto for a lot less. I do not know where the sliding comments come from. Mine have never slid on me. I slide my ramps right up to the tires and then pull up on the ramps. I have never had an issue.

I use a hydraulic jack and jack stands if I am going to jack up the back of the car also, such as for changing transaxle fluid and you want the car level when refilling. I will keep the jack just below the jack point when using jack stands as a backup.

For oil changes I think the ramps are much quicker than the jack and jack stands but either one should work with a little caution and safety.

One guys carries a tool box thicker than him under the car with him. Not a bad idea.

 

I wonder who carries the liability insurance polict for Blitz USA? While they caim "business as usual," they have filed a Bankruptcy Petition for reorganization under Chapter 11.

Blitz USA

I remember how they made those leaky jerry cans for over 50 years under the U.S.M.C label.

They let everyone thing that U.S.M.C. meant United States Marine Corps, when they really meant United States Metal Container.

 

Warning: if you install lowering springs, the ramps become difficult to impossible to use. Your front bumper hits the ramp before the tires in that case. That's where I am with Rhino ramps.

I imagine I can engineer a supplimental "pre-ramp" to make the lift more gradual.

 

Not cheap, but special ramps are aviable for very low or lowered cars;
http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B003ZAGI9E?tag=priuschatcom-20 http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B003ZAHTC4?tag=priuschatcom-20

 

Jacks are fine if you follow the weight instructions, use wheel chocks, find the correct Jack points, and are careful all around. The guys with horror stories will probably disagree but most of the time people who advise against jacks or had bad experiences were lifting pick-up trucks or small SUVs with 2-1/4 ton stands.

No matter what you use just be smart, go slow, and you'll be fine.

 

Have you ever seen the seal give out in a hydraulic floor jack? You won't be able to tell if the whoosh sound is the fluid in the jack rushing past the seal, or the air leaving the collapsed lungs of the guy underneath the car. Never work underneath a car supported only by a floor jack.

These ramps are nice, but you still have a problem if you rotate the tires. A car on 4 jack stands is reasonably safe and secure. Backup precautions can be added as well (blocks, old wheels, jacks, etc).

 

:suspicious: I was talking about jack stands and so was the OP. Not the lifts.

 

Are Rhino Ramps tall enough to allow the oil access panel to fully open?

 

Good question!


Posted from my iPhone via the Tapatalk app.

 

I'm curious if I'm taking any risks when I do my maintenance; my most recent routine is to use a hydraulic jack to lift the front, lower it onto 2 jack stands, keep the hydraulic jack in the front as a backup, and start draining the oil. While it's draining, I move the hydraulic jack to the back and lift it up high enough to rotate the tires - but I absolutely go nowhere near underneath the car while the back end is off the ground. Once the tires are rotated, I put the jack back under the front lift point, chock the rear tires again, and finish the oil change.

Any particular risks here that I should be aware of? I suppose it's always possible I could drop the car onto 3 wheels if the hydraulic jack fails, but a little body damage to the back isn't the end of the world.

 

There are no associated risks with that method as far as I can tell, but it seems you're putting unnecessary work on your hydro jack. You don't need to use a Jack as "backup" for stands. I would just buy another pair of stands for working on that rear. To me it seems like your only advantage to what you're doing now is saving time.

 

+1.

 

Only issue with that method is that once the front of the vehicle is up on the jack stands it's no longer immobilized like it is with wheel chocks. If you're using a common garage type floor jack- when lifting the jack has to creep in towards towards the lift point due to the hinge/fulcrum design of the floor jack. If the wheels of the jack stick/drag- it could in theory pull the car rearwards towards the jack and off center on the jack stands causing a dangerous off balance condition.

Although it's less convenient and more work- probably safer to change the oil, lower the car, then chock the front and rear of both tires on one side- lift the other side and do the tire rotation. Lather-rinse-repeat for the other side.

 

I'll admit I've done tire rotations with just a floor jack and wheel chocks and - no jack stands. But, I'm 100% careful not to get any part of my body under any part of the vehicle.
If for any reason I have to reach under/get under the vehicle it's floor jack, wheel chocks and jack stands all the way. I personally would never get under a vehicle without wheel chocks and jack stands. I wouldn't bet my life on a hydraulic floor jack.