Ramps

enuff_zed

enuff_zed

Lifer
 Attleborough, Norfolk
Not sure if this is quite in the right section, but here goes anyway...............

My garage is too small for working on my Zs and my drive/front garden is all gravelled, so jacking up is not easy, especially as it also slopes towards the road.
So, as I want to do an oil change this month on my E89, and wifey's E85 will need one sooner or later, I figure the best solution is a pair of ramps. I can place them at the start of the slope which will give me a tiny amount of extra room to get under, and possibly reduce the approach angle slightly. I can also securely pin them down into the ground below the gravel.

What I'm after is some experienced advice/recommendations on which ones to get. Looking for basic design but strong enough to last me a long time.
Seems the biggest issues will be finding any wide enough to avoid damaging the tyres, plus a low enough approach angle to avoid damaging the front bumpers.

Any pointers gratefully received?
 
I bought a set of Carpoint CDRM1 Cougar Ramp Mate Car Ramp Extensions from amazon. These are cheap but strong and remove the ramp angle issue. This gives you a greater choice of ramps to buy. :thumbsup:
 
AveZ4coop said:
I bought a set of Carpoint CDRM1 Cougar Ramp Mate Car Ramp Extensions from amazon. These are cheap but strong and remove the ramp angle issue. This gives you a greater choice of ramps to buy. :thumbsup:
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Thank you.
That's a start. What ramps do you have? I'm concerned about getting ones that are wide enough.
 
I don’t think you would get any tyre damage from the ramps even if the edges of the tyres overhung slightly, it’s not like it will be on them for weeks
 
Chippie said:
I don’t think you would get any tyre damage from the ramps even if the edges of the tyres overhung slightly, it’s not like it will be on them for weeks
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Mate, the way my back's been playing up lately, it could well be weeks, with food brought out to me. :D

But seriously, I appreciate the advice.
 
Got a set you can borrow - if you just want to try. Last time I used them was about six years ago to make pouring wheel barrow loads of concrete easer into a raised former.

.... so if it takes you weeks its not an issue!
 
Crazy Harry said:
Got a set you can borrow - if you just want to try. Last time I used them was about six years ago to make pouring wheel barrow loads of concrete easer into a raised former.

.... so if it takes you weeks its not an issue!
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Thank you very much for the offer. I may well take you up on it. Trouble is I've SORN'd the daily, so got no way of picking them up at the moment.
I will see what the next week or so brings, and if I can't get a resolution I'll get back to you.
 
I bought rhino ramps a number of years ago, have been very pleased with them. 2 stack together, very light, rated up to heavy off roader weight.

E89 drives straight up, the E85 I had to lay a couple of rubber floor mats just at the base to lessen the angle otherwise the front spoiler would catch.
 
Timmyboybunter said:
I bought rhino ramps a number of years ago, have been very pleased with them. 2 stack together, very light, rated up to heavy off roader weight.

E89 drives straight up, the E85 I had to lay a couple of rubber floor mats just at the base to lessen the angle otherwise the front spoiler would catch.
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I was looking at those. A couple of people said they cracked after a couple of uses. Not something you've encountered obviously? Maybe they had heavier vehicles on them?
Do you think they would be ok on a gravel drive? Just thinking it may not be a flat enough base for them?
 
I did a fair bit of reading before buying them, as they weren't cheap (compared to a set of bog standard ramps from Halfords, for example) - and if I recall I got them from the US at the time. This was probably 7 or 8 years ago now, when I had a (faily heavy) Jag S-Type. There were 2 options availalble back then, I got the heaver duty version.

I do check mine frequently (they are used fairly often) as, at the end of the day, they are just plastic :D and of course must be backed up with Axle stands if you're actually underneath the car.

Gravel may be an issue I suppose as they could dig in - but I wouldn't have thought any more so that the steel framed equivalent. You may be able to use the gravel actually to make it easier to get your E85 on just by moving a few handfuls to the base of the ramp.
 
Timmyboybunter said:
Gravel may be an issue I suppose as they could dig in - but I wouldn't have thought any more so that the steel framed equivalent.
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My thinking was that metal ones basically put the weight through the four corners (or two ends), whereas the plastic ones spread it evenly over the whole lower surface. In that case, an uneven base would tend to flex the ramp? I'm probably over thinking it. :roll:
 
May want to think about sticking something underneath the ramps - like rubber backed carpet tiles or similar, just enough to spread the weight bearing down from the ramps evenly across the surface of the gravel. Even some old decent think wood would do it.
 
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