Floor Jacks and Car Ramp

[angusbn]

Is it necessary to use floor jacks for additional safety when the car is up on ramps? Overkill? These are heavy-duty car ramps that I just purchased. Don't want M30 tatooed on my fore-head.

[uscharalph]

Allways err on the side of caution.

[russiankid]

I have Rhino Ramps that can handle 6,000 lbs and I don't use anything else when the car is on ramps.

[bubba966]

When I have the M-Sport or my truck on the ramps I'm using 2 pairs or ramps so that the whole vehicle is up off the ground. Obviously that requires use of a floor jack to do that (and on the M-Sport I have to use the jack on both ends of the car as it's too low to drive on a pair of ramps). But I don't use the floor jack for additional support once either vehicle is up on the ramps. Have never come close to having any problems with such a setup.

[e34.535i.sport]

I just go with the ramps... Put the handbrake on and chock the wheels, you'll be fine.

[shogun]

I am always very careful with that as I once was almost crushed under an old VW beetle.
I use ramps, handbrake and chock the wheels on both sides, in addition jacks for safety, because we have earthquakes here quite often and that is really terrible when an earthquake starts and you are under the car.
Tires I take off I use under the car for safety. Once saved my life.

[stx133]

i always find that sky hooks are the best

[Kibokojoe]

I always leave the floor jack under the car. Even if I am on ramps or just stands. Knew a guy in Oklahoma that tried to get out from under a car when the floor jack lost pressure. In his haste he kicked out the stands and the transmission drove his breast plate to his spine. Only thing that saved him was when he removed the tires he placed them under the car. He laid under the car for about a half hour before they found him. He was in the hospital for ever. He lived but was messed up for years.

[Scott C]

Is it necessary to use floor jacks for additional safety when the car is up on ramps? Overkill? These are heavy-duty car ramps that I just purchased. Don't want M30 tatooed on my fore-head.

You have gotten lots of comments - safety is your friend.
Sadly, a friend of mine from HS was working late at night - the car dropped on him and unfortunately there was no one around. He was not able to breathe properly (was there for a long time) and had brain damage in addition to being crushed and ultimately paralyzed from the waist down. He was given last rights but somehow pulled through. He never regained his cognitive abilities and died after being in an institution for about 15 years. Not worth going through that - be as safe as you can and be careful of those resin ramps - i had one split (partially due to my fault - surface wasn't perfectly flat). Steel is much more durable and safe in my humble opinion.

Scott

[DoctorZaius]

I am always very careful with that as I once was almost crushed under an old VW beetle.
...Tires I take off I use under the car for safety. Once saved my life.

Question: On an E34, where can I:

1) Place the tires (to avoid the beetle treatment), and
2) Where the heck can I place jack stands if I've used the front side jacking place for the BMW jack?

[shogun]

1. put the tires there where they could 'make a soft landing" for the chassis = under the area where the jack points are front and rear.

2. I lift the car for example in front with a hydraulic lift up, then place the jack stands where they belong.

This might give you some guidance...this is an E30 for reference only
http://www.bimmerboard.com/members/mwong/Jackpoints.jpg

no go......
http://www.bimmerboard.com/members/chicagoe38/raising_vehicle.jpg

[Ross]

I am distrustful of ramps in general. I've personally seen a metal one collapse while driving onto it and I've always been aggravated by them sliding or sometimes being forcefully shot out forward while trying to drive on.
Once on them if you use them I'd suggest chocking the wheels to be sure the car won't roll off. Stands would need to be positioned perfectly to "catch" the falling car and would more likely become projectiles if the car were to slip off the ramps.

[angusbn]

I'm thinking that when the front is up on ramps, I'll position a lift on both the left and right side (I'll buy a second Michelin lift) and brace the back wheels with a block of wood and set the emergency brake. That should be safe enough to crawl under to do basic front end work, unplug the coolant drain plug, change oil and perform other basic shade tree mechanic stuff. Major work will be done at the local garage.

[paanta]

Seems like the way people tend to die under cars is by tipping them off stands, working on unstable surfaces, or by having a jack fall. I can't say I've ever heard of anyone dying under ramps.

This engineer, who has spent a lot of time looking at manufacturing defects and doing environmental testing, would much rather use plastic ramps than metal ones. Anything spot welded in China and stored in a garage where it gets humid makes me nervous. Assuming plastic doesn't leave the factory with major defects, or get exposed to a lot of UV light, it's pretty darn stable over time.

On rhino ramps, I don't worry too much, often not choking the wheels if it's just for an oil change or work in front of the front wheels. My garage is flat. A failure of both the handbrake and reverse happening at the same time that someone pushed hard enough on the front of the car to lift it over the lip at the front of the ramp AND the ramps shoot out forward rather than the car rolling down them and going through the garage door? That seems way less likely than dying on the run to the parts store. I've not heard of the plastic ones collapsing under static load, just when people drive off the end or edge of them.

Wheels in the air? Jacks left in place at the center of the car, jack stands holding most of the car's weight, and wheels under the car. No long breaker bars, either.

[Ross]

"Anything spot welded in China and stored in a garage where it gets humid makes me nervous. "
Nuff said

[Old Man Pete]

Have a look at these babys for easy access on ebay uk item no 290295808152, you'll have to be quick they finish soon! 3 tonne rated too!

[leicesterboy15]

My car slipped off the bmw widow maker once, wasn't a nice experience and I looked like a tit in front of all the passer byers for the hour it took the AA to arrive. Luckily nobody was hurt but I was only changing a tyre. It was completely my fault because I got a flat and didn't want to ruin the wheel so I looked for the closest suitable place, it was only after the car fell off that I took a few steps back and realised I was on a slight slope.

My biggest fear is a car falling off its jack so these days when I use the jack I make sure I'm not under the car, if I am I use stands and the jack and wheels if I've taken any off. there isn't really enough space for a head under an e34 when its on its tyres so you need to be extra careful. If in doubt then double up, it never hurts to keep the jack in place once you've got the car on stands or to put the wheels under the car when you take them off. I've never worried when the car is on stands though, maybe I should? You need to give it some to get the car over the lip when you are driving on or off so I never thought it would slide off. Always ensure the wheels are lined up on both sides though, if in doubt drive off and do it again. And use the handbrake and choks.

I use a huge jack these days, this thing is big and heavy and has the added bonus of making you feel like a real man every time you use it :)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-SEALEY-3000CXD-3-TON-TONNE-TROLLEY-JACK_W0QQitemZ140302843614QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Li fting_Moving_Equipment?hash=item140302843614&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1689%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318