Has anyone found anything cheaper that you can buy (not make) than these ramps for lowered Stangs?

Race-R-XT $289!!


http://www.discountramps.com/low_profile_car_ramp.htm

 

Well if you are handy hear is a way to build some for lowered stangs

http://mustangworld.com/ourpics/News/mwramps/index.htm

 

I haven't tried them yet, but I bought a set of low profile ramps from Autozone for my last car. Considering the forward stance of the front wheels on the S197's, I'd think they would work, but don't know for sure yet

 

These work great!

http://www.amazon.com/Blitz-11903-Rh.../dp/B000AMMN9O

They only raise it 7 inches I think, but it's plenty for most jobs. I still have to drive up on a 2x8 in the front because the front bump will hit the ramp just barely. The back will go right up though. They don't slip and no spin from the tires when going up.

I'd like to design a mini lift for us do-it-yourselfers that doesn't cost $1700 and doesn't take freight truck to deliver, but I don't know where to start.

Surely we could come up with a small lift that can safely lift all 4 corners up to 3-4 feet off the ground. That would be perfect for me.

 

Designing the thing wouldn't be all that hard. I've had the same thoughts for a while now (I'm getting too old to enjoy crawling around underneath on my back, I guess). But it won't be light - for cars in the 3000-ish weight range you'll have over halfa ton of steel in it before you can blink. Even if all you were going to use it for was 1200 lb Caterham 7s and 1400 lbAustin-Healey Sprites and only three feet or so rise, figure on several hundred lbs.

What really scares me is the liability, and even though I work in a structural engineering field and have a rather ancient BSCE degree I think my comfort level would stop at a production run of one unit (my own). Included with my most recent copy of "Brake& Front End" magazine was a separate publication that had a number of articles that address lifts and what can happen when inspection and maintenance lies somewhere between "iffy" and "nonexistent". Scary. And that's forprofessional indoor installations, done on a level floor of sufficient thickness that presumably doesn't have any cracks or seams anywhere near the anchor bolts for the posts (never mind that my own direct personal observation on that last matter is that even the professional installers don't always pay close enough attention to the condition of the concrete). No telling what some unknown DIY'er is going to do with it.


Norm

 

rhino ramps are awesome and less than thirty bucks at Advance, Autozone, etc.. They have plenty of room for the unlowered stang, but also for the CTSV airdam which is pretty darn low.

 

I thought about getting some Rhino ramps and just using a 2"x10" plank at the front if I need further clearance. On a related topic does anyone have any preference when it comes to floor jacks and jackstands or are they all pretty much equal?

 

Avoid the stamped sheet metal jackstands. The pins will eventually waller out the holes or you might not insert it all the way sometime. Even if you're specifically paying attention to the stand, you won't get much warning if something lets go.

I saw a review of floor jacks not too long ago, but don't remember where. What I do remember is that one of the more common upmarket ones whose name begins with a "C" was over-rated in terms of lifting capacity.

Do yourself a favor when you need to use a 2x with a ramp - bevel the ends of the plank to make it easier to get the car to crawl up onto it without making it (and the ramp) slide. Top of one end (for the wheels to ride up on), bottom of the other (to fit up to the ramp a little closer).


Norm

 

make one outta wood..

 

I have stacked up some 2 x 10's to make a staggered graduated incline to give me a few inches of extra clearance, before I bought the rhinos. Worked fine and was virtually fail safe.