Ramp or Floor Jack for Oil Change

[BBN-Boys]

I haven't changed my oil yet on the xB2, but I was wondering if using a ramp makes the oil change task easier? If so, would you recommend using a ramp at all 4 tires or just the 2 up front?


or maybe a floor jack with a couple of jacks?


I would think the ramps would be quicker since all you have to do is position the ramps in front of the tires and CAREFULLY :nails: drive the car up.

With the floor jack and jack stands, I'm always worried about the positioning and making sure not to damage anything under there while lowering the car to the jack stands.

Although, with the ramps you'll have to worry about giving it too much gas and going over the edge..... I wouldn't want to find out how much damage that would do.

Another thought..... since the car is not level after lifting the front, does this prevent all the dirty oil from draining out? If so, maybe using a ramp at all 4 tires to make the car level would help the draining process.

Thanks

[CDogbert]

It'll go faster with 4 ramps just because you won't have to position them as much as you do the jack/stands.

[hwybox]

my car would not go up the ramps it just pushed them I tried and tried with no luck. I'd say jack and stands but be very careful either way.

[CDogbert]

hwybox wrote: my car would not go up the ramps it just pushed them I tried and tried with no luck. I'd say jack and stands but be very careful either way.
Set them up like you're chalking them, and then drive up.

[BBN-Boys]

CDogbert wrote: Set them up like you're chalking them, and then drive up.

What does "chalking" mean? Please explain.

Sorry for my ignorance. :roll:

[CDogbert]

Take them and jam them between the ground and the tires so that they're stuck. You should have some much steeper ones designed to not let the tires go anywhere if you're going to jack the car up, but with the ramps it ensures that they don't slide.

[ack154]

My car wouldn't go up ramps either. the bumper pushes them and the tire never touches them.

[NoLimitzInd]

I use both. I had to make ramps to get my xB up high enough to get the jack under. I made wood ramps. Use 4 layers of 3/4" wood and they are about 3 feet long. Gets the front end up high enough to get the jack under it. Then I use stands. Better safe then sorry.

[CDogbert]

ack154 wrote: My car wouldn't go up ramps either. the bumper pushes them and the tire never touches them.
Urk, are you serious? I'm going to have a lower drop than you, and I love using ramps. :doh:

NoLimitzInd wrote: I made wood ramps.
Were you the one that made that DIY ramp thread?

[ack154]

If I recall, that was originally with Hotchkis. So it was pretty low. But I'm pretty sure I tried the H&Rs too. Ended up selling the ramps.

You'd probably have to make something like NoLimitz did.

[CIONIDE]

Here's Invertalon's DIY for the homemade wooden ramps:

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=209587

[BBN-Boys]

When draining the dirty oil, do you think there's any advantage to having the car level compared to having the front end higher? I'm sure it's not a big deal, but maybe having the car's front end higher will not allow all the dirty oil to drain out.

[ack154]

I know on the tC that the drain plug is toward the rear of the engine, so it would actually drain better when on a slight incline like that (from what I can tell).

[swartzautoman]

i use a set of custom ramps i made myself




my front end is only sittin 4" of the ground & thease ramps work perfect.
each pice of wood is only 3/4" and the edges that the tires role on are rounded off so the car just glides right up the ramps nice and easy