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Working under car without a lift

  • 19-08-2015 9:10am
    #1
    veganrun
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,137 ✭✭✭


    I'm thinking of trying to service my car at some point in the near future. Nothing too complex, just changing the oil and oil filter. The oil filter in my car only seems to be accessible from underneath from what I can see and I don't have a ramp/lift for the car.

    Is there any other way to access it? I was thinking maybe use a trolley jack to lift it and put it on stands but I don't know if that is recommended/safe or if you'd have enough clearance.

    Is this type of work only really feasible with a proper ramp/lift?


Comments

  • #2
    cletus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,186 ✭✭✭cletus


    Trolley jack and axle stands will be fine.


  • #3
    veganrun
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,137 ✭✭✭veganrun


    cletus wrote: »
    Trolley jack and axle stands will be fine.

    Thanks.

    Any recommendations for trolleys and stands? I see Argos sell both but don't know how good they are.


  • #4
    aujopimur
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,953 ✭✭✭aujopimur


    A pair of drive on ramps are handier.


  • #5
    biko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,220 ✭✭✭✭biko


    Any stands from Aldi/Lidl/Argos/factors will work. Check the weight they're rated for, but they're usually all 2 tonne.
    I just use the car jack to lift car and place stands at appropriate points.

    Once on stands give the car a few nudges to make sure it's secure before you get underneath.
    If you can block the rear wheels that'll make it more secure too.

    An alternative are ramps. Either metal or DIY wood ramps.
    mwramps18.JPG


  • #6
    my3cents
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,764 ✭✭✭my3cents


    Bought drive up ramps are good but not a lot of use on many cars because of low front bumpers, in that case you can make your own DIY ramps from timber. Sounds dodgy but its not if you are stacking scaffolding planks of decreasing length flat on on top of another. There are a good few examples online like http://www.srtforums.com/forums/f75/how-build-homemade-car-ramps-568285/

    Another method for some work is to get a decent commercial trolley jack where you get a really high lift, the Aldi Lidl type ones are fine but just don't lift high enough for a lot of jobs.

    Edit> Beaten to it and a picture says a thousand words ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


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  • #7
    veganrun
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,137 ✭✭✭veganrun


    The stand points are in a slightly different place than the jack points aren't they? By jack points I mean the place where you would jack the car up from if you had a flat wheel.

    I think the axle stands all supported 2 or 3 tonnes.


  • #8
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,907 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    Personally I prefer working under a car on ramps rather than stands, I have both and a 7t trolly jack but the ramps are very secure, the only time they are a pain is if you are removing a wheel then you need to jack and use a axle stand.
    If you can't drive the car up a ramp because of low clearance stick a 2" plank of wood just before the ramp, it will roll up the plank and then onto the ramp without fouling the front spoiler.
    Ramps feel more solid because they are a wider track then axles stands which are usually mounted inboard of the wheels, that 20-30 cm each side makes a big difference to stability.


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