Homemade car stand. Thoughts?

MrCostington · 22-08-2020 7:24pm #1

Hi,

I'm making 4 stands to put my car on for working under it. I'll jack it up and put them under the tyres.

It's 20 in by 12 in and 5 in high.

Any thoughts on the safety of it?

Thanks!

Ps this is just a mockup, I will screw it together.

kadman · 22-08-2020 7:57pm

Is 5" height to the bottom of the wheel a bit low. Sounds low

RobAMerc · 22-08-2020 7:59pm

here is my attempt. I went a bit lazy, as didnt want to jack up all four corners.

she drove up on these really easily - I did chock the rear wheels, although you cant see it here.

kadman · 22-08-2020 8:01pm

These give more height for small money.

https://www.micksgarage.com/d/car-ramps/products/537967/draper-2-tonne-drive-on-car-ramps-pair-?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhIP6BRCMARIsALu9Lfkk118G5ZeKL_AMIL8PDa2xInB3LL5XWJpfz_DStv-ebY5Q29NpPqsaAiK6EALw_wcB

Its very hard to do any work on a car, lying under neath it. What work are you intending to do?

Testacalda · 22-08-2020 8:04pm

MrCostington wrote: »

Any thoughts on the safety of it?

The design looks pretty strong anyway and given its size and proportion it would be perfectly steady

kadman · 22-08-2020 8:13pm

Or cheaper again and more height
https://www.donedeal.ie/tools-for-sale/6-ton-axle-stands-2-pair-on-box/23216455?campaign=14

Given that you are going to use 4x2 cls timber and screws, thae axle stands are a cheaper option
and will last longer.
Your lift blocks will do the job required.

MrCostington · 22-08-2020 8:38pm

Hi thanks for the feedback. And good to hear it looks safe.

I know 5 inches is not much, but I had two wheels up on the kerb which is 4.5 and I was able to get under. I'm very slim

I can have the option of putting another layer on .

I'll be changing the engine oil, filter is underneath, and the gearbox and diff oil. And other stuff as it comes up.

Kadman, thanks for the links. I know this sounds silly, but those ramps (not just the ones you linked, any I mean) always look unstable to me. I do have axel stands like the ones you linked (ratchet ones) but again I think I'd me more comfortable with the blocks.

If I need to remove wheels I'l use the stands and put the blocks under the sill as a fail safe.

MrCostington · 22-08-2020 8:44pm

RobAMerc wrote: »

here is my attempt. I went a bit lazy, as didnt want to jack up all four corners.

she drove up on these really easily - I did chock the rear wheels, although you cant see it here.

How high was that lift? You look to have used 6 or 8 by 2 there?

Jag looking good!

MAJJ · 22-08-2020 9:18pm

kadman wrote: »

These give more height for small money.

https://www.micksgarage.com/d/car-ramps/products/537967/draper-2-tonne-drive-on-car-ramps-pair-?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhIP6BRCMARIsALu9Lfkk118G5ZeKL_AMIL8PDa2xInB3LL5XWJpfz_DStv-ebY5Q29NpPqsaAiK6EALw_wcB

Its very hard to do any work on a car, lying under neath it. What work are you intending to do?

I like the idea of these but I always wonder would these not slide when you try to drive onto them.

kadman · 22-08-2020 9:40pm

MAJJ wrote: »

I like the idea of these but I always wonder would these not slide when you try to drive onto them.

I cannot see how they would slide away from you, the rotation of the wheel
when you drive towards them would be pulling the ramps towards the car surely??

bobbyy gee · 22-08-2020 9:47pm

wood will break and splinter buy some jack stands

RobAMerc · 23-08-2020 9:13am

MrCostington wrote: »

I know this sounds silly, but those ramps (not just the ones you linked, any I mean) always look unstable to me. I do have axel stands like the ones you linked (ratchet ones) but again I think I'd me more comfortable with the blocks.

I have to say I feel the same, I think the likelihood of a dodgy weld on those, or me damaging them driving onto them is way higher than the car splitting the wood or crushing it in any way.

MrCostington wrote: »

How high was that lift? You look to have used 6 or 8 by 2 there?

Jag looking good!

Thanks - its about 7 inches all in. I also have jack stands which I used to proper her up while the wheels were off, but if I can I rather keep them on and drive up onto these.

listermint · 23-08-2020 9:19am

kadman wrote: »

These give more height for small money.

https://www.micksgarage.com/d/car-ramps/products/537967/draper-2-tonne-drive-on-car-ramps-pair-?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhIP6BRCMARIsALu9Lfkk118G5ZeKL_AMIL8PDa2xInB3LL5XWJpfz_DStv-ebY5Q29NpPqsaAiK6EALw_wcB

Its very hard to do any work on a car, lying under neath it. What work are you intending to do?

Everytime I see them i cringe, I mean I'm sure they've been safety tested properly but the gauge and size of the angle bar they use just doesn't sit well with me. I'd never buy them.

MrCostington · 23-08-2020 1:32pm

bobbyy gee wrote: »

wood will break and splinter buy some jack stands

I don't think so, the wood will be in compression.

I did a test with just one 4x2 and no central support, No cracks or anything.

kadman · 23-08-2020 4:17pm

Wood is in compression at 90 degrees to the fibre direction. In this case its weaker than if compression
happens on the end grain of the timber, as in a timberframe scenarioo.

If the timber has support directly under the tyre, and directly under each layer. Then support
issues wont occur. Support problems occur when you have timber in this scenario, either of a
thickness issue, or support issue.

This wont happen, if its basically a layer cake construction, and no unsupported layers.

Pkiernan · 23-08-2020 4:19pm

For the price of an extra 4 by 2, I'd have no gaps, just a solid stack

Pkiernan · 23-08-2020 4:22pm

One tip...stae some webbing/strapping about 8 inches long to one side to use as a carry handle

RobAMerc · 23-08-2020 5:47pm

wouldnt Mr costigans design be stronger and a bit taller if he put the middle layers on their edge ?
any stability issues would be removed by cross brace on top layer.

CJhaughey · 23-08-2020 6:09pm

I'd buy a sleeper and cut it to whatever size I needed, they are 200x100 and solid timber.
~€20 per sleeper roughly.

kadman · 23-08-2020 6:19pm

Built up layer on layer, and rotate direction of each layer by 90 degrees,

job done.

MrCostington · 23-08-2020 7:55pm

kadman wrote: »

Wood is in compression at 90 degrees to the fibre direction. In this case its weaker than if compression
happens on the end grain of the timber, as in a timberframe scenarioo.

If the timber has support directly under the tyre, and directly under each layer. Then support
issues wont occur. Support problems occur when you have timber in this scenario, either of a
thickness issue, or support issue.

This wont happen, if its basically a layer cake construction, and no unsupported layers.

Thanks. Just to clarify, I will be doing it as per my OP pics. The pics I posted today was just to see how it would hold up with just one 2x4 and no support in the middle. There was no bending that I could see and no cracks.

I will have a support directly under the middle where the tyre sits. It's 20" long, so it will have 4" support, 4" gap, 4" support, 4" gap, 4" support. That must surely be, much more, than enough to support about 450kg?

Or, do you think slotting in an extra support so the gaps are 2" is needed. And yes, each layer is 90deg to the next one.

MrCostington · 23-08-2020 7:58pm

RobAMerc wrote: »

wouldnt Mr costigans design be stronger and a bit taller if he put the middle layers on their edge ?
any stability issues would be removed by cross brace on top layer.

If I understand you, you mean put the middle of the sandwich upright? I think that would be unstable. I'd like to keep it as simple as possible as my woodworking skills have been dormant since the Inter Cert!!

MrCostington · 23-08-2020 8:00pm

CJhaughey wrote: »

I'd buy a sleeper and cut it to whatever size I needed, they are 200x100 and solid timber.
~€20 per sleeper roughly.

God ideal but I've already bought all my 2x4s and cut them up

kadman · 23-08-2020 8:59pm

MrCostington wrote: »

If I understand you, you mean put the middle of the sandwich upright? I think that would be unstable. I'd like to keep it as simple as possible as my woodworking skills have been dormant since the Inter Cert!!

Keep them flat as you have done, its simple and the best.
Slab form is what its known as.

LOts of ways this could be done, but the motto KISS works.:)

RobAMerc · 23-08-2020 9:07pm

MrCostington wrote: »

If I understand you, you mean put the middle of the sandwich upright? I think that would be unstable. I'd like to keep it as simple as possible as my woodworking skills have been dormant since the Inter Cert!!

I am not sure what you mean by upright, but what I mean is putting them on the 2inch edge. Better still if you added a fourth or fifth and maybe consider laminating them together, but the cross brace at the top would remove any stability issues.

For lack of anything better to do, I have drawn a diagram of what i mean - from side and front view.

Anyway, if its tall enough for you, I have no doubt its strong enough as is.

MrCostington · 23-08-2020 9:09pm

Thanks kadman! I'm sure you would add a few dovetail joints, and then give it a French polish!

Do you think the one support in the middle is enough?

MrCostington · 23-08-2020 9:15pm

RobAMerc wrote: »

I am not sure what you mean by upright, but what I mean is putting them on the 2inch edge. Better still if you added a fourth or fifth and maybe consider laminating them together, but the cross brace at the top would remove any stability issues.

For lack of anything better to do, I have drawn a diagram of what i mean - from side and front view.

Anyway, if its tall enough for you, I have no doubt its strong enough as is.

Hey, many thanks! Yes, that is what I understood you were saying.

I think I'll stick to my plan as per my OP pic, and your first pic (EDIt I see they are the same but 2 views). I was playing around with jacking the car, and I don't think I'd get that height anyway, as the wheels drop on the suspension as you jack it (or course I know you know that!). If I do find I need more I'll add it to the bottom, just like in your second pic,

mickdw · 23-08-2020 9:41pm

kadman wrote: »

Keep them flat as you have done, its simple and the best.
Slab form is what its known as.

LOts of ways this could be done, but the motto KISS works.:)

Hard to beat a big lump of wood.
I hate axle stands. Maybe ok for supporting 1 corner but anymore and it all looks far too dodgy to get under.

unkel · 23-08-2020 10:05pm

I also don't trust axle stands at all. If someone gave the car a big push, the whole setup would collapse. When I was in the OP's position many years ago, I thought of building my own wooden ramps, but I would have gone with the setup that RobAMerc has in above picture. But I changed my mind and I went with the steel ramps. They felt very safe, although I still never liked being under the car for very long.

jmreire · 23-08-2020 10:13pm

I'd be going higher and wider. I made something similar for my car ( E Class w212 ) basically two boxes, 18" high, and the two front wheels drop into them. The box square means that the front wheels cannot go anywhere...either forward or back, and of course no side slipping. 18" clearance from the stand ( less the 4 " or so part of the wheel that is resting in the box) and then you will have another 8" or so as the normal height, given by the suspensions. It's plenty of room to manoeuvre underneath for engine / transmission oil changes. For the rear, I use Draper heavy duty axle stand's, especially when I need the car to be 100% level. I know that you have to jack up the car rather than drive it up on them, but thats not a problem.Its as steady as the rock of Cashel, and I have absolutely no hesitation working under it .

kadman · 23-08-2020 10:24pm

MrCostington wrote: »

Thanks kadman! I'm sure you would add a few dovetail joints, and then give it a French polish!

Do you think the one support in the middle is enough?

No

Homemade car stand. Thoughts?

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