Low-profile auto ramps

[Synthaholic]

I recently bought a Town & Country but my existing metal ramps are too steep, or the front cladding is too low. Regardless, I need low profile. The harbor freight plastic ones look good. The market leader, Rhino Ramps get good reviews but there are far too many people claiming that they fail for my comfort. I don’t want to have to use a jack as backup. What’s the point then?

Like this:
Amazon Review

​

The first two times I used these ramps everything was fine, they made changing the oil in my 2015 Buick LaCrosse an easy task. Today I was going to change my oil and I drove the car up on the ramps and the ramp on the right side of the car broke, collapsed. The plastic gave away and the right side fell. The ramp buckled and dented the rocker panel on my car. Please for your safety don't use plastic ramps, spend a little more and buy metal ramps.​

Does anyone know of any inexpensive low-profile metal ramps?

 

[Synthaholic]

The thing that worries me about the Harbor Freight ones is they’re not solid plastic/rubber. They’re hollow inside. The Rhino are even worse - they nest inside of each other for storage ease. I would trust solid.

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

I prefer to pay others for such mundane activity.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I recently bought a Town & Country but my existing metal ramps are too steep, or the front cladding is too low. Regardless, I need low profile. The harbor freight plastic ones look good. The market leader, Rhino Ramps get good reviews but there are far too many people claiming that they fail for my comfort. I don’t want to have to use a jack as backup. What’s the point then?

Like this:
Amazon Review

​

The first two times I used these ramps everything was fine, they made changing the oil in my 2015 Buick LaCrosse an easy task. Today I was going to change my oil and I drove the car up on the ramps and the ramp on the right side of the car broke, collapsed. The plastic gave away and the right side fell. The ramp buckled and dented the rocker panel on my car. Please for your safety don't use plastic ramps, spend a little more and buy metal ramps.​

Does anyone know of any inexpensive low-profile metal ramps?

A town and country what?
A 70's wood panel station wagon?

 

[Marion Morrison]

I recently bought a Town & Country but my existing metal ramps are too steep, or the front cladding is too low. Regardless, I need low profile. The harbor freight plastic ones look good. The market leader, Rhino Ramps get good reviews but there are far too many people claiming that they fail for my comfort. I don’t want to have to use a jack as backup. What’s the point then?

Like this:
Amazon Review

​

The first two times I used these ramps everything was fine, they made changing the oil in my 2015 Buick LaCrosse an easy task. Today I was going to change my oil and I drove the car up on the ramps and the ramp on the right side of the car broke, collapsed. The plastic gave away and the right side fell. The ramp buckled and dented the rocker panel on my car. Please for your safety don't use plastic ramps, spend a little more and buy metal ramps.​

Does anyone know of any inexpensive low-profile metal ramps?

A town and country what?
A 70's wood panel station wagon?

It's either a GM or Mopar product.

 

[Synthaholic]

I prefer to pay others for such mundane activity.

Working on your own car is a mundane activity? I guess that’s one way to view it.

 

[Synthaholic]

Hmmm...what do y’all think of the idea of filling those hollow harbor freight ramps with cement?

They’d be a bit heavier...

 

[Sunni Man]

No way I'd trust a pair of cheap Harbor Freight plastic junk ramps from China.
Buy some quality metal ones. ...

 

[Sunni Man]

Hmmm...what do y’all think of the idea of filling those hollow harbor freight ramps with cement? They’d be a bit heavier...

They'd be way heavier than even metal ramps, and the only way I'd trust that setup, would be to put a couple of pieces of rebar in the cement. ...

 

[Synthaholic]

No way I'd trust a pair of cheap Harbor Freight plastic junk ramps from China.
Buy some quality metal ones. ...

Can’t find any for less than $300

 

[Synthaholic]

Hmmm...what do y’all think of the idea of filling those hollow harbor freight ramps with cement? They’d be a bit heavier...

They'd be way heavier than even metal ramps, and the only way I'd trust that setup, would be to put a couple of pieces of rebar in the cement. ...

Yeah, they’d prolly be 40lbs each, but I only do oil changes ever 3 month, so no biggie. Would you feel secure with it filled with cement?

 

[Synthaholic]

These are nice but I don’t even want to spend $165

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZA8WIE/?tag=usmb-20

 

[Dick Foster]

If you're at all handy you could make some from wood. Of course you can't be at all stupid about it or you may be removed from the gene pool altogether.

 

[Sunni Man]

Yeah, they’d prolly be 40lbs each, but I only do oil changes ever 3 month, so no biggie. Would you feel secure with it filled with cement?

I'd feel a lot safer with them filled with cement. But with a couple of rods of small diameter rebar in the center of the cement running the length of the ramp. It would keep the cement stable and from breaking up. You can buy short pieces of rebar at Lowe's and Home Depot and use a hacksaw to cut them to fit. ...

 

[Synthaholic]

If you're at all handy you could make some from wood. Of course you can't be at all stupid about it or you may be removed from the gene pool altogether.

I thought about carving them. I’m trying to think of a different lighter substance than cement, but can’t.

 

[Dick Foster]

If you're at all handy you could make some from wood. Of course you can't be at all stupid about it or you may be removed from the gene pool altogether.

I thought about carving them. I’m trying to think of a different lighter substance than cement, but can’t.

Not not carving them.
Honestly if you aren't any handier than this, you probably have no use for ramps anyway as you really have no business working on a car. Just sayin.

 

[Missourian]

No way I'd trust a pair of cheap Harbor Freight plastic junk ramps from China.
Buy some quality metal ones. ...

Can’t find any for less than $300

Cut some from 4x4 or 4x6 pressure treated timbers.

I've driven my semi trucks on to timbers to change outside tires.

Cut an angle on them like an old fashion door stop and bolt them together. I've counter sunk and pinned a second level. You could even get fancy and add sides liked the commercial ramps.

Or you could buy angle iron flat ramps (like for a trailer) and attach them to a 6x6 or a rail road cross tie.



Or you could buy a 2x12 and do this...



But I would chamfer those edges, Titebond III glue the boards together, them drill down thru and drive dowels to pin it together instead of nailing...or you can counter sink big bolts.

Just some ideas.

 

[Missourian]

Angle iron ramps...mine were like $50. You could ask the welding shop to make them free standing. Don't know what that would cost where you are...but not much around here.

 

[petro]

I prefer to pay others for such mundane activity.

Working on your own car is a mundane activity? I guess that’s one way to view it.

Working on my own ride has saved me thousands.
Just fixed the climate control blend door actuator on my Jeep. Half the lower dash had to be removed to replace a 20 dollar piece of plastic gear that separates passenger and drivers side climate. Was blowing hot air on one side. For dealer to do this repair costs 1200 bucks. Had to do other side two years ago. That is 2400 bucks I didn't blow at the Stealership. Do all my own suspension and brake jobs, oil changes and have figured out several sensors with help from auto forums and You Tube.
I will stick with mundane and money kept in my wallet.

 

[Wyatt earp]

Hmmm...what do y’all think of the idea of filling those hollow harbor freight ramps with cement?

They’d be a bit heavier...

No rebar, it still would break