Is It Safe with Just the Rear Lifted?

[CosmosC4S]

I'm getting ready to jack the rear of my car up and place it on jackstands, leaving the front wheels on the ground.

I will be working under the rear end, removing my mufflers, and I am wondering if it is safe to have the car inclined on one end.

I expect some twisting and pulling with the mufflers, and am concerned with the stability of the car on the 2 jackstands on the rear end.

I just want to have some reassurance from those of you who may have done this.

I will definitely be choking the front wheels.

Do I need to engage the parking brake? Does that help, or do those only affect the rear wheels?

Perhaps I should also place some bricks or pieces of wood under the tires, just in case the car slips off the jackstands?

Thank You All!

[Loren]

That sounds good - chock the front wheels front and back.

Parking brake only affects rear wheels.

I find it easier to remove mufflers with the wheels off. Because then you can just remove the three 13 mm nuts on the muffler hanger and rotate them out.

[CosmosC4S]

THANKS! Hearing it from Loren is Reassurance! :cheers:

[1schoir]

I'm getting ready to jack the rear of my car up and place it on jackstands, leaving the front wheels on the ground.

I will be working under the rear end, removing my mufflers, and I am wondering if it is safe to have the car inclined on one end.

I expect some twisting and pulling with the mufflers, and am concerned with the stability of the car on the 2 jackstands on the rear end.

I just want to have some reassurance from those of you who may have done this.

I will definitely be choking the front wheels.

Do I need to engage the parking brake? Does that help, or do those only affect the rear wheels?

Perhaps I should also place some bricks or pieces of wood under the tires, just in case the car slips off the jackstands?

Thank You All!

Lots of people (myself included) make it a practice to put their removed wheels and tires under the car. Cheap insurance if something happens.

Regards, Maurice.

[CosmosC4S]

Ok, I ended up buying a pair of ramps from Walmart, after seeing some pics from Orient Express over at rennlist.

I guess it gives me more peace of mind with the wheels on solid blocks.

I did think of the ramps originally, but didn't want to buy them just for this project, and buy a floor jack and jackstands as well, which I will need for other projects.

But I finally decided my safety is worth more than all those put together, besides, the ramps could come in pretty handy for oil changes.

I didn't remove the wheels, I just chocked the front wheels, and applied the parking brake with gear selector in Park.

And I was very surprised it only took me a whole 37 minutes to remove both mufflers!

Well, actually it could be 35 mins, I had to go inside to get my eye goggles, and applied some eyedrops,

got some dirt in my eyes in the process of the removal, but of course!

The cans slid right off, downwards, with a little wiggling, I wonder if it could be due to the couple of extra inches on the widebody?

Anyway, the only pain was the single nut towards the rear, that was in a really tight spot, I was turning barely 1/8 of a turn at a time!

And I was surprised those cans are that Heavy! I couldn't imagine just by looking at the many pics that were posted.

If you get rid of them, that's probably the equivalent of a 10HP gain! :clapping:

So, tomorrow morning, I'm off to search for a surgeon...Oooh...can't wait. ;)

[kdub]

Ok, I ended up buying a pair of ramps from Walmart, after seeing some pics from Orient Express over at rennlist.

I guess it gives me more peace of mind with the wheels on solid blocks.

So, tomorrow morning, I'm off to search for a surgeon...Oooh...can't wait. ;)

How do you safely back the car onto the ramp without going over them? Those ramps sure look safe, but I worry about over shoot the ramp.

[CosmosC4S]

How do you safely back the car onto the ramp without going over them? Those ramps sure look safe, but I worry about over shoot the ramp.

You are absolutely right, I was a little concerned too.

There is a pretty good lip/stop at the end of the ramp on the back edge, about an inch or slightly more.

It looks like it's good enough to stop a "roll" but if you step on it, I'm sure it will roll right over and OFF!

I backed up slowly, and paid attention to the "feel" as the tires hit the top of the ramp.

I was very gentle and steady on the gas, with my hands on the hand-brake lever, and I had my wife watching right behind the car.

She was instructed to read out loud and clear to me, in inches, how far my tires were from the top of the ramp,

and to yell STOP as soon as the tires rolled over onto the flat top surface.

Then I let the car roll by itself back till the tires touched the lip/stop at the edge.

Believe me, I did think about that, and it was a scary thought of the car rolling over the ramps!

I stressed the importance of that to the wife, and she knew it was not an option for her to fail! :P

[DCP]

That looks pretty easy.

Does anyone know to what extent having the car at this angle affects oil drainage?

Ok, I ended up buying a pair of ramps from Walmart, after seeing some pics from Orient Express over at rennlist.

I guess it gives me more peace of mind with the wheels on solid blocks.

I did think of the ramps originally, but didn't want to buy them just for this project, and buy a floor jack and jackstands as well, which I will need for other projects.

But I finally decided my safety is worth more than all those put together, besides, the ramps could come in pretty handy for oil changes.

I didn't remove the wheels, I just chocked the front wheels, and applied the parking brake with gear selector in Park.

And I was very surprised it only took me a whole 37 minutes to remove both mufflers!

Well, actually it could be 35 mins, I had to go inside to get my eye goggles, and applied some eyedrops,

got some dirt in my eyes in the process of the removal, but of course!

The cans slid right off, downwards, with a little wiggling, I wonder if it could be due to the couple of extra inches on the widebody?

Anyway, the only pain was the single nut towards the rear, that was in a really tight spot, I was turning barely 1/8 of a turn at a time!

And I was surprised those cans are that Heavy! I couldn't imagine just by looking at the many pics that were posted.

If you get rid of them, that's probably the equivalent of a 10HP gain! :clapping:

So, tomorrow morning, I'm off to search for a surgeon...Oooh...can't wait. ;)

[Izzy]

These work for me and provide enough space for oil and filter change, muffler change. I am not sure how much oil is left on the pan, but is is probably minimal. Also has a "hard stop" to prevent you from driving off the ramp.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...770&hl=ramp

Edited September 13, 2007 by Izzy