Anyone have ramps they can get their lowered 2 onto? I have some Rhino Ramps but they're just a bit too steep to clear the little air dam thing. I tried making some out of 2x10s but they're freaking heavy and don't go up very high -- any decent suggestions that don't cost $200+ like race ramps do?
Ramps for lowered 2?
- Thread starter Jond63
- Start date
Wall Of Death
Member
I made some for my other car out of some left over 1" ply wood I had laying around. They are 3 tiered, 3" tall and provides enough clearance to change the oil on my two without having to jack it up. They are about 10" wide and 36"long.
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Wall Of Death
Member
well I just use mine to get the car high enough to get the jack under it so I can get it in the air on jack stands. When you do get around to re-greasing your sway bar bushings, wrap the bar where the bushing sits with teflon tape first, then grease the bushings/tape and re install. The tape will make a big difference in preventing binding long term and alleviate how frequently it will need to be re lubed.
Yeah, thanks Wall -- that's what I am going to have to do -- I just don't want to lower the subframe again and risk messing up my alignment. I was using the ramps just to get the jack under there, but sometimes it seems SO much simpler to drive up on ramps and not deal with the ramps, jack, jackstands, paranoia of the car falling on me, etc...
But the teflon tape thing looks like a cool way to go for sure!
But the teflon tape thing looks like a cool way to go for sure!
Wall Of Death
Member
yeah I know what you mean, motoiq is one of the few tech blogs I actually trust for good pointers. I did this trick when I overhauled the suspension on my track evo 8 rs this year and so far its worked fantastic. on the flipside at least alignments are relatively cheap when it comes to overall car maintenance and you should technically be able to get away with just a front end alignment after this assuming the rear has not gone through any kind of trauma since you last one.
good luck!
Racebrewer
Member
- :
- Mazda, Mazda 2 Touring MT
What DrWebster said. Try a build up of boards to lead on to a Rhino ramp.
If you use Sharpies and/or paint pens, you can trace and make marks on the body to ensure that the subframe makes its way back to its original position.
Edit: I picked up the cheapest/smallest of the Harbor Freight aluminum floor jacks and it works well with my lowered 2.
John
If you use Sharpies and/or paint pens, you can trace and make marks on the body to ensure that the subframe makes its way back to its original position.
Edit: I picked up the cheapest/smallest of the Harbor Freight aluminum floor jacks and it works well with my lowered 2.
John
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Wall Of Death
Member
i have never ever had a wooden ramp slip on me like I have with plastic race ramps.
Wall Of Death
Member
aww gotcha, Honestly its really depends on the surface your working on. I never use my plastic ramps in the garage only the driveway because my garage floors are sealed and the plastic ramps will slide around without someone holding them. Odds are if you go wood to ramp the same thing will happen once you make the transition. I would use ramps similar to mine that are just big enough to get your high enough to get the jack under it. The only reason I even made my small ramps was to get my other car high enough to be able to get a jack under it. Pure coincidence I can do oil changes on the two when I use them.
If you try to go up the ramps at 60mph, yes. If you creep your way up them, then no.
(I once watched a guy get his car up on a set of Rhino Ramps. He had a manual transmission, and he had never driven a car with one up a set of ramps before. After several failed attempts to make it up, he gave it a bit too much gas. The car made it up and stopped at the top, but he did it so quickly the car didn't move forward at all -- it basically just sucked the ramps underneath the tires and the car went straight up. If he hadn't been so quick on the brakes at the top he would have had a major owwie.)
Wall Of Death
Member
its funny I thought about making a smooth transition but because I usually work on my cars alone its nice to have the step to know where you are on the ramp.
3 steps = top of the ramp
haha
3 steps = top of the ramp
haha
Here's another option for ramps that I've seen a few people use, RV leveling blocks. They're basically big-ass Legos.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)
Haha -- I think I did that once too, a long time ago on some steep steel ramps. I also drove over one learning how to get up those ramps -- ouch is right!
Never have had an issue. Every now and then I might stop too fast at the top but all that does is make the ramps slide forward a hair (tire stays put on the ramp). I like being able to feel the car drop down into place at the top. FWD, RWD, and AWD friendly.
