Car Ramp Advice sought

The length of the sloping part may also be of significance. I have had a pair of ramps for years, but I cannot use them with my Volvo V70 because the high end fouls the bumper skirt. If they were longer, with a gentler slope, the car would be up a bit before the skirt got to the high bit of the ramp, and it would clear ok.

Roger

Can't you put a small length of 4 by 2 in front of the ramp so that the car "hops" up as it enters the ramp?

PoP

No!

Not only that, but I find most standard ramps get pushed across the floor if you try to climb them with the non driven wheels - a more gentle slope would cure this but make them perhaps too large to store. And cost more. ;-)

Putting them on rubber mats would probably cure the slipping problem - but wouldn't help my clearance problem.

Roger

No need for detailed explanations, thanks.

PoP

Alright then - your grotty bit of wood *might* get you onto the ramp if it doesn't move, but you also need it when you are coming down - when it is much more likely to move. If it *does*, the bumper skirt parks itself firmly on top of the ramp - probably damaging itself in the process. Even if there isn't any damage, the ramp cannot be removed without jacking up the front of the car - which rather defeats the object of having a ramp.

Apart from that, it's a good idea!

Roger

Don't use a grotty bit of wood. Two 6' lengths of scaffold plank should suffice. Taper the ground ends so they lie flat. If too wide at the other end, cut down to fit into the ramp frame. Screw a chunk of 2x2 under those ends to hook them firmly to the ramp. Voila - shallow ramps.

In fact, if you have some suitably strong blocks, you can ditch the ramps and just use planks. It's what my father used to use on a sloping drive. (Admittedly, the front wheels won't be as firmly held.)

I think you'll find the piece of wood (grotty or otherwise) is far more likely to move when you try to drive up it than when you come down.

It does sound rather like you might find axle stands could better suit a car designed that way.

Take Care, Gnube {too thick for linux}