jacking up a car

[acwolfpack07]

okay well im pretty sure this is the place for this

excuse my newbness but i am still in highschool so im new to the modification part of cars. Im about to purchase some headers and plan to istall myself. i live on a gravel driveway. how should i go about jacking up the car? are ramps high enough because on gravel they would seem stabler? how high should i go?

when answering this please feel free to explain to me like im a little or allot slow (break it down step by step) because i need ALL the details thanks.

[badinfluenceRS]

Re: jacking up a car

Don't buy headers

[crushedout]

Re: jacking up a car

^^^^ LOL

Anyways we all learn somewhere. I would purchase a Haynes manual and read it for the steps on removing exhaust manifolds and search on here. I think the height of the ramps would depend on your size and how easy you want to slide in and out. If you went with jackstands its the same thing on height. Just make sure you place the jackstands in a jack worthy location

[Tom Rs]

Re: jacking up a car

for shorty headers ramps should be fine. dont kill yourself trying to figure out how to jack it

[Abaddon]

Re: jacking up a car

Has anyone gotten ramps to work with the long nose on the Camaros? I'd be afraid I'd drive up on to them and tear off the front of the car before the wheels hit the metal.

So you are saying you want to use jacks on gravel? I would HIGHLY recommend against that. Gravel can slide and stands can collapse. Always make sure you have something solid under the car besides a jack, too. Ramps are nice but I'd use something else, too. Maybe a solid piece of steel under a jack in conjunction with ramps. I've heard too many stories about guys getting killed because of simple jacking methods. And never trust just using a jack. Ever.

[Vanquish]

Re: jacking up a car

Use ramps. But before you try to roll up on them, get 4, 2x4's, and jack one side of the car up, put 2 of the 2x4's under one front tire, and then let it down, then do the same thing on the other side. It will give you the clearance you need to get up on the ramps. Or just take the front bumper off. It only takes a few minutes to take off and put back on.

[vanbibber]

Re: jacking up a car

ramps work fine, my buddies 99z28 is lowered and we got his up on ramps. just find some that are long/low enough to fit under the front clip

[acwolfpack07]

Re: jacking up a car

thanks i should be getting my headers soon. and i knew pretty much the basic stuff about jacking and someone told me i could use plywood but i think that the ramps will work fine i just want to be safe so i dont get crushed by my car.

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

Re: jacking up a car

i can't imagine doing a header install without a lift. It was bad enough with the car above me and the help of experianced guys. Took me about 7-8 hours because everything went wrong. I'm sure it's possible in your driveway. I helped on a header install on a newer pontiac bonevillle in a driveway on just two jackstands..took a while, but it's possible..and imo the f-bodies are easier to work on than those w bodies.

Not sure if you'll have clearance issues with your a/c lines, but i did and i had to bend them out of the way..

[JohnnyC]

Re: jacking up a car

Do NOT just use a jack. I had the hydraulic pump on a jack explode, releasing oil all over my garage floor and dropping the car in the process. Cheap jacks suck, buy a craftsman from sears or something else along the lines

[SpeedingFirebird]

Re: jacking up a car

1) Rhino ramps for low profile cars
2) jacks are fine, but NEVER by themselves. Always use jackstands
3) place the ramps on some slabs of wood. NOT plywood, it will break. Get a few planks. This will keep the car from sinking into the gravel
4) soak the bolts ahead of time

[Abaddon]

Re: jacking up a car

I don't know if I'd even trust 2x4s. They can buckle if they aren't stacked evenly. You might be better off using bricks but I still wouldn't rely on either option on gravel. Get some ramps and bury them on the hard ground underneath. Whatever you do, just be smart about it. Don't take ANY chances. You'll get one shot at it if the car falls.

Let us know how the header install goes. I've considered the upgrade myself. Just not sure if it's worth all the hassle. :)

[bah]

Re: jacking up a car

i would reccommend not doing it on gravel in general, your back is going to be raw and bleeding and you will want to commit suicide, find a better place

[Abaddon]

Re: jacking up a car

Hah! I kinda felt that way about it, too. Unless you use a winter sleeping bag to lay on, you will NOT be happy working on gravel. And the first time you drop a screw or nut down into that crap you will start throwing tools in disgust. :)

I hate laying in a driveway and just rolling over on a rock. Imagine laying in a bed of it.

[acwolfpack07]

Re: jacking up a car

yeah every time i change my oil its a hastle on the rocks but im gonna put up with it for the cost it would take for my mechanic to so it. he said he could do it in 30 mins for 150 dollars but thats how strapped for cash i am.