Smooth Underbody

[Wolfwhistle]

What is the recommended species for the multi-purpose large round parts? (ramp support / step stool / firewood). Anyway, feast your DIY eyes on these beauties... spawned in the RV world... of non-specie specific construction

[whatmaycome14]

Originally Posted by Wolfwhistle

What is the recommended species for the multi-purpose large round parts? (ramp support / step stool / firewood). Anyway, feast your DIY eyes on these beauties... spawned in the RV world... of non-specie specific construction

Nice.

My next ramp design will involve cinder blocks and be in the back yard. I want to have the car 2ft. off the ground (or more) from front to back. Going to Home Depot when I get back from vacation in order to get the "parts".

[aardvarcus]

No, please do not use cinder blocks. Way to easy for them to break. Plastic ramps are available for $50 in local stores, and I have had my one ton truck up on them, very sturdy, easy, and light. $50 is cheaper than getting hurt. You can pull up on four ramps, one under each tire.

Alternatively to save money, solid wood, like the ramps pictured a few posts up, have no chance of breaking from the load, and wouldn't be excessively expensive, but would be heavier and harder to use.

If you are dead set on using masonry, use something solid like a properly reinforced poured concrete ramp. Get a sheet of OSB, make some forms, put some wire or rebar in there, mix up quickrite, and pour it solid. No cinder blocks.

Also, I don't know about 2' high, too tall is not better. I wouldn't want the car any higher than what I could comfortably reach when laying on my back under it.

[Carbon]

Cinder blocks are essentially pressed sand with some concrete mixed in to make them hold a shape... they can be very strong in compression, but they are not stable for side loads and shearing. There is a reason martial artists like to use them for demonstrations.

Please do not get under a car sitting on cinder blocks... they won't give warning and when they do break, they shatter.

[freebeard]

Cinder blocks = bad, bad idea. I can't find a picture of the elevated ramps used for Jeep maintenance in WWII. They would hold four jeeps, and [I think] were ramped at both ends.

My thought is: If you want 2' of clearance, why not a floor jack and jack stands. When I raise a Beetle, I have a 2-ton floor jack and short and tall jack stands and do two lifts on each end.

Look at what house movers do, called cribbing, made by stacking short pieces of 2x4. Every once in a while I gather up all the 2x4 swaps and just make a section of cribbing to use them up.


Box crib - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[whatmaycome14]

Ok, blocks bad. Got it. I'll figure out another way then. If I was going to live in this house for a while, I'd just fork out $2k for a lift.

[Xist]

As always, the gentlemen on here have far more technical information than I do, but when I was moving my dad's shed, I crushed some cinder blocks, while stacks of wood held up extremely well.

[freebeard]

What is the recommended species for the multi-purpose large round parts?

The Wikipedia Box Crib page says use soft woods. They creak and groan and give way slowly. Harder wood fail explosively.

[whatmaycome14]

I'm glad I talk about my intentions a lot before I get involved with things. This is a good example where it could've saved my life. I don't take that lightly and I thank you guys for your feedback!