Getting it up, the 996 that is. or ramps vs stands

I searched for hours and could only find really OLD posts, so here we go again. I am looking for a way to do some under car work, oil change, O2 sensors, etc. on my 1999 996 with the stock suspension. I love the idea of the Jackpoint Jack stands but would probably have to get a new floor jack that would fit inside of them. So we are talking some high dollar stuff here. That and I do not know which model of these stands and which adapter would be best. I am also looking into ramps as these would work for me (not as good as the stand however) and can't seem to figure out how high I would need them to be or how long for this low of a profile car. Of course ramps might just be silly for oil changes as all the oil would run to the front of the sump anyway. If anyone would have any SPECIFIC suggestions for me it would be greatly appreciated. I am not really wild about the idea of spending big bucks for something that might get used once a year, but then again nothing else on this car has been cheap Thanks in advance, don't be too hard on me Marc

1st/top hit when GOOGLEd: http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...p_Your_Car.htm

Re ramps - suggest searching "trailering your 996" or something similar. Seems that getting it up on a car trailer would be much like getting it up on ramps for doing maintenance.

I've thought about driving up on 4 of the basic auto ramps, to raise the entire car at once, but never had the guts to try it. Get a good floor jack (I got the powerzone 3 ton from Amazon) and 4 - 2 ton jackstands. This setup is around $200 and very versatile. Jackpoints just look way to pricey to me.

My car is too low for regular ramps so I built these beefy low-angle units for working under the beast. Granted, they are a bit clunky (and useless for brake jobs) .... but a fast and easy way to get the car up for most work.

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Thanks for this link. I was always leery about jacking it up NOT using the factory jacking points but this shows other places where you can do it. As I have a big floor jack and several normal jack stands that might just work fine. Thanks for all the other advice on ramps also. I also do not have the cojones to try four of them at once. I think ramps would be easier but the problem there is getting the car level. With a jack and stands I can always let it back down for all the oil to drain. Good advice all and thanks again. Marc

I use ramps for most work that doesn't require the wheels to come off. You can't use 4 ramps at once... they won't fit under the car between the front and rear wheels... you can only back onto them in the rear or drive forward onto them in the front (if you're not lowered).

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Hmmm. When you put it that way it seems so obvious. .... unless! You take 2x10s, cut four each to 5' 4' 3' and 2'. Then, you drive up on the 5' pieces, and add the 4' pieces underneath. Repeat until you have used all pieces. Then it would work!

I use a low profile floor jack and these four flat top jack stands. It takes a bit of research to find those places where you can jack up the car which are not the official jack points, so you can jack it up and slide the stand under the jack point itself. This only applies when you are trying to get all four wheels off the ground. If you only need one or two wheels off the ground then you can simply use the jacking location (on the same side of the car) where you don't need to place the jack stand, jack it up, then place the jack stand at the opposite location. Below is a picture of the maximum height that can be achieved.

Perfect timing! Planning some simple, low, wood ramps for this - basically 3 layers of 2x10s. At the moment *none* of my existing ramp sets (3), or floor jacks (3), including an AC hydro DK13 clone, allow me to lift my TT. Funny, and I thought my Lotus was low.

If you have a gently sloping driveway you can back it onto ramps such that the car is level, and do your oil changes that way. I have used the Rhino ramps to do oil changes on my Boxster and my other vehicles that way.

For oil changes...Rhino Ramps behind the rear wheels, back up on to them. Jack the front of the car up until it's level (I put a level on the door-sill)... Drain oil, replace drain plug (18 ft lbs.) and oil filter (hand tight) - re-fill with 9.3 qts. of your favorite controversial oil, lower front and drive off the ramps... Go for a drive!

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+996. Except I am lucky enough that I do not need ramps for oil changes. I back out of the garage right before my driveway slopes, creating enough room for me to simply crawl under.

If you want to use ramps, you can drive up on 2 and then jack the car up and put ramps under the other tires. You can mix and match with jack stands using the same method. Jack up from the rear, put jack stands up front and ramps out back. Or use 4 jack stands. I jack from the rear and put the rear jack stands on the frame cross member. As for jacks, I have the cheap low profile harbor freight racing jack. I have my original that I bought in 2009. Still going strong. image.jpeg -td

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For both my Boxster and my 996 Turbo (and other cars) I've used a set of Rhino Ramps to in the case of my Boxster/Turbo back the car onto and provide enough room for an oil/filter service and accessing the O2 sensors. (I changed some in the Boxster, but had a tech do the ones in the Turbo.) The oil drains ok even on the ramps. With the Boxster I let the oil drain a while then with two factory scissor jacks raised the front of the car level with the rear and no extra oil came out. The ramps even though they are low profile will not let me drive either car onto to them and get the front of the car in the air. When I need the front of the car raised I have two scissor jacks and use one at each front lifting point to jack the car up then slide the ramps under the tires and lower the car down. When doing the brakes I'd just jack up on one corner at a time, putting the other jack on the other side and putting some force on the car. When I worked on the car I stayed the heck out from underneath it in case the scissor jack failed. Since they are not hydraulic they can't leak down due to a bad seal and in the raised position are almost as good as a jack stand. Still I stay out from under the car. If I worked on my cars more I'd "invest" in a nice portable car lift that would let me lift the car/support the car by its factory lift points or by the tires/wheels/suspension. A bit costly but these cars receive quite a bit of their servicing from underneath. That is the nature of the beast. I have to point out the lifting points recommended by the Pelican article are not factory sanctioned. The factory sanctions lifting the car only the reinforced areas with lifts protected by rubber pads to prevent marring the paint there that is teh first defense against corrosion or by lifting the car by its tires/wheels/suspension. Lifting the car any other way, supporting the car any other way, risks damage to the suspension or chassis as the supporting point is not reinforced to properly support the weight.

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I think for as much as I am going to use them this is the way I am going to go. So WHICH Rhino Ramps do you use? There seem to be different heights and different lengths. Marc

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How would you do this? You'd need to put one pair of ramps either in front of the rear wheels or behind the front wheels - which ain't possible. This maneuver works great if you have a truck with enough ground clearance to put one pair of ramps in front of the back tires and the other pair in front of the front tires. Put it in 4 low and creep up your stands. I have 2 jacks and 4 stands. Using them all - and only having to jack three times total - the car winds up completely off the ground with a jack stand in all four jack points. Jack pass side using rear lift point (jack A); add a jack stand @ front passenger lift point. Jack driver side using rear lift point (jack A); add a jack stand @ front driver lift point. Verify that both front stands are correctly positioned. Position jack B @ subframe crossmember; lower jack A so jack B is supporting the rear end. Verify as many times as necessary during this step that both front stands are correctly positioned below their jack points. Jack up the rear (using the cross member) with jack B as high as it will go. If your jack handle is not long enough to do this part without having any part of your body under the car , take precautions to ensure that the car cannot crush you. Add jack stands to both rear jack points and lower and remove jack B.

I've got RhinoGear 11909. Works great for oil changes. I used them in conjunction with jackstands in front when I did the trans oil. But I still plan to buy a lift

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[Image-only post; no author-written text. Original image references:] http://corvettec3.ca/ramps/ramp11.jpg

I'll try to remember to take a picture this weekend. I use 4 homemade ramps and raise the whole car level. They only raise it a few inches, but if you're thin like me, it's all you need for almost any job.

If you check out my IMS Solution thread I went into detail about how I got the car up on jack stands using the factory jack points and the heavy duty rear cross member. It's a bit of a process though.

Harbor Freight Jack on sale for $59.99 this weekend. http://www.harborfreight.com/15-Ton-...l_s1031_c3516c -td

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These jacks are great and worth every penny for 59.99. very very strong and reliable. Did my cat bypass other day with them and the same jack stands that harbor freight sells that look just like these jacks

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What ever you do don't use the engine to lift the rear. The fluid mounts cannot take the weight! what ever you may read.

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That's a good price. I just bought one of these: http://www.toolsmithdirect.com/2-ton...rage-jack.html It has pretty much the lowest minimum height I could find. The 996 will be going up in the air tomorrow for a couple of weeks - pics ' new thread to follow!

I have used these for the past several years, works with all 3 of my 928s as well as the 996. Along with a set of 6 ton jack stands and low profile jack from Harbor Freight you can have the car in the air in less than 15 minutes. http://liftbars.com/

Here is my setup. Nothing fancy, just 4 wooden ramps to give a few extra inches of clearance. And yes, there is a jack stand hidden on the other side of the floor jack. edit: can't get picture to behave. One is tiny, other is sideways, sorry.

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You can always just dig a deep trench under the car(?)

Check these out: https://raceramps.com/

Maxjax, well worth it if you are going to do more then oil changes. http://www.garagejournal.com/2009/05...e-2-post-lift/ You Tube

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Was the rubber smell ridiculously strong with yours? Mine's been sitting outside for two weeks and it still smells like a tire shop when I come within 5 feet of them.

I bought a pair of Jack Point Jack Stands, while expensive they work great. http://www.jackpointjackstands.com/

Twinkie's. Two 996's and no tires at the moment. I bought a pair of liftbars but have yet to use them except as a test. I can have the car up on 4 jack stands with 3 lifts in about 5 minutes.

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Nice, but if you were going to spend that much I think I'd just get a MaxJack or scissor lift.

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Why Slakker, I'm interested in your feedback on the lift bars, also in your 5 min technique

The liftbars are very cool and well designed. But the extra clearance required to use them means I have to back up on to 2x8's or something to get the jack under the car. I still plan to use them when I need extra height for dropping the tranny or something. Also, they make an awesome breaker bar handle extension when you have a stubborn wheel nut. For jack stands: - Lift at rear jack pad and insert stand under front jack pad (if lowered, insert 2x8 under rear tire) - lift at opposite rear jack point and insert stand under front pad - lift rear using rear frame just in front of where the sway bar attaches and insert both rear jack stands - use cordless 1/2" impact driver to remove wheels (you don't have to pre loosen this way)

I use this mini ramp for oil changes. Just enough height to unscrew the plug and slide the catch basin in place.

Thanks Slakker! Your car is lowered, right? Do you think the lift bars would work on standard height without blocking? I use a similar technique as you now, but hate the rocking movement on front stands as I lift one side, then other. Maybe I'm too ****.

My test was on stock height and I was able to finagle it in without blocks but it took a little doing. If you had a super low profile jack it would probably work. If you are just looking to remove the "pucker factor" they are perfect. I've gotten used it it but I do stop just as it touches each stand to check the alignment and will redo as necessary.

Going to be selling my liftbars and 6 ton jackstands. This combo will allow you to lift your 996 up to ~24" safely. This is more than plenty for removing the engine and tranny. PM me if interested.

I'd be interested Slakker, but shipping would make it impractical I fear.

Not really, I'll cover shipping.

Liftbars were $275 shipped http://liftbars.com/priceslb.htm#928 Jackstands were $72 shipped https://m.summitracing.com/parts/sum-918006 I'll do $250 shipped for everything. Jackstands are new in box and liftbars were used once.

Sale pending on liftbars.

I use a combination of my original scissor jack, then use my big jack and then use standard jack stands. I dont take the wheels off or get under until its secure but even then I dont enjoy being under the car too much and will try to work from the sides!