I want to do my own oil changes and am interested in hearing what people have to say about the safest way to lift a
Cayman
.
My thinking is that 4 ramps would be the easiest but are ramps safe to use?
A hydraulic jack and 4 jack stands are another option but lifting the car a corner at a time seems like a bit of a pain and a little precarious and is it any safer than good ramps.
I recommend changing oil with the car on a lift. That way the car will remain level and you'll get almost all of the oil to drain. A few shops will rent a lift stall for DIY'ers in the evenings.
I'm still trying to figure out how one would get the car perched on 4 ramps.
The only safe way I can think of, is with floor jacks -- drive up one pair of ramps (at either end, although the rear might have more room), then jack up the other end and slide the ramps in. There's simply no room to drive up four ramps at the same time.
I live in earthquake country, and regard jackstands as unsafe. I used rear ramps only for my 1st oil change, but since the car was not level I was not able to completely drain all of the oil out. I'll have to think of something better for
next
time...
I did my first oil change with the rear of the car on ramps. To complete draining the old oil I jacked the front end up using 2 floor jacks. I then dropped it down to complete the change.
Since then a friend installed a lift in his garage which, as Jim said, is the best method.
I do mine on rear ramps only - based on the amount of oil that I used to refill and the level it reached, I don't think I left more than a 1/2 qt of old oil in the sump at the most. I don't think that should make much of a difference.
I agree that sliding under a car on jack-stands still makes me nervous (even with no risk of earthquakes) - I always leave my jack in place as a back-up.
It seems to me that most store-bought ramps are too steep and would scrap either the front or rear bumper.
Well, you could always jack up one end, slide the ramps in, then jack up the other end and slide those ramps in. It would be the same basic idea as putting the vehicle up on jack stands, but I consider the ramps to be more stable than stands.
BTW, I always leave the jacks in place, even when using stands, since it's better to have too much support than not enough when working under the car. Someone I know (from another board) was killed last year when his jack collapsed and he was crushed under his truck.
I got these and they work fine. I've only tested it with rear bumper.
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-Moto
I jack up one side. Place a jack stand under the car. Slide under, remove the drain plug. Slide out take the jack stand out and lower the car. Quick, easy, efficient and the car is level while the oil drains.
Sears Lift N Secure jack/stands works great. See the article.
bet: Something's wrong with my car; it doesn't remain level when I jack up one side.
I think you misread my post.
Mine isn't level with just one side jacked up....that is why I lower it while the oil drains.
I jack-up one side, place 4pieces of 2x6 under each wheel, and repeat the process on the other side. Car is level and sits about 8" off the ground. I have enough room to work comfortably.
