That and the thought of driving a syncro up on one side both wheels....
Not me thank you.
I use ramps to drop engines/ transmissions, gas tanks. Wheel bearing,
brakes, etc... I use a set of sears jackstands. I also use large pieces
of wood (8x8 stacked) to keep any accidents from killing me.

Oil changes? Perhaps I spent too much time under the ex's Honda CRX...
there is boatloads of room under that thing, why use anything at all?

Bill Davidson wrote:
>
> a caution on building your own ramps:
> even the metal manufactured ones have been known to collapse!
> (and your reference to using cheaper wood and leaving it outside makes me
> nervous too)
>
> not a bad idea to use jack stands even with ramps...
>
> Bill
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Horace K. Sawyer" <firestream@MINDSPRING.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2000 4:46 AM
> Subject: Re: jackstands vs. ramps Low-boy creeper
>
> > First, I am scared of those metal ramps, and they are so slippery.  So, I
> > copied the local fire department.  They have a set of wooden ramps that do
> > the exact same thing, except better!  Just cut appropriate pieces and nail
> > or screw together in a stair step fashion.  Drive the van up the steps,
> one
> > level at a time.  Voila!  I can send email photo to those who want.  I
> even
> > built mine from some cheaper grade wood, and they have warped a tad from
> > being outside in the elements, but are still well suited for the task.
> >
> > BTW, why does the fire dept. use them?  For rescue.  Overturned vehicles
> > need stabilzation, cars on their sides, sticking out of ditches, other
> > cars, etc.  They call it "cribbing."  The various steps allow for a fit
> > *somewhere* on the crashed vehicle.  I saw it as a the *perfect" oil
> > changing ramp for cars.
> >
> > Second, Unca Joel, poet extraordinaire, brings up another of my favorite
> > "inventions" for working on mechanical steeds.  A friend of mine, also a
> > Volkswagen nut like the rest of you, calls the flat piece of cardboard a
> > "Low-boy creeper."
> >
> > I just made a brand new one this weekend in fact!  We had to buy a new TV
> > due to lightning strikes, and a 756" big screen makes a marvelous low-boy
> > creeper.  In fact, covers most front yards . . .
> >
> > Or maybe that was a 32" Zenith from Circuit City . . .  anyway. nothing
> > like nice, new thick, smooth cardboard to roll around on.  Makes a soul
> > just feel good when you've got a new Matco Special forces wrench in your
> > hand with a ubiquitous 13mm socket.  : )
> >
> > HK
> > yeehaw from GA
> >