Safe car lifting practices!

**SubaruWRC** · 02-17-2013 08:42 PM

So I am waiting for parts to do a TBE install and front sway bar. I've been looking around and cannot find a good diy on how to lift your car. Using jacks or ramps. I think this should be a sticky somewhere but I have yet to find it. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Or post some good practices? I just want to be safe and I want to know of possible problems. Thanks in advance.

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**EJ257** · 02-17-2013 08:53 PM

Sways need to be installed with the suspension under load. So a set of ramps is what you need. I've done a bunch of TBE installs with a car on ramps, so you can 2-for-1 it.

Using them is pretty self-explanatory...

**SubaruWRC** · 02-17-2013 09:08 PM

So for the tbe I just drive up on the ramps with the front wheels for the down pipe then the rear wheels for the cat back? Also what about using ramps and jack stands in conjunction?

Lastly I've researched ramps and have seen bad things about rhino ramps. Like sliding and breaking. I saw race ramps got really good reviews and personally I'd rather spend the money on better ramps that are going to be keeping a 3000 lb car from falling on me.

Has anyone here used race ramps?

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**EJ257** · 02-17-2013 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by SubaruWRC

So for the tbe I just drive up on the ramps with the front wheels for the down pipe then the rear wheels for the cat back? Also what about using ramps and jack stands in conjunction?

Lastly I've researched ramps and have seen bad things about rhino ramps. Like sliding and breaking. I saw race ramps got really good reviews and personally I'd rather spend the money on better ramps that are going to be keeping a 3000 lb car from falling on me.

Has anyone here used race ramps?

I've never had an issue with my 2-ton Rhino Ramps. I've had cars on them over 100X, and have no qualms about going under a car while on them.

As for the catback section of the TBE install, I'll typically jack the rear up by the rear diff (with a piece of wood as a "buffer", of course) and throw stands at the rear corners.

**SubaruWRC** · 02-17-2013 09:24 PM

When doing the cat back is your car still on the ramps?

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**EJ257** · 02-17-2013 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by SubaruWRC

When doing the cat back is your car still on the ramps?

Depends if I'm dealing with a downpipe. If not, I don't bother lifting the front. If I'm doing something with the downpipe, also, the car is on ramps (F) / stands (R).

**teflon_jones** · 02-17-2013 11:20 PM

+1 to everything ^^^he said. Whether you can do the catback without lifting up the car depends a lot on how big you are. I did the axleback on my STI without lifting the car, and it was a bit tight, but I'm also 6'4 with a 50" chest so I don't have a lot of room under there...

In general, all you should really need for the full exhaust is to lift the front, but of course the more room you have to work the easier it is. A pair of Rhino ramps at Walmart is $50 or so, and if you can't reach things in the back with just the front lifted, then there's no harm in starting the car, rolling it off them, and then putting them under the rear wheels to finish the job.

"Safe" practices always means you have a backup in case one point of jacking fails, which the ramps provide. I'll admit I'm one of many people who has relied on my equipment more than a few times and just used my jack and crawled under there. However, that's for simple stuff where I'm not exerting a lot of force / torque on the car. For anything like the downpipe where you're exerting a lot of force, I always use at least a jack and jack stand, two jacks, or something similar where I have that point of failure.

**AmateurX** · 02-18-2013 01:16 PM

If you're cheap like me you can make some DIY ramps out of 2x10s. (I posted a pic around here somewhere.) I use them all the time for oil changes, and whatnot. When I installed my shifter bushings, I used ramps on the front and a jack under the rear diff. I usually throw a pair of jack stands under the A arms as some extra insurance. When I install my sways this spring I'll just use the ramps as described above.

I was reading the Subie Service Manual for the '09s, and it only showed tightening the rears sways under load, not the front.

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**Mikie13** · 02-18-2013 01:32 PM

Just install a lift. Only a couple grand. Bam. All your needs taken care of. You'll still need ramps for the sway bars though. Or you could just install a wheel supported lift with the other one.

**Kwrxp** · 02-18-2013 04:01 PM

Get rhino ramps, they aren't expensive and you will use them all the time. Great for oil changes and just general inspection.

**SubaruWRC** · 02-18-2013 09:10 PM

I wish I could get a lift... I don't think the parking garage I park in would be okay with that tho Haha. And so the horror story about rhino ramps. Are those just idiots? I would think wheel chocks should keep you safe with them right?

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**11blackSTi** · 02-19-2013 03:59 AM

A set of jacks stands is nice if you ever need to take your wheels off, but for the mods you listed ^^^

**Ruh Roh** · 02-19-2013 04:16 AM

Originally Posted by SubaruWRC

I wish I could get a lift... I don't think the parking garage I park in would be okay with that tho Haha. And so the horror story about rhino ramps. Are those just idiots? I would think wheel chocks should keep you safe with them right?

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I think thats what i use

.... but when i did my turboback i had the car on ramps in the front and could still do the catback with the front end lifted up. Last night i planned on taking the front sway off (stupid stuck bolts) but with the front wheels on ramps everything was easily accessible. No need to take the wheels off and lift her up.