So I got a little unlucky with my new apartment. My stall in the garage has a bit of a slope to it and I'm a little worried about jacking the car up and crawling under it. So I'm wondering how much of a slope would be considered dangerous.

This stall is pretty wide, probably at least 10', and in that 10' there is a height difference of maybe 6". Is that too steep? I'm doing a catback so the car is going to have to have one whole side up. Which way should I face it?

Thanks.

 

I would take total precaution given your situation. Although that is not too much of an incline, you should still put safety first.

Use plenty of heavy duty jackstands. Whatever you do, NEVER rely on a jack alone.

Also you could do this: my friend and I with his chevelle put in a 4spd and propped his front two tires up on these boxy concrete blocks. They were probably 18" x 18" and the tire sunk nicely into the center of them, so there was no chance of them rolling out.

As far as direction goes, I would park the car as if you were driving UP the incline. When you jack the rear up, you will counter that angle that the ground creates, and your car will be effectively nearer to parallel with true level ground. I would think this would work better, rather than coaxing your car down a sloping angle.

 

Personally, I'ld face it engine facing up the hill. Doesn't seem like it's too steep if you're not going to be doing major work.

I'm assuming and hoping that you will be using jack stands. Never trust just a jack while you're under the car. I'ld put the whole car in the air (4 stands). Makes life easier to move around under there.

 

Oh, yeah, I have jack stands and wheel chocks. I'd never trust just the floor jack.

Guitarjunki17, are you talking about those concrete cinder blocks? I have some of those around. Maybe what I'll do is put one under each lifted tire, but still keep the weight on the jack stands.

thanks for the input guys.

 

Yeah those, but they are the bigger square ones, not the typical building ones. But like you said, I would keep the weight on the jackstands, the cinder blocks are there for insurance incase it does slip, the tires should fall into the blocks nicely.

 

Holy crap that’s a bad idea… those things are only designed to hold a load in one direction and that’s straight up and down, perpendicular to the cast walls. Wedging a tire in one is just asking it to fail, and when that happens they just crumble.

As a rule, NEVER use cinder blocks or concrete with any kind of open structure to support a car.

 

Either way, once you've got it in place to work on it; give the car a good hard football style shoulder check. I'd rather have it slip off a jackstand and fall 6" onto the tires or body, than onto MY BODY. Once you start reefing on the exhaust, the feeling of the car moving, and watching a jackstand start to teeter is pretty much the scariest thing i've ever experienced.

 

If you read on, I advise that you put the weight on the stands and have that as a backup incase a stand slips out.

 

Hey Jay, how are ya?

Yeah, I got the thing nice and solid, gave it a real good shaking, and as for the cinder blocks, I was wrong. The ones we have are the kind with a bunch of holes drilled through. But even so, better'n nothing. I just got back, still alive, not bleeding at all.

 

bah, youll be fine, i removed engine and trans bolted together on a camaro in dirt on a larger slope than that. the car didnt fall over , but it was difficult to remove the engine cuz it always wanted to twist as i lifted it. bottom line, you put some jack stands under there and make sure they are sitting on the ground ok and youll be just fine, you could kick the car and it wouldnt fall off the stands.

 

What ever you do just be careful. And as said never trust a jack. I did that once and crawled out from the car to get a tool and the car sliped off the jack. Scared the crap out of me. You learn best from your mistakes but you wont learn anything if your dead.

 

One thing that I usually do, even if I’m using jack stands is if a tire is off the car I throw it under the car. That way I know that no matter what happens, which way it slips, if a jack stand folds or topples over and sends the thing 2’ to the side and down, it still won’t drop any further then the width of the tire, won’t kill me, and won’t damage anything besides possibly scratching up a rim, which can always be replaced.

 

Thats a good one too, I'll remember that for next time.

 

An incline can cause serious problems/damage, so be darn careful. I located a short after installing a new power antenna. I raced home and parked in my drive (with an incline). I opened the door and stuck a hand in between door and fender to grab the offending wire when incline and wind conspired to swing the door shut. Mangled the @$#$@ out of my fingers--neighbors heard me bellowing like a castrated bull (sheared flesh to the bone).

As a double check, have your mother come over and ask her opinion on the safety issue

JamesC

 

OUCH. Stupid heavy doors. I didn't even think you could reach in that far from that angle. I always go in through the fender liner.

 

Haha, if we did that everytime we worked on our cars, wed never get anything done, and you know it.

Mom: "Why are you drinking beer and working on your car?"

Me: "Because I'll be less likely to throw a 1/2" socket wrench through the garage wall"

Mom: "No! no beer while working on the car, and wait, WHAT IS THAT CRAP ALL OVER MY DRIVEWAY!?!?"

Me: "Oil, mom"

Mom: "You don't turn one more wrench until it's cleaned up!!! You want me to get your father out here??"

Me: "Sure, I could use a hand, and someone else to help me drink all this beer "