Question: working under a car on a slope

[zieg]

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 mean, it's steep enough that water can flow but not so steep that screws and stuff will roll away. I'm doing a catback so the car is going to have to have one whole side up on 2 jackstands. Which way should I face it?

Thanks.


Oh and feel free to move to a different forum if it suits.

[Rav4Guy]

your bylaws may or may not let you fix your car in the garage as it is an insurance risk... of some sort.

[zieg]

Well.. they said it was ok? I dunno, if anyone asks, I never heard of it.

[The Cosworth]

I would say it doesnt sound to bad, but I wouldnt do anything that i wasnt comfortable with. If you are nervous, you are more likely to make a mistake because you are thinking about the car falling on your head, then the car has a better chance of falling on your head

[teggypimp95]

Do a test run before you get under it. Jack it up make sure parking break on hard, and put good blocks under the wheels. PLus put it in gear. SHake it a little to see if it seems sterdy. It should be ok with that slop. I would jack it up on the side thats on the lower end. That way the car will be less tilted and more level. making it more sterdy.

[Sharpie]

If you have ramps put them up on there.. Put the car in 1st gear and pull hard as hell on the ebrake and you should be good, but for extra safety throw a rock or peice of wood behind the rear wheels.

[zieg]

Well I have wheel chocks, so I'll use those. No ramps though. Car's too low to get on 'em anyway. I guess I could also throw a cinder block under each tire, just in case. thanks for the ideas.

[Super_Geo]

If it is 10' long and rises 6" then you should be fine... That's only a 2.86 degree slope and at that angle you'll have 99.8% of your normal traction so the jacks shouldn't slip.

[Weapon_R]

Try and chalk both tires that stay on the floor, and park it so that if it does roll of the jacks, it falls away from you and not towards you (ie park in in reverse and work on it from the highest point). If anything does happen, that few inches it'll move before hitting the floor might save you. Always use jackstands, jacks just aren't safe enough. Also, throw something under the raised tires so if it falls it lands on it. I've had a car fall off a jack before and it's a pretty scary thing.

[zieg]

Alright, I just got back, she's all done. I used wheel chocks and jackstands and stuff, and she all went smoothly. And only one rusted bolt broke, I didn't even draw any blood from myself, lol.

Thanks again for the tips, guys. :thumbsup: