C4inLA

Is there much prep needed to mate heads to cylinders step coming up? I may in future think about removing cam tower and heads as one unit, to go after through bolt o-rings. Your not machining surfaces, correct?

John McM

The main prep is cleaning off old sealant and oil. No, I'm not machining the head/cylinder interface as I don't see it as absolutely necessary. I may go back in if it leaks badly but at least that would be fixing a known problem as opposed to just doing it because it may seep.

As for disassembly, I would not try to lift the heads and cylinders off together. You are not going to save that much time and the assembly would be heavy and unwieldy.

C4inLA

Valid point. I'd probably wait until I need head work... Enter slope ... Slippery slope ....

C4inLA

John,

I am thinking of reworking my ramps around my lift. I just quickly did the 2x4 sandwich approach and notice when I lower car wheels are kind of sticky to the wood and hop as they settle. I don't want that messing with my alignment. Did you frame the long portions in 2x4 and attach plywood to frames? How is the outdoor carpet working out?

Super90

Interesting. I just bought the BendPak MD-6XP and use the long Raceramps with it, and when I lower the car down, the ramps move a bit as the suspension settles...

John McM

Yes, my wheels (mostly the rears) hop out on the ramps as the full weight comes on them. I don't think it's possible to stop it but I'd be surprised if it changes the alignment.

The carpet struggles to stay in place when just glued down so I used staples as well. It still bunches up a little. I like carpet as a ramp cover in general as I store parts on it but it is marginal in use under the wheels.

John McM

I'll post pics when back at home over the weekend. I put joining supports between the ramps that allow some movement but hold the ramps parallel. I can remove those supports when I want better access. It's an iterative design process. I think I'm close to right, now.

Spokes

While John is travelling here are some pics from my ramps. 17mm ply. John followed most of my work with some minor mods.

C4inLA

I might try your approach. I was thinking where tires rest, could beef up framing in those areas as I have a ton of 2x4's currently in use. How wide did you go? Thanks for the info.

Spokes

I made mine 400cm wide. I think John did run some framing up the centre of ladder structure. I haven't had any issues, but I don't run anything up the ramps except my 911s.

Also I have a removable chamfered wood brace at the front that keeps the width, and acts as a tyre bump.

John McM

Pics - first one is a model I worked off. I used Spokes stepped ramp design rather than this one. The steps are simply layers of plywood with the edges bevelled.

John McM

Detail

John McM

I designed mine to have as few cuts as possible e.g. The plywood sheet was cut in half at the lumber yard and used in that form.

Thoughts:

You need a stop at the end of the ramp that is low enough to allow your spoiler to go over it but not so low that the wheels easily run over it putting the car off the end of the ramp.

You want the parts to disassemble easily but hold together well when fixed. I have 6 parts; 2 stepped entry ramps, two long ramps and a cross member between the long ramps at each end.

The cross members are held in with gate hasps and a similar method for the entry ramps.

Everything needs to be tight enough to keep the dimensions intact when using it but not too tight that they can't easily be reassembled.

If you don't have cross members, as soon as the car comes down it will push the ramps apart. If you push them too close together it potentially fouls on the lift edges.

C4inLA

Great pics and ideas, thanks!

Spokes

John did add a few nice mods from mine, damn, a new job while waiting for some parts.