RE: Fumoto Drain valve install and first oil change.

[MirageRally]

Be careful with Harbor Freight stuff. They are priced low for a reason. That being said, my floor jack & jackstands are from HF! Reviewers raved about 'em, so I felt more comfortable about buying them.

I have an old pair of steel ramps you might be interested in. Since I got a pair of plastic ramps and the floor jack & jackstands, I don't use the steel ramps anymore. We can catch up about it if you're interested.

Sure, sounds good.

[MirageRally]

I still use a standard oil drain plug and I don't lift my Mirage during an oil change. Occasionally when I need some additional access, I will just drive up onto a small piece of 2x10 under each front wheel.

If you need more clearance than that, here are some other options to consider. Warning: These aren't the least expensive ramps you can buy...but they're probably the best.

Race Ramps are the most popular automotive ramps among enthusiasts. They're durable, light-weight, easy do drive up on because they don't have steep approach angles, and they don't slide. They are available in several configurations. I personally like the 2-piece models (here is one example). Once your car is up on the ramp, you can remove part of the ramp and access the car from under the side...

Attachment 18773

One other product they offer is something called a roll up. It's a short ramp that's easy to drive up on...and it gives you a quick 4" of lift. This should make it easier to do an oil change from below on a Mirage.

Attachment 18774

Hey Top Fuel, how durable are those ramps? They say coated foam? That sounds less durable than the heavy plastic l have.

[Mark]

What about these Mark?
https://www.harborfreight.com/solid-...SABEgICefD_BwE

That is not a style of ramp that I would crawl under. If the metal buckles, the car comes down. I realize they may stack nice, but I really don't trust that style at all even though a Mirage is light. Plus, this style slides on pavement easily, which can make them hard to climb. Especially if one ramp slides & the other side holds it spot.

[Top_Fuel]

...how durable are those ramps? They say coated foam? That sounds less durable than the heavy plastic l have.

It is some sort of high-density expanded foam. Don't confuse this with foam packaging materials. Each ramp can support 1500 pounds.

This Race Ramp review will show you what the differences are between these and a $40 set of plastic ramps. Both do the same job, but one is a lot easier to use.

[MirageRally]

That is not a style of ramp that I would crawl under. If the metal buckles, the car comes down. I realize they may stack nice, but I really don't trust that style at all even though a Mirage is light. Plus, this style slides on pavement easily, which can make them hard to climb. Especially if one ramp slides & the other side holds it spot.

ok, good to know-l'll just keep the plastic ramps for now and if l need something else l'll look at race ramps.

[Mark]

interesting that you use jacks to lift the car and l use ramps...l'd rather use the tires and throttle to lift the vehicle as in the past l'd had trouble with jackstands...once with my saturn where l jacked it on the pinch weld and as l was under the vehicle l heard a creaking noise and immediately got out from under the vehicle as the jack punctured the pinch weld and when my Saturn came down on the support jacks, it tore a hole in the Subframe...scary stuff...we made sure everything was secure, but you know what caused it? Rust rotted the Subframe and pinch welds so bad that it rotted it through.

I've used homemade wooden ramps, large floor jack, & a cheap scissor jack ($5 from a junk yard) to lift my Mirage.

If I am rotating tires, I sometimes just use the cheap scissor jack that I picked up at a junk yard years ago. A small scissor jack is light and easily/safely picks up a Mirage on a flat cement surface. At times, I use my floor jack, too. I'm not under the car doing this job. Change wheels and let car back down.

When I've used a jack to lift my car to do an oil change, I set the front wheels back down on a large wooden blocks. Parking brake is set firmly. Blocking rear wheels on top of that is good, too. I have never used jack stands (even though I have four) on my Mirage, but I wouldn't go under car with just a jack holding it either. I use one jack and set the front wheel back down on something solid like a solid patio block or wood block. Then I do the same to the other side. I thought I should clarify that. I mentioned jack stands, have them, but never use them on my Mirage.

About a year ago, I had some 2" x 8" boards leftover from another project. I made a ramp only 3 boards tall with a 4" x 4" block wood at the end (to prevent rolling past the small ramp). I just drive up those board ramps and lock my rear brake when I do oil changes now. 2" x 10" may be better, but for standard factory wheels this works just fine.

I could probably pull off an oil change without lifting the car, but it's just easier to have it lifted slightly. I haven't seen a ramp that looks stronger than the homemade ones made of solid lumber. The metal ramps with no cross braces look very unsafe to me. They can be difficult to drive up, too.

[Mark]

ok, good to know-l'll just keep the plastic ramps for now and if l need something else l'll look at race ramps.

Just a thought for what you already have -
Place your car on your current ramps.
Place a long 2" x 4" under the front of your back wheels.
Measure the distance from the edge of your ramps to the spot the long 2" x 4" under your car is now in.

Next time you set up your ramps, place a long 2" x 4" that same distance from the ramps. As you climb up, the rear wheels hitting the 2" x 4" will help you know when to stop. If you accidentally roll over them, it won't hurt anything in the rear. I think that would be enough to help you sense when to stop. After you are on the ramps, you can move the same 2" x 4" behind the wheels to block them.

[MirageRally]

Just a thought for what you already have -
Place your car on your current ramps.
Place a long 2" x 4" under the front of your back wheels.
Measure the distance from the edge of your ramps to the spot the long 2" x 4" under your car is now in.

Next time you set up your ramps, place a long 2" x 4" that same distance from the ramps. As you climb up, the rear wheels hitting the 2" x 4" will help you know when to stop. If you accidentally roll over them, it won't hurt anything in the rear. I think that would be enough to help you sense when to stop. After you are on the ramps, you can move the same 2" x 4" behind the wheels to block them.

l'll do that, thanks lt's hard to judge when your car is in the air.

[Mark]

It is some sort of high-density expanded foam. Don't confuse this with foam packaging materials. Each ramp can support 1500 pounds.

This Race Ramp review will show you what the differences are between these and a $40 set of plastic ramps. Both do the same job, but one is a lot easier to use.

Given the low fronts on many new cars today, the length (more gradual slope) of the Race Ramp is a big plus. Being able to pull away the ramp portion once the car is parked is nice, too.

I like my ramps made of three stacked boards screwed together for my Mirage. Otherwise setting the wheels on something solid after lifting with a jack works, too. If I worked on lots of cars, having nicer more expensive ramps would be worth it. They are a great suggestion!

[MirageRally]

Given the low fronts on many new cars today, the length (more gradual slope) of the Race Ramp is a big plus. Being able to pull away the ramp portion once the car is parked is nice, too.

I like my ramps made of three stacked boards screwed together for my Mirage. Otherwise setting the wheels on something solid after lifting with a jack works, too. If I worked on lots of cars, having nicer more expensive ramps would be worth it. They are a great suggestion!

l might save up for the one piece race ramp...but l am worried about the 2 piece...what if the second piece disconnects while l'm going up?