Rich_01659

Time for an oil change, set up the ramps and call the wife to help guide me into position. Due to a failure of communication (I take full responsibility) she did not understand that she needed to tell me to stop once I was at the top of the ramp. I saw her eyes LITE UP and I hit the brakes, I asked WHATS THE PROBLEM? I then asked if I'm over the top and she said yes. I asked how far and she said too far. I asked is the car going to fall and she said YES. I'm a bit freaked now, but stuck in the car and holding the brakes with an unbelievable amonut of force. I said find somthing to put under the tires, bricks , boards ... anything. so she ran around the garage and got everything she could find to build up under the hanging front tires. Then I asked to go get the neighbor (he is a really cool guy) I'm still stuck in the car, even with the emergency break up HARD the car continues to roll forward everytime i start to let off the break. The neighbor shows up, I ask HOW BAD? he says BAD! noway to backup! So he checks the blocks under the front tires and then chocks the rears and says let her go. I take my foot off the break and she rolls over and settles on the blocks. Now that I'm able to get out of the car I can see how far over I was Yieeks! anyway we got two floor jacks and lifted the car onto the ramps. Note to self..... be very clear when you explain to the wife that once the car is on the ramps You need to STOP!!

85red_vette

What a nightmare

:steering:

AWSUM94

HOLY TA-MOLY!!!! D*m lucky!!! Glad everything worked out :hurray:

Perfusion

OH MY GoD!!!!!!!!!!! Consider yourself *very* lucky! I'm glad to hear that nobody (the car included) was injured in this little debaucle.

sraft

YIKES!!! :eek: A long time ago I went conpletely over the top of my ramps and ended up on the door sills (not with the vette). Jacked it off and luckily had no damage. Do your ramps have a bump stop at the end?

Z-PDX

TTIWWO PICS!

-Z

joecaver

Glad that worked out as well as it did. A question though. Could you add a stop at the end of the ramp to keep that from happening again?

konroh

did that once with my Aurora...i was by myself and drove up on them, the ground was a little wet and they slid under the front wheels and the car fell on them...glad i was using plastic ramps (rhino ramps), the bump stop just crushed a bit and no damage to the car. i would have been freaked out if i did that in the vette! :eek:

Cozmo

:eek: Glad it all worked out.

JasonL

Glad everything was ok. Were these Rhino Ramps?

Always a little scary putting the car up, but I've gotten pretty good at doing it alone. Ride the clutch and go up slow, soon as you hit the flat part, clutch in, gas off, lightly tap the brakes. Wears the clutch a bit, but I figure it's cheaper than bodywork. If you hit the brakes hard the ramps tend to slide.

If you have a spotter, have them signal how close you are to the top of the ramp.


[Modified by JasonL, 11:24 AM 4/5/2004]

rick lambert

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: I bet the wife knows when to yell stop now :D

Rich_01659

I believe they are the rhino ramps, yellow with the black addon to help with the drag. yea they have a little bump at the end but not enough to stop you if your movin. We both learned a lesson and believe me that will not happen again. a good spotter is all you need, I'll still use my wife but we will have a better understanding of her job as spotter and my job as driver :lol:

86_RedRider

:eek: that was close.

olefam

God was surely watching over you this time! Many years ago I quit using portable ramps for the very reason you just described. Now I use a set of full length ramps that I built. Cost a lot more in both time and money than the portables, but both the car and I am well worth the extra cost.
Glen

Wayne88

I had mine on ramps Saturday, changed the fuel filter.

My method-- keep the door open, window down with my neck & body stretched out the door, and guide it myself. Works easier with my automatic, but I also did it with clutches.

When it comes to stuff like that--I don't even trust my own "As---le"

CentralCoaster

:eek: Shoulds took pics!

Lesson learned... keep the wifey out of the garage!

GS057

:eek:

Bruthish

:iagree: :iagree:

Jet-Jock

WOW that'll get the heartrate up a bit! Did you play the lottery that night too? Definitely your lucky day.

I have similar ramps (no wife for a spotter), this maybe a difference between an auto v 6spd, but mine drives up at idle at a perfect pace. I can feel the first bump and can peek out the bottom of the door slightly open and see the tire on the ramp. I kind of cheated too though, the first time I got it up on the ramps with the tires exactly right, I marked on the floor where the ramps go. So its an easy setup and positioning each time.

Glad this story came out fine whew. :shocked:

bart15

Almost did the same thing in my Tahoe last weekend. I didn't have a spotter but I felt it bump over the front stopper and start to fall. Thankfully I was able to power break it back onto the ramps, but that was a feeling that did get the 'ole ticker jumpin'

Glad to hear your was as scary, but damage free as mine was!

:seeya