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There is pretty much zero risk if the car is either jacked correctly or put on ramps correctly. Dummies that rely on a single 1.5mm o-ring not blowing out on th

There is pretty much zero risk if the car is either jacked correctly or put on ramps correctly. Dummies that rely on a single 1.5mm o-ring not blowing out on their hydraulic floor jacks are gambling with their life. Always operate on flat terrain, always chock the wheels, always use the parking brake, always use jack stands, always verify no movement in the vehicle by rocking it, never rely on the floor jack.

rpmisms 3y ago
Ramps are very good. I don't know why anyone would use a jack for an oil change...
- jtriangle 3y ago
  A jack is basically suicide tbh. Jackstands are fine, provided they're used correctly. Ramps are nice, provided you don't need to take a wheel off, then you're using jackstands anyway, so, if you're buying one or the other, jackstands are a good option. Personally, if you have the space for it, a trench is the best option, I had one previously and I miss it alot. Nothing leaves the ground, car just pulls in and is ready to go. Mine was like 2ft deep, so, maybe a little cramped, but very comfortable once you're in there working. You couldn't make a standable trench at home without engineering it anyway, so, a crawlable trench is really the way to go.
  - the__alchemist 3y ago
    IMO a trench mitigates the danger effectively.
    - WalterBright 3y ago
      They're against the building code around here.
    - darkr 3y ago
      Until you fall into it when you’re not paying attention!
    - Arrath 3y ago
      Make sure it is shored correctly!
    - thimkerbell 3y ago
      But fumes can collect in a trench, is that right?
  - darkr 3y ago
    Another option, if you’ve got the ceiling height is a proper 4 post lift. Expensive, but you can justify it by doubling your car storage space.
- dylan604 3y ago
  Depends on the jack. The people I know that do this use a jack and jack stands rather than just a jack. The jack is just the tool to go up/down.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - shiroiushi 3y ago
    >The jack is just the tool to go up/down. This should be drilled into the heads of anyone who touches a jack. It's only a tool for lifting the car onto jackstands.
- class3shock 3y ago
  Lazyness. I've been under a car dozens of times with them, never had an issue, but know it's not the best practice and try to use jackstands... but it's just so much quicker!
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
the__alchemist 3y ago
Valid, re ramps > jack stands > floor jack. I always used ramps, but still... won't do it again. I'll change plugs + coils etc because you don't need to get under the car.
Scoundreller 3y ago
I’ll also put tires (on rims) underneath in addition to jack stands/ramps.
cruffle_duffle 3y ago
It’s amazing and honestly kind of sad how risk averse some people are. The reason I don’t change my oil anymore is it just isn’t worth the time and hassle. The “unsafety” of such a task doesn’t even register on my things to be worried about: at all. Jack it up, remember to put on gloves(!!!!) put the fucker on stands and go. The actual scary thing is I’m pretty sure way back when I was a kid we’d just dump the oil down the storm drain. I hate to think what that was doing to the environment around us.
- BenFranklin100 3y ago
  I’m baffled too. Changing oil in a car is dead simple and effectively zero risk with a proper pair of jack stands and a modicum of common sense and mechanical aptitude.
  - ryanjshaw 3y ago
    Not everyone is born with common sense. I sure wasn't. I'll find some way to do something that will leave the people with common sense scratching their heads, saying "but why wouldn't you just...".
    - outop 3y ago
      There's a kind of meta-common sense which allows people to say "I don't have the ability to perform this task reliably".
    - BenFranklin100 3y ago
      All right, I respect that. I’m sure there are plenty of things that I might do that would leave you scratching your head too.
  - shawabawa3 3y ago
    Of course it's safe if you jack it correctly The problem is if you've only used a jack 0-1 times in your life, you won't know you haven't done it correctly until there's a car crushing you
  - 3y ago

rpmisms 3y ago

Ramps are very good. I don't know why anyone would use a jack for an oil change...

jtriangle 3y ago
A jack is basically suicide tbh. Jackstands are fine, provided they're used correctly. Ramps are nice, provided you don't need to take a wheel off, then you're using jackstands anyway, so, if you're buying one or the other, jackstands are a good option. Personally, if you have the space for it, a trench is the best option, I had one previously and I miss it alot. Nothing leaves the ground, car just pulls in and is ready to go. Mine was like 2ft deep, so, maybe a little cramped, but very comfortable once you're in there working. You couldn't make a standable trench at home without engineering it anyway, so, a crawlable trench is really the way to go.
- the__alchemist 3y ago
  IMO a trench mitigates the danger effectively.
  - WalterBright 3y ago
    They're against the building code around here.
  - darkr 3y ago
    Until you fall into it when you’re not paying attention!
  - Arrath 3y ago
    Make sure it is shored correctly!
  - thimkerbell 3y ago
    But fumes can collect in a trench, is that right?
- darkr 3y ago
  Another option, if you’ve got the ceiling height is a proper 4 post lift. Expensive, but you can justify it by doubling your car storage space.
dylan604 3y ago
Depends on the jack. The people I know that do this use a jack and jack stands rather than just a jack. The jack is just the tool to go up/down.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- shiroiushi 3y ago
  >The jack is just the tool to go up/down. This should be drilled into the heads of anyone who touches a jack. It's only a tool for lifting the car onto jackstands.
class3shock 3y ago
Lazyness. I've been under a car dozens of times with them, never had an issue, but know it's not the best practice and try to use jackstands... but it's just so much quicker!

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

the__alchemist 3y ago

Valid, re ramps > jack stands > floor jack. I always used ramps, but still... won't do it again. I'll change plugs + coils etc because you don't need to get under the car.

Scoundreller 3y ago

I’ll also put tires (on rims) underneath in addition to jack stands/ramps.

cruffle_duffle 3y ago

It’s amazing and honestly kind of sad how risk averse some people are. The reason I don’t change my oil anymore is it just isn’t worth the time and hassle. The “unsafety” of such a task doesn’t even register on my things to be worried about: at all. Jack it up, remember to put on gloves(!!!!) put the fucker on stands and go. The actual scary thing is I’m pretty sure way back when I was a kid we’d just dump the oil down the storm drain. I hate to think what that was doing to the environment around us.

BenFranklin100 3y ago
I’m baffled too. Changing oil in a car is dead simple and effectively zero risk with a proper pair of jack stands and a modicum of common sense and mechanical aptitude.
- ryanjshaw 3y ago
  Not everyone is born with common sense. I sure wasn't. I'll find some way to do something that will leave the people with common sense scratching their heads, saying "but why wouldn't you just...".
  - outop 3y ago
    There's a kind of meta-common sense which allows people to say "I don't have the ability to perform this task reliably".
  - BenFranklin100 3y ago
    All right, I respect that. I’m sure there are plenty of things that I might do that would leave you scratching your head too.
- shawabawa3 3y ago
  Of course it's safe if you jack it correctly The problem is if you've only used a jack 0-1 times in your life, you won't know you haven't done it correctly until there's a car crushing you
- 3y ago