Oil change in driveway

[1970judge]

Ok folks, I need to change my oil for track duty next week, and I am contemplating using the race ramps wheel cribs pictured below. Anyone use them? My driveway is gravel so I can't use a quickjack or anything just yet (I am going to borrow my neighbors concrete pad for now).

For now I am contemplating going with this. I guess my question is, any driveway changers in here? Anyone have the issue I have i.e. having a flat driveway and no easy way to get the car up and level?
(not a jackstand fan).

[JTRATX]

Change mine all the time in the garage on jack stands, just make sure car is level.

[macalot]

From my and others experiences our cars do not have to be level for all the oil to drain. I made my own wheel cribs out of 10"x10" solid wood blocks and jack the front up with two jacks. Works great.

[Matty Ice]

Made my own ramps out of 2"x10" planks. It's a pain with the car being so low and having a belly pan to remove. There is a couple of threads on how to, here is a picture of a members homemade ramps. Mine are similar but are like 7ft long to be able to clear the Z28 splitter. I made them so each ramp is two pieces, I can use one for normal height cars and then add the extension to do my 1le. They are heavy.

[1970judge]

Originally Posted by macalot

From my and others experiences our cars do not have to be level for all the oil to drain. I made my own wheel cribs out of 10"x10" solid wood blocks and jack the front up with two jacks. Works great.

Interesting, I am doing some research and finding this. Always thought it needed to be level, but TBH I dont remember where I heard that. Could have been something I heard way back when working on the Z06's way back when and it just stuck. Thats my only experience with LS7 engines outside my current car, so a span of a few years.

Anyone else not leveling the car for oil changes?

[Mgizzle]

those wooden ramps look exacty like mine, i use those too since I can barey get lift jack under my car how low it is.

[AustexaSS]

A word of caution, race ramp product data indicates to only use on flat surfaces, being that said I have used mine multiple times on an inclined driveway. You can easily find yourself in a difficult position getting the car back off the race ramps when at an incline depending on the steepness of the grade and the car being a standard, it is gonna roll and you can't aggressively left off the clutch.

[macalot]

Originally Posted by 1970judge

Interesting, I am doing some research and finding this. Always thought it needed to be level, but TBH I dont remember where I heard that. Could have been something I heard way back when working on the Z06's way back when and it just stuck. Thats my only experience with LS7 engines outside my current car, so a span of a few years.

Anyone else not leveling the car for oil changes?

There is a post here where someone leveled their car for an oil change, but later on did it without leveling, then leveled it and no more oil came out.

I measured how much came out being not level and it was just about exactly what we put in. I don't level it anymore for oil changes.

[j o n]

I use 2 low profile jacks from harbor freight, one on each side. Get the front up in the air. 2 jacks stands for safety. All 10 qts drain, no problem.

My brother's c6 z06 is done the same way as well

[FLOW TIE]

So Jon,
You ONLY get the front of the car up correct?

[1970judge]

Originally Posted by FLOW TIE

So Jon,
You ONLY get the front of the car up correct?

Yes, they are putting the front in the air only. My whole life has been a lie! LOL

[johna]

Originally Posted by j o n

I use 2 low profile jacks from harbor freight, one on each side. Get the front up in the air. 2 jacks stands for safety. All 10 qts drain, no problem.

My brother's c6 z06 is done the same way as well

Off subject a little, do you have jack pads on the seam welds or do you just use the hockey pucks on the seam welds to lift the car?

[Mr_Draco]

Originally Posted by 1970judge

My driveway is gravel so I can't use a quickjack or anything just yet (I am going to borrow my neighbors concrete pad for now).

I have a gravel driveway as well and I use jacks, jack stands, and race ramps all the time and never had any issues. Just put a piece of 1/2" plywood under them that is big enough to support the weight and if using a jack, is big enough so the jack doesn't roll off.

[j o n]

Originally Posted by FLOW TIE

So Jon,
You ONLY get the front of the car up correct?

Only the front is up

Originally Posted by 1970judge

Yes, they are putting the front in the air only. My whole life has been a lie! LOL

I think having the front up makes the flow even better

Originally Posted by johna

Off subject a little, do you have jack pads on the seam welds or do you just use the hockey pucks on the seam welds to lift the car?

I have the seam jack pad from zl1 add ons. You gotta use them or get jacks with a longer reach to get to jack spots further inboard on the car