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Is Harbor Freight's Plastic Car Ramp Safe for DIY Mechanics?

Are plastic car ramps death traps? Find out how Harbor Freight fared in a car ramp review and a good reason why car ramps are the second most dangerous way to lift a car.
Multiple Problems with Plastic Car Ramps Revealed in Review

Not everyone is fortunate enough to own a professional car lift to raise their vehicle to make under-the-car maintenance and repair tasks easier to perform. Most DIY mechanics must rely on an affordable and dependable set of jack stands and a floor jack that can handle the weight to raise the car high enough to clear the undercarriage while crawling underneath.

An Alternative Way to Get Under Your Car

No, we are talking about the old grease pit that early garages used for decades to work on customer's cars. Such pits were literally and figuratively the pits when it came to convenience, keeping a garage clean, and safety when that old lift alternative was once used.

Instead, car owners have what seems like a good alternative: portable car ramps that you can drive your front wheels onto to position the front end of your car for easy access.

However, are all car ramp brands safe?

That was the key question in a recent Project Farm YouTube channel episode, in which the host tested several brands of portable car ramps. How practical are they? How much weight does it take to collapse one? And are they considered safe enough to use?

Follow along with the host as he demonstrates what he found regarding all three questions as he tests the car ramp brands of Harbor Freight’s Pittsburgh plastic and steel ramps, MaxxHaul, RhinoRamp, Black Widow, BiSupply, Eastwood, M-Auto, Petersen, Kiekumm, and Vowagh.

If you do not have time to watch the entire video and just want to know which ramp brand did the best, a summary of the video is provided below for your convenience.

Is Your Car Ramp a Death Trap? Let's Find Out!

 

And the "Winner" Is…

The $60 plastic Pittsburgh car ramps from Harbor Freight were the number one winner in car ramp comparison tests. Oddly enough, the Harbor Freight metal car ramps came next to last among those tested.

However…however, (although the host did not say this) none of the ramps tested performed well enough to warrant actually recommending their use―EVER! Following the comments section after the video, you will find that car ramps can and do cause near injuries and injuries that should dissuade most DIY mechanics from ever using them.

Key Points to the Car Ramp Tests

As it turns out, you are better off sticking with a dependable floor jack and jack stands to raise your vehicle high enough to work on underneath. Clearly, the most dangerous way to lift a vehicle high enough to work underneath is using solely a hydraulic jack to hold the vehicle up. The problem with hydraulic jacks is that their rubber seals wear out and eventually fail under pressure…and at the worst possible time.

Problems with car ramps, however, include:

  • Most will slip while driving your car onto the ramp unless you have 4WD.
  • Most are made in China with questionable lightweight materials used.
  • Your car might be too low to use some car ramp brands.
  • Ramps can cause damage to your car.
  • Ramps can shoot out from under a car as you back off the ramp.
  • Ramps do offer enough protection to prevent roll-away while working underneath one.

Why You Should Never Use Car Ramps for Working Underneath Your Car

And if the problems above are not enough to dissuade you from ever using one, there is an important consideration not mentioned in the video: Although all of the car ramps achieved significantly higher numbers than those listed as their crush ratings during the tests, the concern is that after multiple uses, you can expect the car ramps to weaken with each use, which is what we saw happening with some of the brands tested with just one use.

It is a fact that the more metal or plastic is bent or flexed, the weaker it becomes. It's as simple as that, and it should be enough to dissuade portable car ramp use.

What Works For Me

My personal experience has been that even jack stands sometimes fail, which is why I always use two pairs of jack stands with the second pair as a backup to catch the vehicle should the other pair fail while working under the car. It sounds excessive, but having a pair fail on you (as I have) will make a believer out of anyone.

For additional articles related to options for lifting your car, here are two for your consideration:

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWritesfor daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

COMING UP NEXT: Best Budget Tool Set That Beats Harbor Freight

Image source: Deposit Photos

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Comments

Mr B (not verified)    October 5, 2024 - 5:52PM

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I remember using heavy duty steel 75lb ramps while working on a vehicle in my backyard back in the 70’s and 80’s. As prices for hydraulic jacks plummeted and also got lighter, plus owning my own house with a two car garage, it only made sense to invest in a good quality floor jack. I also use jack stands that are rated about twice as much as the vehicle I’m working on. The finish on the garage floors today are super smooth now and no way would you catch me using a ramp! Been repairing vehicles since 1976.

R. Most (not verified)    October 8, 2024 - 9:00AM

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I find it interesting that your lead photo shows a ramp on stone/gravel. This is a NO-NO for any ramp use, as a surface with uneven support like this can easily cause excess stress in certain areas and lead to failures. Most ramp manufacturers say to strictly avoid using them on gravel or stone.