Car ramps come in various shapes and sizes. For long-term work, permanent car ramps that allow you to work directly under your vehicle are more common but such operation is not as frequent as the occasional lift the car needs for quick operations such as an oil change. For the more common use, small and portable car ramps are ideal. The following are the best car ramps you can consider which can serve the needs of anyone looking to give their car’s belly a quick fix or a simple checkup.
The Best Car Ramps
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1. RhinoGear 11909ABMI Vehicle Ramp
RhinoGear 11909ABMI Vehicle Ramp
For those looking to give their sedans, SUV’s, pickup trucks, or minivans a quick oil change, RhinoGear ramps are a simple and fast solution that offers the convenience of doing this, no matter where you are. They offer a 17° inclination, which is just enough to offer the necessary lift. The surface of the ramps is an essential part of the ramps as they are what grip the tires, and the RhinoGear’s grooves and design work in a way that combines with any tire to allow for a strong grip, so long as they do not have a width of more than 9”.
This CoreTrac design, as named by the patenting company, does enough to prevent slippage and steady the vehicle when on the ramp. The maximum weight the ramps are allowed to carry is a whopping 12,000 pounds from the under-19 pounds they weigh themselves; that is enough to hold the average family car without any extra aid needed. The material is a hard plastic, which helps with the ramp’s durability as rust is simply not an issue.
The convenience of being able to carry these ramps around wherever you go, due to their compact size, allows them to be packed alongside other car accessories such as jump starters and hydraulic jacks.
Pros
- Compact and easy to use
- Great grip on wheels
- Good inclination
- Affordable
Cons
- Material fragile under a great weight
Summary
The RhinoGear may not be the strongest pair of ramps you can find, but with its challenging GVW capacity, there are a number of vehicles it is more than suitable for. Their grip, durability, and effectiveness all contribute to their making it into the top five list. Their ease of use and overall practicality are not something to be overlooked either. With all these features, and after deduction the disadvantages of using the RhinoGear ramps from the advantages, a positive result comes out of it in the end.
2. Nicky Nice Solid Steel Auto Ramp Set
Nicky Nice Solid Steel Auto Ramp Set
For those looking for a flexible option to giving their family-size vehicle a slight lift, Nicky Steel Ramps are a solution with much the same qualities as the very vehicle the owner is looking to take care of. In terms of size, they may not handle the heaviest of cars as some ramp sets do, but these 35” ramps are able to hold the weight of a wide range of sedans and SUV, and even pickup trucks, so long as they do not surpass the allowed maximum weight of 6,500lbs.
Though their total length is 11”, the maximum tire width allowed on these is 9”, the standard width size found in most portable ramp sets. The pair of ramps are made of gauged stamped steel, which not only gives the sets the strength they need to support about 3,000lbs each but along with the powdered coat finish, their durability is extended by preventing rust and other factors that might jeopardize their integrity.
When it comes to their ability to properly secure the car’s tires, the ramps are fitted with safety ribs on both sides, as well as traction holes on their incline.
Pros
- Strong, heavy-duty material
- Compact and portable
Cons
- Steep inclination makes it difficult for cars with low ground clearance
Summary
For those not looking to demand too much from their ramps, and in the case of owning cars that do not weigh more than 6,500ibs, the Nicky Nice Steel Ramps could be exactly what you need. The practicality of carrying around these lightweight and compact steel ramps turns out to be their hallmark.
So long as you are sure they are ideal for your car, you will find that having more than you need is often a downside to purchase, but one this set is not burdened with. Given that they perform all the necessary tasks expected from a ramp, save from a slight glitch in their inclination, these easily make it to the list of the top five best ramps available.
3. Race Ramps RR-40 40″ Race Ramp
Race Ramps RR-40 40″ Race Ramp
The Race Ramps come as a two-piece set with a lot of promises on what they can deliver. The first of these promises made is that they are suitable for sports cars and a wide range of other cars as well, including sedans, SUV’s, hatchbacks, pickup trucks, and more. When analyzing whether they can actually deliver on these promises, a good long look at the material they are made of is needed, and the 40” ramps prove to be as durable as they need to be.
Unlike some other ramps, they are not hollow and have a solid core. The upper surface allows for good friction with a tire while the bottom part grips firmly onto the ground so as to prevent slippage or any other unwanted events, all this while not only resisting for environmental factors that might affect its performance but also working to ensure that damage is not incurred on the surface they are fixed on.
With their relatively small dimensions, measuring the aforementioned 40” in length, 9.8” at its highest, and 7.1” wide, these ramps are as portable as they come. Add that to their lightweight, at no more than 8.5lbs, and the straps the pack is included with makes them about as convenient as they come.
Pros
- Durable and reliable
- Light and portable
- Easy to use
Cons
- Narrow width
Summary
The Race Ramps claim to be made for race cars, and while they do that quite well, they are also suitable for a number of other cars, despite their narrow width. With the quality material they are made from, and the design that ensures they function as they should, they are also one of the most reliable options. Complementing all these features is the necessary convenience that many car owners will be looking for and the ramps do not disappoint.
Overall, these ramps excel at everything they do, and while they may have a limit to what they can do, as do almost all existing products, the quality found in all the different aspects that go to a car ramp are as wide-ranging as any you will find.
4. Rage Powersports 6009-V2 Mini Car Ramps
Rage Powersports 6009-V2 Mini Car Ramps
For cars with low profiles, especially sports cars, having too large a ramp can be cumbersome, and in some certain steep cases, such ramps are simply unusable. Miniature ramps such as the Rage’s Powersports are the most effective and practical options for car models that don’t part too far from the ground. With a 9° loading angle and reaching a maximum height of just 2.75”, these ramps will make sure that no damage is incurred to any low-profile vehicles, unlike what those with higher angles offer.
The pair can support cars with a weight of up to 4,400lbs, these constituting the majority of sports cars and a large bulk of family cars in use. Allowing such weight onto the relatively small 27” wide, 7.8” wide ramps is the heavy-duty honeycomb plastic they are made of. Apart from not having to worry about rust, this material prevents moisture from building up inside, helping the ramps endure through many seasons.
The upper part of the ramps is also designed with grooves in such a way that it complements the tires, gripping them firmly in place, as well as a tire stop at their very ends.
Pros
- Strong and durable
- Good grip prevents tires from slipping
- Portable and lightweight
- Resistant to tear, rust and moisture
Cons
- Slightly narrow width
- Bottom grip not up to standard
Summary
Despite the fact that these ramps are made for a very specific type of car, they serve well for a number of car owners, offering both racers and the typical family a convenient option to giving their cars a lift.
They also serve well as supplements in aiding you to prop your car up with hydraulic jacks, apart from their main purpose as being easy-to-use ramps. At 9.3lbs, they are light and easy to carry, allowing you to take them along wherever you go. All things considered, including the affordable price the set comes at, they are definitely worth the buy.
5. Trailer Aid Tandem Tire Changing Ramp, Black
Trailer Aid Tandem Tire Changing Ramp, Black
As the name implies, the Trailer Aid’s main purpose is to aid a trailer driver in performing a wide range of tasks. This requires facilitating the process of propping a vehicle up to its incline, providing enough traction to ensure that the tires do not slide off and that the actual ramps themselves are fixed steadily in place. All this should be done in order to provide you enough space to change a tire.
Made from a strong polymer, tires can easily roll up the 4.5” inclines, where they are held steadily in place. The material is durable, waterproof, and rustproof. It is also pretty light, weighing only 5lbs, making them extremely easy to carry around. This strong material is able to support weights of up to 15,000lbs, making it ideal for most trailers, including horse trailers.
The length of each ramp measures up to 24.7”, they each have a width of 7.5”, making them more than suitable for the average tire, and reach a total height of 6.3”.
Pros
- Strong and able to carry heavy loads
- Light and portable
- Durable material
Cons
- Lift not suitable for all trailers
Summary
Manufactured by Camco, a decades-old company that has been consistently producing high-quality products, the reliability of this product is assured. What makes it stand out, and helping it make the list of the top 5 best car ramps, is its ability to be both practical and versatile. With the wide range of tires it can hold, the heavyweight it can sustain, its remarkably simple use and its portability, this rare blend will leave owners of may trailers more than satisfied. Add this to its noteworthy affordability and you have yourself quite the deal.
Conclusion for the Best Car Ramps
After having analyzed all the different car ramps there are, the idea of what is needed to make it to the list should be left clear, and buyers should find themselves capacitated to make the right choices. One thing is more than clear, however, and that is that buyers should first know what car they intend to use the ramp on if they are to make the right choice.
The list above provides an option for all vehicle owners, whether you own a sports car, a pickup truck, a minivan, or even a trailer, the most ideal pick is included above. Through checking off a list of what constitutes a good tire, such as width, grip, quality, and convenience, the once laborious task of having to sift through all the options has been made much easier by narrowing the search down to a simple five options. From these, only you can make the most fitting choice.
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