The trestle for the car with their own hands: 5 different designs
If you plan to do maintenance of your personal car on your own, then the garage or next to it should have an inspection pit.
True, many garages do not have an inspection pit. And to make it from scratch – not everyone can afford it.
In this case, there are two alternatives: to use automobile jacks or…
Automobile jack is an excellent substitute for a pit, and is much safer than conventional jacks.
And especially homemade trestle will be cheaper than special car elevators, which are used in the HUNDRED.
Elevated cars come in several varieties:
- full-size (the car can drive onto the support platform completely);
- Mini “version” (the car can ride on the support only backwards or forwards).
Full-size trestle is more reliable, and does not limit the master in any way – you can do maintenance and overhaul.
But such a construction requires a lot of space and financial investments.
Mini trestle is more compact, but to get on it, you need to try very hard. These structures have an undeniable advantage – as a rule, they are collapsible, which facilitates their storage in the garage.
If you compare full-size and portable trestles, the stationary design is more versatile, as it allows you to perform a wide range of works, and suitable for almost any vehicle.
Compact mini trestles are suitable only for passenger cars.
There is a third option – something in between stationary and collapsible (portable) trestle.
They are smaller in size than full-size trestles, designed to repair cars with their own hands, but more reliable and convenient than the “mini version”.
But again, they require a certain amount of space. Or you can make them collapsible. But in this case, you need to think carefully about all the nodes of construction.
Entry for a car can be made in the form of a wide platform (width – at least 3 meters), or in the form of two ramps with a width of 40-50 cm.
Materials for making a homemade trestle can be used in a variety of ways – usually self-made masters take everything they can find on hand.
Read also: What can be made out of the grinder: 5 cool homemade products for the house
For example, to make with your own hands a mini trestle for the car, you can use wooden bars and boards, as well as profile pipes.
For the manufacture of stationary metal structures designed to service cars and trucks, you will need already more serious metal – for example, channel, steel angle, etc.
For the manufacture of compact overpasses drawings are not particularly necessary. But if necessary, you can find them on the Internet.
If you are going to make stationary full-size structures out of metal, you will need to make the appropriate engineering calculations.
And all work should be performed on the principle: “Measure 7 times, and once cut”. Safety is paramount here.
This article tells how to make a trestle with their own hands from available materials, to be reliable and inexpensive. Prepared for you 4 interesting ideas with a relatively small budget.
Metal construction with their own hands
To avoid wasting time looking for information on how to make a trestle for a car, you can take as a basis the experience of the author of YouTube channel Kovko Kova4.
In this case, we will use 40×40 mm profiled pipe to make the structure (you will need 60 meters in total). Additionally, the master uses a profile of 25×25 mm (will need about 12 meters).
The dimensions of the trestle to repair the car can be seen in the drawing below.
The first thing you will need to weld four trusses of the same size of profiled pipe 40×40 mm. The length of each truss – 4 meters.
The car ramp consists of two identical parts – gangways, on which the car enters. One ramp consists of two trusses.
The trusses are connected to each other by horizontal lintels of 50 cm length, cut from a 40 x 40 mm profile.
Additionally, two platforms are to be welded: the beginning of the ramps. The size of the platforms is 50×50 mm. The author used profile pipe and rebar for their manufacture.
After that platforms are welded to the gangways. The length of each stairway is 4.5 m.
For greater rigidity and structural strength, the author reinforces the trusses with ledgers, cut from 25×25 mm section pipe.
In the center of each ladder small legs are welded.
The ladders operate on the principle of a seesaw – the car rides up the ladders, drives over half of them and the ladders are horizontal.
Approximately 5-7 cm apart pieces of reinforcing steel are welded at the top of the ramps. Car wheels will be supported by them.
Be sure to weld stoppers at the front, which will not let the car go further than necessary.
Learn the step by step process of making a metal trestle can be seen in the author’s video.
Mini trestle in the garage with their own hands
We offer you another interesting design, made from angles and profiles.
It has smaller dimensions compared to the previous version, but it is quite reliable and easy to use.
Homemade mini trestle can be used for both passenger cars and heavier cars – for example, for small vans (such as “Gazelle”).
To keep the car from falling off, trestle ramps have flanks on the sides and the front stop. This greatly increases the safety of arrival.
Let’s get to work. The first thing to do is to cut four metal corners. Using a bolt cutter, one of the shelves in each corner, so you can bend the workpieces at the right angle.
In the course of the work, the places of the cut will need to be welded with pieces of steel strip.
Cut to size profile pipes, and weld two U-shaped frames for the front stop of the trestle.
After that, we weld the side trapezes, aligning the workpieces in the right position, and fixing them with clamps.
Ideally, it is better to weld the first ramp of the trestle first, and then according to its dimensions (using it as a template) weld the second ramp. In this way we get two identical parts of the construction.
Then we weld the bottom braces for the ramps, four per ramp, and the uprights, two on each side.
The author has decided to create the top part of the ladders out of steel strip 5 mm thick placed 3 cm apart (for better reliability you will need to weld bottom stiffening rib made of the same metal strip). However, you can also use rebar – then you do not need a stiffener.
The author additionally reinforced the support pads, on which the car wheels will be located, with braces, so that the construction is quite reliable.
In the end, the only thing left is to clean the welds with an angle grinder with a petal wheel, primer and paint. Because it should be not only practical, but also beautiful.
Details on how to make a trestle for cars with their own hands, you can see in the author’s video. The idea is shared by the author of the YouTube channel All-by-myself.
A trestle for the car stationary construction
In this case, for the manufacture of a homemade car trestle, channels and I-beams are used. The metal is reliable, and therefore the entire structure will turn out to be strong and reliable.
The first thing to determine the size of the future design trestle car.
After that, set the supporting pillars. They are welded to the horizontal supports, which the author has previously concreted.
It is possible (and even desirable) to use metal corners for making gangways.
However, the author did not have any angles, so he had to cut the channel into two parts to make the angles. The width of the gangway is 40 cm.
The surface of the drains is made of 12 mm rebar. The distance between the rebars is 50 mm.
Horizontal lintels, on which the manufactured gangways will rest, are welded to the posts.
Once you have mounted the horizontal platform, proceed to the manufacture and installation of the rails.
Then it remains only to clean the welds, prime and paint the structure. It is desirable to concretize the ramps at the beginning.
The length of the horizontal platform is 4 meters, and the length of the runs is 4.5 m. The total length of the stationary trestle – 8.5 m.
Learn the step by step process of making a trestle for cars with their own hands in the video below. The basic information in the first part of the video, and in the second part – the test design.
A trestle made of wood
In some cases, you can do with a wooden trestle. This is relevant for those who do not have the opportunity to buy metal and deal with welding.
To make a wooden trestle for the car will need boards 200×50 mm.
Sawed off planks of suitable size, and build up the necessary height of the supporting parts of the portable trestle.
Of course, the reliability of construction from wood leaves much to be desired. But in the conditions when there is nothing else at hand, it is possible to make. The main thing that the wood was normal.
A detailed process of making a trestle for the car with their own hands can be seen in the author’s video.
How to make a folding mini trestle for a car
In this review, the author will show how to make with their own hands a mini trestle for a passenger car.
In addition to the fact that the design is quite compact, it is also foldable, which allows you to easily transport the homemade in the trunk.
To make a folding mini trestle will need a square profile tube 30×30 mm.
We recommend reading the article: how to make a simple alarm system for the workshop or garage with your own hands .
The trestle consists of two main elements: a support platform for the wheel and a ramp for the driveway. First you need to make both parts of the structure, and then connect them to each other.
The main stages of work
The first thing to do is to cut four pieces of profile pipe, and weld a rectangular frame. Then cut off four small pieces of profiled tube, and weld them to the corners of the frame.
We cut two more pieces of square profile, and weld them to the frame crosswise.
As a result, we have a support platform for the wheel. In the center, the author welds a piece of profile pipe, cut in half. We also weld four legs (you can make them adjustable in height).
The next step is only to make a ladder to enter the platform. We cut off the profile blanks, and weld them as shown in the photo below.
After that, connect the two parts of the mini trestle to each other with a homemade hinge made of a threaded rod and four bushings.
Grind the welds with an angle grinder with a petal wheel, and paint the homemade thing. Now you can use it for its intended purpose.
Video on the theme
The step-by-step process of making a mini trestle can be seen in the video below. This idea was shared by the author of the YouTube channel K i .
Portable mini overpass in the garage
We make mini overpasses for car repairs. Purpose: diagnosis and repair of cars in garages, service stations, in yards and cottages. Manufacturing in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Shipment to all regions of the Russian Federation and the near abroad.
Mini racks for a garage, a trestle for car-care center: the catalog of production
The advanced order on a mini-pass
To order a middle mini trestle
Long Mi-stage Tentative Order
Long garage overpasses: Pre-order
Apply for a washable mini trestle
Mini truck and car repair racks: prices
| Name of goods | Capacity (tons) | Cost |
| Mini garage trestle ME-1, 360 x 910 x 270 mm (height-Length-Width) | 1, 3 т | 10 000 rubles |
| Mini trestle for cars repair ME-2, 300x1700x350mm | 2 т | 12 000 rubles |
| Ramp Mini for garage work PM-1, 360 x 910 x 270 mm | over 2 t | 12 000 rubles |
| Ramp mini for repair work PM-2, 254 x 1676 x 355 mm | 1, 3 т | 15 000 rubles |
| Ramp Midi for EML car, 914 x 9140 mm (Height-Length) | 3, 2 т | from 60 000 rubles |
| Elevated platform Midi (truck) EMG, 914 x 9140 mm | 3, 2 т | from 40 000 rubles |
Example on the photo: a metal mini-stack for a garage. For partial entering a car. Purpose: repair, inspection, car painting.
Parameters: straight module 600 x 350 x 350 mm, inclined module 1200 x 350 x 350 mm. Total length of the trestle – 1800 mm.
Set: 2 identical ramp – mini-racks consist of: angle 40 x 40 mm, armature 10-12 mm, paint enamel 3 in 1 (gray Ral). Bolted connection modules. Rail flanging height 40 mm, end stop 60 mm.
Load capacity on two elements of the trestle: not more than 2.5 tons, on one – 1.25 tons.
Photo of the stages of the mini-overpass production:
Warranty on the mini-overpass: 12 months from date of shipment. Does not apply if the operating conditions are violated. Operating conditions:
- installation horizontally, on a straight base
- Installation on concrete slab
- Anchoring before use
- Interconnection of the modules by means of bolts
- no overloading of the element
Main characteristics of mini-stacks:
- Base – steel angle 40 x 40 mm, construction type: welded
- Steel cross bars – to prevent from rolling
- Powder coating against corrosion (any color you choose).
We ourselves produce mini racks and repair steel structures, we are not resellers and are responsible for the quality of products. Mandatory part of the work is to conclude a contract with the customer.
We order trestle for workshops, garages, construction sites, driving schools, checkpoints. All types of trestle that we produce:
- mini trestle for car repair, painting, inspection
- trestles swing for repair
- separate ramps (2 identical separate metal constructions, as in the photo)
- light ramps solid (ramps for entry of cars and small-sized cars) (entry ramps for unloading products in warehouses)
Garage ramps are small metal structures for inspection, repair, painting, oil change and bodywork. These mini trestles are used in garages, car repair shops and cottages. There are two types of garage overpasses: for partial and for full car entry.
A trestle for partial entry of the car (photo on the left):
Separate structures, stored in the garage one on top of the other. The trestle is adjustable in width for the entry of cars of different sizes. Takes up little space.
Each ramp has sides to prevent the wheels from rolling. “Lift” for cars and medium-duty trucks is cheaper than an inspection pit.
The overpass can be used for: inspection, underbody work, engine oil changes, painting, and cleaning.
The ramp for a full drive-in (photo on the right):
All-welded, high-stiffness construction. Withstands the weight of medium trucks (Gazelle, Sobol, etc.) and small trucks.
Bolted joints in places of attachment of partitions between ramps. Adjustable in width only if partitions are replaced.
Side curbs on each ramp. Takes up a lot of space, often used in truck service stations. Ramp is used for technical inspection, cleaning the body from rust, spare parts replacement, painting, etc.
Stationary ramps for the garage: what is a ramp?
Ramps aren’t just theater stage lighting, nor are they just a device for pumping gas into cylinders. Not just an oil supply tube for hydro-compensators.
A stationary garage ramp is two separate steel structures designed to lift a car to a low height. A garage ramp is an important tool for auto repair.
See, we’ve made a selection of totally different things that are all called the word “ramp.”
Garage ramps – mini ramps for repairs and for exterior car inspections
We make dacha mini ramps of any size to order. Purpose: inspection, painting, car repairs.
| Dacha ramp (mini) for the car 950 x 250 x 305 mm: Specifications | One rail |
| Angle of approach, deg. (error +/-3) | 25 |
| Length (error +/-50) | 950 mm |
| Width (error +/-20) | 250 mm |
| Height (error +/-15) | 305 mm |
| Maximum capacity of the mini trestle kit of 2 pieces. | Not less than 1 ton |
| Maximum tire width | 245 mm |
| Maximum diameter of wheel disks of serviced cars | 16 inch |
| Number of trestles in the set | 2 pcs. |
| Construction | Fully welded of steel angle |
| Working height (error +/-20) | 230 mm |
| Mini trestle weight | Not more than 16 kg |
Example on the photo: dacha overpass outside (for repair and inspection in the yard)
Using mini racks at summer houses
The size of each element: 350 x 1600 (length) x 400 (height). Horizontal arm: 350 x 700 mm. Tilt module: 350 x 900 mm.
