Working on a car while lying on your back can be uncomfortable and messy. Hydraulic lifts or pits are expensive for home garages, but an auto creeper can make the job easier. A basic creeper has a steel or aluminum frame, padded surface, wheels, and vinyl cover. To use, connect the car with a floor jack and attach jack stands for safety. Lie on your back with the creeper supporting your head, back, and buttocks.
“Flat back” (working on your car while lying on your back under the vehicle) can be a miserable part of car maintenance. It’s no surprise that commercial garages or repair shops often use hydraulic lifts to lift the car into the air, making any work that needs to be done from below easier; Similarly, oil and lubricant shops often have a pit, a shop basement from which the technician can access the underside of the car through an opening in the floor.
For the DIY mechanic, lifts or pits are generally too expensive to install in a residential garage; The alternative is to raise a car with a two or three ton floor jack and place jack stands under the car. Most DIY mechanics move under the car on their backs; Of course, this option is not very comfortable and not very clean. For home mechanics who don’t like the discomfort and mess of a flat back, an auto creeper can make the job considerably easier.
A basic car creeper consists of a steel or aluminum frame, a metal or padded surface for the mechanic to rest on, and a set of wheels to make it easier for him to maneuver. Car creeper cushions are usually covered in vinyl, making it easy to clean up spilled oil or other car-related messes. Car creepers often have padded headrests; On a more expensive car creeper, the headrest may be adjustable. Also, a more expensive model may have tool trays attached to the sides of the car’s creeper, so the mechanic can keep all his tools within easy reach.
To use a car creeper, first connect the car with a floor jack. Jack stands will need to be attached as a safety precaution, in case the jack collapses, so the car doesn’t roll over unexpectedly. Note that in order to fit under the car, you will need to raise the vehicle higher than normal, since the vine on the car raises it several inches off the ground. Next to the car, lie on your back with the car vine supporting your head, back and buttocks; This position leaves your legs free to push the car vine and navigate where you want to go.
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