I'm about to replace the heater cables and it would be much easier if I put the van on ramps on one side. I'm assuming that with both nearside wheels on low ramps (roughly height of sill) the van is still well within its safe lean angle. I recall seeing a video as a child where a double decker bus reached 45deg before it became unstable.
from memory, the calculation is a function of the vehicle height & the result is the maximum angle it will withstand (I'm talking tilt angles of rail vehicles). Have you tried a google search?
I wouldn't, meself. Why not just get the back wheels up? You've got to work on both sides at the back.
I put the van on ramps at the back, then jacked the front up in the middle of the beam and put axle stands underneath, about 700mm clearance
This reminds me that I ought to replace all of our cables.... **chuntering to ones self that they are bound to be rusted up**
I suppose a general rule of thumb is if it falls over youve gone too far. 45 degrees is a lot! I wouldnt go that far especially something so high sided with a steel roof.
Thanks everyone. I was planning on getting it on ramps and including axle stands as insurance. Regarding standard clearance: not with my belly! The problem I'm having is that the original cables are rusted into the steel tubes and the previous owner just cable tied the new ones along side. I plan to cut sections of the steel pipes out so I can pull the rusted cables out in sections, then make some sleeves so I can reinsert the sections before replacing the new cables .
Find a curb and use that to do one side. I often use our carpark curb when under any of the fleet at home.
You'll be fine, you'll never get it high enough to be a problem, it would have to be way over 45 degs as all the weight's at the bottom. I do it all the time to work on one side of a van.
House rules for you: just make sure your cupboards won't fly open when it's at an angle. It could we messy inside.
