The rated capacity is per pair.

 

OK. So where do you put the pair so you can balance the 3,000 lb car on two stands to load the pair to 75% of capacity?

 

I think you know that is not what I was attempting to articulate. But to humor you, I would place them on the front jack points.

I do not have an intimate knowledge of how stands are rated. I had assumed that the 2 ton rating refers to the actual vehicle weight due to the fact that the instructions state: "Use as a matched pair to support one ends of a vehicle only." Maybe I'm incorrect, I am unsure and that's why I asked.

So with this logic, then is it acceptable to place a 5000 pound vehicle on 2 ton jack stands, since only a portion of the vehicle's weight would be loaded?

 

Maybe, maybe not, depending on the weight distribution of the vehicle. I took high school math about 40 years ago; I'd wager you're more familiar with the calculations than I am.

But I'd expect that neither end of a 5,000 lb vehicle would overload a 4,000 lb pair of stands.

 

The S2000 is too light to overload the rated capacity of those jackstands. The challenge is making sure the car is balanced so it doesn't fall off, or tip over, or, well, move at all.

I bought a set of ramps at pep boys for like $30 to use for oil changes. They're plastic, though, so I'm not totally comfortable using them. But I have yet to find steel ones I can drive onto without scraping.

 

yeah you'll never have to worry about overloading most stands with the s2k as it is pretty light. The key as mentioned above is balancing the car on the stands, use 4 stands to hold up the car and always have a second item in place to act as a safety net in case things go wrong - 2 more stands, a big tree trunk piece of wood, wheels under the rockers, jacks, etc...

Ironically, after all of my preaching on the safety talk I actually don't use stands to change the oil. I lift the vehicle up with a jack, I only place my arm under the car to remmove the drain plug (no other part of my body is under there), I lower the car and remove the filter from above the engine bay. I lift it up again and reinstall the drain plug, then lower it for good. At no time is any part of my body under the car, if it was to drop my arm would not be injured by any part of the vehicle.

I think on the next oil change I`ll put a jackstand under the car as a further precaution, can`t be too safe. I`ve only done an oil change a couple times thus far on this car.

 

Put your unmounted wheels under the frame rails too. You cost more than them.

 

Ramps are my first choice for working under the car whenever possible. I'm comfortable with the Rhino plastic ramps, I wouldn't expect any sudden failure from structural plastic but it's a good idea to aways do a quick visual inspection every time you use them.

OT a little here but I change oil without lifting the car at all. I'm lowered about 1" and have a PRM intake which allows me to reach the drain plug from the engine bay. I slide a plastic pan under the car for old oil and use a mirror to inspect the drain plug and filter for leaks.