I've had a couple but gave em away. They worked OK but at my age I had a hard time getting off the damn things. Use cardboard or a piece of old carpet.
Sure. Just about everything from HF can be improved, and people are always posting really good "hacks" online. Just google the name of the product + "hack", and a lot of junk can be made to function well. The one for the plastic creeper works awesome. The key is to do it before you break it (because it will break quickly). You need 2-3 cans of "Great Stuff Big Gap Filler" (Home Depot) Take all the wheels off. Leave 1 hole open for each wheel, Gorilla tape the rest. Completely fill the entire creeper until foam is squeezing out. Let it dry over night. The next day it will be rigid as a surf board. Cut away any excess foam with a blade. Drill for installation of wheels. Put wheels on. Done. These things are really low, really comfortable, have great storage, and work great. But without this hack they fail immediately and break where the wheels attach. I also found that I was holding my head up in the air all of the time, since it's non adjustable I gorilla taped a roll of blue shop towels over the cushion, and that is just right for my head. I'm 6' tall and built like Arnold Swarzenegger (if he fasted for 5 years like Ghandi, and let his muscles atrophy) The concrete on my garage floor is 100 years old and rough, but It's worked great for years. If you have 2 you can strap them to your feet and try to meet some chicks roller blading at the beach.
Got an old wooden creeper that was givin to me years ago used it about 3 times and I realized why buddy gave it away, I love old vintage stuff however some of that cool old vintage stuff is more usefull hanging on the wall. I use the door entrance carpet used in schools and stores that I liberated from a previous employer.
I can relate to that, I still have hair but its amazing how much beard hair can hurt when the grand kids try and remove it.
People actually USE them under cars? I thought they were just for creeper races at 70's-80's rod runs!?!? The F-100 club my dad was in actually had 2 custom built all metal ones with ball bearing wheels just for the creeper races at their runs, because they had destroyed so many of the wooden ones!
So did I, just now.....that's gold man. gold!!! On creepers, when I worked at the Gulf Station (an actual service station) in high school. If the owner caught you leaving a creeper on the floor unattended, you were in for a major ass-chewin'. Seems he went ass-over-tincup once too many times..
Got a couple of creepers I never use. Too hard to get on/off and can't always move around easily under the car. As for the cold floor, a buddy taught me a neat trick--- lay down an old electric blanket! You can even cover it with cardboard or with another blanket like a moving blanket.
Yep...... I use mine every now and again. Mainly on the concrete floor it rolls pretty nice, occasionly i use the pit. but mainly the creeper is good for taking quick nap attacks on ( weather its me or the shop cat that question is still up in the air)....
Thx for the info Clunker. Went by the shop after you posted and looked @ those 2 creepers and don't see any cracs in the platic around the wheel mounting area or elsewhere. I'm gonna try that on one of the 2 creepers first and hopefully I'll get the same results you got, and then I'll do the other one.
One of my boys gave me one of those square tubing models with the adjustable headrest. It worked really well as I would creep under the car and then adjust the headrest up to do whatever I needed to do. Always remember to lower the headrest before grabbing a tailpipe and whizzing almost out from under the car.
Creepers are for the birds anymore. Too much trouble for me to brake and get off of. A blanket, sheet or cardboard will do just fine for me.
I use one regularly. I think my newest one came from Grizzly (but don't quote me on that). It has adjustable head rest and a tool tray on both sides. I still have my first two. #1 is the old standby wooden one from over 40 years ago. Never liked it 'cause the casters were cheap junk; didn't roll or turn very easily. Probably came from one of the discount stores (K-Mart, Wally-World, etc.). #2 is a cheap steel frame one that had sorry a$$ casters too, from about 20 years ago. I like the "new" one, which is probably 10 - 15 years old. I probably should get rid of the other two since they only take up space and are pretty useless. In a perfect world I'd have a huge shop with heated floors and lots of storage. Ain't gonna happen in my lifetime, though.
It's interesting how many folks hate creepers. I use mine any time I need to get under something too tall or heavy to use my cheap Chinese two post hoist, only have a 12' ceiling. Something you've all missed that makes working on your back under a car 100% more enjoyable is adding nice life size posters to the ceiling around the perimeter of your work space. I never get tired of rolling out from under a car and seeing Marylyn smiling down at me with open arms, or my collection of "Killian's Red" girls offering me a tall, cool, red one! It can cause you forget what you are working on though.
For me, it depends on what I am doing, how long I need to be under there, how much room I have, and my mood. More likely to lay on the floor. There is one thing I have not seen mentioned in this thread. If you are on a creeper and really want to apply pressure to a wrench, the creeper rolls around too much. You can apply a lot more leverage laying on the floor.
If you're good on a creeper, it's just second nature to prop your foot against the frame or whatever, so you don't roll away when pulling on a wrench. Like I said earlier, it's apparently a rare skill, to be able to operate such a complicated device.
I still use this one. I think it is about 55 years old. Moved engines on it, re-upholstered the headrest several times (looks like it is ready again), even slept on it in a rest area in Ohio on the way to Indy one year. I also use a big sheet of cardboard sometimes...all work well! Decisions, decisions!!
I use one all the time,as a bodyman in modern car collision work. mechanics in the shop take up all the lifts, most of these new cars have 6-8 plastic undershields to remove and reinstall. easiest way is to jack up one side, and "creep" around underneath, in your own stall. plus it is fun
Used to use one. Now it scares me to jack a car that high. Saturday, my son got out his brandy new one for me. Couldn't get under the car and about killed myself get'n off the damn thing. Arthritis is a bitch.
I like them but my driveway (no garage) is sloped and has little holes in it, so I roll away and get stuck in the holes. I am a big fan of 1/4" plywood. I use old chunks about two by six feet. They don't turn to mush if they get in a wet spot or it starts raining, and are very durable. Mine stands up against the fence outside and will last about five years out in the weather. It's pretty good even on gravel, and like creepers, can provide heat when it's finally discarded.
On a related note, my father has a lift and a smooth floor but a low ceiling so he can't work standing up. At 82 he's not getting under cars too easily anymore. He's a pretty big guy so little rolling shop stools don't work very well. I had a pretty good quality office chair at work with a busted back, I removed the back entirely so now he's got a nice large comfy seat to roll around on good casters, that also adjusts up and down with a gas ram. Works great.
Anyone try the magic creeper? Thought about getting one, but seeems pricey at $79 bucks on amazon. I guess I'll just stick with using my four post lift that I convinced my wife I needed for my "bad back." Magic Creeper Mat With a stunning zero ground clearance, this wheel-less creeper takes the stress out of working in tight, low clearance, and hard to reach places Unique tubular shape acts like a track moving along effortlessly for up to 5 feet without the need to reposition Inner layer acts like millions of tiny ball bearings for effortless maneuvering in all directions; even on rough and uneven surfaces
I'll use a creeper if I'm outside under the car, not inside the garage. I get claustrophobic under the car in a closed up space. They're handy to put tools and parts on when you're done working for the day. Still can't beat my piece of Masonite. It slips behind anything for storage. It is getting smaller from wear and tear. I started with a 5' x 4' piece and slowly the edges are crumbling.
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