For replacing fluids that have a check bolt to confirm they are full (front differential / manual transmission), do most of you raise the vehicle up at all four corners onto jack stands, use ramps at only one end, or some other method?

I'll be doing the fluid changes above but understand the vehicle should be level and filled to the point of slight overflow from the check bolts. What do you recommend without a lift or a pit?

 

as YOU stated...the car has to be LEVEL.
DO whatever you need to do to get the car LEVEL.

so, if that means bringing it to a pit...
or if that means driving it up on ramps, then lifting the rear to match...
you get the picture. DO WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO to get the car level.

because if it's not level, you wont get the correct amount of fluid in there.

 

I, personally, have 4 jackstands. SUPER easy to lift the car and put it on 4 jack stands

 

I use the 4 jackstands + usually a jack on the hook on the back (pressed up against the car however not taking any weight, ready to take weight in case of massive craton earthquake). Basically 4 stands, mostly what the porn crab-man said.

 

the good news is; you're not buying floor jacks and jack stands every month, or even every year.
they are good tools to have.
I have a Harbor freight aluminium floor jack....which on road trips I take along with me. It's light enough and breaks down small enough to fit in my trunk.

 

I just did my transmission fluid and transfer case fluid last month, I used four jacks and a level (overkill, I know).

 

I have my four friends (all named Jack) stand at each corner of the car and deadlift it.

 

I think my jack stands are different brands...same general height...just off by a little.
if I dont pair the same brands together, the car sits at a slant. lol

 

Thanks for the responses. I guess I wasn't sure how many of you would be comfortable simply draining and filling to the specified capacity. I think that is what I did for SH-AWD sauce in the rear diff. When I had my type s I did the 3x3 in the garage on borrowed stands intended for a truck/ suv. The minimum height made it a challenge to jack high enough. I will just try to get smaller matching pairs of stands.

 

My jack stands are the same brand, but my garage isn't level, so when I was filling the fluid I had to slightly lift the front end of my car higher to get it level, again, overkill I know. On the upside, my shifts are so much smoother now, I wish I changed the fluid earlier.

 

I can change the dif fluid without raising the car. I'm 5'11 and 230 lbs