| Best Choice |
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Traxion Foldable Topside Creeper | CHECK LATEST PRICE | |
| Premium Pick |
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JEGS High Top Creeper | CHECK LATEST PRICE | |
| Best Value |
|
Traxion Topside Junior Creeper | CHECK LATEST PRICE |
For those who work on cars, there are few things more frustrating than trying to get to a part or component that is awkwardly placed. One of the biggest antagonists in this area are the taller vehicles such as trucks and pickups and, in these cases, you definitely need an overhead creeper.
These simply but effective tools combine stepladders with creepers to give you a better overall view of the situation, while also allowing you to be comfortable and secure while working. Below, we talk about the best topside creeper options online, today. We’ll also be giving you the complete buying guide, so you know which over the top creeper is best for your needs and what you should look for when buying a new stand up creeper.
The Best Topside Creeper
This overhead creeper by Traxion comes up as the best topside creeper on the market, thanks to it’s myriad of features and overall comfort level. With adjustable heights in increments of 6 inches, you can be sure that you’ll get the exact height you require for your vehicle needs, making this a great option for both domestic and commercial uses.
The padded upper decking allows for greater comfort during use, while the wide berth ensures you can easily spread your weight across the top deck without concerns over stability. It also has four castors which can be locked into place, for easier movement while maintaining the stability of your over engine creeper.
- Height adjustable
- Foldable
- Highly rated
- Padded upper deck for comfort
- Brand Traxion
- Model 3-100-FFP
- Weight 72 pounds
With a brighter, cleaner look than many of the others on our list, this topside creeper from Traxion is a popular choice with both domestic and commercial users. Like our previous Traxion entry, there’s no tool tray built-in to this option, although there is the option to purchase the tool tray, separately.
Customers note that this choice is very easy to assemble and allows for a fantastic range of heights, as the over engine creeper holds an adjustable height ability of up to 75 inches in total. It also has the added benefit of using an l-base design, which allows you to hold greater stability while working on your engine.
- I-Base design allows for greater flexibility around the vehicle
- Good height capabilities (up to 75 inches)
- Easy to assemble
- Upholstered cover is replaceable
- Brand Traxion
- Model 3-700
- Weight 75 pounds
Easily hitting our list of Top Picks, due to its heavy-duty nature, this over the top creeper is an impressive option that has been designed specifically for mechanics and commercial users, as well as domestic buyers. This is an item that seems to have thought of everything when it comes to comfort and stability, although this is countered by a higher price
Foldable and easy to store, making it perfect for smaller workshop spaces, this creeper comes with a padded upper deck, which allows you to feel more comfortable while working. There’s also the additional padding around the front, which assists with protecting your car from scratches from the overhead creeper itself – which is definitely a nice benefit to have if you’re working on vehicles for customers.
- Made with durable, heavy-duty materials
- Padded upper
- Foldable
- Brand ATD Tools
- Model 8116F
- Weight 69.8 pounds
The JEGS High Top Creeper is a great option if you’re looking for a premium topside creeper that offers better reach, better visibility, and better versatility. This product can hold up to 400 pounds of weight, making it suitable for plenty of users of all kinds. And it can adjust to offer you the angles and the height you need. It adjusts in height from 45.5 to 60.5 inches, and it can collapse down to 24 x 30 x 59 inches for storage.
The padded deck, which measures 18 x 12 x 2 inches in size, offers comfort while you work — and you can adjust its angle too. The creeper sits on four 3-inch casters and wheels, with two of the casters able to lock in place for added stability. You’ll get convenient versatility thanks to many adjustment points and lasting quality with a durable build.
- Height adjusts from 45.5 to 60.5 inches
- Offers 48 inches of height
- Sits on four casters for mobility
- Two locking casters offer stability
- Brand JEGS
- Model 81166
- Weight 66 pounds
Our final choice is not the tallest or the most flexible in height but is more of a “helping hand” than a full stepladder. Thus, it is brilliant for taller cars but is ideally suited for more domestic and one-off purposes than for commercial use. That said, this stand-up creeper is still a great choice for many mechanics and hobbyists alike.
It has been made with heavy-duty materials and has a surprisingly high weight capacity of up to 300 pounds, allowing you to work on your cars without fear of bends or wobbles during your toil. The padded upper is still comfortable to work with, while the additional padding around the sides keeps your car free from scratches. It also weighs less and is still foldable, making it ideal for when you need to place it away after a hard day working on your vehicle.
- Made with heavy-duty materials
- Padded frame for comfort
- Up to 300 pounds weight capacity
- Brand Traxion
- Model 3-120
- Weight 17.45 pounds
Best Topside Creeper Buying Guide & FAQ
Things to Consider When Buying an Over Engine Creeper
- Budget
The first thing to consider when buying and over engine creeper is the budget you have. While going for the cheapest option isn’t always the smartest idea, you can always get the over the hood creeper which offers you the best value for money. Check out the quality before buying, and you’ll be sure to have a topside creeper that is worth every cent.
- Size/Height
The size of your creeper matters, as does the size of your vehicle. Check out the overall height of your engine, before buying your topside creeper – this will ensure you aren’t wasting your money buying a creeper that is too tall or short for your vehicle. Remember that the right height will keep you steady and safe while you work.
- Stability
This is an absolute essential, and you can check the overall stability through both the features available and the reviews. For starters, you’ll need to check that the reviews never mention any wobbling or similar issues while in use. You can also check whether there are grips along the feet of the topside creeper or weighted ends, to help increase stability.
- Capacity
Like stability, the top capacity of your creeper is important for safety reasons – nobody wants to be in the middle of an engine repair when your creeper begins to bend or break! Check with the manufacturer to see if there is a maximum capacity and remember that you aren’t just considering yourself, but all of your tools and equipment, too.
- Type
There are a slew of different creeper types, which we discuss in more detail below. However, for over the engine, there are usually very few to choose from. These will mostly include the features that are inherent in the creeper type, such as the foldable topside creeper.
- Features
As with all new purchases, the features included make a big difference in the level of value that they provide. For topside creepers, this mostly consists of reinforcements along the joints, as well as added benefits such as tool compartments and whether or not your new creeper can fold up for storage, or be used under the car.
Related Post: Best Car Creepers
Benefits of a Topside Creeper
The biggest benefits to your topside creeper are inevitably to your health. As you’ll be spending less time in an uncomfortable position, you’ll find that a topside creeper will work wonders for your back, knees and any awkward joints such as your elbows, which are the most likely to feel the pain of being held at awkward angles for long periods of time.
Your new over the hood creeper will also provide you with greater control while you work. This is great news for those who are regularly making repairs on larger vehicles, as you’ll find that you can complete your work at a much faster rate than you might without a creeper.
The improved angle also allows you to be able to see what you’re focusing on with greater clarity. Looking at your engine from a direct angle (top down), you’ll be able to easily reach and repair the components you need to get to, with ease. This factor, along with the greater range of flexibility from yourself and the increased level of control you have, leads to quicker fixes and less time straining your back, neck and arms while you work on your vehicle.
Different Types of Car Creepers
- Topside Creepers
Over engine creepers are the only creeper type that will allow you to access taller vehicles. This is because they are designed to place you over the hood of your car or truck to easily access your engine and make your repair with complete stability.
They are a lot harder to come by, as they are generally only used by those who work on taller vehicles, more frequently. However, for those who have a truck, SUV or larger car, they can prove to be worth their weight in gold and they are extremely helpful to have – as you will be able to more easily access awkward parts of the engine without any extra effort from yourself.
They are also much better for your overall health, by relieving pain across your back and upper body, as they ensure you will no longer need to strain yourself in getting to these hard-to-reach areas. Thus, the extra effort it takes to source and find the best topside creeper for yourself is very much worth it, thanks to the benefits they bring.
- Underside Creepers
Underside creepers are the traditional form of creeper which you are likely to have seen in the media and at your local garage, as they are much more popular. These help you to slide under your car to see the engine from below. Because of their popularity you are more likely to see multiple variants including contoured and low-profile types, or even those with LED lighting built-in to help you see better during your work.
Our Top Pick
The Traxion 3-100 Foldable Topside Creeper hit our top spot as the best topside creeper on the market, thanks to its stability, value for money and overall comfort. With a padded seat to ensure a secure but soft vantage point, this over engine creeper has an adjustable height to ensure you get the right length for your vehicle size.
It also comes with four castors that lock into place when you’re ready, while also being foldable – perfect for sliding away and storing when not in use. Not to mention that the relatively low capacity is easily countered by the high quality of build materials used, which customers love as this option feels safe and steady during use.
Source:
- What are the different types of car creeper – Wonkee Donkee Tools
