Basic, Better, Best – Creepers

There are certain tools that just make life easier. Things that grease the wheels, so to speak, when it comes to classic car maintenance. We’ve covered a few of them in this series, from cordless impact drivers to a decent inspection lamp, and the creeper is one such item that definitely fits that bill. A good creeper will simply make working underneath your car a much more enjoyable experience. Crawling around on a cold, dirty floor is nobody’s idea of fun, except for maybe Jiu-Jitsu practitioners. Or truffle pigs. For us mere classic car enthusiasts, however, there is a better way and that way is essentially a board on wheels.

Unless you live in Flatland and go by the name Mr Skinny then a decent jack and a sturdy set of axle stands is obviously a must but once your car is off the ground you will be way more comfortable and mobile on a creeper. Designs can get rather elaborate but a basic creeper is pretty simple when it comes to construction and operation. For those of you not lucky enough to have access to a lift, or an inspection pit, (oh but we can dream) a creeper could be your next BFF.

At its most basic level a creeper is nothing more than a plank or board with castors attached to all four corners – like a shopping trolley but without the basket bit. It can be used to easily slide under a vehicle and carry out whatever it is you have on that ever-growing list of jobs in (relative) comfort, all the while keeping clean and dry. At least from the floor anyway. We can accept no responsibility for any dirt or fluid expelled from the car from above… As with anything though, there are variations on the theme. From a very simple board on wheels to more complicated, all singing, all dancing designs, and as such there is quite a wide range of products on the market. So, let’s take a look at three creeper options that should hopefully make tinkering underneath your classic an easier and more joyous experience.

Basic

This Toolatelier creeper is about as basic as it gets but that’s not to say it’s ineffective, far from it. It may have next to no padding but it is ergonomically designed to be comfortable enough for most. It’s a sturdy, one-piece construction which means there’s less to go wrong or break and it’s easy to clean as well. There is tool storage incorporated into the design too which is much handier than you may think, especially after you’ve lost your third 10mm socket of the day. At under £30 it’s all most of us will likely need.

Better

For those of you who require a little more versatility from your creeper then you can’t go wrong with this Deuba folding creeper. It can be reconfigured from a standard creeper to a seat which obviously makes it more adaptable to different areas of the vehicle as well as the type of work being carried out. Fully foam padded it should be comfortable enough and the material is oil and solvent resistant too making for easy cleaning. At only 92cms long it may be a little short for some and there is no tool storage but it’s a decent enough bit of kit.

Best

We’ve featured the KS Tools folding workshop creeper before in our garage gadgets article back in 2019 and we stand by our decision to include it in this list. It may be a tad pricey but it’s incredibly well made, is a good size and features an interlocking mechanism to prevent any loosening when in operation. Like the Deuba above it can be used as either a creeper (but this time with an adjustable headrest) or a seat which makes it incredibly versatile when it comes to working on your pride and joy. Not only that but it has a decent space for tool storage too, cutting down on those interrupting visits to the tool box when you’re in full flow.

If budget is tight or if you just enjoy making stuff then a creeper is incredibly simple to construct. Get yourself down to the hardware shop and pick up four castors, a couple of scaffold boards and a handful of nuts and bolts and old Roberto can definitely be your uncle. We will caveat this piece too by stating the obvious when it comes to the type of surface you’re dealing with. If you’re working on a gravel driveway, for instance, a traditional creeper is not really going to help you but you can still buy cheap, fold-up padded creepers with no wheels which is still better than nothing.