You will want to use a hoist so that you have unrestricted access to the oil pan. If you want to forego some work , and youre pretty sure that the rod is in the bottom of the pan. You can get by with just buying another rod and dropping it in. The one that is in the oil pan won't hurt anything it'll just sit on the bottom. I DO NOT RECOMEND THIS (but i did it). Don't let it stay for long if you do but it will get you back and forth to work for awhile if its your daily driver.