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Locost "car lift"
Ninehigh - 8/6/09 at 03:08 AM

Idea: The ability to lift the car so I can get underneath by building a small platform and fixing 4 trolley jacks (minus wheels) so I can jack the car up at 4 points in the same way that the professional ones do but will fit in a standard garage.

Anyone done anything like this?


speedyxjs - 8/6/09 at 05:59 AM

Nice idea but im not sure i would like to operate each jack individually. The car might fall off


trextr7monkey - 8/6/09 at 06:23 AM

I guess you want the wheels free for servicing brakes etc- otherwise 2 sets of ramps would get you the height needed- possible to drive up one set then lift back end and put 2nd set in facing wrong way to save space. God for long term renovations
You could rig something up with engine crane to lift one end but would still need stands underneath -it easy on our jeeps as bumper is box section.
Be careful!


matt_claydon - 8/6/09 at 07:49 AM

Trolley jacks need to be able to roll forward as they lift since the lifting arm does not move purely vertically relative to the jack body.


iank - 8/6/09 at 08:06 AM

Could do it with scissor jacks bolted to the floor with rawlbolts, but as said you'd have to be very careful to only lift a little at a time on each in turn else it will fall off, and whatever jack you use you still need axle stands under there for safety.


wilkingj - 8/6/09 at 08:28 AM

One Trolly jack, and 4 axle stands and a bit of wood.

Put the wood across and under the car,
Jack up, and put on two axle stands
The do the orther end of the car.

Or drive up ramps at front, and use axle stands at the rear.

NO twisting of the car, and is of course simples... chk..


dhutch - 8/6/09 at 09:13 AM

Dont have room for the wood, but effect the same by lifing the diff and then the front chassis rail. Makes a much nicer working height!

Am looking at making a quick lift jack too, not got very far yet, but a back-of-a-fag-packet calc recons i can see a foot of lift, giving me about 16inchs clearence underneath and less back bending.


Daniel


blakep82 - 8/6/09 at 09:44 AM

have you got an engine crane?
thats how i does it


DarrenW - 8/6/09 at 10:29 AM

Can you adapt a high lift pallet truck?


nick205 - 8/6/09 at 12:02 PM

As said, you can't get much more Locost, simple and most inportantly SAFE than a trolley jack and 4 x axle stands. Minimal stress on the chassis provided you place the stands correctly, plenty of working height even if you have to jack up, stand jack again with a wooden block then raise the stands, good access all round and under the car too.

Rememeber - K.I.S.S


fatfranky - 8/6/09 at 12:40 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
Idea: The ability to lift the car so I can get underneath by building a small platform and fixing 4 trolley jacks (minus wheels) so I can jack the car up at 4 points in the same way that the professional ones do but will fit in a standard garage.

Anyone done anything like this?


When you say "the car" do you mean a sevenesque, a tin top or some sort of universal solution.

If sevenesque I would second (or third or whatever) the Axle stands as the locost option and the modified high lift pallet truck as the quicker option.

If a universal solution is preferred, the problem is the different jacking points on different cars. Machine mart used to do a portable hydraulic car lift (sort of a parallelogram) that had adjustable arms and a safety strut, perhaps something like that could be copied. Alternatively there are lots of differing ones on ebay but command good prices

Regards

Frank


Ninehigh - 8/6/09 at 07:33 PM

Yeah I was thinking universal. I'm also aiming to just get enough ground clearance so I can slide underneath so maybe lifting the whole car isn't necessary just the front or the back. The idea is that there's a platform that I could drive on (less dangerous than those ramps that I ruined a clutch on) and then if I need the wheels lifting I've got fixed in jacks of some sort to lift it that bit extra.

You know those pit things they have where you drive over and there's a strip that's about 6 foot deep so they can walk in? I'm trying to create that kind of thing. I should doodle in paint to show you a rough idea


fatfranky - 8/6/09 at 09:58 PM

how about

ebay link

There are also hydraulic versions available but cost more