Well Its been another long weekend in the Garage. Apart from a good trip out on Sunday to Barton Mills to meet up with others for a quick beer and a
natter.
So this is what it all looks like:
Completed 1
Well the Viento Fits just fine.
The Viento Fits!
Ah... Standing on the Runway Waiting for takeoff!!! (Hawkwind)
Prepare for Lift Off!
Oh Shite!... He aint heavy... He's My Viento
Looks like I need some extra bracing and more leverage.
He aint heavy, He's My Viento
Now that is what I call a set of ramps 
Cheers
Alex
Nice ramps!!! Good solution!!
And I bet it kicks ass for knightrider style ramp tricks
Think I'd have put a bit of triangulation into the last section of the ramp though! Scaffold pole seems to be having some trouble as well
[Edited on 13/3/07 by MikeRJ]
can you make some small extensions on the front, maybe hook on with diagonal brace? if you get it right you should be able to lift it by hand and
prop it,.....just an idea
I have done some "sleep thinking" I usually come up with ideas when I am not thinking about them.
Yes, Its out of square but not that much. Its fairly rigid even with the Viento on it. OK.. I'm not that good a welder, and the frames are a
little warped through heat and wee poor measurement. They are not exactly square... But Close enough for gov't work
The problem with the bar is two fold.
1. Its Heavy gauge Gas pipe with a 3mm wall, not scaffold.
2. My Jack is not high enough, so the lift point had to be nearer the pivot / rocking point. This meant less leverage, and has bent the pipe.
The answer is clear, move the pipe mounting further back and get a bigger (higher lift) jack.
I am looking for a simpler solution. I may move the pipe mounting to the extreme rear and use my Land Rover screw jack which will lift to 2 feet
plus.
Overall its pretty good. The wheel hubs are at a good working height.
I shall persevere as I have to fix the wife's Fiesta Exhaust as the down pipe has rotted through, and the Viento suspension crush tubes are too
short giving me squeeky stiff suspension, and I have some Bigger front brakes to fit.
I have had enough of kneeling and lying on the cold concrete doing cars... I am getting too old for doing that any more
Cost so far £76 for the steel, and a bit of CO2, and mig wire. Three 1mm cutting discs for the Angry Grinder. Oh and much more time that I thought!
I like it
Tell me you not nervous when you drive your car up into the air like that though
Would put some diagonals in, just to stiffen the whole structure...
Otherwise
it looks like it should be "He IS Heavy, AND He's my Viento"
[Edited on 13.03.2007 by Humbug]
Great idea, those ramps will make working on the car much more pleasant. Any reason why you didn't put the pivot further back so that the ramps
would tip forward by themselves when the car went passed the balance-point? No need for a jack at all them, just a prop at the rear end for safety.
I'm pretty sure this is how the ones you see at car dealerships work.
Edit: You might consider a bit of triagnulation in the frames to protect against them collapsing.
[Edited on 13/3/07 by matt_claydon]
How about using one of these to lift it, plenty height and pretty quick too?
Rescued attachment RAL_HIGH_LIFT_RATCHET_JACK_.jpg
I concur - extend the front of the ramps a foot or so, and the weight of the car will tip it forward to where you want it. No jacks required, and a
lot less stress on the whole thing that way, too.
Another vote for extending them fowards and putting a support under them just in case - just take it slow over the "tipping point"
Great idea though, whenever I have seen these at dealers I hav ethought how useful they would be, but also how much space they would take up.
The Square and Triangular sections are bolted together. Footprint it 3 pieces of 65cm x 44cm the two squares will stack easily. I have them down the
side of my car port. Also I use my little Black and Decker Sack barrow to move them. Easy like that.
Just need to sort the jacking out as my jack is too small ie only lifts between 170mm and 400mm.
I need a BIGGER Jack. Will probably use my jack off my Land Rover, which will be big enough to jack from the very rear of the ramps.
Also need to get some Scaffold pole instead of the gas pipe which was just lying about.
Then I will build a jacking beam that rests across the top of the ramps so I can jack the car whilst on the ramps to work on the suspension and hubs /
brakes.
I'm getting there!
quote:
Originally posted by ecosse
How about using one of these to lift it, plenty height and pretty quick too?
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
I like it
Tell me you not nervous when you drive your car up into the air like that though
Extend the front, and mount two 45 gallon oil drums (with balance pipe), then fill with water from hose.
Locost POWER LIFT
ATB
Simon