Scissor lift

[NYK]

In the end I decided to go this route

Clearly my space is limited and I was nervous about hanging chassis, engine, gearbox etc from 50 year old fiberglass and bobbins. Also I picked this up for a good price from eBay.

[nmauduit]

In the end I decided to go this route

pretty efficient - and low profile... is this home made of a manufactured product?

[NYK]

It?s a manufactured product, clearly very low volume sales. I have to say they are very well made and really heavy it takes two people to move each ramp. http://www.carlift-ramp-mr1.com

[alanr]

Well it certainly is a very safe option and is worthy of consideration, no chinese made hydraulic rams that will start leaking in a few years and I also guess you got it at a reasonable price s/h on ebay so a good cost effective solution for you.
To buy new though, as I would have to do, they look a bit expensive for what you actually get and though I haven't actually seen one in the flesh if looks to take up a lot of space.
The more I think about the Scissor though, as much as I would like one, it doesn't look like it is suitable for a +2 with Rotoflexes.
Compromises, compromises.....
I may go and look at a Hamer 4post, another one that shouldn't give any future maintenance grief being a purely mechanical but maybe slow to operate solution.
http://www.hamercarlift.com/

Alan.

[NYK]

Yes, I know what you mean about compromise, I went through the same thought process as you in comparing the options which included the Hamer. The ramps I have can be used flat so don?t really need to take up room when not in use.

[alanr]

I hadn't quite appreciated that fully flat was an option...Thanks for the pic.

[SENC]

I have something similar to NYK's, mine is from kwik-lift. Though I could lay it flat, I find it simpler to just back up the ramp then lift it, so my car stays on it a couple feet off the ground nearly all the time. Jack's up and let's down with a few pumps on the floor jack, otherwise no work. Not as high and easy as a lift would be, but perfect height for rolling around underneath on a creeper with everything in reach. Also a nice height for working from the outside. I made some wooden blocks that span the ramps for working wheels off - I use the floor jack to lift the car on the blocks, then slide some risers onto the ramps/beneath the blocks. Simple and solid, and if I really screw up the car will be caught on the ramps. Also proved useful on engine removal as I was able to lower the front end when I couldn't get my cherry picker quite high enough.

[alanr]

Yes the Kwiklift looks a nice piece of kit and I see it is now available in the UK. Only one problem ....the UK price is an eye watering ?3600! ...So not a viable proposition for me unfortunately.

I have sent an enquiry to Hamer about their manual 4 poster but not had a reply yet and I have heard a rumour that they are no longer in business which could be another no-go if the rumour is true.
Perhaps the way forward for me is to do what NYK did and wait for something secondhand to appear. Anyone know of one, or anything similar for sale?

My brain though also still keeps coming back to the Scissor lift idea. I wonder what the effect would be if I changed from Rotoflexes to CV's....Hanging CV's should be ok on a Scissor I think? Can anyone confirm?

Alan.

[rgh0]

My Elan and Plus 2 with Cvs have spent many many months on my Maxjax with the suspension hanging without ill effects. i jack them at the corners of the body sills inside the wheels and after many years the bobbins still hold the chassis to the body !! Donuts may not like being at full deflection for that long but then donuts dont last to long anyhow these days !!

cheers
Rohan

[alanr]

Thanks for that reassurance Rohan. Thats good to know.
In my mind I thought CV's would be ok but needed to know that someone had actually done it!
I am not worried about the bobbins I am sure they will be just fine.

Alan.

[SENC]

Yes the Kwiklift looks a nice piece of kit and I see it is now available in the UK. Only one problem ....the UK price is an eye watering ?3600! ...So not a viable proposition for me unfortunately.

YOWZA! That is more than 3x the cost here, I guess shipping is expensive!

[mbell]

If you want one for working on the car take a look at quick Jack (quickjack.co.uk). Start at 935.

I have the bl5000 and really like it. Might be too big for an elan thou. Fine with my +2.

[alanr]

Thanks for the heads up on the Quick Jack. Interesting....Another type to give serious consideration to now I know it works nicely with a +2 which I have.
I must I hadn't considerd the Quick Jack before, previously I thought it looked a bit flimsy but I see that each ramp weighs 76lbs, so not flimsy at all. The price of the 5000 though I see is ?1135 +vat, so that is ?1335 to me.
I have only had a quick look at the info so far.Currently trying to working what out what height it will place a +2 at in the real world. Do you happen to have a photo of your car on the lift?..that would be really useful if you have.
Also can you tell me please, do you lift on the body on the corner of sill? As an alternative I had wondered about the possibility of utilising the +2 jacking points with say 4 made up pegs on platforms placed in the car jacking point holes?...Any thoughts?

Cheers,

Alan.

[mbell]

I use it under the sills with spreaders, take a look at:

viewtopic.php?t=45397&f=43&start=0#p324282

and

viewtopic.php?t=35238&f=43&start=0#p240248

They pick up the stronger areas of the floor and have been fine so far. It puts the car at ~20" high which is decent height for being under it. The car is absolutely rock solid when on it and I use it with my 2ton daily which is again rock solid.

I've added a some roller caster type things to it to make them easier to move around the garage when flat.

For my needs it a good solution, as its safe and quick to lift the cars, needs no mods to garage (not even a power line), stores easily enough and I can take it with me when/if I move or want to work on car somewhere else.

[alanr]

Thanks for the useful info...very much appreciated.

Alan.