Car lift / tilter

[Jezza]

For some time i've been a bit worried about getting under my GT6 while it's on axle stands. Maybe it's just me but the spread of the feet on axle stands just doesn't seem to be enough to cope with a bit of vigorous pulling and pushing at the car (in relation to seized bolts only ) and have been thinking of some kind of lift alternative. The main problem is that I don't have any electricity in my garage so it would have to be a manual solution. I happened upon this on flea-bay when searching for something completely unrelated (that's never happened before, honest)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAR-TILTER-TILTING-CAR-LIFT-CAR-ROLLER-ADJUSTABLE-RAMP-3-IN-1-CJAUTOS-CL01-/331768188417?hash=item4d3eecce01:g:Q24AAOSweW5VL3EP

 

Is this something which would work with a GT6 chassis? A lot of these lifts seem to be aimed at modern cars where they have jacking points at the edges of the vehicle, but at the rear the jacking point is between the rear wheels or on the diff, and the contact points for this lift look like they would be on the tub.

 

Anyone have experience with these? I would feel a lot safer getting under the thing with the car on one of these lifts!

[Guest]

Jezza.

 

I have been using a set of these mobile axle stands for quite a few years now with both of my classics.

 

They are made by CJ Autos.

 

The construction is substantial and I do not have any concerns working underneath the car or when tackling something that requires brute force. On a classic, surely not !!

 

Even climbing in to the car and working when raised, gives the impression it's sitting solidly on the ground. 

 

The "mouth" of the support that takes the axle / chassis member is wide and as such secures the bit it is supporting properly.

 

The system is adjustable in height and the track can be increased / decreased to meet the required point of support.

 

In addition the unit is completely mobile with a set of brakes on each wheel axle. The wheels are made of nylon so moving it about the garage is effortless.

 

The whole system comes in to its own when you need extra space in the garage and the whole unit with car upon it can easily be pushed as close to the side as the garage as required. 

 

Currently I'm working on the Alpine sitting on the stands and also have the Vitesse in the garage; no problem with space or if I need to pull the Alpine in to the middle of the garage for all round access.

 

For me, having the benefit of mobility outweighs much of the other items you see for sale and I have no problem accessing any parts of the car I wish.

 

The attached photos should help illustrate the above.

 

Just a thought.

 

Good luck.

 

Richard.

[Clive]

I think it may be a problem with where to put the "arms" I guess the obvious place would be up against the sill seam as that is the bottom of the sill box section (inner sill is about 1 1/2" inside that seam)

 

However, I still use decent sized axle stands, and leave a stack of wheels/tyres under the centre of the car "just in case" plus it gets them out of the way. Well, until they are where you want to work....

[Pete Lewis]

i have a set of full length ramps , the centre removes to leave caron wheel pods 

also from CJ Auto.  all their stuff is made like a brick sh1t house 

can be a tad heavy but certainly strong and up to the job they are made for 

 

Pete

[PeterH]

I've got a tilting scissor lift similar to the CJ autos one Jezza asked about, mine came from another supplier.

It's has 3 widths and is a bit of a fiddle to change. The Spit needs one the Mini another.

The only problem is that you have to feed it under the car from the side. OK if you've a 2 car wide garage. Other than that it's very good and certainly helps when you need to get underneath.

[Clive]

So where you you support the spit? chassis or sills?

[dougbgt6]

I don't have trouble getting under the car, it's getting up gain is the problem! (Boom! Boom!)

 

The Ebay one has wheels on one side, Richard's on both sides, I would be a bit nervous of that. Plus the weight of the car is held on the narrow bolts through the wheels. Also the ability to tip the car lends itself to an angle too far. I'll stick to stands, ramps and a pile of tyres.

[Jezza]

Thanks for your thoughts on this. I do like the mobile axel stands solution which Richard posted which looks the cheapest and (more importantly) the least likely to fail. I've been doing minor jobs which don't need me to be under the car (eg rebuilding front suspension) with traditional axel stands and that's worked fine. I'm now considering replacing the gear box which will involve a lot more work and time (and no doubt swearing) under the car.

 

Interestingly, these mobile axel stands are cheaper on flea-bay than direct via CJ Auto's website!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MOBILE-AXLE-STANDS-CJAUTOS-CM05A-/231782585653?hash=item35f7519535:g:AcsAAOSwDNdVln4-

[Clive]

Not too much happens under the car in a gearbox swap, certainly nothing too heavy.

 

But I agree, those wheeled axle stands do hold a great appeal as they won't fall like domino's.

And I have never understood companies being cheaper on the bay, where they pay commission etc. However, I have bought many things off there to save a few quid (often quite a few!)

[Pete Lewis]

CJ did  a set of ramps with a  jackable tyre platform  they look good for a quick upsa daisy and then lift another 300mm

 

i have a snag with the full length as teh run ups are 5ft long so a  nice gradient  good for moderns with spoilers etc.

 

but on the back of the 2000 with its long boot overhang the ramp is well down the car and they are so heavy i cant lift to remove them 

or they stick out into the drive , so now have 3 goes at backing on as the frontal overhang is minimal i can lift the things off out theway

 

the bridges are on wheels which lift up and roll out the way leaves the car on 4 pods 

[Guest]

Jezza.

 

I have looked at the set on Ebay and obviously from the same company; they do this Ebay pitch often

 

As the advert says that is for 1x item only so if you want the car to be mobile and dance around the garage then you need 2x.

 

Additionally the wheels on the Ebay advert are steel; these are a complete bugger to roll on a smooth surface let alone a garage floor which can be a bit grainy. Nylon wheels have negligible friction compared to the steel items - even more so when you have a car resting on them. 

 

It may be worth giving CJ Autos a call as I think their blue set is the cheaper option than the red - I would certainly ask if the blue "Y" sections go as high the red ones. They may well do, I do not know.

 

As Pete says they are massively over-engineered but it is that factor that gives you the confidence to be as brutal as you need to be, without any fear of movement.

 

The bolts that go through the various holes are made from the highest grade tensile plated steel you could hope for; the width of the bolts bearing the axle supports are extremely wide.

 

I also purchased the extra height "Y" units, but have never used them and probably never will as the standard set supplied lift the vehicle significantly; plenty of space for me and the garage roller I lay on from time to time. 

 

I'm no fan of taking risks under a car and if these units were not 100% they would not be in my garage and I certainly would not be going under them.

 

Hope that helps ??

 

Richard.

[Jezza]

Very helpful, Richard (and others too!)

[PeterH]

Jezza

The lift has 2 pivoting platforms, faced with rubber strips. On the Spitfire I lift on the sill seam. Initially you lift the back end then tilt the front up. The Spit is not too badly balance but the Mini being so short and heavy at the front has to be jacked. Once level there is a locking strut to hold it, but I don't rely on that I use a stand as well. The main job I've done on the Spit was to replace the rear spring so I only needed to lift the back. I've recently had the engine out of the Mini, so it was a great help not only getting underneath, but also raising the car to a comfortable working height. It has also been used to take the gearbox out of my daughter's Citroen C2 (what a nightmare that was!!)

 

Peter