rsj

[Ian Faulds]

hi, I am thinking of buying a rgs girder to sit across my garage walls, this would be used to support my lifting hook ,

lifting engines and my gt6 body off the chasis. the length of the girder would be just under 5m. any idea what size girder I would need to say lift 1 ton max.

ie. depth and width and thickness. don't think it would even need to be a ton, just overkill.just don't want to get one that's not up to it.

[Badwolf]

Ian. Also factor in the thickness of your walls as they will have to take the weight of tbe rsj, the winch/lift and the load. It may be worth paying for a local structural engineer to check it out before you collapse your garage and house which won't endire you to your insurance company or neighbours. Sorry for the negative response but better to be sure and safe.

[dougbgt6]

Also some supporting brickwork would stick out into the garage, if you have shelves and stuff on the walls not a problem for a single car. But if ever you revert to using it as a double, could be a problem.

Doug

[Badwolf]

I once asked a structural engineer about hanging heavy things from a huge wooden joist in an old building. He told me that the joist was adequate for holding up the roof not for hanging extra stuff from.  I think that you will find, as Doug says that any extra rsj will need a brick/concrete pier under each end. I think that a moveable engine/body lift might be the way to go as you appear to have a concrete floor. Not as handy but probably safer.

[68vitesse]

When I had my single garage converted to a double years ago, including a pit and i beam for lifting the builder sat the i beam on brick columns and fixed the ends to the roof wall plate.

You do not want it slipping of the columns.

Regards

Paul

[wayne Rollinson]

178mmx 108mm RSJ would be ok if you plan to support like a goal post with a couple of corner gussets, you could go with the 152mm x89mm if you made it like a roof truss with a central spar, if you plan on using it just as a beam no bracing then i would think 203mm x 133mm, you will get some natural sag over that distance, regards wayne

[Ian Faulds]

Thanks for the advice. The garage is dry lined there is the outer wall then insulation then breeze blocks which are topped with wood. . The rsj would sit on the wood on top of the breeze blocksI reckoned the gt6 engine would be about  200kg. And the naked shell without doors and interior less. So maybe max lift. 1/4 ton.  My hook and chains are about  30kg. I can butt the rsj at both ends and lock it in. 

[Badwolf]

One thing to consider carefully is the 'drop weight' which can be considerably higher than a gentle lift. That is the difference between gentle braking in a car and an emergency stop. The g-force of an engine hoist slipping and braking is much higher than a gentle lift/lower. Don't forget the weight of the actual rsj on top of what is only aerated cement (breezeblock). When I had some rsj beams installed they were set on top of solid concrete plinths for strength and safety, a requirement by my architect.

[wayne Rollinson]

I would be airing on the larger size of 203mm x133mm, lock both ends in even better plate down both ends so it can't move, go with the trolley in the picture above these are easily got, to cover yourself as said a structural engineer will do your calcs,regards wayne ps I just read badwolfs last comment you could just put in box section at either end to spread the load giving downward support and bolt into the floor,regards.

[Colin Lindsay]

It's interesting to note that when I had the new garage built at my house, and requested a beam for lifting engines, they didn't put it on the wall pier but just behind it. This is admittedly a cavity wall so two blocks to rest on at each side but it's also reliant on the thickness of the beam not to sag in the middle when lifting anything on the chain hoist as there are no other braces or supports. This one is about 26 feet wide and the builder did the calculations as to the size required.

 

 

[Ian Faulds]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'll take all on board and have a think. Haven't bought anything yet. So hopefully I'll get it done soon. Keep you updated. I've had the car 7 years. New floors sills and inner sills in. I then stopped as work and family time didn't allow. I've just retired now so  start again. I posted All on here before the new site but all was lost. As I get going again I'll Re post some of the early work. Thanks again

[Unkel Kunkel]

Just a suggestion.

And  certainly not  a very sophisticated one  - but it sort of worked.

 I went  down  a similar path thinking about garage-rebuilding(walls were thin) added beams,  wood or steel, extra buttressing , block   and tackle   etc., drawings .. etc.

On reflection though, the essential requirements were   to   lift the  body off chassis (SpitfireMk1V)  after sills  floors etc. had been done,   and then  “do” the chassis and attend to the finishing of the underneath body repairs.

The cheapest, quickest  and most practical  solution for this  was to buy a  fairly basic engine crane to lift the body off.(Door apertures weld- braced).The body was placed on a Heath Robinson(OK ,a  very H R)     frame largely   made of  scrap - bits of  joists etc.  on wheels -a dolley.The  chassis bits  then could  live  on its road  wheels under the body   for storage.and each could be pushed out  of the garage  independently to work on when required.

Suitably supported and balanced, ,the chassis with all its running gear could be  lifted,tilted and positioned with  the crane with  strops  and supports for welding, painting etc.No need for rotisserie and the body on its stilts on wheels had enough height to  scramble under.

 

[Dick Twitchen]

I used a similar approach to the above when restoring the GT6.  Already had the engine crane, which means flexibility in where you want it, and bought 3 friends beers for lifting it off.   I did not need the dolly wheels as sufficient space to dedicate to the tub.

[thescrapman]

I have done a few things along these lines.

8*2 beams bolted together and then loosely attached to the roof beam.

Acrow props or fence posts under the ends when lifting.

also bolted a steel to the rafter and put fence posts in as supports when lifting.