Tilting Lifter for Spitfire? Other ideas?

[Clive]

I have an issue that I can't fit my trolley jack under the diff, then get large axle stands in either side. So have to endure jiggery pokery to get the car a decent height off the ground.

And I am finding I need to get the car higher as I am getting older.

One idea is one of the tilting lifters like this https://www.cjautos.eu/MINI_TILTING_CAR_LIFT_p/cl03.htm 

But it looks like it would have to lift on the sills of the spitfire (or a length of wood just inside the seam, so it lifts on the inner sill)

Has anybody used one? Or got any other bright ideas? These have a few advantages inthat they are not over-big/heavy, and as I tend to work under either the back OR the front, it can tilt to get an end a decent height off the floor. A few downsides, but short of installing a 2 post lift I am struggling to find much else...

[dougbgt6]

1 hour ago, clive said:

And I am finding I need to get the car higher as I am getting older.

I use son-in-laws for this sort of thing.

db

[Anglefire]

A friend of mine is getting a small lift Christmas time - about a grand or so and lifts the car up about 1000mm or so. Still not sure how it would work on a small Triumph though!

I've found this one https://www.cjautos.eu/product_p/cl02.htm

[poppyman]

25 minutes ago, Anglefire said:

A friend of mine is getting a small lift Christmas time - about a grand or so and lifts the car up about 1000mm or so. Still not sure how it would work on a small Triumph though!

I've found this one https://www.cjautos.eu/product_p/cl02.htm

A pal of mine has got one these that he uses on his GT6. Only down fall is, that it wont go under unless he jacks the car up first, back and front to put it on blocks....... Then he slides it under. He only use's it for bigger jobs as it is such a pain in the bum to get it under and positioned. He had to make the blocks with wheel chocks as well so it would not roll off them.

Tony 

[JohnD]

clive,

a lot less outlay would get you a low level jack, that will fit under the back of the car.

EG.  https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-ctj1250ab-1-25-tonne-aluminium-racing-j/

NB  lifting under the diff isnt desirable.   Better to use the cross member of the chassis, just behind the diff.     The only disadvantage is that the face if that is at an angle, but the jack I recommend above has a rubber 'puck' on the lifting pad, which can engage in the edge, or else make a wooden chock to go on the chassis.  See pic.   Long wood screws will usefully reinforce the block.

John

[Clive]

8 minutes ago, JohnD said:

clive,

a lot less outlay would get you a low level jack, that will fit under the back of the car.

EG.  https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-ctj1250ab-1-25-tonne-aluminium-racing-j/

NB  lifting under the diff isnt desirable.   Better to use the cross member of the chassis, just behind the diff.     The only disadvantage is that the face if that is at an angle, but the jack I recommend above has a rubber 'puck' on the lifting pad, which can engage in the edge, or else make a wooden chock to go on the chassis.  See pic.   Long wood screws will usefully reinforce the block.

John

John, I have a brilliant trolly jack (Weber, as specced by the MoD. Far better than Clarke/sealey etc, having owned them too)

I want something higher, and that can be moved around. Ithought about one of those high lift scissor ramps, bit some are nearly 1/2 ton! The tilting one is a simple alternative. 

What I am concerned about is where it lifts, but the "air over" scissor one above also looks as if it would struggle to locate on the chassis. 

And Doug, no SiLs as yet. Some contenders, both with no mechanical aptitude. Yet.

[JohnD]

Not so brilliant, Clive if "I can't fit my trolley jack under the diff"!

John

[NonMember]

16 minutes ago, JohnD said:

Not so brilliant, Clive if "I can't fit my trolley jack under the diff"!

Actually, reading Clive's post a bit closer, he didn't say that exactly. He said he couldn't " fit my trolley jack under the diff, then get large axle stands in either side", so perhaps he meant his axle stands are too fat.

[Clive]

Thank you Rob. Yes, best to read the whole sentence and not extract a small part. That sort of behaviour is reserved for daily mail journalists.

Can an axle stand be too fat? OK,  the result here is yes, but a wide base helps stability, which is good. I won't go under a car unless it can withstand a hefty shove (hence I carry a folding axle stand in the boot of the car)

[dougbgt6]

Clive,

One SiL is a chef, the other a video games developer, no mechanical aptitude, but both work well under direction, coupled with the prospect of inheritance.

Doug

[Anglefire]

4 hours ago, poppyman said:

A pal of mine has got one these that he uses on his GT6. Only down fall is, that it wont go under unless he jacks the car up first, back and front to put it on blocks....... Then he slides it under. He only use's it for bigger jobs as it is such a pain in the bum to get it under and positioned. He had to make the blocks with wheel chocks as well so it would not roll off them.

Tony 

I think my friend is planning on having a slightly raised edge - so the "ramp" is slightly below ground - if that makes sense so there isn't a clearance issue - he has about 2 metro's (One a cabriolet - one of only a handful in the UK left) and a Midas kit car (Metro based) as well as 3 other cars that are on the road - which he uses for work.

[Clive]

20 minutes ago, dougbgt6 said:

Clive,

One SiL is a chef, the other a video games developer, no mechanical aptitude, but both work well under direction, coupled with the prospect of inheritance.

Doug

One is a trainee teacher. A woodentop at that.

The other is a visual effects boffin at Framestore. Willing, and with guidance has some potential. Likes electronics....But he has no inclination to even learn to drive. But living in London, sort of understandable. In fact they are the exact target market for all these driverless cars/taxi's.

[poppyman]

25 minutes ago, Anglefire said:

I think my friend is planning on having a slightly raised edge - so the "ramp" is slightly below ground - if that makes sense so there isn't a clearance issue - he has about 2 metro's (One a cabriolet - one of only a handful in the UK left) and a Midas kit car (Metro based) as well as 3 other cars that are on the road - which he uses for work.

That makes sense, Metro's have  better area's to jack on as well  

[JohnD]

53 minutes ago, clive said:

Thank you Rob. Yes, best to read the whole sentence and not extract a small part. That sort of behaviour is reserved for daily mail journalists.

Can an axle stand be too fat? OK,  the result here is yes, but a wide base helps stability, which is good. I won't go under a car unless it can withstand a hefty shove (hence I carry a folding axle stand in the boot of the car)

Ah!  So your brilliant jack can't lift the car enough for your axle stands!

There's a cheaper answer to that too.  But I would insult you by explaining its simplicity.

John

[Clive]

The jack is just brilliant.

Yes, it can lift far enough for all but the highest setting of the massive axle stands. However, being large axle stands (ie stable) the bases are large, and the chassis rails on a spitfire are pretty close together. (no outriggers like your vitesse). So either I use small, less stable axle stands, buy a narrow jack (nope, not a good idea as they don't lift far enough) or I faff around. Which is what I do now. Chassis currently 500mm off the garage floor using saidjack and stands.

This is the jack, if you wish to peruse the specification. You may even be tempted! 

Weber WDK20Q
Lifting Capacity: 2000 KG
Min height (mm) 80
Max Height (mm) 495
Frame Length (mm) 660
Handle Length (mm)950
Frame Height (mm) 160
Frame Width (mm) 410
Net Weight (KG) 31

[poppyman]

I have two weber jacks one of which is 25yrs old, absolutely brilliant, much better than the cheap modern crap available.

Tony.

[Guest]

Hello Clive,

Could either of these 2x links be of use ?? I'm thinking about getting a pair fro the Vitesse and Daimler:

https://www.cjautos.eu/product_p/cr01.htm

https://www.cjautos.eu/product_p/cr02.htm

I'm going to be viewing a set at the NEC this weekend.

Although from you initial flag, I get the impression you want the body supported with the wheels free.

Regards.

Richard.

 

[Clive]

You are correct, I want to have all wheels off (potentially)

I have found a new/unused tilter  that looks promising, though a bit of  a trek. But may wok out.... Update Wednesday!

[Colin Lindsay]

Let me think, Clive... like me, you're getting too old to lie under cars any more; like me, you want a good lift that preferably gets all four wheels off the ground... hmmmm...

This one cost less than Anglefire's hydraulic lift too, by about £300. If you have the room they're brilliant.

 

 

[dougbgt6]

Envy, envy, envy. ?

db

[Anglefire]

1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said:

If you have the room they're brilliant.

Yeah that's a snag here. single story garage. Currently getting a larger shed to get more crap out of the garage so I can get around the car properly. Slab went down at the weekend, just waiting for the shed to arrive in a couple of weeks. 

[poppyman]

2 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Let me think, Clive... like me, you're getting too old to lie under cars any more; like me, you want a good lift that preferably gets all four wheels off the ground... hmmmm...

This one cost less than Anglefire's hydraulic lift too, by about £300. If you have the room they're brilliant.

 

 

There is always a show off..... Green with envy   Is it single phase as well Colin?

Tony.

[Clive]

2 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Let me think, Clive... like me, you're getting too old to lie under cars any more; like me, you want a good lift that preferably gets all four wheels off the ground... hmmmm...

This one cost less than Anglefire's hydraulic lift too, by about £300. If you have the room they're brilliant.

 

 

That's just showing off

[Colin Lindsay]

Lol... consider it more pride of ownership than anything else, certainly not one-upmanship.

Single phase, installed in about two hours and has saved back, neck and kneecaps from more wear and tear. The mattress lying to the front is what it replaced.

Many of the local club use it these days, when I don't have something of my own stuck on it permanently that can't be removed due to a lack of wheels or other mobility - the hire price is usually biscuits.

[Clive]

On 07/11/2018 at 20:32, Colin Lindsay said:

Let me think, Clive... like me, you're getting too old to lie under cars any more; like me, you want a good lift that preferably gets all four wheels off the ground... hmmmm...

This one cost less than Anglefire's hydraulic lift too, by about £300. If you have the room they're brilliant.

 

 

Colin, where do you place the pads under the car when using the 2 post lift?

Anyway, I purchased a brand new, unused tilting lifter from a decent chappie, and tied it in with collecting a new panel for my car (to repair the rear end shunt from the summer) And despite being "adjustable, I still can't get the right width for the spitfire. Seems to be either 2" too wide or narrow. Unless I don't fully engage the adjusting bars, which looks wrong/floppy. Simple solution is 2 lengths of 6x2 across the lifter, so it lifts on the chassis rails and the sill lower seam all at the same time. Exhaust is off. Using the lift at about the balance point (haven't quite got is right this time, but should be better next) I have rear wheels on the floor, and the front suspension at chest height. Seems reasonable enough to me..... Plus it winds down to about 5" high, and will lean against a wall.

I am coming to the conclusion that to have a 2 post lift or even a hydraulic mid-rise lift, you need to have a "bay" within a garage for lift use.