Got a scissor lift!

This might as well be a commercial for the lift. Now I need to get the engine ready for part 2

In reply to AnthonyGS :

I’ve got a new mustang convertible as a rental while my truck is in the body shop- it’s pretty darn spectacular drivetrain wise. 

Hydraulic lifts are usually clumsily, the oil leaks, uncomfortable to operate. 

I have experience with Quick jack, Max jack and Autolift 3000. So far, the most satisfactory one is Autolift 3000. Really portable, light, fast and can carry about 6600 lbs, which is really cool. Powered by the drill. I can recommend, this is really cool thing!

SVreX said:

In reply to TitanMike :

I’ll be calling you soon. 

SVreX...We are in 8a-5p M-F!  We would be happy to answer any product questions and help you locate a dealer to purchase through.

The0retical said:

Damn that extra high rise 4 post Titan is offering looks pretty tempting. They weren't really on my radar until now...

If we can answer any questions, please reach out!

Professor_Brap said:

In reply to SVreX :

I sold lifts for years for a larger manufacture. I have only seen a handful fail. 

First off, I was referring to concrete failure, not lift failure. It doesn’t matter how many lifts you’ve sold if the issue is the concrete!

Ive been building and remodeling for 40 years in different regions- I have a really good sense of what existing concrete conditions are in residential conditions. I simply would not trust a slab that was over 10 years old without core drilling and break testing, and I would never trust a driveway. 

Secondly, “only a handful of failures” is a really unacceptable standard! 

(BTW, most residential driveways do not meet the manufacturer’s  spec for levelness for the MaxJax)

SVreX said:

Professor_Brap said:

In reply to SVreX :

I sold lifts for years for a larger manufacture. I have only seen a handful fail. 

First off, I was referring to concrete failure, not lift failure. It doesn’t matter how many lifts you’ve sold if the issue is the concrete!

Ive been building and remodeling for 40 years in different regions- I have a really good sense of what existing concrete conditions are in residential conditions. I simply would not trust a slab that was over 10 years old without core drilling and break testing, and I would never trust a driveway. 

Secondly, “only a handful of failures” is a really unacceptable standard! 

I was referring to concrete also, guess I should have specified. Only have seen two true lift failures, one was gross misuse other was a outdoor mounted lift up north. 

In reply to Professor_Brap :

Ok, well concrete can fail. We agree. 

Residential grade concrete does not meet MaxJax’s specs. It’s thinner, non reinforced, and lower compressive strength than MaxJax’s specifications. It is also frequently out of level more than they allow. 

Im not saying I have seen failure. I’m saying I am not putting my melon head under a 3000 lb car that is supported by something that does not meet the manufacturer’s specifications. 

Driveways are worse. 

It ain’t mobile if it can’t be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s specs, and NO ONE can tell if the concrete meets the specs with a visual inspection.  (But in residential applications, the odds are 80% that it does not meet spec)

(Rant over)  I will be looking at a scissor lift.  Thanks accordianfolder!

Woot! I finally pulled the trigger on a lift! So far, I'm extremely pleased with the convenience of the mid ride scissor style. It's out of the way most of the time with a car parked over it.

In reply to 2002maniac :

Congrats!! I love, love, love mine still. I can't imagine life without it.

I know someone asked a while back about the MS3 on it, here are some photos!

Also here's my favorite "alternative" use of the scissor lift. Lifting a tall vehicle, removing the wheels and lowering it MUCH lower than it could ever be with them on (I put low jack stands/4x4's under the jacking points for safety)



Last one for fun

In reply to accordionfolder :

Oh man you could totally pull the downpipe and put in a long variant in with that kind of clearance.

In reply to The0retical :

Yeah definitely - and I could've come forward a bit more than that safely, I believe. I like to keep it roughly centered (and I was only changing the oil/plugs so no need), but for certain operations (or with the exocet) - I'll really pull the nose forward and make sure to check everything as I slowly raise it. With something as light as the exocet the lift doesn't even seem to notice it's there (it's lighter than the lift) and I bring the nose super far forward and can do/access pretty much anything. 

I’m really glad this thread was bumped. It’s about time for me. 

The arrival of my first scissor lift is one of those quantum leap moments in my shop odyssey. I could even do transmissions in my Mustangs. I bought 2 of them used about 20 years ago and worked them both to death! Then I would get a cylinder rebuilt and work em to death again.

Bruce

Well since this was bumped anyway.....  I've been dreaming of a lift ever since I was a wee lad and now that I've got the workshop, I've been thinking about making it happen.  I've thought about a scissor lift but always veered away from it since it seemed like I'd be better off saving my shekels for a two post lift.  Because of the shape of the space - 20' wide by 70' deep - if i put in a regular two-post lift it would have to go close to the garage door and that would limit the utility of the rest of the space.  I wouldn't be able to pull the RV in, for example.  Based on that, I pretty much decided that I wanted a MaxJax since it would be portable - I could unbolt it and push it up against the wall when I didn't need it.  But it's only a mid-rise lift.  And there is some cracking in the concrete in that area, so I would need to tear up a section and have new concrete poured.  Not the end of the world, but it is rental space - the landlord is fine with it, but I hate spending my money making improvements to other peoples' building.  I don't really have any plans to lift cars off of their engines or get into the full-time custom exhaust business.  As much as I'd like to tell myself that I'll be going crazy with all sorts of major projects, the reality is that most of what I'd use a lift for would be oil changes, tire rotations, brake jobs, that kind of thing.  Occasionally I'd do some suspension work, a few times in my lifetime I'll do some exhaust work, and maybe some occasional brake line replacement and drop the occasional fuel tank.

Am I talking myself out of the MaxJax and in to a scissor lift?  I guess I need to go see what the possibilities are for one that could lift the Excursion...

For use in a rental space I'd think about a four post lift, since it doesn't have to be bolted down and can be equipped with casters so you can move it around as needed.  Yes, there are tradeoffs when compared to a two post lift, but those things can be worked around.

How are you guys storing these? 

In reply to yupididit :

When I only had one, I just parked on top of it.  The minivan has just enough ground clearance to park over it (although not enough to get the arms into place).  Otherwise, I parked over it with the car on the ramps. No big deal - especially after I added the square tube "locating" device, which keeps the ramps from shifting. 

In reply to SVreX :

I sold equipment, including lifts for several years. I would not have faith in an installer's ability to tell whether the concrete was safe or not, in a residential garage.

Dang, youre living the dream, my dream anyway! Exocet included

Speaking of concrete, is there a limitation to what these scissor lifts can do? The contact points look fairly small (just wheels on one end). If we are discussing the negatives of two post lifts and garage floors maybe someone can chime in on these? I know concrete is great in compression loading and poor in tension, which I assume is the limitation with a 2 post lift.

Just curious, as this is likely the route Ill be going in a couple of years.

Edit: Accordian, what is your ceiling height?

I'd want to do something like this:

spandak said:

Speaking of concrete, is there a limitation to what these scissor lifts can do? The contact points look fairly small (just wheels on one end). If we are discussing the negatives of two post lifts and garage floors maybe someone can chime in on these? I know concrete is great in compression loading and poor in tension, which I assume is the limitation with a 2 post lift.

Just curious, as this is likely the route Ill be going in a couple of years.

In my garage, I've never had a problem with the pivot point or rollers damaging the concrete.  However, when my first lift was at my ex's garage, the concrete was prone to flaking and the lift would leave light marks in the surface.  Since our split, she epoxy painted the floor and she uses a Quick Jack.  I actually offered my second lift to her, but she declined because of the marking.  I've thought of laying down steel plates, but haven't looked into it.

I've thought about recessing one or both lifts into the slab, but it would be a ton of work to do after the fact - you would need to dig down quite a bit after breaking up the existing slab area.  And for the door-end lift I'd lose the option of rolling it outside when I want to lift up something large like my minivan.  So my plan is to build up the floor in the garage around the lifts to more or less achieve the same result. 

In reply to yupididit :

I just drive overtop of it in my garage - once you get the trick down it's not hard and all of my cars fit over it (with the long 2x12 ramps for the low ones)

In reply to spandak :

lol - it's a dream sometimes, nightmare others! It's only 109/110" tall. I can take miata and other small cars to max height. Most SUV's/trucks/etc only can get to the first or second click.

The rear rollars have made small marks in the concrete, but I don't lift heavy things often - the front pivot hasn't damaged it at all that I can see.