|
|
Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
|
|
| |
|
|
tactec
New User
Dec 20, 2013, 4:53 PM
Post #1 of 13
(2329 views)
|
|
Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
Sign In
|
|
hi - i'm a retired mechanic - i attend to the general needs of the families cars rav4, avensis, daihatsu terios etc but unfortunately due to a recent illness i can no longer "crawl under 'em"'
i was considering buying a portable mid rise lift (lifts 51") & was wondering if anyone has used one?
it has 4 swinging arms (like a 2 poster) but they are not telescopic - the lifting pads (various sizes) just slide along each arm.
i am limited by the height of my garage roof.
any advice or info would be kindly appreciated.
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 20, 2013, 5:14 PM
Post #2 of 13
(2321 views)
|
|
Re: Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
Sign In
|
|
I can't see it being of any use for anything beyond tires and brakes. I also wouldn't trust it unless it was bolted down to a concrete slab. You certainly wouldn't want to try to use that on gravel or asphalt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Dec 20, 2013, 5:14 PM)
|
|
| |
|
|
GC
User
Dec 20, 2013, 6:34 PM
Post #3 of 13
(2312 views)
|
|
Re: Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
Sign In
|
|
We have almost this exact lift for tires at our shop. Dont plan on ever getting under it. 1 theres no room under there to do anything 2 Decent sized cars rock too much on it for me to get under. The other bad thing about it is for low clearance vehicles you have to lay down boards to drive onto and clear the lift to get over it. It works great for tires though, thats about all. Its fairly easy to move around if you have an engine hoist.
____________________________________________________
Willing to help, willing to learn... Rob
|
|
| |
|
|
Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 21, 2013, 3:26 AM
Post #4 of 13
(2297 views)
|
|
Re: Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
Sign In
|
|
I've seen the ads for some real decent looking stuff but none in person. 12V battery powered and can park over some types, move it outdoors and ones you can hoist a car and park another under it!
No exacting specs on how good or safety known to me but some sound interesting. Like anything the more they can do the more expensive,
T
|
|
| |
|
|
tactec
New User
Dec 21, 2013, 6:33 AM
Post #5 of 13
(2285 views)
|
|
Re: Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
Sign In
|
|
thanks all for your replies & advice - between a rock & a hard place now - with appreciation & consideration to the stability/safety aspects mentioned could you get away with services, replacing d/shaft boots & cleaning up brake pipes etc? - a friend said i could use a castered chair to sit under it (i know not advised) - he didn't smile when he said it so i reckon he was serious - i could weld up a couple of stands - as i've said my trolley jack axle stand days are numbered.
|
|
| |
|
|
Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 21, 2013, 7:12 AM
Post #6 of 13
(2284 views)
|
|
Re: Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
Sign In
|
|
I'll try to show some pics of assorted ones. They should be rated and anything about hoisting a vehicle takes common sense. If a roll around whole car hoist what are you hoisting on. Asphalt isn't so great, dirt or lawn a no go and if cement is it strong enough for a full size car/vehicle hoist?
If it doesn't need to be portable/movable you probably get a safer unit. I'm done but the thought of parking two if height allowed would be interesting as well as ones you can just drive over if not using it at all to park in your garage.
I'd really want dual pole lift from body frame with wheels free vs a drive on ramp something. Plenty to think about when choosing this or anything you want to work with.
Some found on Bing Images..........
That looks more permanently installed?
Appears no power needed, portable to outside and park over the thing if not being used?
Bet slow for working?
Lots of choices. I don't know of a showroom for the things to test them out. Ones that fit in a trunk or truck bed I wouldn't like too much and the make those too,
T
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 21, 2013, 7:17 AM
Post #7 of 13
(2280 views)
|
|
Re: Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
Sign In
|
|
You'd better make sure you have at least 4 inches of concrete under that thing or somebody will get hurt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
|
|
| |
|
|
Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 21, 2013, 8:54 AM
Post #8 of 13
(2277 views)
|
|
Re: Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
Sign In
|
|
I've never used one, but if it is designed as advertised and you follow the manufacture's directions, don't see any problems with them. Would be great for doing brakes and other limited tasks.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
|
|
| |
|
|
tactec
New User
Dec 21, 2013, 9:30 AM
Post #9 of 13
(2268 views)
|
|
Re: Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
Sign In
|
|
the one i'm interested in is similar to your 2nd pic - other guys made good points regarding overall stability issues - the seller lives in england (i'm in ireland) & he's sellling at around $1800 inluding shipping cw 2 year parts warranty - i checked him out & he's been in the lift selling/repairs game for around 30yrs - however that 2 poster might be a better option all round so i will investigate further - as i mentioned my garage ceiling is too low for a full lifter
|
|
| |
|
|
tactec
New User
Dec 21, 2013, 9:37 AM
Post #10 of 13
(2262 views)
|
|
Re: Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
Sign In
|
|
good points.
|
|
| |
|
|
Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Dec 21, 2013, 12:42 PM
Post #11 of 13
(2253 views)
|
|
Re: Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
Sign In
|
|
I worked at a shop that got busy enough that started to use 2 of those in the parking lot.....As others have pointed out, you really aren't going to be able to do any under car repair on them but for brks & frt end work they do ok.
My 1st gut reaction when i saw them was it was a stupid idea & they would work......But it actually wasn't to bad, small to mid size cars were secure on them, once you were centered over them, they set up like a regular rack. These ones had 2 wheels on the back of the rack & the hydraulic unit had wheels & a hook to pick up the frt of the rack to move it...
If it was me...I would try to come up with the extra 1 or 2k & get a rotary above ground.....This way you could do anything....
|
|
| |
|
|
GC
User
Dec 21, 2013, 5:51 PM
Post #12 of 13
(2238 views)
|
|
Re: Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
Sign In
|
|
Space is very limited under the scissor style ones, as I dont think they are intended to work under.I would definitely go with the two post.
____________________________________________________
Willing to help, willing to learn... Rob
|
|
| |
|
|
chickenhouse
Enthusiast
Dec 31, 2013, 3:44 PM
Post #13 of 13
(2199 views)
|
|
Re: Portable Car Lift - Ang Good?
|
Sign In
|
|
I had ceiling issues in my shop also so when the 2 post lift got here, we cut the ceiling out the length we needed for any vehicle to clear "through the roof" and reinforced along the cut out with 2x6's and is working fine. My ceiling heigth is 10 ft. With the lift cutout, it goes to the inside of the roof.
|
|
| |
|
Auto Repair Home
SEARCH
WHO'S 
LOG 
2011 Dodge Nitro OBD scanner seems to drain battery in 10-20 minutes
Grounding Cable, 2017 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk
equipment
Howdy
