Nigel Triumph Posted May 6, 2015 Report Share Posted May 6, 2015 I'm looking for an easier way to lift the car than trolley jack and axle stands. More ground clearance would also be a benefit. My back isn't getting any younger! Has anyone here got any experience of this type of lifting device? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hydraulic-Car-Ramps-Hydraulic-Car-Lifts-Adjustable-Car-Ramps-Brand-New-/151653005177?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item234f393779 Less expensive than a hydraulic car lift, and many of the affordable lifts don't give great access to the centre line under the car. £400 plus delivery seems a bit steep but combined with heavy duty axles stands it could be a more cost effective option than a full lifting device. Any opinions from the assembled experts here would be most welcome. Nigel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stillp Posted May 6, 2015 Report Share Posted May 6, 2015 I was tempted by those at Stoneleigh, but the disadvantage compared to a lift is that you still have to drive onto them, and my garage doesn't leave enough room for that. Also of course they only raise one end of the car, so no good for checking the gearbox oil. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted May 6, 2015 Report Share Posted May 6, 2015 I have a pair of ramps which look almost identical to this Nigel. They work very well - the lift is substantially more than you get from fixed ramps and there is no problem with bodywork overhang clearance because they are only about six inches inches high when you drive on. If storage space is limited in your garage you can just leave them down and park on them - no need to stack them away. They were expensive, but are well made. As you say, with a pair of axle stands for the other end you can get a car far enough up to comfortably work underneath with no obstruction to the bits you need to get at. Pete - if you have a sidescreen car and there isn't already an access hole, you can cut one in the gearbox tunnel to check the oil without needing to raise the car. That mod has been discussed in previous threads. Not sure whether that is possible on later models though. Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stillp Posted May 6, 2015 Report Share Posted May 6, 2015 Rob, Mine's a 4A, and there is an access hole in the tunnel cover, but it's covered by the carpet, which is held down by the H-frame... Must sort that out one day. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eddie Cairns Posted May 6, 2015 Report Share Posted May 6, 2015 £400 plus delivery seems a bit steep but combined with heavy duty axles stands it could be a more cost effective option than a full lifting device. What planet have you been on recently. Go and price the hydraulics, the steel, the welding and coating and try and do it cheaper. No way at all unless you can make it yourself. A friend bought a similar set but screw up and then found winding the handle was just too much so bought a mains powered impact driver to do the turning so that was a further £70. He found them of limited use for every day work like brakes etc., as you cannot get the wheels off and now comes and uses my lift some 40 miles from his house as he can do more things in two or three hours and two further hours travelling that using a version of the illustrated ramps.to try and complete the work. He has virtually given up on his set To get the car up in the air as said above you want it level, then you you would need two sets of these so were are now nearer £900 to have reasonable under car access. So not a small amount of money. The next one up from that is the tillter sold by many people but you need axle stands as well . http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hydraulic-Car-Ramps-Hydraulic-Car-Lifts-Adjustable-Car-Ramps-Brand-New-/151653005177?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item234f393779 Still not clear central access and only about 500 mm lift. You then get a lift for around £1,000 but still no central access which is the killer. To be honest you need to spend £1,600 on something like this to make the difference but keep an eye on the market for a secondhand ones at half that price. The problem here is this is very close to the price of an installed two post but very few punters have a high enough garage to take a 2 post lift. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hydraulic-Car-Ramps-Hydraulic-Car-Lifts-Adjustable-Car-Ramps-Brand-New-/151653005177?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item234f393779 You have to measure the clearance in your garage and if there is space between the trusses the windscreen can go in there and a 1 mtr lift car ramp can work in these circumstances. Sorry but £450 on the above kit will just get you feeling I wish I had spent more. Now finding that money is something else but do not spend money on an unsuitable piece of kit and I think that would be a mistake. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Larnder Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Nigel Be a Small Business man under any new govt. and buy 4 x two post hoists, hire a workshop and rent out the hoists to the likes of us classic owners plus DIY mechanics by the hour, must be a market there, the question would be where. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 (edited) Is a hydraulic ramp really safe? As safe as an axle stand? A leaking seal and the car is lowered, possibly faster than you can wriggle, onto your chest. The jack isn't so much the problem - getting the axle stands in is worrying, and difficult as I want to spend as little time under there as possible while it's only held by the jack. How about sill stands, as used by rally cars? In case you haven't seen them, they slot into tubes built into the sills, so that once the car is up, they can be put in from outside the 'drop zone' in complete safety. Might need a modified design for a chassied car. More expensive and more unconventional is the CJ Auto Tilting Lift: CJ Auto, with whom I have no connectuion, seem to have may other ideas about car lifting and tilting for maintenance: http://www.cjautos.eu/category_s/57.htm JOhn Edited May 7, 2015 by john.r.davies Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 (edited) Nigel Be a Small Business man under any new govt. and buy 4 x two post hoists, hire a workshop and rent out the hoists to the likes of us classic owners plus DIY mechanics by the hour, must be a market there, the question would be where. Dave I think the register should have a workshop for hire, (but it should be based near Bromley or Covent Gdn) I have looked at a few of those CJ Auto variants - fine if you have a double garage to work in as they slide under the car in one piece from the side (I also have a vision of olde smokey breaking in half if hoisted up on its belly !) Edited May 7, 2015 by McMuttley Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eddie Cairns Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 It is a problem as you get older and have little thought about crawling underneath cars. It will never be inexpensive if you want to work on your car in comfort. While i have great respect for those who do wondefull things with a tiny single garage, It gets to the point where if you can afford it, the proper kit and premises are a must. Now is that worth the outlay, probably not but if you are going by pure numbers buy a Golf or Polo or whatever and punt it in for a new one every so often and there is no need for all this kit. In that case why are you here? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rogerguzzi Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Hello All I have one of these it is a bit bit slow to raise or lower but I dont work for quick fit so its ok. I would not be without it now, not as good as a full lift but my garage is to low! but still better than jacks and axle stands! I just put a stout timber across to lift it off its wheels when needed. http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/detail/motors/collectibles-and-automobilia/na/na/117813 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 "Is a hydraulic ramp really safe? As safe as an axle stand? A leaking seal and the car is lowered, possibly faster than you can wriggle, onto your chest." Yes John - completely safe because there is a mechanical stop which flips between the cylinder and platform when the ramp is up. It can't lower until that is deliberately flipped down again. Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg434.pdf Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foster461 Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg434.pdf Cheers Alec That is an exceptionally good publication considering it came from the government. Good advice and procedures dotted with real world examples of the consequences of not following them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 "For most axle stands you should use no more than a single pair." Am I alone in breaking that rule? I do try to get all four loaded to some extent... Have often had fronts on ramps and rear of chassis up on stands. Using timber inserts to stop wheels rolling off ramps. And spare ramps or wheel slid under for good measure. I really must get a bigger fire extinguisher... Thanks Alec, forewarned is etc... Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrianC Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 I do the same as Peter, especially putting spare wheels under to prevent full collapse, and have taught my son to do likewise - one of the few lessons he seems to have taken to heart and is passing on to friends. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stillp Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 "For most axle stands you should use no more than a single pair." Why? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 The usual types of axle stands are intended to support only one side or one end of a vehicle, not as support for all wheels off the ground - they don't have the stability for that. Yes I realise there are axle stands specifically capable of supporting a vehicle with all wheels off the deck, but specialised kit and accordingly costly. Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stillp Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Good point Alec. I have a very old pair of stands with a very large base. Looking to buy another pair recently I was struck by how unstable many of them look. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Eddie Cairns Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Four normal axle stands are far from stable and it is easy to get it wrong. The are neither fixed from going backwards or forward or from side to side and each can independently do that especially when being loaded. If you want to get a four axle stand type situation, you need two tressles, that appears to be what Morgan use at their factory when they want the car off the ground but not for working underneath the car I believe. In that case the tressles are good on a side to side basis as the are held apart and can only easily move front to back. The problem with tressles is something in the middle of the car may well get trapped on the cross beams so some thought has to go into that and you have problems with centre access back to front. To be honest using tyres or wheels on their side underneath is virtually say "what I am doing with axle stands is unsafe but hopefully that will assist during the likely failure". It reminds me of a foremean on a site I was working on and the crane warning bell in the drivers cab was not working. He gave me the job of shouting to the crane driver if the crane was going to topple but the crane engine was louder than my shout. According to him I was there so the fact the driver could not hear me was of no interest to him. He had put a warning in place. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 (edited) Four legged are probably more stable than three. With three the apex is not far from the line joining the leg corners, so if it its shoved in that direction over it goes. Look at one from the side.... Ideally the legs would have a conical shape, or at least a rigid, non-bending circular base. Perhaps I should ask the local forge to weld on some half inch thick discs to the tripods, to widen the footprint in all directions... Peter Edited May 7, 2015 by Peter Cobbold Quote Link to post Share on other sites
barkerwilliams Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 (edited) Nigel, You could try one of these at £499 :- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ljVh94Q18Y It's the last three feet that make the knees go weak. Alan Edited May 7, 2015 by barkerwilliams Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stillp Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Alan, I've often wondered if those display ramps would be safe to work under. Maybe safer that this Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel Triumph Posted May 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Thank you for your thoughts guys. Thanks also to Alex for excellent advice from the HSE. I will let you what I decide but rest assured, it won't be the "cheapramp"! Nigel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 For those who seek the ultimate in access height: http://www.bsgtractorsandmachinery.co.uk/WebRoot/Store2/Shops/es109747_shop/4CC9/9BD9/BAD3/B122/5A1F/0A0F/110C/A5D9/18.JPG Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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