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Easier Under-Car Access - Hydraulic Ramps


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You can achieve an awful lot with a proper high lift trolley jack and a pair of proper heavyweight truck axle stands - assuming they have a sufficiently wide footprint to offer real stability.

 

Proper being the operative word - we do tend to get what we pay for . . . . .

 

Cheers

 

Alec

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Somebody sold an American device in Buy Sell, Exchange a couple of months ago. Not sure if it might have been David Ferry.

 

It looked like a really good lifting tool, totally stable and easy to use. It ran the full length of the car and lifted enough to get easy access the whole length of the car.

 

The problem with the scissor lifts is access to the bits you want to get too.

 

I've had a look back on the forum, but can't find a reference to it now. I would certainly like to get more information on this type of unit. I seem to remember you use a trolley jack to lift it. Anyone got any ideas what it might be?

 

All the best.

 

Dave.

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Hi Dave,

 

Yes it was David Ferry, he sold his Kwik lifts which are available here http://www.kwik-lift.com/

pricing looks like being about $1200 dollars depending upon what configuration they are. Of course unless they have a UK distributor the postage from the US is going to be horrid, I'd guess another couple of hundred dollars.

 

You're wrong about scissor lift access, depending upon which lift you buy you should be able to get a lift with the split hydraulic platforms which will give at least the same access as the Kwik lift shown here ie they offer about 820mm clear working area down the centre of the car. There are scissors which have a lot of junk underneath and restrict the centre access (the Strongman Tamar comes to mind) but they also offer the Strongman Clifton which gives really good access and of course wheels off working availability on all 4 corners at the same time.

post-6602-0-19544600-1436314938_thumb.jpg

Edited by Motorsport Mickey
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I remain at the rolling around on the floor stage of access, albeit a carpeted floor. I can see Nigel's ( post 1) hydraulic ramps giving more lift than my 50 year old run-ups, but lifts that go higher still pose problems as I see it.

So many jobs underneath require jacking or supporting, or access to both from above the engine bay and under. Gearbox and clutch on the 6 for instance. So how does extra lift height help? Removing the gearbox needs the rear of engine supporting and you have to get access from above to lift the box out upwards - that must need very tall axle stands, and a ladder to clamber into the cockpit, and a very tall jack under the box?

Has anyone actually done a gearbox swap using one of these tall, 'get out and sit under' - lifts?

Peter

Edited by Peter Cobbold
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Peter,

 

For gearbox removal on a scissor lift with full in between ramp access you slip in or position a small girder across between both ramps and jack off that onto the rear of the block (behind the sump in the narrow space) or using blocks of wood spread under the sump on the bottom take the pivoting load of the engine. (it's still attached on the front engine mounts which takes a huge amount). Then the gearbox can be detached rearwards leaving the engine in position and supported, the scissor lift can also be lifted up and down to allow all the adjustments from underneath and then again back on top needed to "tweak" the gearbox into the right position to refit, loads easier than struggling underneath on your back.

 

Mick Richards

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Hi Dave,

 

Yes it was David Ferry, he sold his Kwik lifts which are available here http://www.kwik-lift.com/

pricing looks like being about $1200 dollars depending upon what configuration they are. Of course unless they have a UK distributor the postage from the US is going to be horrid, I'd guess another couple of hundred dollars.

 

You're wrong about scissor lift access, depending upon which lift you buy you should be able to get a lift with the split hydraulic platforms which will give at least the same access as the Kwik lift shown here ie they offer about 820mm clear working area down the centre of the car. There are scissors which have a lot of junk underneath and restrict the centre access (the Strongman Tamar comes to mind) but they also offer the Strongman Clifton which gives really good access and of course wheels off working availability on all 4 corners at the same time.

 

Mick,do the Wheels overhang on that Lift so the Car would be supported on Cills,Chassis or Floor.
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Hi Niall,

 

I take it you mean for the Strongman Clifton Scissor lift (the Automotech 7530 is very similar).

 

I've not had the TR on the lift yet but review the photo attached of a TR6 (courtesy of Tim Sharp). He uses a rubber block underneath the rear subframe for the trailing arm at the rear and a movable front crossmember with rubber block to locate at the front pretty much wherever you want it from gearbox up to the front wheel centre. All 4 wheels are free in this position for removal or working on.

I use a very similar system when I have the Stag on it and it enables a lift up to a metre from floor level with good access with no blockage (the crossmember can be placed where you want it). The width between the ramps is important and allows 820mm access down the car, as you can see there is space there to be able to work in, but on these older narrow cars the chassis is too narrow to sit directly upon ramps. Side screen cars are narrower still and will need a rear crossmember also, for the chassis to sit on.

 

Mick Richards

post-6602-0-42495200-1436392147_thumb.jpg

Edited by Motorsport Mickey
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