Scissor lift, Car Jack...

[Zed08]

Hi,
Am thinking of buying something to lift my Z3M, to help with underneath jobs. Am swaying towards a tilt scissor lift. That way can take wheels off as well as underneath jobs, any advice or recommendations ?? I have seen the usual options on auction sites but also some on cj tools.

Thanks

 

[t-tony]

Hi,
Am thinking of buying something to lift my Z3M, to help with underneath jobs. Am swaying towards a tilt scissor lift. That way can take wheels off as well as underneath jobs, any advice or recommendations ?? I have seen the usual options on auction sites but also some on cj tools.

Thanks

Biggest constraints on choice is budget. I would go with the one I bought this last spring. @colb has the same one.

Tony.

 

[Pingu]

The main limitation is that you need access a bit wider than the car beside the car - does that make sense? You also need the powerful drill that they sell with the kit.

I also put 20kg of weight in the boot (I use a 20 litre container full of water) so that it is better balanced. I wouldn't be able to tilt the car without this extra weight.

My car is actually on the tilt ramp at the moment, but I lower it so the wheels are resting on blocks. It means that I can have the car in the air, but without having the suspension drooping.

 

[t-tony]

With 2 simple modifications mine can be moved single handedly out side to have the lift at 50" to the side beams max. height.

Tony.

 

[Nodzed]

As said it depends on your budget. I'm on my 3rd lift, first was an hydraulic lift with a big centre ram, it was OK but seriously limited access to the middle of the car, next I tried a tilting scissors lift with a power drill to lift it, I just couldn't get on with it, found it difficult to get the car balanced when I wanted it level and there were no safety locks so had to still put axle stands under the lift as a precaution, didn't consider it safe.
Now I have a drive over hydraulic lift with 2 short rams under each ramp and that gives access all under the car. Its the one I should have bought in the first place.

 

[Zed08]

@Nodzed , thanks for the pics, etc, next time you have the shed open i will drop by and introduce myself (as mentioned before) and take a look at the lift. What kinda price are you talking about - i have had a quick look and seem to be >1,800k.

@Pingu , yes i understand what you mean by sliding the lift from the side, meaning extra garage width, i have seen the option of having some ramps that take the car over the in place scissor lift.

@t-tony , can i ask which lift you purchased ?

thanks all, great help !

 

[Knocker]

Niall, how did you get away with black and white number plates on Willow?

 

[Delk]

I have a quickjack. Doesn't tilt or go super high but it does what I need very safely. I have them stored in a rack on the wall and only takes me about two minutes to set up and have the car in the air. More then enough room underneath to do everything and its super stable.

 

[colb]

@t-tony and myself have this one from BH REPAIRS, he sells on ebay but better dealing direct with him, first class service and delivery was on a pallet, need a pallet truck to move it near to where you will be setting it up, two man job till its built up.

BH Repairs Ltd The protable mid rise lift | Gallery

Comes with a selection of different height adapters so you can increase the space between the ramps and the underside of the car, works out ok for my Z3 and Z4, wifes Suzuki put on it as well.
Mine is in my large garage and is used in situ so full height lift can't be achieved but the Z's with hood down gets high enough to access underneath to get at things easy enough. It needs a couple of lengths double thickness either side of the lift to drive onto so the Z's clear the lift. @t-tony can move his outside his garage when full height lift is needed as he has level space outside the garage.
@Nodzed lift is also very good, bonus with his is the centre is not obstructed by the hydraulic cylinders but you can work around that with ours so not a big problem. Bear in mind in a domestic setting you will need a 30Amp electric circuit supply to run the lift to avoid tripping out your electrics as the initial load demanded by the pump is large.
Pictures of my setup here in an old post showing the Z3 on it.

Trolley jack ?

I've got a trolley jack, but I also want another better one. Looking for one that will easily lift the front or rear of my Z4, for example under the diff at the rear up to a good height to rest it on stands. Must also be low profile to easily lift at the jacking points at the side. Recommendations ?

zroadster.org

 

[Nodzed]

AS-7530D Garage Scissor Lift - Automotech Services Limited

This scissor lift is ideal for tyre shops / body shops, with the advantage of it being totally mobile. Features • Fully mobile • Lifting capacity 3T • Extendable platform • Lifting height 1000mm • Minimum height 105mm • Pneumatic safety locks • 240V single phase • …

www.automotechservices.co.uk

This is the one. Works out around 2k with VAT and delivery, was about £500 cheaper when I got mine. Its electric over hydraulic.

This is the first one I bought, considerably cheaper but not as good access. Also one downside its air over hydraulic so you need a medium/small compressor to lift it.

AS-5500 2.5 Tonne Scissor Lift - Automotech Services Limited

The AS-5500 mobile lift has no electrical connection as it is operated with a powerful air / hydraulic pump. A great favorite with DIY and classic car enthusiasts. Features • Lift capacity 2.5T • Lift height 1025mm • Minimum height 125mm • Pneumatic safety locks • Air operated (compressor...

www.automotechservices.co.uk

Yeh pop down in the New Year will be good to meet you.

Edit: Forgot to say you need a small compressor with this one to operate the heavy duty safety locks

 

[Nodzed]

Niall, how did you get away with black and white number plates on Willow?

Hi Graeme, pressed ali Black and silver just took a chance. Totally illegal since they were banned in 1973 on new registrations but I passed loads of Rozzers and never had any issue. Guess they weren't that bothered, probably had bigger fish to fry. Going to get a set for the Z4 in the New Year

 

[D R Oldfield]

will any off these work in a normal single garage ie i could bolt it to the garage floor and drive on to it or i could slide it under the rear of the car at the moment i have about 18inch down the sides of the car which would be impossible to slide in sideways ?

 

[Delk]

The quickjacks I have are only about a foot wide so can be slide in from either side. As mentioned they dont have the tall height or tilt funciton but for the cost they do everything I need. Had the car in the air for a couple of months while I did my turbo install. Plenty of room to get fit the exhaust and remove the gear box.

 

[Nodzed]

The ramp I have is a drive over and I believe Tony's and Colbs are too, so perfect for a small garage as long as you have enough height and can stay in place when the car is just garaged, , the tilting ramps wont go in from the front or rear.

 

[colb]

Either type should be ok in a single garage but the scissor type like @t-tony and mine would need the scaffold planks laid each side so the car can be driven over the lift. @Nodzed lift is just a drive on so car will clear the lift as its driven onto it.

 

[Zed08]

Well thanks for all the comments and views, due to height in my garage (electric door and there is a control box/motor right in the center, so height is restricted for a full height lift) i am torn between scissor and quickjack, although more swaying towards the quickjack due to the stability etc.

Any advice from anyone that has the quickjack system ??

Just missed Black Fridays offers so will wait and see if there are any new year offers.
Thanks again.

 

[Delk]

The quickjack pumps supplied in the Uk are 12 volt and run off the car battery. I installed a set of clamps from jumper leads to make it easer to connect instead of the screw on ones.

 

[Jon2215]

Got myself the quick jacks,easy to set up and use

 

[Pingu]

I've got both.

The Quick Jack is quicker and easier to use. It's very easy to align with lifting points. Access is easy as it is only just over a foot wide. The self-sealing hydraulic couplings are tight and difficult to connect / disconnect. you will need to fill it with ATF before you can use it. The 12v pump draws a lot of current, so you need good jump leads to connect the pump to the battery of a running car. The lift height is adequate for most jobs. Although I've not tried removing a gearbox, I have taken off an exhaust. Only the sills are inaccessible when the ramps are in use. It fits in my van without much struggle and is easily portable.

The tilting ramp is the weapon of choice for a project that is going to take more than a few days. Unless you have rigged up a way to drive over the ramp, you will need a space beside the car that is wider than the ramp as the ramp can only come in from the side. Balancing the car is a bit of a faff, but once you know the balance point, it is the same every time you use the ramp. I have the ramp positioned so that it is just touching the front jacking points and I load the boot with 30kg. The car is too heavy to tilt from fully arse-down to nose-down (it would also be pretty scary ), or vice-versa, but it doesn't take long to lower the car until the tilt is reduced and you can change the tilt, then raise the vehicle. There is a hand crank supplied that allows you to raise and lower the car, but you won't want to use it - you will want to use the optional drill. It is not your ordinary drill, but a high torque drill (ECD IP-310). It is not cordless, which is a PITA. I tried my cordless impact torque gun, but it was too noisy. I don't think there is a cordless drill available that could do the job. I was instructed to raise the car from one side and to lower it from the other. This may be because the drill doesn't have a reverse. The drill's torque is such that you could break your wrist if you are no careful. I rest the body on the ground so the twist is into the ground and it won't spin in the air. The ramp does have locking pins, but they are to prevent further tipping of the vehicle. The screw thread is sufficient to stop the ramp lowering under its own weight. Accessiblity under the centre of the car is limited by the frame, but access under the front and rear is excellent - sometimes you need to lower the ramp to be able to comfortably work on stuff - too high to lie, too low to sit. I have to remove the bulkhead to fit it in my van and I would say that it is only just portable - I use a small trolley to move it.

I use the tilt ramp if I know that I am going to be working on the car for a while. I think I would use the quick ramp for a gearbox, but everything else would be the tilt.

If I just want to spend an hour or two taking wheels off / bleeding the brakes - quick jack.

If I'm doing a big service and will take a week or more - tilt ramp.

Big jobs (excluding gearbox off) - tilt ramp.

Jobs away from home - quick jack.

 

[DomiMik]

The tilting ramp is the weapon of choice for a project that is going to take more than a few days. Unless you have rigged up a way to drive over the ramp, you will need a space beside the car that is wider than the ramp as the ramp can only come in from the side.

Here's a possible solution for this problem:

Rear subframe overhaul, axle stands or tilting lift?

A few will remember I spoke about the problems of my constantly flooded pit. Well, the zed is now moving to my parents garage which is bigger and has a decent floor. Is it worth investing in one of these tilting car lifts? Does anyone have personal experience of them...

zroadster.org