A "REAL" 928 lift
04-01-2005, 01:35 AM
#76
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Scott:
The cost difference was more like $750 with the casters figured in. Although I'm expecting the one I bought to work well, you've got a super nice one there!
KenC: I've got an engine hoist and several dollies to wheel the parts around, so I think I'm set. Should arrive by early next week. I'll attach a U-Haul trailer to the Durango and go get it.
The cost difference was more like $750 with the casters figured in. Although I'm expecting the one I bought to work well, you've got a super nice one there!
KenC: I've got an engine hoist and several dollies to wheel the parts around, so I think I'm set. Should arrive by early next week. I'll attach a U-Haul trailer to the Durango and go get it.
04-02-2005, 01:32 AM
#78
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Quick note: your lift is approx 11' in lenght, If you are using a car trailer bring blocks of wood. Some times U-Haul has alum. daul wheel trailers this might work better (no space between tire run ways)
04-02-2005, 02:30 AM
#79
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Originally Posted by Kevin C.
Quick note: your lift is approx 11' in lenght, If you are using a car trailer bring blocks of wood. Some times U-Haul has alum. daul wheel trailers this might work better (no space between tire run ways)
Kevin:
Thanks for the advice. I'm getting a dual wheel aluminum 12 footer, not a car trailer. Would a car trailer be better? I guess it would be longer and not have rails or a tailgate and easier to load.
The dealer said it ships 14' long, so I will have 2' hanging off the rear. I have ties downs for the load and bungee cords for the trailer tailgate if needed.
Last edited by Bill Ball; 04-12-2005 at 12:13 PM.
04-03-2005, 10:27 PM
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And then it started to rain...
About a ton on the trailer.
The shipment is secured by bolting the components to large endplates. I restrained the load with motorcycle tiedowns at both ends.
Most parts could be carried off once unbolted from the shipping endplates. A couple of dollies and the engine hoist were needed for the ramps. It was harder than this shows. The ramps must weight 500 lbs each.
The 928 is imobolized as I am changing the plugs and fiddling with the supercharger. I need to move it so I can assemble the lift.
I returned the trailer and hurried home. Despite the sunny photos above, it clouded up and looked like rain, so I hustled and got all the parts in the garage just in time.
I'll go back into the garage later and finish the 928 work so I can back it out and start on the lift. My son helped out, which was absolutely essential for moving the ramps. Most other parts I could lift myself.
I will document the installation on my website later.
The shipment is secured by bolting the components to large endplates. I restrained the load with motorcycle tiedowns at both ends.
Most parts could be carried off once unbolted from the shipping endplates. A couple of dollies and the engine hoist were needed for the ramps. It was harder than this shows. The ramps must weight 500 lbs each.
The 928 is imobolized as I am changing the plugs and fiddling with the supercharger. I need to move it so I can assemble the lift.
I returned the trailer and hurried home. Despite the sunny photos above, it clouded up and looked like rain, so I hustled and got all the parts in the garage just in time.
I'll go back into the garage later and finish the 928 work so I can back it out and start on the lift. My son helped out, which was absolutely essential for moving the ramps. Most other parts I could lift myself.
I will document the installation on my website later.
04-11-2005, 01:29 PM
#82
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A week later....
Beginning of day...
Mid-day...lifting and positioning the ramps over the crossmembers, with only "modest" equipment (note the flimsy cart augmented with a plastic ramp) and one engine hoist, was an exercise in sheer determination augmented by my helpful son.
Finished except for storing stuff displaced by lift... 1 am. I am totally beat.
Cool jack in stored position...slides on the ramp inner lips very easily.
Beginning of day...
Mid-day...lifting and positioning the ramps over the crossmembers, with only "modest" equipment (note the flimsy cart augmented with a plastic ramp) and one engine hoist, was an exercise in sheer determination augmented by my helpful son.
Finished except for storing stuff displaced by lift... 1 am. I am totally beat.
Cool jack in stored position...slides on the ramp inner lips very easily.
Last edited by Bill Ball; 04-11-2005 at 06:15 PM.
04-11-2005, 01:41 PM
#83
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Congrats! That's awesome. How high are your ceilings and how high can you lift the car? Any worries about crunching the car against the ceiling? That jack looks like a real time saver! I'm jealous.
04-11-2005, 01:55 PM
#84
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Andrew:
I am confined by 8 measely feet in this finished garage, although I am considering doing some remodeling to that cieling. There is an attic above.
The car is about 10 inches from the cieling in the picture, with the roof antenna barely grazing it. If I remove the antenna and close the garage door I can go up another 8 or so. A new roll up door would allow me to raise it w/o closing the door. Also, the lift has casters for sliding it around. The garage door is an obstacle to taking the lift outside for higher lift and undercarraige cleaning. New door in the plans.
I am confined by 8 measely feet in this finished garage, although I am considering doing some remodeling to that cieling. There is an attic above.
The car is about 10 inches from the cieling in the picture, with the roof antenna barely grazing it. If I remove the antenna and close the garage door I can go up another 8 or so. A new roll up door would allow me to raise it w/o closing the door. Also, the lift has casters for sliding it around. The garage door is an obstacle to taking the lift outside for higher lift and undercarraige cleaning. New door in the plans.
Last edited by Bill Ball; 04-11-2005 at 06:00 PM.
04-11-2005, 02:13 PM
#85
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LIGHTBULB! I never thought about using this thing on the driveway where you can really jack it up. Duuuuhhh! That may have just convonced me to get one. How hard is it to move around on the casters? By the looks of you pictures, you don't know yet.
Leaving for Japan this week.... going lift shoping when I get back!
Leaving for Japan this week.... going lift shoping when I get back!
04-11-2005, 02:58 PM
#86
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Moves easily on casters. Supposed to move even loaded. The lift is at a very low position when supported by the caster mechanism, so depite the fact there is some flexibility in the posts, especially off the ground (really none on the ground), this should be OK. This is an inexpensive (er, cheap) lift. The sturdier one, the Autolifter M6, is another $750 with similar equipment.
So yes, if your garage door will clear, go for it!
So yes, if your garage door will clear, go for it!
Last edited by Bill Ball; 04-11-2005 at 06:12 PM.
04-11-2005, 04:21 PM
#87
How do you like it? I have to say, I have zero regrets going with the Autolifter M-6, its extremely stable and I get no flex whatsoever with it. I was looking at the pics of yours, and I would be concerned that if you get any flex under load, your locking device might pull off the "ledge" it rests on and drop down at that point.
This isn't a "mine is better than yours" post, its a "always be careful when lifting your car no matter what device you have" post. Lifts and cars can be replaced, you can't.
Regards,
This isn't a "mine is better than yours" post, its a "always be careful when lifting your car no matter what device you have" post. Lifts and cars can be replaced, you can't.
Regards,
04-11-2005, 04:39 PM
#88
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Scott:
The Autolifter is clearly number one. Great unit. Still, there is essentially no flex with this Direct Lift unit. The bad flex demo'd in the Backyard Buddy video is either a super shoddy unit or it was set up to flex. This thing is so darn heavy you can't budge the posts except when on the casters. The casters carry the lift by the crossmember, so the posts are irrelevant when on the casters - you could take them off. On the ground - no post flex. There is no spread of the c-channel either - again the comparative unit in the Backyard Buddy video looked like sheet metal compared to the steel in this unit. The locks are fine once correctly adjusted. That was a bit of trial and error to understand and adjust the rod mechanism to get them perfectly sync'd.
Also, I found the Backyard Buddy video's comment about the weak ramps with stamped c-channel to be essentially irrelevant. The was a small area on one ramp lip where someone had hit it hard with a forklift or some other heavy object and it was bent 1/4 inch. I literally had to beat the crap out of it with a 5-lb sledge to level that bend.
I'm sure in the scheme of things I would not have missed the $750 to get an Autolifter with similar equipment. I've been spending so much money on the car lately (SC, lift, wheels to come, more tools and equipment), I just could not bring myself to spend the extra money when it was pretty clear the Direct Lift is fine for my use. I feel it is safe and will serve me well.
The Autolifter is clearly number one. Great unit. Still, there is essentially no flex with this Direct Lift unit. The bad flex demo'd in the Backyard Buddy video is either a super shoddy unit or it was set up to flex. This thing is so darn heavy you can't budge the posts except when on the casters. The casters carry the lift by the crossmember, so the posts are irrelevant when on the casters - you could take them off. On the ground - no post flex. There is no spread of the c-channel either - again the comparative unit in the Backyard Buddy video looked like sheet metal compared to the steel in this unit. The locks are fine once correctly adjusted. That was a bit of trial and error to understand and adjust the rod mechanism to get them perfectly sync'd.
Also, I found the Backyard Buddy video's comment about the weak ramps with stamped c-channel to be essentially irrelevant. The was a small area on one ramp lip where someone had hit it hard with a forklift or some other heavy object and it was bent 1/4 inch. I literally had to beat the crap out of it with a 5-lb sledge to level that bend.
I'm sure in the scheme of things I would not have missed the $750 to get an Autolifter with similar equipment. I've been spending so much money on the car lately (SC, lift, wheels to come, more tools and equipment), I just could not bring myself to spend the extra money when it was pretty clear the Direct Lift is fine for my use. I feel it is safe and will serve me well.
Last edited by Bill Ball; 04-11-2005 at 09:42 PM.
04-11-2005, 07:19 PM
#89
Very glad to hear it! 
Regards,
Regards,
04-11-2005, 07:43 PM
#90
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Hey Bill,
congrats on a job well done.
I agree with your assessment completely.
I can raise mine almost to the top and even at that level, there is no flex at all.
I had to re-ajust my locks about a week after assembly. I guess since the cables are all different lenghts, they stretch differently.
Paul
congrats on a job well done.
I agree with your assessment completely.
I can raise mine almost to the top and even at that level, there is no flex at all.
I had to re-ajust my locks about a week after assembly. I guess since the cables are all different lenghts, they stretch differently.
Paul