Paddy

http://www.mohawklifts.com/wp/consum...ging-adaptors/

lburney

Tom,

The lift is a Mohawk System-1A twin post lift with a 10,000 lbs capacity and purchased Aug 2010.

The Wheel Adaptor option is model 1A rated at 1500 lbs per arm thus reducing the total lift with adaptors employed to 6000 lbs. This has not been an issue.

lin

Mike J

Ok, I could not see the angle, looks like the Mohawk adaptors are also bevelled - better for wheel loading.

How much does a set cost?





Cheers,

Mike

Paddy

Mike, I sent an inquiry yesterday about pricing, but haven't heard back. I hate when companies don't list a price on their site, get w/ the times...

utahrock

I'm totally hooked on using wheel engaging adapters. I designed and built the aluminum adapters even though doing so probably cost me ten times more than simply buying the Mohawk ones. I seldom let practicality get in my way...

I like beautiful parts milled from solid alloy. My adapters have a built-in handle so nothing needs to stick up and they can be stacked flat when not in use. Being aluminum they are nice and light to install and move around. I arrived at the angle for the tire supporting forks by drawing all my car tires and making the angle best support the tires without point loading.

Sounds like a great sales pitch, doesn't it? Except they're not currently being made for sale. I did let an enthusiast talk me out of a set and then I made more with some minor improvements. It is possible that my company might manufacture them for sale in the future, but there are so many things to do and new products to make, so I'm not sure. One challenge with doing this is that all lift arms are not the same and making them work on different lifts would require some special bushings/spacers. Another consideration is that the Mohawk lift is very stout. The wheel adapters impart a twisting force to the lift arms and that is why the lift has to be de-rated when using them. Other lifts may not be as strong, but are probably still fine for sports car weights.

For reference, the welded steel adapters from Mohawk cost around $2400 as I recall. Our aluminum adapters would probably cost a little less (mostly because we're a small, non-bureaucratic company; the materials themselves cost more than cheap old steel).

Mike J

Wow! $2400! That is close to 70% of what I paid brand new for my 9000lb Altlas lift.

You telling me that your net cost (materials, time lost otherwise making money) is 10x that, or $24,000?

Think I will find some 1/2 plate and use my plasma cutter/TIG welder and whip some up for $150...

Cheers,

Mike

utahrock

Yes, that's what I'm telling you. And anyone who has designed and prototyped new products would probably agree.

I probably spent 30 hours designing them on CAD. Then 20 prototyping them on my favorite CNC horizontal, which cost $450K (yes, I could do it on a cheaper machine, but then I could also drive a cheaper car). Then to make the 2nd generation I spent 30 hours redesigning, reprogramming, prototyping and playing (yes, I admit it). I had $3,000 in materials and tooling. Total of 80 hours. What's fair per hour? Certainly a bit more than a lawyer would make, so really I'm a little over $24K.

But it's even worse than that. If I would have been working on a new product that we could have sold over the next 20 years the opportunity cost is much more. Gosh, this is getting depressing. So in the end I just have to say I did it because it was fun.

Regarding the cost of the Mohawk adapters being 70% of the cost of your Atlas lift: Of course - the adapters are made in the USA and it costs more to manufacture here than in Asia. They are also made in small quantities and that costs much more than mass production. Your lift is a good value, but, considering manufacturing realities, the Mohawk adapters are a good value, too.

993inNC

Mike,

As one that has created a product, I would have to tend to agree with Uhah here.
Although I openly admit, I don't know why coming up with his product should take that much time and money as it did (maybe he's way more critical or has a different eye for different details), it does take some time to design and produce even a prototype that can be depended on for regular production especially when its hand made!

I would disagree with the 20 year thing. Seems to me that if he were to spread his time and efforts over any given number of units possible to sell over those years, the time and money invested would sooner or later be but a drop in the bucket.

We do what we do, for the love of it. Some of us get to sell a few of what we do and hopefully in the end, it was all worth it.

I know my DACH thing was a great experience. Don't believe we had the money Utah has in his creation (in money at least, maybe time ) but it was worth doing. Only wish we were able to have followed through on expansion to other models. But the torch has been past to Darin Fister now and he's doing well with what he's doing and we are done.

Nice looking product though Utah

JPS

Means your membership expired. Poor messaging on the system. I complained to the admin. Renew and you can post again.

Mike J

Guys, I guess I was not clear, I had my tongue in my cheek. As an engineer, I have scratch started two companies, been with another as it went public, ran my own and have both provided service and physical products - and I understand full well the investment costs up front for a good design, then then the costs of marketing, sales, manufacturing, inventory, distribution, shipping and so on.

While there seems to be more hours put into the design that what I thought it would be, to truly make this a product will take more investment to get it selling. On the other side, who it to say that those hours spent would have been productive anyways? This might have spawned another idea that will actually scale - who knows.

I have a few friends who are salaried, but then calculate if they should get someone to paint their place comparing their's earnings/hour as compared to the cost/hour, and come to the conclusion that its more economical to get the painter in. However, the point is, when on salary, your hours after work do not have a dollar amount -> but when you have your own small company, and you are the guy designing/running/selling, then each and every hour does have a value, which is one of the reasons that many small business owners work themselves to the bone.

Been there, done that.

Cheers,

Mike

JM993

One could always go ghetto and place a screwjack with some plywood under each tire to compress the suspension a bit.......

Cheers,
Joe

993inNC

Oh I know. I used to "re up" when John owned it. But by the number of adds I see that have crept into this site and the number of cookies this site tries to put on my computer, I think they are making plenty of money. I liked supporting John, this was a more "family feel" kind of site. Now it's just a business, and I'm not here much like i used to be......

But let's no hi-jack Ron's post............

C2 Turbo

Any other options available with these wheel adapter kits? Has Mohawk prices come down and are those compatible with other brand lifts?

CarreraX

Bump because Im looking for the same thing.

cgfen

I miss posts by this guy. He is / was a talented machinist who made cool stuff!!