Car lift, tire changer+balancer ?
02-19-2005, 12:37 AM
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Car lift, tire changer+balancer ?
Can't seem to get the search feature to work!
What brand two post car lift should I be looking for? what features? where to look? I will have concrete floors poured to suit, so how thick should the floor be? 6"?
What brand tire changer + balancer? what features? where to look?
thanks,
What brand two post car lift should I be looking for? what features? where to look? I will have concrete floors poured to suit, so how thick should the floor be? 6"?
What brand tire changer + balancer? what features? where to look?
thanks,
02-19-2005, 01:14 AM
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You will have to determine which features are important to you. Equal length or assemetrical arms that allow car doors to be opened while on the lift. Some lifts use cable while others use chain. Some lifts have one hydraulic cylinder with cable or chain lifting the other side while the better ones have two hydraulic cylinders with cable or chain used only to balance the sides. Some have the crossover between sides overhead and some have it under a strip that you drive over.
I had decided to purchase Bend-Pak before I purchased a used one from a shop that was moving and downsizing. At least check them out. I don't know if it helps you but Harbor Freight Tools started selling Bend-Pak lifts last year. I think that the reason is that the Bend-Pak factory is in a town near the town in which Harbor Freight has it's warehouse.
Not having funds for new tire changer and balancer, I serached for used equipment. I researched each unit that I found locally on the internet to see if parts and service is available. My advise is to only purchase equipment from a company that is still producing a similar product and has parts available for the unit that you want to purchase. For instance, I found several functional Sun tire balancers but Sun is out of business.
I wound up purchasing a Snap-On hand turned balancer and Coats tire changer. Also, insure that the tools will handle the largest tire that you want to change. Some tire changers will not handle the larger sizes used today.
Hope this helps.
I had decided to purchase Bend-Pak before I purchased a used one from a shop that was moving and downsizing. At least check them out. I don't know if it helps you but Harbor Freight Tools started selling Bend-Pak lifts last year. I think that the reason is that the Bend-Pak factory is in a town near the town in which Harbor Freight has it's warehouse.
Not having funds for new tire changer and balancer, I serached for used equipment. I researched each unit that I found locally on the internet to see if parts and service is available. My advise is to only purchase equipment from a company that is still producing a similar product and has parts available for the unit that you want to purchase. For instance, I found several functional Sun tire balancers but Sun is out of business.
I wound up purchasing a Snap-On hand turned balancer and Coats tire changer. Also, insure that the tools will handle the largest tire that you want to change. Some tire changers will not handle the larger sizes used today.
Hope this helps.
02-19-2005, 01:41 AM
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Some more thoughts:
Between the Maserati, Porsches and other cars, the lift gets a lot of use. When I am not working on a car, the track car is on the lift with the tires off the floor. I cut two blocks of wood that stop the front arms at the right height. This keeps the soft tires from flat-spotting.
I like the floor crossover on my lift. Depending on the task, the car may be in gear or have the parking brake set -- or neither. I have lowered the car to find it rolling backwards toward the door. luckily, the front tires roll against the chain cover and stop.
Mount 120 volt receptacles on both lift arms, 4 to 5 feet above ground. You will use them all of the time for lamps, soldering guns and drills. One receptacle needs to be a 20 amp circuit if you have a 120 volt welder. Mount a 240 volt receptacle near the motor, since your lift will be 240 volt powered anyway, if you have or plan to have a 240 volt welder.
Good luck.
Between the Maserati, Porsches and other cars, the lift gets a lot of use. When I am not working on a car, the track car is on the lift with the tires off the floor. I cut two blocks of wood that stop the front arms at the right height. This keeps the soft tires from flat-spotting.
I like the floor crossover on my lift. Depending on the task, the car may be in gear or have the parking brake set -- or neither. I have lowered the car to find it rolling backwards toward the door. luckily, the front tires roll against the chain cover and stop.
Mount 120 volt receptacles on both lift arms, 4 to 5 feet above ground. You will use them all of the time for lamps, soldering guns and drills. One receptacle needs to be a 20 amp circuit if you have a 120 volt welder. Mount a 240 volt receptacle near the motor, since your lift will be 240 volt powered anyway, if you have or plan to have a 240 volt welder.
Good luck.
