TVR on Scissor Lift Advice

[m4tti]

Ive posted before on this but not had much feedback. Hoping to catch someone one whos using one on their tvr. Im really really close to ordering a scissor lift to make work on my Tuscan easier. Ive had multiple shoulder injuries from tendon impingements to disclocated shoulders.. so ideally I need to bring my days of lying on my back with my arms pointing upwards to an end.

Im looking at an automotech version which will lift the car 1m off the floor and give me access through the middle. The opinions Ive read before have always been positive but Im looking for anyone who actually had one in use.

I havent really got the ceiling clearance for a two post so this is the best compromise I can get. My only concern at the moment is my car is about 150 mm off the ground and the scissor lift is 100mm high so to get the lifting blocks in under the lifting points will be tight and more than likely need some thing either end of the lift to raise the car slightly.

http://www.automotechservices.co.uk/products/as-75...

[m4tti]

Valid point Steve but not sure my garage will accommodate the bulk of it. Although not a single garage it's not a double so it would be tight. It would also require a complete re engineering of my garage as one wall is lined with cupboards.

I might re measure just to be sure.

[m4tti]

scotty_d said:

Hi

Like this



Just use wood to lift up a little if it is too low, I drive on to a wooden planks to raise the cars height a little.

2 post ramps are great but take up space when not in use you have to walk past then and it can make working on your car when not on the ramp a right pain unless you have the space width wise.

As you can see mine lives up here all summer out the way.

Scotty that was exactly what I wanted to see. Do you have any more pics by any chance? Apart from being a metre high is there anything you think you couldn't do? Have you done any work dropping the box or engine out? And which make of scissor is that?

It'll also come in handy doing stuff like cambelt changes on our TT .

Also are those rubber tiles? Look slightly more comfortable than my painted floor.

Edited by m4tti on Monday 28th January 22:20

Edited by m4tti on Monday 28th January 22:23

[m4tti]

Looks awesome. I've got a discovery aswell that I spanner on but think Id be scared of such a too heavy machine toppling off.

[m4tti]

Noisy said:

I've put my Tuscan on a scissor lift at a local garage, their's sank into the floor though, might be possible to get one installed at floor level making it easier to get on and off, that or some wood blocks either end to allow better access for the rubber lifting blocks.

I'm going to ask them about recessing it into the floor see if it would work on the one I linked to. Some ive looked at say surface mount only for some reason.

[m4tti]

Here's another one but the advert doesn't really make the spec clear.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TWIN-PLATFORM-MOBILE-3-T...

[m4tti]

taylormj4 said:

How are the two post lifts secured to the floor, just bolted or do you have to lay them into the floor foundations ?

Good question. From previous investigation I beleive you need to have a suitable concrete pad to anchor the each tower too. Im not 100% sure a domestic garage meets the necesarry requirements, although Ive seen loads of pic of people with them in domestic garages.

[m4tti]

Ok have ordered the Automotech Scissor Lift, so will post some pics up of it in action this weekend.

The only problem I have now is finding an alternative location for my bonnet when I take the car up to max height as i have been hooking it up about a foot off the ceiling.

Edited by m4tti on Tuesday 5th February 13:06

[m4tti]

taylormj4 said:

Well done M4tti. Bet you can't wait for it to arrive now.
Which one did you go for in the end ?

Went for this one here http://www.automotechservices.co.uk/products/as-75...

Its certainly going to make things like clutch changes a lot easier.

[m4tti]

taylormj4 said:

So do these lift the car via the body and the outriggers then ? Spreading the load over quite a wide area but still no lift under the main chassis, or do you put cross pieces in or something ?

Rubber lifting blocks sit on top of the lifting plates. These lift on the lifting points of the chassis.

The ramp I linked to leaves the centre of the car toatlly accessible.

[m4tti]

Just had mine delivered.. Pics to follow once ive found some willing people to lift it off the pallet with me. It claims to be 580 kg

I'll check with the supplier if its ok to sink this one as the one on the thread youve posted has seperate lifting plates these are joined.

Edited by m4tti on Friday 8th February 14:43

[m4tti]

Right have the ramp wired up and it seems pretty good.

This probably a question for Scotty, but when lifting is it safe to lift anywhere along the chassis or only at the chassis lifting points. I only ask as the length of the Tuscan means one of the ramp extensions needs to be extended to cover both points.

Scotty in the pic of your cerb on the ramp it looks like you have one of the ramp extensions up. Is that right ?

[m4tti]

Hi Scotty,
Thanks for the advice. Just making sure I'm on the right track.

Hi Eddie,

Mine does need a compressor to lower it. I think it's simply using the air feed to lift the safety catches. I'll try and get some more pics to explain better.

I've got a tank on my compressor so it doesn't need to run when lowering doesn't seem to use a lot of air.

With regard to the weight it is dam heavy. Sounds ghey but im not particularly weak.. at the gym I can deadlift 150 kg reasonably easy but this is shockingly heavy, I can barely get it off the ground an inch. It came on pallets and to get it off pallets required a krypton factor effort with axle stands and bits of wood. To finally lower it in place I used my engine crane.

I've since worked out that there's a set of castors which attach to the under side of the platforms so once you lever it up at the front on the using the dolley that's provided it should move about fine.

My car sits quite low (150mm front and 160 mm rear) so to get the lifting blocks in that they provided I'm using wood about 1 to 2 inches tall at the front and using sections of fence post at the rear, which are the same height as the ramp, basically extending the lift plates which makes it really easy to get up.. Obviously I could use less tall lifting blocks but am still getting used to the thing. The other option is to chase an area of the floor out longer term.

I can't fault the build quality so far. I'd have to check but it looks like 6 mm plate the various components are pressed out of.

I went for the automotech lift found here http://www.automotechservices.co.uk/products/as-75...

Edited by m4tti on Saturday 16th February 09:50

Edited by m4tti on Saturday 16th February 10:14

[m4tti]

EGB said:

Thanks Matt. I intend visiting Rugeley sometimes to see their lift in the flesh. Then you are about the same distance in Kent.
Happy lifting! I used to be able bench press 150! Cheers.

I used to be able to bench press that at a push but after 2 dislocated shoulders and 2 torn rotator cuffs my shoulders are shagged that's how I've ended up with the lift really. It's going to help remove the stress on my shoulders. I look at it as a medical device. I should of asked if I could have had it on prescription

[m4tti]

Be super careful dropping it to the floor if its on a pallet like mine. Anything that gets caught under it is likely to stay under it eg fingers and toes

[m4tti]

Hi dave

I have it connected directly to a spare slot on the fuse board. I've then got a wall mounted 30 amp socket and fitted a 30 amp plug to the hydraulic pump unit. Like the one in this link

http://www.ukhs.tv/Automotive/Welding/240v-32-Amp-...

Make sure you use thick enough cable as it'll zap underrated stuff.

Hope this helps.

[m4tti]

Yep we used 6.0 sq mm cable and it went into a 32amp circuit on a rcd board.

[m4tti]

To be honest if anyone is going for a scissor type platform lift I don't think you'll go too far wrong with the Automotech one. The support Ive had when phoning them up with questions is first rate!

[m4tti]

It is really heavy. Think its about 600kg and the only parts that come off are the skids.

I recently moved and they tried to load it into the truck via a 500kg rated tail lift and it didn’t move an inch. Eventually it was moved using a recovery truck, winching the pallet truck up.

Strange question but couldn’t you take the ramp the same route as you drive a car into it.