2 post ramp not happy lifting Discovery 2

[SocketsSpanners]

Hi All

So I have an old tecalemit 2.5 ton 2 post screw drive ramp. I have lifted lots of cars with it over the years including some quite heavy ones, Jags, Mercs, etc.

Anyway a mate of mine has a Discovery 2 he wanted to lift on it, so we tried lifting it but the ramp was not happy, we got it about 2 foot off the ground but the ramp started groaning and the motor slowed down. We checked the weight of the Disco and it should only be 2.2 tons, so not sure what its about, maybe because of how far the arms have to reach to get under the chassis rails? Has anyone else ever come across this?

Thanks

[anonymous-user]

SocketsSpanners said:

Hi All

So I have an old tecalemit 2.5 ton 2 post screw drive ramp. I have lifted lots of cars with it over the years including some quite heavy ones, Jags, Mercs, etc.

Anyway a mate of mine has a Discovery 2 he wanted to lift on it, so we tried lifting it but the ramp was not happy, we got it about 2 foot off the ground but the ramp started groaning and the motor slowed down. We checked the weight of the Disco and it should only be 2.2 tons, so not sure what its about, maybe because of how far the arms have to reach to get under the chassis rails? Has anyone else ever come across this?

Thanks

It’s an “old” lift at close to its max capacity. Maybe it’s just tired?

[SocketsSpanners]

wormus said:

It’s an “old” lift at close to its max capacity. Maybe it’s just tired?

Thanks for the response, it is a tired old ramp but it serviced annually, its just this is the first time I have ever seen it make this kind of fuss. I tried lifting my Jag XF afterwards and that went up fine. Not quite sure what its about but it has rather reduced my confidence in it.

Thanks

[bobtail4x4]

a disco 2 will be about 2.5 ton

[SocketsSpanners]

bobtail4x4 said:

a disco 2 will be about 2.5 ton

My mate is going to take his disco to a weigh bridge and see what it weighs. but thinking about it your probably right as the 2200kg quoted was dry weight so by the time you have filled it with fuel and oils it probably is close to 2.5 ton. Guess it won't be going on the lift then.

Thanks

[shtu]

If it's like most Disco 2's you see now, it's got an extra 500Kg of tyres, chequerplate and bullbars.

[RobM77]

Are you sure those Jags and Mercs are as heavy as the Disco?.... Even the biggest and fanciest of normal cars rarely come in at over 2 tonnes, whereas the Disco will be comfortably over that. I realise the lift's rating is 2.5 tonnes, but if it's old and worn then that may explain the struggles.

Needless to say, even if you did get the car up, given what's happened you wouldn't catch me under it!!

[SocketsSpanners]

RobM77 said:

Are you sure those Jags and Mercs are as heavy as the Disco?.... Even the biggest and fanciest of normal cars rarely come in at over 2 tonnes, whereas the Disco will be comfortably over that. I realise the lift's rating is 2.5 tonnes, but if it's old and worn then that may explain the struggles.

Needless to say, even if you did get the car up, given what's happened you wouldn't catch me under it!!

Well this is what had me so concerned and rather knocked my confidence in it but by the sounds of it these Discos are heavier than you would think.

Thanks

[Section 8]

I had to take an SDV6 for MOT the other day and the chaps other car is an X3 3.0d. Both running 3.0’s, both around 260 bhp and look relatively the same size at a glance. The figures show a far different tale. Near 4 seconds to 60 separating them and half a Fiesta in the boot in extra weigh in the Disco! Absolute pudding!!

[Alucidnation]

Section 8 said:

I had to take an SDV6 for MOT the other day and the chaps other car is an X3 3.0d. Both running 3.0’s, both around 260 bhp and look relatively the same size at a glance. The figures show a far different tale. Near 4 seconds to 60 separating them and half a Fiesta in the boot in extra weigh in the Disco! Absolute pudding!!

What?

[Countdown]

Alucidnation said:

What?

“Although an X3 and a Discovery look to be a similar size the Discovery weighs significantly more, which is why it’s so much slower than an X3”

[DonkeyApple]

shtu said:

If it's like most Disco 2's you see now, it's got an extra 500Kg of tyres, chequerplate and bullbars.

Plus the weight of the Oxygen atoms clinging on to the Iron.

To the OP, it's probably a combination of the car being right near the limit and the lift maybe being a little tired. Ultimately, it was much better for all that it gave you this warning before you went underneath it!

Maybe a winter refurb would be a good thing?

[Uncle Meat]

Rust weighs more than steel.

HTH :-)

[gazza285]

What is the weight distribution like?

[normalbloke]

Uncle Meat said:

Rust weighs more than steel.

HTH :-)

Even the stuff that’s already fallen off?....

[GreenV8S]

SocketsSpanners said:

maybe because of how far the arms have to reach to get under the chassis rails?

The further the vehicle lift points are from the lifting jack the greater the moment on those arms. They must have some sort of bearing allowing them to slide up the post, and that has to deal with the extra moment. This would cause more friction here, on top of the weight it's trying to lift. If the bearing is worn, the friction could be considerable.

[SocketsSpanners]

DonkeyApple said:

shtu said:

If it's like most Disco 2's you see now, it's got an extra 500Kg of tyres, chequerplate and bullbars.

Plus the weight of the Oxygen atoms clinging on to the Iron.

To the OP, it's probably a combination of the car being right near the limit and the lift maybe being a little tired. Ultimately, it was much better for all that it gave you this warning before you went underneath it!

Maybe a winter refurb would be a good thing?

I am certainly glade it did give me that warning! I have since spoken to a service engineer who looks after ramps and he said to look at replacing the ramp as its so old most the components are probably fatigued and when it over you head its not worth taking the risk.

[SocketsSpanners]

Section 8 said:

I had to take an SDV6 for MOT the other day and the chaps other car is an X3 3.0d. Both running 3.0’s, both around 260 bhp and look relatively the same size at a glance. The figures show a far different tale. Near 4 seconds to 60 separating them and half a Fiesta in the boot in extra weigh in the Disco! Absolute pudding!!

I have seen under a Disco 3 and it had weights hanging off the chassis!!

I believe Land Rover do it intentionally to bring up the kerb weight so that it can tow more?

[SocketsSpanners]

GreenV8S said:

SocketsSpanners said:

maybe because of how far the arms have to reach to get under the chassis rails?

The further the vehicle lift points are from the lifting jack the greater the moment on those arms. They must have some sort of bearing allowing them to slide up the post, and that has to deal with the extra moment. This would cause more friction here, on top of the weight it's trying to lift. If the bearing is worn, the friction could be considerable.

Well this was what I was thinking as I had to have the arms at full stretch to reach the chassis rails.

[DonkeyApple]

SocketsSpanners said:

I have seen under a Disco 3 and it had weights hanging off the chassis!!

I believe Land Rover do it intentionally to bring up the kerb weight so that it can tow more?

The weights are harmonic dampers. LR started fitting them in the 90s to the Range Rover Classic and carried them over to the Disco. On the early cars they are a big steel disc fitted in the front steering damper bracket, Discos then sometimes had them on the rear axle also. I think with the Disco 3 there are a pair on the rear frame that pivot?

They are to make a ladder chassis truck feel nicer at speed on road and they weirdly work. The late Classic and early Discos also had damping weights underneath the swivel housings.

When you fit them to a Classic that you genuinely feel a difference at high motorway speeds. Much less chatter through the steering wheel. I don't know how they work and when you first notice them you certainly wonder what on Earth they are doing. They are part of the reason why a Disco 1 drives so much more nicely than a Classic when to all intents they are the same vehicle.