Scissor car lift or similar

[Heaveho]

Another one for Automotech, as said, excellent to deal with on the phone. Got this used on ebay, 3 months old, Not a great pic, but at least it shows the reason I bought it, which was to allow space to get a 3rd car in. Plus, had to demolish the utility room and raise the floors in the kitchen and diner to make headroom for the ramp when in the air, but all's well that ends well!

[Stegel]

sjj84 said:

I'm looking at getting one of these too, the automotech one, but with the two lifts rather than the joined one. I take it those foldable extensions can be locked in place then to increase the load length? Does it matter if the car isn't quite in the middle? Ie, with the jacking point on the main body of the lift at one end and on the extension at the other? Has anybody fitted quick release pipe fittings on the hoses? My garage isn't particularly big, it'd be ideal if I could disconnect the hoses ideally at the lift end and tuck them away with the control box out the way when not in use.

The foldable ramps lock into position and I’ve never worried about centring the lift to the car - it’s not that easy to move! - and the lift is happy with one end of the car supported on the main body and the other end supported on the foldable ramps. I can’t help you with the quick release couplers, but I imagine they would be fine provided both fittings sealed (I.e. there isn’t an open tail to one section; I don’t know if such things exist).

I’ve found Automech customer service to be first rate too, happy to help on the phone.

[sjj84]

Perfect, thanks for that. Had a measure up in the garage today, it'll be tight, not ideal but still better than using jacks and stands. Only issue to contend with now is delivery, keep seeing mention of the need for a fork lift on various adverts.

[eltax91]

sjj84 said:

Perfect, thanks for that. Had a measure up in the garage today, it'll be tight, not ideal but still better than using jacks and stands. Only issue to contend with now is delivery, keep seeing mention of the need for a fork lift on various adverts.

I think I said this in another post. Try twin Busch. Their kit seems very well made, I’m not expert but my 2 poster from them appears to be excellent quality and well engineered.

For when delivery/ access is difficult, they charge a little more for time but they send out their installation engineer in a LWB merc sprinter with a fold up engine crane.

He backed right up to my garage. We bridged the gap between floor and his van with a bit of board and he craned end whilst me and FiL man-handled the other. It was unloaded in 15 minutes. A cup of coffee goes a long way in these situation.

[sjj84]

Not heard of them before, they look good but are quite a bit more expensive.

[custardkid]

Another one for Automotech

Had one of these for 7 years
You can sit under it and work
Its stable enough to hang off bolts with out worrying about the car falling on you
If you need sill access i lift the car, drop it onto blocks then put bigger blocks between the ramp and car and lift again

I picked mine up on the car trailer from cannock, they were very helpfull.. But bewarned getting 600kg lift out of the packing and off the trailer so you could fit the castors wasnt easy .. But the missus and i managed
An engine crain would have helped

https://www.automotechservices.co.uk/products/as-7...


Had allsorts on it
Including the Range rover..

[eltax91]

sjj84 said:

Not heard of them before, they look good but are quite a bit more expensive.

I’d not compared prices on their scissor lifts as was looking at 2 posters. Their two post lifts were in the same bracket as automotech by the time you added on the fact that automotech add delivery at checkout (£100 odd!!) and twin Busch don’t!

[sjj84]

I'm looking at the model with two separate ramps rather than the joined one, hopefully that'll make installation slightly easier weight wise. Engine crane sounds like a good idea, I see they can be hired fairly cheaply.

[Sandy59]

sjj84 said:

I'm looking at the model with two separate ramps rather than the joined one, hopefully that'll make installation slightly easier weight wise. Engine crane sounds like a good idea, I see they can be hired fairly cheaply.

They are pretty solid bits of kit :

[Jonny TVR]

My garage is on a bit of a slope. I want to recess them. I would recess tham level .. don't suppose this matters .. one end of the car will be lifted before the other .. marginally before

[buzzer]

Jonny TVR said:

My garage is on a bit of a slope. I want to recess them. I would recess tham level .. don't suppose this matters .. one end of the car will be lifted before the other .. marginally before

my garage is also on a slope... over 5 meters front to back the floor drops one brick... so about 3 inches... my lift is flush in the floor and I don't have any problems

[Jonny TVR]

I think mine drops more over the same. Would have to check but bet its 2 or more.

[Adam91_]

custardkid said:

Another one for Automotech

Had one of these for 7 years
You can sit under it and work
Its stable enough to hang off bolts with out worrying about the car falling on you
If you need sill access i lift the car, drop it onto blocks then put bigger blocks between the ramp and car and lift again

I picked mine up on the car trailer from cannock, they were very helpfull.. But bewarned getting 600kg lift out of the packing and off the trailer so you could fit the castors wasnt easy .. But the missus and i managed
An engine crain would have helped

https://www.automotechservices.co.uk/products/as-7...


Had allsorts on it
Including the Range rover..

What "blocks" do you use to lift the cars on the sills with?

Also, what's the smallest car you've fit on there? Looks quite long vs the BMW in the picture?

[TROOPER88]

Adam91_ said:

What "blocks" do you use to lift the cars on the sills with?

Also, what's the smallest car you've fit on there? Looks quite long vs the BMW in the picture?

The lifts comes with the rubber blocks

[Adam91_]

TROOPER88 said:

The lifts comes with the rubber blocks

Ah ok, bonus then.

Best get saving up for one of these ramps then! £1k doesn't seem too bad all things considered.

[custardkid]

Adam91_ said:

What "blocks" do you use to lift the cars on the sills with?

Also, what's the smallest car you've fit on there? Looks quite long vs the BMW in the picture?

It comes with some big square rubber blocks.
I also have some smaller hockey puck style ones from eBay, for very low cars

Then if more sill clearance is needed then i lift the car and drop the wheels on to timber (iroko worktop sections screwed together for 30mm lift). Then lift again with a similar spacer between the platform and the sill

Have had smaller cars on the lift over the years Z4, exige, boxster, s2000, BMW mini
Just need to have the 'flaps' down
Sizings on the website tho

[custardkid]

In the BMW pick the front flap is up

In the Porsche pick you can just see the rubber lifting block behind the front wheel

[buzzer]

custardkid said:

It comes with some big square rubber blocks.
I also have some smaller hockey puck style ones from eBay, for very low cars

Then if more sill clearance is needed then i lift the car and drop the wheels on to timber (iroko worktop sections screwed together for 30mm lift). Then lift again with a similar spacer between the platform and the sill

Have had smaller cars on the lift over the years Z4, exige, boxster, s2000, BMW mini
Just need to have the 'flaps' down
Sizings on the website tho

that's what I do if I need some more sill clearance...

[Adam91_]

Cheers all, was going to ask about low cars but you've already answered the question before I've asked it!

[buzzer]

Adam91_ said:

Cheers all, was going to ask about low cars but you've already answered the question before I've asked it!

well I used to get my caterham on there... and that was lower than a snakes belly