Interesting way of lifting a car

[benjj]

Couldn't see another thread on this/these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXCvq6DNJi0&fea...

Anyone know if these are available to buy yet, would be perfect for me.

• just to confirm I'm not involved with the firm making/importing them

• link stolen from FFRR site

[kambites]

I've seen them before somewhere, but I can't remember where. Pretty sure they do actually exist, but possibly not safety approved in the EU?

Edited by kambites on Friday 30th November 09:41

[v8250]

don't know if they're available quite yet but i too will be buying a set. i think they're still waiting for final approval...would like to know they individual lifting capacity; very useful.

[benjj]

They could be manna from heaven for a chap like me with 4 different cars that I like to tinker on.

As said though, knowing they will actually work would be quite reassuring.

The only question in my head was when he was jacking up the actual stand until it 'clicked' into the higher position. Surely they're not simply held up by a couple of spring loaded bolts?

[TheProfessor]

I'd join the queue for a set once they are approved.

[miniman]

Wouldn't they be rather better if one could drive onto them rather than jacking the car first?

[kambites]

miniman said:

Wouldn't they be rather better if one could drive onto them rather than jacking the car first?

Wouldn't be hard to combine them with a set of ramps to achieve this?

I don't think I'd want to work under a car supported solely by them, but they look like a good cheap way of lifting a car onto axle stands; especially combined with ramps.

[Chicane-UK]

Very cool - I'd buy a set!

[ShayneJ]

useful "but" how will it work if one needs the car lifted and
one or more wheels off ?

Can the device be safely used on the floorpan/jacking points probably
not without harming the underside of the car or getting in the way
as much as a traditional stand

[benjj]

ShayneJ said:

useful "but" how will it work if one needs the car lifted and
one or more wheels off ?

Can the device be safely used on the floorpan/jacking points probably
not without harming the underside of the car or getting in the way
as much as a traditional stand

I don't think they're designed for that kind of thing. I'd imagine they'll aim them at people who want to do their own oil/fluid changes, remove/fit a new exhaust etc (like me). Also handy for dropping/replacing a rad etc.

IF they do get onto the market I would almost certainly buy a set BUT would also stick some axle stands under there too.

[Prof Prolapse]

I don't know personally. I'd never get under a jack or any hydraulic and those things look just like jacks to me. I'd also be paranoid of it rolling off the things.

There's a lot to be said for a solid piece of wood/brick/metal.

[John145]

Not a great deal of work you can do that involves getting under the car and also doesn't involve requiring atleast one wheel in free air. Bit of body work? Replacing handbrake cables? If you want to do anything suspension/drivetrain/braking related, this is pretty useless unfortunately.

[benjj]

doogz said:

kambites said:

Wouldn't be hard to combine them with a set of ramps to achieve this?

I don't think I'd want to work under a car supported solely by them, but they look like a good cheap way of lifting a car onto axle stands; especially combined with ramps.

Why not? They look like a sturdier version of the ratchet axle stands I have.

Some people, me included, have a bit of a 'thing' about working under cars. I've seen and heard of plenty of things failing, not properly used etc. I always take a belt & braces approach.

I've got a set of the 3t Halfords axles stands. Even if the Porsche is on them (just over 1t) I'll still stick under a wheel, jack etc. Just one of those things.

[kambites]

doogz said:

kambites said:

Wouldn't be hard to combine them with a set of ramps to achieve this?

I don't think I'd want to work under a car supported solely by them, but they look like a good cheap way of lifting a car onto axle stands; especially combined with ramps.

Why not? They look like a sturdier version of the ratchet axle stands I have.

It doesn't look beyond the realms of possibility that the car could roll off them if you were applying significant force with a breaker bar or something and there's no way to chock the wheels. Mind you, I suppose the same is true of falling off axle stands.

This is one of several reasons that I intend to install one of these: http://www.automotechservices.co.uk/products/as-73... although the main reason is laziness.

[Changedmyname]

A lot of pumping going on there.

[Gixer]

miniman said:

Wouldn't they be rather better if one could drive onto them rather than jacking the car first?

At the NEC a couple of weeks ago there was a company selling ramps that layed pretty much flat that you could drive onto and then raise. A set of those at one end and a couple of these at the other would be ideal

[kambites]

Gixer said:

miniman said:

Wouldn't they be rather better if one could drive onto them rather than jacking the car first?

At the NEC a couple of weeks ago there was a company selling ramps that layed pretty much flat that you could drive onto and then raise. A set of those at one end and a couple of these at the other would be ideal

This sort of thing:



?

[mrmr96]

Prof Prolapse said:

I don't know personally. I'd never get under a jack or any hydraulic and those things look just like jacks to me. I'd also be paranoid of it rolling off the things.

There's a lot to be said for a solid piece of wood/brick/metal.

I don't think they're hydraulic - they look like the have a ratchet (probably).

My main concern would be the car rolling off them. I don't think the risk is similar with axle stands, because they touch a solid bit of chassis, whereas this product goes under the wheels, which can spin!

Also, regards making them easier to use, yes I think the product could be improved if they were slimmer to the ground, so you could use a low entry trolley jack to get under them. That way you could just drive up onto them. The restriction with this, though, is that because the mechanism uses two tubes which slide over each other you'd limit the max height. (I.e. the max height can only be double the min height. So if you reduce the min height so it's "drive on able" then that limits the max height too.)

[Prof Prolapse]

mrmr96 said:

I don't think they're hydraulic - they look like the have a ratchet (probably).

I wasn't sure but it looked quite smooth so assumed hydraulic. I wouldn't trust a bloody ratchet either!

As mentioned too the fact they compress your suspension and you can't take the bloody wheel off would be an utter pain in the arse.

[Crafty_]

Found a thread on garage journal for those thats over a year old : http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?...
Wouldn't expect them any time soon.

If I'm under a car on axle stands I put a wheel or something under the sill - it if all goes pearshaped that can get squashed and not me.

Those things look quite nifty, but I think I'd find some big lumps of wood to put under the platform, so if the locking device failed the car wont come all the way down.

Look at posts by "pupp" here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Slightly different design, same effect. May be hard to get both ends in the air with these though.