How many people to lift a body?
Discussion
Just a quick one
Will I need 4 or 6 people to lift a body off the chassis?
The body is cleared of a lot of weight already, no carpets / underlay, no seats, no seat belts, no dash, no bonnet.
Will 4 be enough or do I really need 6 (plus the 1 spotter for the wires / wipes that maybe catching)
Will I need 4 or 6 people to lift a body off the chassis?
The body is cleared of a lot of weight already, no carpets / underlay, no seats, no seat belts, no dash, no bonnet.
Will 4 be enough or do I really need 6 (plus the 1 spotter for the wires / wipes that maybe catching)
I would say 6. I haven't done it myself but I have investigated it and in most pics I see there are at least 6 people.
You can't have too many people when lifting a body but you can have too few.
Where are you based and what day are you thinking of lifting. I am sure the offer of a beer and a bacon sandwich would get you some more people around.
You can't have too many people when lifting a body but you can have too few.
Where are you based and what day are you thinking of lifting. I am sure the offer of a beer and a bacon sandwich would get you some more people around.
DO NOT UNDER ESTIMATE HOW MUCH THE BODY WEIGHS!
Trust me, its far far far heavier than i ever believed.
We had 6 and a spotter (advice which am so glad i took from someone) as the handbrake cable got caught on the chassis and wouldnt seperate. If we didnt have my dad doing this then we would have had to put it back on which is not fun in itself.
Here is a vid of mine... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHxk1pvdMbE
Trust me, its far far far heavier than i ever believed.
We had 6 and a spotter (advice which am so glad i took from someone) as the handbrake cable got caught on the chassis and wouldnt seperate. If we didnt have my dad doing this then we would have had to put it back on which is not fun in itself.
Here is a vid of mine... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHxk1pvdMbE
Hi Glen , we cheat and use one of these....
still takes two to manouvere it once lifted. The wedge shape makes it hard to get a grip on the sides other than at the wheel arches as it seems to slope away from You. It might be worth having a couple of wooden beams handy for the spotter to slip under the body ( under the seat / floor area ) on to the top of the chassis to support it if someone starts to struggle and You need to put it down quickly. That way it is still half way off.
Good luck.
Geoff.
still takes two to manouvere it once lifted. The wedge shape makes it hard to get a grip on the sides other than at the wheel arches as it seems to slope away from You. It might be worth having a couple of wooden beams handy for the spotter to slip under the body ( under the seat / floor area ) on to the top of the chassis to support it if someone starts to struggle and You need to put it down quickly. That way it is still half way off.
Good luck.
Geoff.
Geoff38 said:
Hi Glen , we cheat and use one of these....
still takes two to manouvere it once lifted. The wedge shape makes it hard to get a grip on the sides other than at the wheel arches as it seems to slope away from You. It might be worth having a couple of wooden beams handy for the spotter to slip under the body ( under the seat / floor area ) on to the top of the chassis to support it if someone starts to struggle and You need to put it down quickly. That way it is still half way off.
Good luck.
Geoff.
Whats that Geoff and can your hire them............I had researched these, Cable Drum Jacks - easily take the weight, just got to lift it a bit, slide in a pole then jack it up http://www.tws-ltd.co.uk/CableLayingEquipment/tabi...still takes two to manouvere it once lifted. The wedge shape makes it hard to get a grip on the sides other than at the wheel arches as it seems to slope away from You. It might be worth having a couple of wooden beams handy for the spotter to slip under the body ( under the seat / floor area ) on to the top of the chassis to support it if someone starts to struggle and You need to put it down quickly. That way it is still half way off.
Good luck.
Geoff.
Google , CJautos gantry crane , think they are are on offer at the moment. not sure if any of the hire places do them. it just about fitted under the beams in my house garage on its lowest setting but can be broken down for storage if only used now and then. Should be able to buy one and then sell it on afterwards for pretty much the same price....
Those jacks look nice but I expect they are pricey!
Those jacks look nice but I expect they are pricey!
Geoff38 said:
Google , CJautos gantry crane , think they are are on offer at the moment. not sure if any of the hire places do them. it just about fitted under the beams in my house garage on its lowest setting but can be broken down for storage if only used now and then. Should be able to buy one and then sell it on afterwards for pretty much the same price....
Those jacks look nice but I expect they are pricey!
you can hire the jacks........seen them about £150 for a weekThose jacks look nice but I expect they are pricey!
Hi,
When I lifted the body off my old 350 I used an engine hoist pushed in the back of the car over the boot and a bar on the hoist so a strap came down each side an connected to the steel bar running across the parcel shelf.
Two guys on the front wheel arches dad on the hoist and mum on the rope at the front to pull the rolling chassis out.
Then we pushed in a frame on shopping trolly wheels so I could move it around.
When I lifted the body off my old 350 I used an engine hoist pushed in the back of the car over the boot and a bar on the hoist so a strap came down each side an connected to the steel bar running across the parcel shelf.
Two guys on the front wheel arches dad on the hoist and mum on the rope at the front to pull the rolling chassis out.
Then we pushed in a frame on shopping trolly wheels so I could move it around.
gmw9666 said:
Whats that Geoff and can your hire them............I had researched these, Cable Drum Jacks - easily take the weight, just got to lift it a bit, slide in a pole then jack it up http://www.tws-ltd.co.uk/CableLayingEquipment/tabi...
Use these at work. Only designed to lift a cable drum clear of the ground. Not sure if it would have enough range of lift to get the body high enough to get the chassis out from underneath ??? 
interesting suggestion from one of my builder mates
http://www.heatonproducts.co.uk/products/underpinn...
quite a nicer price and with the flat top I could use either large square wood section or square steel tube
£20 each for the big ones, pop them on a stand of some bricks or block of wood to raise it over the 1m mark then bingo
Thoughts? 4 ton load is fine, but stability could be a question........may ask a few questions
http://www.heatonproducts.co.uk/products/underpinn...
quite a nicer price and with the flat top I could use either large square wood section or square steel tube
£20 each for the big ones, pop them on a stand of some bricks or block of wood to raise it over the 1m mark then bingo
Thoughts? 4 ton load is fine, but stability could be a question........may ask a few questions
The worst bit about a body lift is when you have lifted a couple of inches then the body jams against the chassis and everyone lifting has to change their hold from ground to waist lift, then waist to chest height lift.
Geoff is right about the shape of the wedge too, lack of good hand holds. Glen I would strongly recommend at least 6 strong folks, or better still the gantry option. At that price its a fraction of the cost of a slipped disc !!!!
Good luck, if nearer we would pop over.
Phil.
Geoff is right about the shape of the wedge too, lack of good hand holds. Glen I would strongly recommend at least 6 strong folks, or better still the gantry option. At that price its a fraction of the cost of a slipped disc !!!!
Good luck, if nearer we would pop over.
Phil.
What about something like this. - http://www.genie-lift-hoist-hire.co.uk/ I've used them on site before , brilliant bits of kit 
cost about £100 for a weekend from bigger hire companies ( HSS for eg. )
http://www.hss.com/g/70102/Genie-Lifts.html
cost about £100 for a weekend from bigger hire companies ( HSS for eg. ) http://www.hss.com/g/70102/Genie-Lifts.html
Edited by Rockettvr on Tuesday 1st April 20:10
matt-man said:
DO NOT UNDER ESTIMATE HOW MUCH THE BODY WEIGHS!
Trust me, its far far far heavier than i ever believed.
We had 6 and a spotter (advice which am so glad i took from someone) as the handbrake cable got caught on the chassis and wouldnt seperate. If we didnt have my dad doing this then we would have had to put it back on which is not fun in itself.
Here is a vid of mine... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHxk1pvdMbE
Loved that Matt. Trust me, its far far far heavier than i ever believed.
We had 6 and a spotter (advice which am so glad i took from someone) as the handbrake cable got caught on the chassis and wouldnt seperate. If we didnt have my dad doing this then we would have had to put it back on which is not fun in itself.
Here is a vid of mine... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHxk1pvdMbE
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