Car Hoist

I have always wanted to put in a hoist. Years ago the state outlawed in ground hydraulic hoists. I think the problem was oil contamination of the ground. As the garages were removing them sometimes I would see them for sale. Don't know if that was legal or not. I missed that opportunity. Almost no need to have a hoist now except for oil changes. It would be nice to have a ramp, or a pit to drive over. Anyone use one? Stan

Lots of above ground 'hoists' out there.The hot rodders love em.A freind has 3! buy em from HF,Speedway,others.

The last I heard on drive over pit was, insurance frowned on them, made a lot of places fill them in for safety sake,way to dangerous. If there was a fire in the pit, you couldn't escape quick enough. I knew a guy that had one, he built escape ramps both ends, insurance still made him cover it over. Trouble with lift types is you have to have enough head space for the lift plus vehicle. The also use to require stop legs (safety) down legs when you reached the heights. Although now the new ones have some sort of safety stops which insurance allows so far. They would be nice to have if you do your own vehicle maintenance.
LOU

I put a pit in the shop I built in "82. Cover is 4x4s ganged together in 3 foot sections. Township mutual insurance has never said anything about it. Very handy for tough grease/repair jobs, like a grinder-mixer, or the skidloader. Put a sump in one end. Outside ramp using wide I beams is another option.

I saw one that a fellow built off a small hillside. He flattened the top of the hill and sunk powerline poles into the ground going out from the hill. He set the tops of the poles level with heavy planks on top so he could drive off the hill onto the planks, all level. The further out he drove the more height under the vehicle. I would want a trusted guide to direct me onto it, but cheap and effective.

Been thinking along those same lines. Since we have the SSR I have looked at lifts of all kinds but Dixie throws a fit when I get close to pulling the trigger on it. I think when I do it will be a flat drive over lift on casters. I just need to get high enough to skate around on a stool.

I have a car lift in my shop, at first I thought it would just be in the way, since this is a tractor shop,,but I would not give it up now,,very handy for keeping up with the family vehicles, mine has the equalizer chains running under it on the floor, the over head kind are much better..keep in mind if you want to lift full size pick ups you will need a larger 10-14,000lb model...

I can make you a deal on one. I have two in the shop. I do have an extra one for sale,it was in the way in a building and I took it out.

Anyone use one? Stan
Yep my neighbor has one, I use it all the time..LOL Now I know what you are thinking !! It's not like that we trade back and forth working on each other's projects. Seriously, their so handy you will not regret getting one and not that expensive new. When I built my 30 x40 shop we added extra footings for a hoist. A good stable base is a must.

(quoted from post at 08:19:59 01/05/15) I have always wanted to put in a hoist. Years ago the state outlawed in ground hydraulic hoists. I think the problem was oil contamination of the ground. As the garages were removing them sometimes I would see them for sale. Don't know if that was legal or not. I missed that opportunity. Almost no need to have a hoist now except for oil changes. It would be nice to have a ramp, or a pit to drive over. Anyone use one? Stan

Click to expand...

Pay a little extra and get a good lift... I am lift broke and can not stand to roll around on a creeper I serviced My Kubota this week end it reminded me how cold it was rolling around on the floor....

I can do most cars/trucks on a 9K... I can also do them on my 12K but try and reserve it for trucks only... The last lifts I brought in 2001 I went with Worth they have served me well... Made in the USA...



http://www.worthequipment.com/?gcli...RTpyEeA8gg3O71vBtjZ_i4mECNrw885-wwaAg4T8P8HAQ

In stalled this 6 years ago. Once you use one, you will never go back to ramps and jackstands. I paid $900.00 for this one. It is a 1962 Rotary that was originally in Roush Industries. With two adult boys, there is work being done on it a couple of times a month. Makes great overhead storage also.

I expect that it was here a year or two ago about Chinese lifts being sold that could hold nowhere near what they claimed and a lot of them were collapsing. Do your homework before buying.

One of the better ideas I have had. As I get older (and bigger) The creeper isn't my friend anymore -- even used it to hold the front up on a 4010 to remove wide front and rebuild hyd pump[/img]

For us OLD farts they are a god sent . working on my knees just kill me anymore and layen on my back under something makes me dizzy and makes my stomach quezzy and i get a headach . Also the getting down part is easy it is the getting back up is the problem . Many moons ago when i first started twisting wrenches in a dealer ship they only had on hoist and that was used for oil changes , for the rest of us it was floor jacks and stands and a creeper . When i was asked to go to work for another dealer with a brand new shop each mechanic had his own lift , i was in heaven , anything that you had to do under a car OR truck was now done standing .

Tractor vet, yup, that getting back up is getting to be a pain. I can fall down but I haven't figured out how to fall up yet. I get same symptoms you have.

Get an above ground hoist, no hydraulics or pit needed.

If you put a pit in and dig it to where you can walk into the basement from the pit. Don't wheel in with a snow covered vehicle and let it melt off over the pit.

37 Indiana chief,
In 2005 I bought a new Buick. In 2007 I bought a new GMC. Both came with a 5 year/100000 mile. So I decided to take them to the dealer to be serviced. Glad I did. Every 3k I had them replace valve cover gaskets, head gaskets, oil pan gasket, timing cover gasket. Then after warranty, they finally replaced the oil pan and timing cover free because it was an existing problem from day one.

My dealer gave me a card. Pay for 3 oil changes and get the 4th free. Oil changes where about $25, so I paid $75 for 4 oil changes. I can't see saving much by doing my own oil changes, not to mention it took them 5 years+ to stop all the oil leaks on my GMC truck. Now they raised the price to $30 and pay for 4 oil changes get 5th free. So 5 oil changes for 120. I'm cheap, but not that cheap. My dealer prices on oil changes are as good or better than most fly by night places.

Next to my dealer is the tire barn, where I get my tires. So every other oil change, tire barn rotates and balances my tires for free. I had to pay $10 extra when I bought the tires, but well worth it.

Call me lazy, I will never change the oil on my car or truck again.

I have enough tractors and mowers to remind me how much fun it is to change oil. Don't need a lift for them.

I did take my Kawasaki mule in for the first inspection/oil change when it was under warranty. Boy did the dealer put it to me. I think it was around $170 for engine, front and rear axle oil change. After that I do my own. I have to jack up both ends and put it on jack stands. Takes some time but not a $170 worth of time.

I use the dealer for oil changes as they do a 21 point check and warn me if something is getting worn.

Yep, not to mention I don't stock washer fluids. Nice to be told my battery is losing CCA before I get stranded. Nail in tire, you are leaking oil.

I can't see saving a dime doing it my self. Sometimes I drop mine off in morning on the way through town, have them take me to my other place. When it's done, they come pick me up. This is nice when they have to work on it. Or I'll make the last appointment at the end of the day. They don't take so long, want to get home.

I put in a 4 post (drive on) lift a couple years ago. Great for maintenance on cars and my tractor.
Very useful when your'e detailing/waxing a vehicle.

I bought an Asymmetric two post lift. Really like it. It's good for up to 9,000 lbs. if I remember right. Got it out of a shop that was closing up for $1,000 if I tore it down and hauled it off. It was the newest one they had put in and was only a year old.
I like this style better than the four post lifts because it unloads the suspension and still leaves the undercarriage wide open making everything from tire rotates to tranny pulls easy.
The old center post lifts are not worth the trouble to install anymore. Too much digging and concrete needed.
If all you are trying to do is make oil changes easy look around for an old drive on alignment rack. You can pick them up super cheap and you can just throw it on the ground about anywhere and use it.

Greg

A four post lift is not a good all around lift... I have one I took down it was useless for most jobs.. If I had the extra space for one are ever add on I may put it back into service... Exhaust work is all it was good for...

I'm the same way - my truck and my wife's car get pulled into the local dealership where they were both purchased for the routine service jobs. By the time I buy the oil and filter I would only be saving the cost of a fast food lunch to do it myself. Just not worth the hassle and it would result in a extra ten gallons or more of used oil per year I'd have to deal with.

There is a place in Kent, OH that wholesales them for about $1400 brand new. I can't remember where you live, but if you want me to check on it, I will get the name.