Rear subframe overhaul, axle stands or tilting lift?

[smiffy]

A few will remember I spoke about the problems of my constantly flooded pit. Well, the zed is now moving to my parents garage which is bigger and has a decent floor.

Is it worth investing in one of these tilting car lifts?

Does anyone have personal experience of them?

https://cjautosheywood.co.uk/product/3in1-tilting-adjustable-car-lift-1-5-ton-cl01/

 

[t-tony]

Pete. @gookah

Tony.

 

[Nodzed]

Id say tilting lift. Had one and a good bit of kit. Best ask @gookah, Pete, he's used one for a while.

 

[gookah]

here is mine in action...

can be locked in horizontal and all wheels removed, or tilted for loads of room at ether end.

ps I don't have Parkinsons, it's a wobbly joint.... (not one of my joints either)

I did my rear subframe by stripping individual trailing arms, diff, rear beam, etc rather than taking it all off in one lump.
there was loads of room to do it:

Later, I was sitting down changing my tank straps

 

[D R Oldfield]

What height do you need for this to work will it work in a normal single Garage

 

[gookah]

height is not really a problem, you can go as high or as low as is available, you don't need to go full height,

however width with a single garage will be a problem. you have to slide the lift in from the side of the car and you need about 4ft or more, it wont go under from the front or back with the car wheels on,
you could technically jack up at the back in the middle, and remove a rear wheel and slide it from the back alongside the jack then you probably need 2ft at the side of the car, but you would then need room from behind as well

 

[DomiMik]

however width with a single garage will be a problem. you have to slide the lift in from the side of the car and you need about 4ft or more, it wont go under from the front or back with the car wheels on

Wouldn't it be possible to position the lift on the floor and use some sort of ramps and simply drive the Z3 over it?

 

[t-tony]

Something like these?

Tony.

 

[Woodsta888]

I'm doing mine on axle stands as I couldn't find an alternative that didn't cost 100's more.

Wish I had now, as you'd get a decent whack of your money back selling 2nd hand, plus the better access it gives you. Save time and comfort. Even if you only ever did one undercarriage overhaul.

 

[gookah]

you would have to make something so that you could actually drive the wheels over the ramp itself, as the ramp is almost as wide as the car.
It's certainly doable, with wooden ramps to raise the car to just above the top level of the silver supports, removeable planks over the top of the silver supports and a level 'sleeper' at the back to run the wheels off the end of it,

 

[t-tony]

Part of the reasoning I bought my lift. At some point it will be worth something, even if not to me.

Tony.

 

[t-tony]

you would have to make something so that you could actually drive the wheels over the ramp, as the ramp is almost as wide as the car

Given some dimensions I'm sure it could be done.

Tony.

 

[smiffy]

Wow @gookah I couldn't have got a better response than that! Certainly looks worth the investment.

Might be a bit of a wiggle getting it under, I've only got about 3ft around the car, but I'll figure that out.

Thank you.

 

[smiffy]

Just thought I should update this. Tilting jack bought, managed to get it under the car with limited access one side. It's bloody hard work winding it up by hand!

Back end is out, the tilting feature does make dropping it out easier and although I managed it on my own, I wouldn't recommend it! Get some help in for that bit. Access is excellent though.

Now undecided whether to powder coat the beam and the trailing arms or whether to paint them. Splitting the drive shafts is being a bit of a problem, my air wrench won't remove the nut for starters and now its all dismantled, I can't lock the drive shaft. Suggestions?

Guibo, brake pipes, fuel pipes, tank straps, bushes, shocks, top mounts, springs, diff overhaul (backlash), this is gonna hurt! Really need a couple of days off work, but that ain't happening.

Tip for others, loosen off all driveshaft nuts and bolts before removing from car.

 

[Woodsta888]

Do you mean the 30mm hub nut?

I did same. I got it off by using a piece or bar or PH3 screwdriver through one of the wheel nut holes into the handbrake cable hole and had a 5ft scaffold tube on a breaker bar. You'll need someone to stand on the rear beam. I managed it myself - just.

You will damage the threads in the hub though that the wheel bolts go into. I just ran a tap/die of the correct size through it after.

 

[smiffy]

Do you mean the 30mm hub nut?

I did same. I got it off by using a piece or bar or PH3 screwdriver through one of the wheel nut holes into the handbrake cable hole and had a 5ft scaffold tube on a breaker bar. You'll need someone to stand on the rear beam. I managed it myself - just.

You will damage the threads in the hub though that the wheel bolts go into. I just ran a tap/die of the correct size through it after.

at the moment, the training arms are split from the beam and the handbrake cables are refusing to budge!

 

[Woodsta888]

AH yeah, I put the trailing arms back on the main beam. Is your beam still on the car?

One of my handbrake cables I had difficulty removing. and had to buy a new one in the end. Handbrake cables aren't very expensive. They 'should' just pull out though. Keep applying penetrating oil over a few days with some violent wiggling you may get them out. I had to beat one out from the wheel side as it was rusted in solid.

Yeah those 30mm hub nuts ideally need to be loosened with the car on the ground and go in through the wheel centre caps.

 

[smiffy]

Nope, beam is out, stripped, and about to go for blasting.

Clearly engaged spanners before brain!

I'll have another look tonight, I'll have help available tonight.

 

[Woodsta888]

I did the same so know where you are at.

If you have something you can jam the trailing arm under where the bolts go - maybe fix a block of wood to a wall, low down and that will hold the trailing arms enough to get the nut off, instead of fixing it back on to the beam. But if they are still in place from the factory fit like mine they needed a 5ft scaffold tube on a bar. Maybe it just made it easier for me standing on it on my own and applying the force - as I fell off a few times with just the breaker bar.