Refurb the underside of our Zed

[mrscalex]

Hasn't someone on here got a tilting ramp?? @gookah ??

The trouble is these things really restrict access to the underside. They are more for working on the wheels/suspension at a comfortable level from what I can tell.

The only way to get good access to the underside with the wheels off, apart from axle stands and as far as I can see is a 2/4 post lift.

One of those bonkers side lifts will work too but the wheels have to stay on. Or a ramp system like a see-saw at car dealerships or a low rise system like the MR1. But again wheels have to stay on.

I’ve been looking again at lifts the last 2 days. And my conclusion is 6 ton axle stands and a high lift trolley jack are as good as anything without buying a 2/4 poster. A 2/4 poster is financially viable for around £1,000 either new lightweight or secondhand heavy duty. But they are very heavy to transport and require permanent installation bolted to 5” + of solid concrete. Which is not your average garage floor.

 

[hard top]

My boss bought one of these for "the hobby" and stuck it in our workshop.
Bloody thing scared the crap out of me, wobbled all over the place when you got the car up in the air.
My Z never went near it or on it.

 

[mrscalex]

My boss bought one of these for "the hobby" and stuck it in our workshop.
Bloody thing scared the crap out of me, wobbled all over the place when you got the car up in the air.
My Z never went near it or on it.

Apart from being less stable they also don’t give proper access to the underside. You need a minimum of 2 posts.

 

[hard top]

You need a minimum of 2 posts.

Yep, I told him at the time that he had wasted his money.

 

[t-tony]

Yep, I told him at the time that he had wasted his money.

A whole lot better than nothing ?

Tony.

 

[hard top]

A whole lot better than nothing ?

Sod that, pile of Chines junk, just dig a work pit.

 

[Nodzed]

The one I have does indeed restrict some access but horses for courses, for general maintenance work and full suspensions jobs etc its an absolute luxury I find.

 

[t-tony]

Sod that, pile of Chines junk, just dig a work pit.

A pit is more restrictive than anything, I can't understand why the DVA still allow pits for testing.

Tony.

 

[hard top]

A pit is more restrictive than anything,

I am talking about DIY Tony, not a full blown garage.

 

[Bonzeau]

View attachment 73906 This is how I got to work under mine. If anyone wants to borrow the stands and ramps when i'm not using them, They're welcome.

That's how I replaced my sills! Wish I still had my mini lift though!...

 

[mrscalex]

The one I have does indeed restrict some access but horses for courses, for general maintenance work and full suspensions jobs etc its an absolute luxury I find.

I can’t argue with that. I cause myself a lot of physical damage working so close to the ground. I get a lot of aches & pains and bruises. But I’m a tight git and won’t pay £500 just for that convenience.

I’m currently looking for something to do gearbox, prop and exhaust drops and everything short of a 2-post lift causes obstructions and/or requires wheels left on which is no good for eg removing a prop.

There are some very expensive c-shape portable scissor lifts with very wide lifting surfaces to compensate for lack of structure in the middle but these are £2,500 and you can comfortably get a 4-post for that.

And you do need to be careful with all this cheap stuff on eBay from China.

There are plenty of secondhand professional/industrial 2 post and even 4 post lifts out there for around £500. But they are very heavy to transport and are a big permanent commitment in a garage space which in my case is not even mine.

There’s a gap in the market for such a beast as I’m looking for but I’m not sure it’s physically or financially possible.

In the meantime I should probably accept £500 is a good investment for the vast majority of jobs to work in more comfort with a mini lift.

 

[mrscalex]

This is the best thing I can find that fits my requirements. They are around £2,500 new. This one is £1,000 secondhand. I suppose I could try a cheeky offer of £800 but even that is a shed load of cash.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/cantilever-mobile-car-lift/1284283738

 

[hard top]

This is the best thing I can find that fits my requirements.

Bit of a daft idea, how about two of these?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-M...hash=item44003e5bb4:m:mw2rGETIGw0L0pEHwIbgUbA

 

[mrscalex]

Bit of a daft idea, how about two of these?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-M...hash=item44003e5bb4:m:mw2rGETIGw0L0pEHwIbgUbA

I’d happily give something like that a go and have thought about it.

But I have no idea how to go about calculating whether they are safe or not. They have a max load of 450kg compared with say 2000kg for most car products.

Also those particular ones don’t actually get the car very far off the ground. 36cm which wouldn’t be enough to get a gearbox out or work comfortably.

But the general idea I like.

 

[Ianmc]

Going back to the thread title, it would likely cost a lot less than the cost of a decent lift to have the underside professionally attended to. A business should be able to justify the cost of professional equipment.

 

[g8jka]

The trouble is these things really restrict access to the underside. They are more for working on the wheels/suspension at a comfortable level from what I can tell.

I have to disagree, the ramp can be tilted either way giving upto almost 5 foot of access under the front or back depending which way it's tilted. It can be locked at a level position also giving plenty of room both front and back to sit under the car and work on it. We have used @gookah's for pretty much any job that requires work underneath the car and you wouldn't believe how much easier it is. You do need to slide something past the centre such as the exhaust if it is coming off in one piece but there is still plenty of access to do it. We once changed a clutch with the car just on stands and it took over 10 hours, with the ramp the time would have been halved easily.

You can actually sit comfortably on a foldable z creeper and work under the car with it tilted at full height.

 

[mrscalex]

I have to disagree, the ramp can be tilted either way giving upto almost 5 foot of access under the front or back depending which way it's tilted. It can be locked at a level position also giving plenty of room both front and back to sit under the car and work on it. We have used @gookah's for pretty much any job that requires work underneath the car and you wouldn't believe how much easier it is. You do need to slide something past the centre such as the exhaust if it is coming off in one piece but there is still plenty of access to do it. We once changed a clutch with the car just on stands and it took over 10 hours, with the ramp the time would have been halved easily.

View attachment 73933

You can actually sit comfortably on a foldable z creeper and work under the car with it tilted at full height.

Well I’m really happy to stand corrected. As it’s doing a clutch I really need this for. Does it allow you to get a transmission jack under the gearbox? Or do you need to manhandle it out?

How is the tilt set during the clutch replacement? Generally level or generally tilted front up?

 

[gookah]

The trouble is these things really restrict access to the underside. They are more for working on the wheels/suspension at a comfortable level from what I can tell..

Peter and Jenny

I would listen to people that have actual experience of these, rather than this incorrect 'opinion'.


There is a good foot of room above the framework to things like the gearbox and exhaust
I have taken complete exhaiusts off the car easily whilst on this ramp.
I reckon I could take the gearbox out easily as well
I have had all of the back subframe and diff off and had all the front components under the engine accessible

As you can see below that is not much that you cant get too.

They are an absolute godsend

 

[mrscalex]

Peter and Jenny
I would listen to people that have actual experience of these, rather than this incorrect 'opinion'.

Was it really necessary to say that about me?

I said they restrict access and they do. They sit across the middle of the car on the ground so they restrict your movement around the full underside of the car. Your picture clearly shows this. If you were spraying the underside of the car they would impede access. A 2/4-post lift does not restrict access.

My comment about being good for working on the corners/suspension of the car was aimed at mini lifts not tilters.

What I underestimated about the tilters was the ability to do big jobs like allow a gearbox out and exhaust off. And while I can now believe they allow a quicker job than axle stands (based on your post) I can't see how you can deny they cause some degree of access issue when it comes to eg withdrawing the exhaust compared with a 2/4-post lift or indeed spraying the underside of the car.

Like all lifting equipment they have pros and cons.

Also I think you will find there are members on this forum with mini lifts at least who have tackled taking gearboxes out and have not met with the same success you have with the tilter.

 

[Lee]

From experience it's easier laying under the gearbox so you can wiggle it out and vice versa putting it back in which is more difficult. The job itself is a lot easier on 4 stands took me around 4 hours to do Gaz's clutch on his old z3. straight forward job just time consuming.