A few are against tihis but it works so. A load test maybe ???

[zzr1200]

My only question is how do you get the car wheel on to the platform initially, trolley jack I presume?

I take it, it's the Vette sitting on them?

 

[W.olly]

My only question is how do you get the car wheel on to the platform initially, trolley jack I presume?

I take it, it's the Vette sitting on them?

I used one of the the air jacks and jacking beams with the help of ramps and axle stands to get it to the 500mm first lift height. yep a Vette siting on top.

 

[indy4x]

But a tripod is the most stable shape.

It is, but the comment was about the pipes bending, there's 4 of them on the upper platform vs 1 on an axle stand

 

[zzr1200]

I used one of the the air jacks and jacking beams with the help of ramps and axle stands to get it to the 500mm first lift height. yep a Vette siting on top.

Where's the engine/trans???

 

[bricol]

I wouldn't have a car that high on axle stands and go under it. I wouldn't go under that one from what I can in the photos as I just don't like the fact the bases are not wider then the tops - it really wouldn't take much to get it shifting I think. I just don't like the lack of triangulation on the upper stage - it's relying on a relative short length of the tube welded to the angle frame to keep it all together.

I do currently have a lighter car at a similar height on rather robust stands, on a flat, thick, reinforced concrete garage floor - but I'm not going under, it's to get it to comfortable height for constructing the cockpit area. Lifted to that height on a scissor lift.

However, we are all our own safety inspectors.

 

[W.olly]

Where's the engine/trans???

Engine is on its stand and G box sat in the garage on the floor. There waiting for parts to arrive.

Ill wate for replies to say if thats safe to use Chinese / SGS equipment haha.

 

[no idea]

These are meant to carry 6 tonnes between them at a height of 370-560mm (from SGS). Based on the welds and amount of metal present, what you have looks fine (the main difference being that these are supporting the chassis directly whereas yours support the suspended vehicle which is more liable to moving i.e. less stability).

 

[Matchless]

 

[Dilkris]

View attachment 467053

Jesus...!!!! Is that real or a digital creation...??

 

[Ubique]

It's just occurred to me - what is the point of them?
All the load is still on the wheels - so you can't do any work on the brakes, suspension, steering, subframes, axles or wheelarches without removing (and destabilising the whole lot) one of the piers. I get it that it's supposed to replicate a four post lift - but they have a rigid structure and (usually) wheel-free beams. it's also possible on a four-post lift to jack one end and support with axle stands to remove wheels, driveshafts axles etc.
The setup allows some work (non-structural I would guess) on the underside, but that's it - even welding near the wheels is risky with old tyres fitted. It seems to be an exercise in what's possible with little thought as to it's usefulness. It may well suit the OP's needs, I just can't see the limited range of possibilities being worth the effort or steel.

 

[brightspark]

View attachment 467053

i converted a par of builders trestles that height and made extensions for the big jack i have to get the vehicle up there in stages

 

[Seadog]

View attachment 467053

It's real.

 

[W.olly]

Reason is as said to make things easier to work on the car. If folk cant understand why folk want to lift cars then i dont understand why folk dont get it. There are hundreds of of way to lift a car and tools.o do so.
Steel waa free and the playes i got laser cut from work.and it's a project. Thats about it and bonus it works. Lifted it a good few times and all works great. Once finished it will have accessories to be able to have one or from or rear axle free.

 

[tigdlo]

Jesus...!!!! Is that real or a digital creation...??

It's standard practice in many commercial workshops seperate lift under 4 wheels to place it on stands then walk under, they service and build trains like that too, lift them with a crane and place on stands.

 

[zzr1200]

View attachment 467053

Now't wrong with that, my only concern with that set up would be if the rear axle unit mountings are solid enough to take the weight of the rear axle unit. I've seen them fall out when lifted.... Hell, ever seen how support yachts/narrow boats, and they build container ships on wooden blocks.....

 

[Matchless]

Jesus...!!!! Is that real or a digital creation...?

Jesus...!!!! Is that real or a digital creation...??

Real, I put it up there so it was across the end of my shed, out of the way, I did 60% of the welding in that position,

 

[Neilj]

View attachment 467053

How on earth did it get up there?

 

[Matchless]

How on earth did it get up there?

Single sided portable lift, best lift ever for home use! Hmmm, workshop has become a bit messy!

 

[ukracer]

What's not to like?

They will spread the load far more than standard axle stands ever would.
Once it's set up tap each leg with a hammer to make sure it's taking load and work away.

I'd be much more worried about the slabs but if they are well laid on compacted hard core, they will easily take that weight, however not when the load is applied so close to the edge as the front ones seem to be.

For improvements, as others have said, something to spread the load under the ends of the tube feet will reduce point loads into the slabs, I'd use soft wood, at least an inch thick, and if you are really paranoid I'd put a 4 inch square of plywood under each leg on top of the soft wood to eliminate any chance of the soft wood splitting from the leg punching loads. It's all they normally use under scaffolding so would work fine here too.
Something with a bit of give will be better than steel in this case (in my opinion)
I'd have no concerns about the whole thing toppling over (unless you live in an earthquake zone and even then it would probably survive) the car is connected to the stands (by friction) and the car is a stiff member so there is connection between the tables, also the suspension will move to take up any movement.

As a test, try and push that lot over, and see how you get on.
If you want to load test, just load to slightly more than the design load. The 5x test load is for lifting equipment and that's a destructive test for quality control. If any lifting equipment is load tested above its swl it should be scrapped.

For a physical test, put a heavier car on the tables as that will test the whole load path (slabs and ground included) preferable without moving the tables so you are testing the same patch of ground, or put extra weight in the car. An extra 10% should do it, so 40kgs (two bags of cement) a corner.
Two normal people would provide a suitable test load, two Americans would probably give a higher factor of safety.

Or stick one under the middle of a car and see if it collapsed..

 

[ukracer]

I think I prefer @W.olly stands.