Racing car lifting platform

[BeeJay99]

My next project is to build a platform to easily lift a small (500Kg) racing car to trestle height for maintenance; a secondry feature should be that the car can be moved and turned on the platform so it can be pushed to one side of the garage when space is needed for other (apparantly important ) things like parking my wife's Corsa.

I have been thinking of a simple pillar systems powered by bottle jacks but today I came across ezcarlifts (www.ezcarlift.com) which to an extent do what I need and might be the source of inspiration for my project.

Has anyone done anything like this and care to share information on any pitfalls I might encounter?

 

[M@tt]

dont know how useful it is but i've got one of these, which is kind of similar ish

it has a seperate electrical pump to power the hydraulics, but if you'd like any other pics/dimensions then i'll be happy to take them

 

[biosbill]

dont know how useful it is but i've got one of these, which is kind of similar ish

it has a seperate electrical pump to power the hydraulics, but if you'd like any other pics/dimensions then i'll be happy to take them

!!! That's brilliant!

William

 

[M@tt]

i should hasten to add i didn't build it! i bought it

 

[BeeJay99]

dont know how useful it is but i've got one of these, which is kind of similar ish

it has a seperate electrical pump to power the hydraulics, but if you'd like any other pics/dimensions then i'll be happy to take them

Yes, a lightweight version of this might do it. More thinking to do but I may well come back to you for more information. Thanks

 

[rkde]

I would love to build something like this or a proper lift but don't think I have the time to do it. Will be watching this to see how you get on

 

[Rick]

Whatever you make, make sure it has a safety mechanism (or use axle stands), and remember most hydraulic systems leak over time, so you won't want to leave it at full height while storing.

 

[MrFluffy]

Theres loads of portable car lifts here for sale, I cant believe you cant get a used ones for the price of the materials in the uk given how everything else works out cheaper like that.
Example, these are made by Unic. They have all the ratchet pawl mechanisms to stop seepage over time, safety if the cylinder fails etc. I think they plug in with a big mains cable, but you can get battery ones too...
Price anything from 300e for a rough one, to 2k for a shiney certified new looking one...

 

[BeeJay99]

Whatever you make, make sure it has a safety mechanism (or use axle stands), and remember most hydraulic systems leak over time, so you won't want to leave it at full height while storing.

Thanks for your consideration. Depending on the final design I shall be using either a ratchet of some sort or, more probably, chunky pins and R-Clips like those on my engine crane.

 

[BeeJay99]

Theres loads of portable car lifts here for sale, I cant believe you cant get a used ones for the price of the materials in the uk given how everything else works out cheaper like that.
Example, these are made by Unic. They have all the ratchet pawl mechanisms to stop seepage over time, safety if the cylinder fails etc. I think they plug in with a big mains cable, but you can get battery ones too...
Price anything from 300e for a rough one, to 2k for a shiney certified new looking one...

This lift and the one biosbill photographed are too massive for my purpose. The car is a single seat racing car weighing under 500Kg race ready. In the garage it happily sits on a pair of either steel or wooden trestles (photos attached). I want to make something which will elevate the car without doing my back in and then be able to be rolled around.

 

[Hitch]

Have you seen the Clarke hydraulic tables, sounds like it may be what you want...have a look at machine mart.

 

[rtcosic]

If it is only 500kg why not find C of G, add a lifting eye(s) and use an engine crane to lift onto :

something like this

I bought a long reach 2 tonne engine crane and load leveler recently for £150 delivered. I couldn't buy the materials for that price!

 

[mjrally]

What Race car is it? In my previous job i worked with alot of race cars and we used a simple A-Frame gantry, with a good tackle and block. if you built something like that you could always buy an electric winch on too.

The frame we used was dead simple and most cars could be picked up with a strap through the main roll hoop. dead simple and cost very little to make, it was also on casters so if required to move the car when in the air you could roll it around.
I remember once we had a 1.5tonne Renault spider hung of it (various straps from the roll cage) and we could still roll the thing round!

 

[MaxRPM]

I use a chain winch slung from a steel crossmember in my workshop to lift my single seater hillclimb car onto wheeled tressles, picking the car up using the roll bar hoop. Much simpler and cheaper than a platform lift.
Phil

 

[BeeJay99]

I use a chain winch slung from a steel crossmember in my workshop to lift my single seater hillclimb car onto wheeled tressles, picking the car up using the roll bar hoop. Much simpler and cheaper than a platform lift.
Phil

Common sense has prevailed here and the beam, hoist and trestle method is what I am going to do although I might re-visit my original idea if I get the time. I got a beam installed in the garage and by using a chain hoist can easily get the car onto my trestles. I am going to make some rolling stands like these. Sorry to re-post this picture but the original link in message #12 seems to have died.

Are there sizes of steel which are intended to be a sliding fit into others as on these, or is this a matter of looking at sections and doing the calculations on wall thickness and size until I find what I want?

 

[Shox Dr]

What you want is called telescopic tube. It is available, but might take some finding

 

[Paul.]

Are there sizes of steel which are intended to be a sliding fit into others as on these, or is this a matter of looking at sections and doing the calculations on wall thickness and size until I find what I want?

By the look of it the red pieces are 50 x 50 box section, and the black parts are 40 x 40 box.
50 x 50 box is available in several wall thicknesses including 3mm and 4mm, if you zoom in on the photo there seems to be a fair clearance in the sliding joints, my guess is its 50 x 50 x 3, so 4mm clearance
4mm wall will give 2mm clearance but there will be a welded seam flash on the inside which may interfere with the fit.

 

[wyn]

If round tube is any good for you, this place does telescopic tube.
I've no idea if the prices are reasonable or not though.

 

[BeeJay99]

Shox, Wyn, Paul

Thanks for the information, pretty much what I thought but it was worth an ask before going off to order the steel.

 

[Scamp]

Have you seen this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4JvA4-pOXg