Four post lift outside

[Royale80]

Morning all,

I'm getting too old to crawl under cars. I've got a hardstanding next to my garage and am toying with the idea of putting a four post lift on it-you can get used ones quite cheaply. I know I will have to get a 240v-3 phase converter.

I was wondering if anyone knows about weatherproofing them-particularly the electrics?

 

I will put a carport there -quite high.

 

Any comments-useful or not-much appreciated.

 

Steve

[UltraWomble]

I have seen them outside, in fact IIRC there is a garage in Garstang with one outside - sadly I dont know any more than that so cant be of any more use Im afraid.

 

EDIT:

http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/topic/2-post-ramp-outside-43248/page2

 

This post suggests its not that hard to do

[Jimmycrackcorn]

Same here, seen a couple of people with them outside their garages and they didn't look to have had any modifications or extra protection done to them.

I've been toying with making a set of those dealer display ramps that sort of like a see saw.

[TRW]

The only problem with them outside is if they are visible everyone you know will want to use it, probably even people you don't know will too.

 

Be great to have one though.

[garbaldy]

I've seen hydraulic two posters outside with longer hoses the electric pump can be mounted inside,

You can also buy a lift with a portable sack Barrow type pump with quick release couplings like tractors have.

[skattrd]

I'm liking this idea as I did want a lift, but the thought of how high the building needed to be was an issue.

Height of lift + car + bonnet open is quite high.

[spike60]

Having often used a 14 tonne lift out side we had no bother with electrics, just with straightforward corrosion, lack of lubrication on the rope and guides etc. That and a fail to do anything at all when it was cold. Mebby thinner oil would help, -or only working in the summer! Mot station I use has similar cold problems indoors.

[Jikovron]

What about building it into a shed where the roof lifts off and goes up with it, lowers the payload ability but a 3ton lift would just become a 2ton one etc

[panhard65]

Years ago there was a Renault breakers on Canvey island and he had a ramp out side and had welded a bus roof over the top that went up with the ramp. It had a post on each corner to hold the roof, a simple idea that worked well.

[Des]

I did a short stint in an East Lahndan black cab outfit that had the old pop up toaster outdoors, from the Kray era, looked the very same as an indoor one only plastered in a thick layer of diesel, grease, soot and jellied eels which I suppose weatherproofed it, in daily use dealing with all manner of impromptu breakdowns and comedy failings of freshly 'rebuilt' and tested heaps.

I was offered a free one a few years ago but lacked the space, I did a lot of thinking about putting it in the garden and disguising it as a carport with a clear corrugated roof, or digging a big pit topped with a couple of 1'' ply boards for some underground parking.

[billyboy406v6]

Great idea ! But would you need planning permission ?

[lisbon_road]

I was told that Midland Red had a lift for double deck buses that lowered them into a pit then raised them gradually and the spray painter would walk round painting them as they came up.

 

This has no relevance whatsoever to your dilemma, for which I apologise.

[Timewaster]

Double your parking space. genius.

[Dippy]

Buy a single phase ramp, most will run from a standard 13A plug. Especially the ones with a hydraulic pump.

 

It will save much aggro and expense trying to get it to run with a converter.

 

I do have a cunning way of running a 3 phase motor from a single phase supply with just a capacitor but it leaves the motor very underpowered especially on startup.

[Uncle Jimmy]

Buy a single phase ramp, most will run from a standard 13A plug. Especially the ones with a hydraulic pump.

It will save much aggro and expense trying to get it to run with a converter.

I do have a cunning way of running a 3 phase motor from a single phase supply with just a capacitor but it leaves the motor very underpowered especially on startup.

Tell us more?

A friend of mine has a circular saw with a large capacitor for start up; that may be similar.

[DSdriver]

Why does it need a roof on it when you are going to be nice and cosy working underneath the car?

[Dippy]

Tell us more?

A friend of mine has a circular saw with a large capacitor for start up; that may be similar.

That's probably a single phase motor with a start/run capacitor, the 3 phase trick uses a live and neutral and the 3rd wire comes from a capacitor generating an artificial phase, it is very rough but does work as I tried it out.

 

You will need a 3 phase motor that can run at 240V 3 phase though.

 

I will dig up the details including the capacitor size for you.

[Lord Sterling]

Mahmoud uses one of these:

 

 

Portable car lift that is transported via ordinary warehouse pump truck. It's used and lives outside.

[Kiltox]

Mahmoud uses one of these:

Portable car lift that is transported via ordinary warehouse pump truck. It's used and lives outside.

How level does the ground need to be for that to not just topple over!?

 

Like the look of it but it's also pretty frightening

[beko1987]

theres a garage in chinnor thay has an outside life, it seems fine

[Royale80]

Thanks all!

 

Will continue investigating!

 

That looks like it may topple over-I feel the same way with two post lifts-they never seem safe to me.

 

Regards

 

Steve

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

What about building it into a shed where the roof lifts off and goes up with it, lowers the payload ability but a 3ton lift would just become a 2ton one etc

 

I drew up plans for this exact thing, which I have attached below. Unfortunately the planning department are being total dicks about it. Conservation area my arse.

 

[twosmoke300]

I have a similar one to what LS put up . Very handy but needs a very smooth and level floor .

[Grundig]

 

Has to be Feb 2017 picture nominee 

[stephen01]

I love the idea of the dealer style ones, however where the fuck would I keep them?

 

[skattrd]

I have a similar one to what LS put up . Very handy but needs a very smooth and level floor .

 

Are those things ok for health and safety in a professional garage?

[twosmoke300]

Yeh , mine passes inspection every year and is rated to 2.5t . Had lwb tragics on there without too many worries . The one I have was distributed by facom and made by unic. Very well made and you can move it around with a car on it ( not lifted too high obv ? But as I said you need a good floor .

Iirc it was a lot dearer than a two poster but when dad bought it he knew we were moving in a year or so .

[Sudsprint]

 

Has to be Feb 2017 picture nominee 

 

Brilliant

[spike60]

Mahmoud uses one of these:

 

 

Portable car lift that is transported via ordinary warehouse pump truck. It's used and lives outside.

We use some of these at work, a set of 4 8500kg ones that lift in tandem, 1 wheel each. Ours look no bigger than the one in the pic but the're a major chore to drag about a big shop with a shit floor. Possibly not relevant to the original poster but they do not cross railway lines well!

[garbaldy]

/\ What are those portable lifts like if you decide to yark down on a power bar on the front driverside wishbone.