Source for cheap screw jacks?

[demonspeed]

Hey my friend and I came up with an idea to lift a car body off a frame the other night using 4 screw jacks like these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000N4PYPY/ref=redir_mdp_mobile , I figured they would be cheap since they seem pretty simple, but I can't find any for less than $120 each, which kind of defeats the purpose of our idea. Does anyone know where to find these for cheap? Thanks

 

[Higgins]

Try looking at your Antique Stores for true screw jacks. They were mfg for lifting heave stuff and range from 5 tons to 100 tons.

Across time I have picked up several ranging from 10 - 30 tons cheep! No one really knows what to do with them, or wants them. I picked them up for lifting heavy stuff. House, garage, tree, truck etc! The small one works great on my jack bridge on my lift!

Look at: http://www.ryanscollectibletools.info/screw-jack/

 

[demonspeed]

I like the prices on those but I think I need some of the tall ones, like 5-6 ft tall at least

 

[signcrafter]

What exactly do you want to do with them? Just set the body on them? Use them to raise the body? Do you have a welder? If you just want to set your body on them and have a welder then buy some metal and make some supports. If no welder you can build a setup out of wood. You can buy an engine hoist to lift the body if needed. Or even make an A frame out of lumber or metal and use a chain lift to lift the body off. Lots of options depending on exactly what you want to do.

 

[demonspeed]

It's a bit hard to explain. Basically we would have 2 steel bars running from one side of the car to the other, underneath the roof. on each side of the two bars there would be a screw jack. Then we unbolt the body, crank the screw jacks up, which lifts the support bars, picking the body up off the frame, then roll the frame out from underneath. This would also allow us to adjust the height of the body whenever we want, which would not be possible if we built a wood frame. Ceilings are low, so we don't want to lift it from above. Plus if we built a hoist, we would still have to build a separate frame to mount the body on

 

[goodspeed]

You'll bend the body, most likely. The roof of the vehicle isn't meant to be load bearing.

 

[demonspeed]

You may be right, we're new to this, but We saw a guy on YouTube support his body using a similar method except he was using a wood frame. Also the body has been stripped of its interior and doors. Anyone else have input on whether this is a good/bad idea?

 

[demonspeed]

Wouldn't an overhead hoist with a strap wrapped around the roof cause the same amount of stress on the roof? Isn't that how they lift bodies off using an overhead hoist? Or do they wrap the strap elsewhere?

 

[signcrafter]

It's a bit hard to explain. Basically we would have 2 steel bars running from one side of the car to the other, underneath the roof. on each side of the two bars there would be a screw jack. Then we unbolt the body, crank the screw jacks up, which lifts the support bars, picking the body up off the frame, then roll the frame out from underneath. This would also allow us to adjust the height of the body whenever we want, which would not be possible if we built a wood frame. Ceilings are low, so we don't want to lift it from above. Plus if we built a hoist, we would still have to build a separate frame to mount the body on

What kind of rafters/trusses do you have above? A nice block and tackle setup if the rafters will support it would work great to raise and lower the body. Could rig it up so the body is supported in multiple places so it won't bend. If you want to get fancy buy a cheap HF hoist like this, http://www.harborfreight.com/880-lb-electric-hoist-44006.html. If you rig your pulleys right it will support it.

Or if you have or if you want to buy an engine hoist, which if you're lifting the body off I would think you already have one. Then make an adapter to lift the body off, https://www.google.com/search?hl=en...source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=4w_3UOfFJYXV0gHN74BY. If you scroll down it has more ideas. There was also a company that made a cab lifter that fit engine hoists. Can't remember who and a google search didn't turn up much.

 

[DaleK]

Find some used jackall jacks and make some sturdy platforms/stands to put underneath them.

If the ceilings are low you could put an upright of some kind on either side of the jackall running from floor to ceiling and then adjust the height of the jack within the uprights for different height vehicles.

 

[metaleltr]

What kind of rafters/trusses do you have above? A nice block and tackle setup if the rafters will support it would work great to raise and lower the body. Could rig it up so the body is supported in multiple places so it won't bend. If you want to get fancy buy a cheap HF hoist like this, http://www.harborfreight.com/880-lb-electric-hoist-44006.html. If you rig your pulleys right it will support it.

Or if you have or if you want to buy an engine hoist, which if you're lifting the body off I would think you already have one. Then make an adapter to lift the body off, https://www.google.com/search?hl=en...source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=4w_3UOfFJYXV0gHN74BY. If you scroll down it has more ideas. There was also a company that made a cab lifter that fit engine hoists. Can't remember who and a google search didn't turn up much.

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/champ-body-bed-cab-lifter-4053-p-11546.aspx

 

[snowman1981]

tooltopia.com has them for like $80-$90. also check out garageequipment.com

 

[MG44]

harbor freight has screw jacks for $50 a piece if you use the 20% coupon last i checked. I have two at the shop. They no longer sell the ones with just a circle base, they are tripod style, but very strong!

 

[goodspeed]

We lifted the body using a strap (A 50 studebaker champion. No body panels attached. As bare as we could get it) and it bent the roof. If I was to try and remove the body from a car without a lift, I would lift the whole car using normal floor jacks, remove all body bolts, then support the body from the bottom and lower the frame back to the ground.

If the body is supported from the bottom, even if it does bend, it's on a non-noticeable area of it, rather than right in the center of the roof.

Hope that makes sense. It's been a long day at work. Lol

 

[firebox40dash5]

We lifted the body using a strap (A 50 studebaker champion. No body panels attached. As bare as we could get it) and it bent the roof. If I was to try and remove the body from a car without a lift, I would lift the whole car using normal floor jacks, remove all body bolts, then support the body from the bottom and lower the frame back to the ground.

That's impressive. I forklifted my demo derby car ('94 Caddy Deville) through the window holes, and it didn't seem to care. Not the body, the whole car. Wonder if it's got to do with all those newfangled crash standards.