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Portable DIY Car Lift

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CraigStu

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May 22, 2014
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Blacksburg, Va
Yep it is slow. Also I hope he used some really high grade all thread. Has me thinking though since the prices on all lifts have gone up so much.
 
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iamhomeless

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Jul 6, 2009
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336
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Indy
Pretty slick little project, if I were going to do it, I would probably want a wider base so I could also make wheel lift arms as an option.

I'm actually surprised there aren't mini mobile column lifts on the market already. I know Challenger is working on a "medium duty" mobile column lift, but no real info has been released.
 

e-tek

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Dec 19, 2007
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Saskatoon, SK
I'm not one for busting anyones chops - especially when they design and fab great stuff....
And although I could likely copy and build that, I'll likely spend a few more grand for a BP, Maxlift or similar.
But still, awesome!
Cheers!
 

txvwnut

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Jan 1, 2015
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7,649
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Bedford, Texas
That’s cool and I give him props for the design and build but he should’ve added a right angle gearbox and electric motor to each master post or one on each post instead of the back and forth with the drill.
 

whateg01

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Mar 13, 2006
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doo dah, kansas, usa
I suggested that I wanted to do something similar to this, but with a single post on each side, awhile back and man! There is no lack of hate for guys building stuff like this here! I get that not everybody has the same ability, but you say DIY here and people go nuts!
 

whateg01

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doo dah, kansas, usa
Yep it is slow. Also I hope had used some really high grade all thread. Has me thinking though since the prices on all lifts have gone up so much.
even at 18kpsi, 3/4"-6 acme threaded rod would be good for better than 3500#, so x4 is 14k. Generic from McMaster is 64kpsi, so that would be over 14k per, so 58k total. I don't think the threaded rod is the weak point, assuming it is in tension.
 

Citation

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Jan 20, 2016
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Indy
It's clever and I would feel good about the load carrying ability with the pin installed. My concern would be tipping the things over. Think of tipping a car over when held high on jack stands. Those are like really tall jack stands. I would feel much better if they had something to tie them together to prevent tipping.
 

Citation

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That’s cool and I give him props for the design and build but he should’ve added a right angle gearbox and electric motor to each master post or one on each post instead of the back and forth with the drill.
I think it would be better if you could connect all 4 posts to a common drive. I like that at least each side is connected together. With independent motors you run the risk that individual posts rise/fall faster than the others. The common drive ensures at least side to side they stay even.
 

whateg01

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It's clever and I would feel good about the load carrying ability with the pin installed. My concern would be tipping the things over. Think of tipping a car over when held high on jack stands. Those are like really tall jack stands. I would feel much better if they had something to tie them together to prevent tipping.
In my vision of it, I want the bases from one side tied to the base of the other side, so maybe a 3" tube going across the middle. Then, I want something tying the two sides together, so maybe a cable system that keeps it level.
 

-Stew-

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Jan 22, 2018
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Tucson, AZ
Hard pass. Doesn't go high enough to stand under, you can't get the doors open.

It's cool to see the ingenuity, but at the end of the day it's a waste of a lot of money and time for what essentially is a complicated variant of a floor jack and jack stands. That money could be put towards a proper lift and the time could be spent earning the rest of the money..
 

NUTTSGT

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Northern Central Ohio
It's clever and I would feel good about the load carrying ability with the pin installed. My concern would be tipping the things over. Think of tipping a car over when held high on jack stands. Those are like really tall jack stands. I would feel much better if they had something to tie them together to prevent tipping.
Exactly my thoughts as well. Yeah it shows him "pushing" it but that looked staged to me. 3' in the air and it has little 3 inch stabilizing wings...ummmm that's a big hard no.
 

tarmy

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May 28, 2014
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Location
Nor Cal
That is cool bot it is not secured to the ground and those bases look like they have a small footprint. When I work on my vehicles I am leaning on them, banging on something, trying to break bolts/nuts loose and would probably knock that thing off there…
 
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JRC3

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Jun 30, 2014
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Southwestern OH
Gonna have to bring up the big Sunnex stands again.

710hLf9TPjL._AC_SX569_.jpg
 

Paycheck

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Aug 14, 2014
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1,364
I would want those bolted to the floor too. It may have been this forum where I read about them tipping over or sliding out from under the car.
Never had a problem, don't know anybody that's had a problem. The only folks that have come close are those that don't read and follow the instructions, or are just really stupid, IMHO.
 

Paycheck

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Aug 14, 2014
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Stacking pads and slippery floors seem to be the “downfall“ of the quickjack. All would be cured by bolting it to the floor.
Or don't stack pads improperly and don't use on a slippery floor. You could fasten it to the floor, but that would be a lot of work every time you want to use it. From what I've seen, there have been very few failures compared to safe uneventful uses. And quite a few of those failures were operational error. I have two Quickjacks and the only problem I've ever had was when I let a hydraulic hose get pinched under the lift when raising. Couldn't get it down again. Had to use a jack to take the weight off. But that was just me not paying attention. If you don't feel safe, definitely go a different direction. I would love to have a nice drive on 4 post lift myself (y)
 

K13

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Oct 24, 2007
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St. Albert, AB Canada
There is no chance that thing is actually stable at full height. I don't believe his push and he didn't push front to back where it would rack like crazy and go down in a heap.
 

dante2

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Dec 27, 2011
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499
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Central OK
There is no chance that thing is actually stable at full height. I don't believe his push and he didn't push front to back where it would rack like crazy and go down in a heap.
That's a pretty weak push to me too. I bounce my vehicles pretty rough before they go all the way up. Not going to have 2+ tons kill me because I limp wristed a test shove.
 

Chipm

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Mar 10, 2020
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439
Location
Georgia
Never had a problem, don't know anybody that's had a problem. The only folks that have come close are those that don't read and follow the instructions, or are just really stupid, IMHO.
I have something like 3,000 or 3,500 lifts on my Quickjacks so far. The SUV risers scare the heck out of me and I avoid them whenever possible, but otherwise I feel very safe using it.
 

wyb2

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Dec 27, 2012
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188
Location
Southern NH
Bonkers.

The front-to-back footprint looks barely larger than a standard jackstand. Let’s be generous and say it’s 2x as wide. That thing is easily lifting 10x as high as a normal jack stand.

I’m not trusting something that has 1/5 the stability of a jack stand
 

wyb2

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Dec 27, 2012
Messages
188
Location
Southern NH
If this piece was about 12” long (on both sides), instead of what looks like about 3”, this thing might have a chance.

I would think a safer solution would be crossbeams that you install before lifting, so all 4 posts are connected in a way to prevent racking


IMG_3595.jpeg
 

firebirdparts

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Jun 8, 2016
Messages
10,663
Location
Kingsport, TN
That’s a good idea. You’d lose a lot of access but that would be a huge improvement.

I must say though, to my eye, real lifts are very very cheap. My opinion. Building one was just not on my mind at all.
 

Skellyii

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Nov 13, 2021
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Location
KC Area
It's a free country.

If he wants to climb under a car being held up by that contraption, it's on him...literally.
 
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