Always wanted something like this..

[Bennylava]

http://toolmonger.com/2007/09/07/eastwoods-tilt-a-car/

A sideways lift! Think of the advantages! I've worked with overhead lifts, and really, I'm not sure they offer much more than "I get to stand up" instead of having to lay down. You're still reaching up over your head, and working on stuff with your arms starting to ache. Its also unsettling when the car is... jiggling around up there when you're really wrenching on it hard.

With the car on its side, you'd be working at a much more comfortable position. Just reaching out in front of you. And if you need to switch to the front side of the engine for something quick, just walk around to the other side. No lowering the lift and clearing out everything underneath it first. The other huge advantage this has over the overhead lifts, is that this thing can fit in most people's work space. I can't fit a big overhead lift in my garage, but I could easily fit this, with lots of room to spare. Lots (probably most) of garages and home workshops have plenty of room horizontally, but not much vertically. So this would solve that problem too.

A few things to acknowledge: Yeah you'd need to plan your moves and your repairs. And it would probably still be best used only for major repairs like replacing a transmission or other such tedious, or long drawn out jobs. But still worth it for all the benefits imo. And granted, this one in the link doesn't look very beefy. Personally, I'd want a beefier one that is made out of bigger, thicker metal. This is more of just the idea, that I'm posting. I think a far safer model could be built. But I think the idea is a good one.

 

[Andy-v]

also known as car spit/rotisserie/roll over jig, yes they come in very handy.

 

[Bennylava]

 

[Jim Diesel]

Not a fan. Dont like the idea of having to drain most fluids to conduct repairs when not needed. Beside all the transmission jacks i use would struggle with these angles. I would still take a two or four post lift anyday. Although i mainly deal with trucks we still get the odd 4x4 and our Porta-lifts still work great with the small tyre spacers.

 

[Andy-v]

there more used in full restorations, for turning the bare shell, not so much the type in the video.

 

[woody 73]

very interesting set-up.

 

[Bennylava]

Not a fan. Dont like the idea of having to drain most fluids to conduct repairs when not needed. Beside all the transmission jacks i use would struggle with these angles. I would still take a two or four post lift anyday. Although i mainly deal with trucks we still get the odd 4x4 and our Porta-lifts still work great with the small tyre spacers.

You don't have to drain any of the fluids, according to eastwood. All you do is remove the battery. It would be a LOT easier for me to remove those little 4-banger transmissions (and put them back in) using this thing than a conventional lift. Also it does up to 6800lbs, so most half tons should go on there just fine. Might need the bigger beefier one I was talking about if you're going to do F-350's and stuff

there more used in full restorations, for turning the bare shell, not so much the type in the video.

According to the british guys in the comments, its a lot bigger over there. Apparently they use them a lot. And typically its just for repairs that they don't want to be laying down for. Sounds like you might be thinking of a rotisserie

 

[GeorgeFromPa]

no good the beer in the cup holder will spill

 

[Provincial]

Why buy something when you can just roll the car up on it's side on the front lawn? The grass keeps the paint from being scratched.

 

[Andy-v]

You don't have to drain any of the fluids, according to eastwood. All you do is remove the battery. It would be a LOT easier for me to remove those little 4-banger transmissions (and put them back in) using this thing than a conventional lift. Also it does up to 6800lbs, so most half tons should go on there just fine. Might need the bigger beefier one I was talking about if you're going to do F-350's and stuff



According to the british guys in the comments, its a lot bigger over there. Apparently they use them a lot. And typically its just for repairs that they don't want to be laying down for. Sounds like you might be thinking of a rotisserie

yeah

 

[59 wagon man]

had one couldnt get my wagon to roll over and play so i returned it. i guess due to the suspension as it went over the 1/4 was getting to close to the ground

 

[Richard Cranium]

I think it is just like another tool, it would be great for some things, but is not an fix all for all. Some one buy one for me and send it to me and I will try it out and post my thoughts on it.

 

[crewchief888]

Why buy something when you can just roll the car up on it's side on the front lawn? The grass keeps the paint from being scratched.

sounds good to me...

 

[bob15]

You don't have to drain any of the fluids, according to eastwood. All you do is remove the battery.

Did you click on the link and actually read it?

Second to last sentence: "As you might expect, you’ve got to drain fluids like fuel, engine oil, and washing fluids to avoid making a mess."

 

[lakeroadster]

Post up some reasons why this would be better than a 2 post lift? I can think of many dis-advantages.

 

[Bennylava]

Post up some reasons why this would be better than a 2 post lift? I can think of many dis-advantages.

Most of them are already listed here in this thread. Space, not having to work overhead, cleaning, there would seem to be a lot of advantages. Of course like someone said its certainly no universal end all-be all, but its got obvious advantages vs a conventional lift. And of course, a conventional lift has advantages over this as well. If I could have both I would. No reason not to.

 

[bdelmar2]

Would not be good for any kind of mechanical work I can think of.

Definitely not transmission replacement as mentioned above, pretty close to impossible without rolling it back down and jacking the car up anyway.

You can get one of those little scissor lifts for about the same price - but they aren't especially handy for mechanical work either.

An overhead lift is miles better, I've swapped hundreds, probably thousands of engines and/or transmissions both on the ground and on lifts, frames/chain hoists. Also quite a few with a forklift and a torch - also boom trucks, wreckers and rollbacks, front end alignment pits, and probably some ways I've forgotten.

Even if you are doing a cut-out with a torch rolling a car up on the side like that is a pain and that's not caring if you destroy everything but whatever you are after. Rear ends are ok that way as they will usually drop out without jamming up if you cut them right but that's about it.


Body work/restoration is what something like that is good for, but for the price they want you could just buy an fairly decent rotisserie.

But if you are on the cheap side and don't mind a little effort you can build a wooden roller somewhat like the metal ones.

On transamcountry.com there are plans for one that will fit F body cars, couple different styles even. I imagine there are probably also plans for mustangs or what have you on other sites.

I was going to put a link to the TA one and I just googled wooden rotisserie to find it, appears you can get plans for just about any kind of vehicle if you desire.

 

[anndel]

Looks like a Costco rotisserie chicken

 

[joe_padavano]

Car tilters like that have been around at least since the 1960s. There was a thread on this very forum almost a decade ago. I still don't see the usefulness.

 

[rodsnratfinks]

Sounds like a solution in search of a problem. The only thing I think this might do well for is restoration work, but I'd much prefer a rotisserie for that. A swing arm lift is about fifty times more versatile.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[justanengineer]

Car tilters like that have been around at least since the 1960s. There was a thread on this very forum almost a decade ago. I still don't see the usefulness.

Wish I could find the pic from my last visit, but the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn has an awesome tilter from the 19-teens.