Finally installed Maxjax!

[Denee007]

I want to thank the people with great writeups/photos about their Maxjax lifts ,and other lifts as well! Really helped me in my decision to buy!! I must admit drilling holes in concrete was not my favorite part of the install, nor setting the anchors! But with perseverance~ it's in!

Funny, I bought the liftmaster garage door opener, but may not have had to~ still need to take down the old garage door opener and use the brackets for a drop reel light

My '67 Mustang was the first victim to try~ it's not a very tall car from measuring from where the frame to the roof is and I calculated it to make it to the top hole of the MJ before I even bought it, but nothing like actually seeing it achieve the top notch! I must admit being very nervous seeing the car this high in my garage! My garage is not quite 8' and my stang made it to the top notch with about 2-3"s to spare~ so this could be a deciding factor for many people reluctant to buy because of a lower roof. But I'll probably be working at the lower level notch most of the time and say goodbye to jackstands!
thanks!!
dne'

 

[z28snksknr]

Looks awesome!! Just out of curiosity, what was the thickness of your slab?

 

[Chetter]

That is an awesome setup you have there and looks to work very well indeed. Also, nice looking Mustang. I too have been reading up on the threads about lifts and the MaxJax in particular. Glad to hear you like it and the install was not to bad, I believe this is the setup I will go with hopefully later this year or early next. My garage has 10ft ceiling so height won't be an issue with this lift. How long did it take you to do the install? I've watched a couple of the videos that are out on the install and looks pretty straight forward. Again, good job!!

 

[LIVELY]

looks good---and being stubborn does have it's rewards

 

[Kevin54]

Wow!!! Chics and cars and one that wrenches also

I think I am going to bite the bullet and get a MaxJax. I see other that have them and now this (the pics really help) and it would be cheaper for me to do this than to raise the roof or add-on. Although an addition would be nice, property taxes are killing me the way it is. Denee007...did you do the complete install yourself as I imagine that you did? I think most of my work would involve being lower to the ground also other than the periodic oil change. I just hate going around with a floor jack and four stands just to get all four wheels off the ground

 

[regguy1]

Looks great....don't you like clear access to the entire underside of the car that the 2 post design gives you?

Here's mine in action......

 

[regguy1]

These stands are very handy for many tasks, perfect height for the MJ:

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=HT52008&PhotoNumber=4#largerphoto

 

[Lkdelta]

These stands are very handy for many tasks, perfect height for the MJ:

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=HT52008&PhotoNumber=4#largerphoto

I got the Atlas 7,000 mid-rise scissors lift from here and the "first loaded lift" was a bit nerve racking...can't even imagine how bad the nerves must have been with a 2-post "on the first try"

 

[Falcon67]

I have just GOT to get me one of those lifts. Already have the Mustang and a girl.

 

[David79z28]

Thank you for the post. I saw this in Summit's catalog and was wondering how they worked.

 

[Denee007]

HI all! Thanks for the great responses! ; )
First off, the floor thickness was my first concern a while back. I had bought a Harbor Freight rotary hammer drill~ the bits that come with it are NO GOOD, so I bought the 5/8 and 7/8 bits from Home Depot. I drilled a test spot and got 5" thick. So when I drilled the holes for the lift, it was still 5"~ not bad for a 40y/0 home~ However, the HF rotary hammer drill worked fine! 80 bucks and did well!

The install time: I bought the lift before Christmas and it was delivered to a dropoff trucking place within 5-6 days. They loaded the lift onto a 5 x 8 trailer that I used for my motorcycles and lawnmowers~ it was great for the job, plus the packaging of the lift is rather compact. I had no help and was determined to do it all alone in gettting it off my trailer(help would have been nice)! Brains over brawn for sure; I used a dolly and my floor jack to maneuver the columns off the trailer and of course I did have to grunt a little here and there!
I assembled it in parts. I put the pump assembly together one day, then the columns another day. Determining where to put the lift in my smaller garage was more brain teasing than anything! lol I guess the most difficult was the setting of the anchors! I Had a couple anchors that didn't come flush to the concrete, but are holding wonderfully.

I do feel I could have written better instructions~ a few of the areas of putting things together kind of left me hanging, but in doing something like this~ common sense

I do want a couple of those stands Regguy! Thanks for posting the photos of those as I forgot who had them! ; ) I think those will be nice just to maybe steady the car while up high? But the only car I have that will make it to the highest notch is my Mustang! My '57 chevy will not, but I will tell you this~ That first notch is going to be Jimdandy for oil changes, brakes, misc stuff~ etc!
I hope I've added/contributed to the Maxjax line of questions/answers~ I was so overwhelmed by which lift to buy! I'm just surprized there isn't a rival as Maxjax has been selling their lifts in groves!
; ) dne'

 

[Denee007]

Not yet bolted to the floor here, just dreaming the day it would be!

 

[Denee007]

with the stang back in, I can leave the garage door up all the way, but headed in, the door has to come down part way. Looks really neat! looks like the car is floating! lol

 

[regguy1]

[I do want a couple of those stands Regguy! Thanks for posting the photos of those as I forgot who had them! ; ) I think those will be nice just to maybe steady the car while up high? But the only car I have that will make it to the highest notch is my Mustang! My '57 chevy will not, but I will tell you this~ That first notch is going to be Jimdandy for oil changes, brakes, misc stuff~ etc!
I hope I've added/contributed to the Maxjax line of questions/answers~ I was so overwhelmed by which lift to buy! I'm just surprized there isn't a rival as Maxjax has been selling their lifts in groves!

********************************************************************

The stands are also very handy to support things while you're working, like exhaust system parts, support and lift transmission while removing crossmember / mounts, taking weight off suspension to replace ball joints etc.
Supporting differential while replacing rear springs...list goes on.....

 

[demoderbydave]

cool video and that shop is mint...just TOO clean... Denee great job on your install as well...like I said before YOU ROCK!

Regguy, how many of those stands did you buy? I plan on getting some...I have to go to N.H. tomorrow (for work...their truck/gas)and am planning to call them to see if they have them in stock. I think 2 is sufficient...

I love my lift...I saw the commercial on speed channel the other day and there was a show on Discovery HD about west coast customs...they have a few of them as well.

 

[ambenz]

it's nice to have a lift, I like it!
I sure love your Mustang!
I am looking to get a lift so I can store 2 Mustang in one stall, with a 10ft ceiling it will be tight but I know it can be done.

 

[David79z28]

NICE!!!!

I saw a post on another forum where someone got one of these to break after they put 15,000lbs of metal on it. They were acting like that was a bad thing...

Nice to know they will hold up to the normal weight of a car....

 

[regguy1]

cool video and that shop is mint...just TOO clean... Denee great job on your install as well...like I said before YOU ROCK!

Regguy, how many of those stands did you buy? I plan on getting some...I have to go to N.H. tomorrow (for work...their truck/gas)and am planning to call them to see if they have them in stock. I think 2 is sufficient...

I love my lift...I saw the commercial on speed channel the other day and there was a show on Discovery HD about west coast customs...they have a few of them as well.

Thanks,
I bought 2 of the stands

 

[murph3204]

I want to thank the people with great writeups/photos about their Maxjax lifts ,and other lifts as well! Really helped me in my decision to buy!! I must admit drilling holes in concrete was not my favorite part of the install, nor setting the anchors! But with perseverance~ it's in!

Funny, I bought the liftmaster garage door opener, but may not have had to~ still need to take down the old garage door opener and use the brackets for a drop reel light

My '67 Mustang was the first victim to try~ it's not a very tall car from measuring from where the frame to the roof is and I calculated it to make it to the top hole of the MJ before I even bought it, but nothing like actually seeing it achieve the top notch! I must admit being very nervous seeing the car this high in my garage! My garage is not quite 8' and my stang made it to the top notch with about 2-3"s to spare~ so this could be a deciding factor for many people reluctant to buy because of a lower roof. But I'll probably be working at the lower level notch most of the time and say goodbye to jackstands!
thanks!!
dne'

nice job!

the size of your garage is very similar to mine, < 8' ceiling height. I was thinking that I may not be able to use the top notch but I may be able to if I back it in like you did.

how did you determine where to place the posts? how far forward are they from the back wall and how much space is between them?

-john

 

[regguy1]

MaxJax in action:

 

[Denee007]

Bought a maxjax column

Hi y'all, it's been a while since I've posted, but I have something to share. My 59 apache is going to be on the tall jack stands for a long time, and I really need my maxjax on the other side of my garage! So I called gesusa and bought a single MJ column for 875 total. I had a hydraulic cylinder from a warranty issue, so that cut the price a little bit. I Left one column that's in a difficult place to be its permanent location, and the newest column on the other side of the garage. The center column, I drilled another set of holes for the distance that I wanted. So all I do now is unbolt the center column and turn it, rebolt it(when the time comes) and work on the other side of my garage. Please pardon my messy garage, it's been too hot to do anything!! Plus I'd been working on my brothers 84 BMW motorcycle for the past several weeks! I can't wait for it to be out of my garage. Just wanted to share my experience.; )
Dne'

 

[Falcon67]

Hey girl, you got a bit of stuff going on in that garage! Good trick with the MJ, nice problem solve.

 

[torquepower85]

Your garage is "Max'd" out

 

[Chetter]

Nice job, here's a couple of pics of mine.

 

[Denee007]

Thanks y'all! Gee Chetter, I have got to clean my garage(love the pics!!)!! After seeing your shop, I'm embarrasses! Lol. Tomorrow I think I'll spend the majority of the day organizing and cleaning- yeah!! I definitely have a full time job here! However doesn't pay very well!
; )

 

[Denee007]

Short "tall" jack stands in action

One more thing to mention, and thanks goes out to Regguy1 for the product info; )! These short "tall" stands are awesome! My 59 apache is supported by 4 of these, and whats really neat is being able to level whatever one is working on by the leveling adjusters. Plus as Regguy had shown in one of his photos, they're great to stabilize the vehicle and provide additional safety when under the car, I deem these a must!!!! Darn, now I need at least 2 more

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/2-Ton-Tripod-Stand-SHORT

 

[Steevo]

How many guys can say that their sister is working on their classic BMW airhead for them?
Too cool!

 

[Airborne Ed]

New old guy here trying to learn new tricks ,so please bear with me . I am getting a new garage being built starting this Thursday and I will be doing the inside . The garage will be 28 by 32 ft. deep and 9 ft ceilings .Can't go any higher then that. So my question is will the max jack be usefull with a Toyota rav4 and a Toyota sienna van . The garage doors won't be in the way. I believe my other two cars won't be a problem . Sorry if I hijacked this thread . Thanks

 

[Denee007]

First off, thank you Steevo for the cute comment my family references me to the lady off of My Cousin Vinny, however I wish I was as pretty as she is!
; )


Ed, why can't you go higher? However sounds like a nice garage going up!! The maxjax would be a great addition. If you look at my 59 apache having been lifted by the MJ, then placed on the tall jack stands, I couldn't go higher than the first notch on the MJ due to the cab height, but still higher than a floor jack could ever get it!!! my ceiling is 8', so 9'? You may be able to get you two vehicles at the max height. I truly love my maxjax! People that visit here are impressed by the professional look, especially when I have a car up in the air! The garage journal has to be the largest site with experiences with all lifts, including the MJ!! You may want to call Ryan at gesusa.com, tell him that I sent you the most unfun part for me was drilling holes in the concrete and setting anchors! Ugh! If you have any other questions, as away and make your plans

New old guy here trying to learn new tricks ,so please bear with me . I am getting a new garage being built starting this Thursday and I will be doing the inside . The garage will be 28 by 32 ft. deep and 9 ft ceilings .Can't go any higher then that. So my question is will the max jack be usefull with a Toyota rav4 and a Toyota sienna van . The garage doors won't be in the way. I believe my other two cars won't be a problem . Sorry if I hijacked this thread . Thanks

 

[Airborne Ed]

Thank you for the reply . The reason I can't really go higher is that there will be a 10 by 28 ft by 7 ft high attic truss for storage . Any higher would not look right attached to the house as far as my wife is concerned . Gotta keep the boss happy you know . ,If it wasn't for that it would be 300 ft high if I had my way

I really want to get that max jax but it will have to wait till I get to start finishing the inside. Might not be till next year . Right now playing with a lot of info and ideas here. It's a big help for us new guys ----Thanks Deena

 

[Mike007]

Thank you for the reply . The reason I can't really go higher is that there will be a 10 by 28 ft by 7 ft high attic truss for storage . Any higher would not look right attached to the house as far as my wife is concerned . Gotta keep the boss happy you know . ,If it wasn't for that it would be 300 ft high if I had my way

I really want to get that max jax but it will have to wait till I get to start finishing the inside. Might not be till next year . Right now playing with a lot of info and ideas here. It's a big help for us new guys ----Thanks Deena

If it were me, a 10' minimum ceiling height would be priority. Even if the wall height was only 9'.

As for the Max Jax, break out the tape measure. Max lift with truck adapters is 52".

 

[regguy1]

Denee,

I thought you were kidnapped or something.. you haven't posted in so long.

I entered this video in the GES MaxJax contest, I won a MaxJax in April.

 

[Denee007]

Regguy, I've been so busy with my truck project and my girls getting out of college, one just married, etc, but life is good! I love your video, and congrats on the winning!!!!!!!!!

Now if I were building a new shop, which may happen over the next couple years, a taller ceiling WILL be a priority! Though storage is important, storage just sits around out of site like and becomes clutter. Your work area is supremely important! ; ) plus imagine having a full lift(2 or 4 post)??!! I say bring your wife online here and let her view the consensus. Could you post a photo of where your shop is going to go? The wealth of info on this site is phenomenal, use it! Once your garage is built, that's all she wrote! Please make a thread on this and ask questions, opinions; )
Denee'. (pronounced Duh-nay)

Denee,

I thought you were kidnapped or something.. you haven't posted in so long.

I entered this video in the GES MaxJax contest, I won a MaxJax in April.

 

[Chetter]

Thanks y'all! Gee Chetter, I have got to clean my garage(love the pics!!)!! After seeing your shop, I'm embarrasses! Lol. Tomorrow I think I'll spend the majority of the day organizing and cleaning- yeah!! I definitely have a full time job here! However doesn't pay very well!
; )

Thanks Denee, but I feel you should never be embarressed on how your garage looks especially when you are working on projects and trying to do all the things you are doing with your kids. My garage can get pretty messed up when working on my car and when the grandkids come over it can get worse for sure. I really like those adjustable stands that Regguy put the link to, I am definately going to invest in a set of 4 of those. My floor is still bare concrete for now and my ceiling is 10ft high which works out good with the car on the lift. I want to do the floor next and I am thinking I am going to go the vct floor tiles I can get from Lowes or Home Depot in black and white and do a red bowtie up front.

 

[Denee007]

Wallmount pump and longer hose

This is not new information by any means! Modifications have been done to these units for various reasons. I chose to wall mount my pump, install 90degree fittings at the column bases, and lengthen one hose. Of course now my pump is not going anywhere, but sure gets it out of my way, and I placed my pump so it's easily accessed at a comfortable height. As for lengthening a hose, at least in my case, made no difference in how the lift works, the carriages went up at the same pace, however, now and then, a car may go up a little off kilter, ( i think sometimes a tad of air gets inline possibly) i bought hose and a union(spice)from Northren Tools. The 90 degree ends I feel should come with the units: gives just a tad more length and allows the hoses lay flatter on the floor, less likely to trip over the hoses. The 90's I bought from a local hydraulic shop.
So that's my tips for the day

Chetter, those stands are great, but a little fisty to assemble, can't beat the price on em, that's for sure! I'll be anxious to see your floor when it's done

 

[Rentawrench]

Denee - A REAL girl working in a Garage will Always be better looking than an Actor trying to be one.

Ed look at allowing more headroom in one area for a lift 6 foot attic will be ok giving more room for the lift.

 

[Airborne Ed]

I am locked into to the height of the garage now . They started excavating about two hours ago and the trusses are ordered and the prints were approved by the township . So 9 ft is what I have to work with . I measured the height of the Van and I should be able to get to the full height of the lift.

I started taking pictures of the work .I just will have to figure how to down load them.I won't be using the lift all the time because it will be a work shop for everything and anything . The lift will be used for repairs and maintenance work and no restoration work.

I am hoping to buy a new Dodge challenger r/t next year if everthing goes right ---so that will be my toy.

I thank everyone for their input and making me feel at home .

Thanks again . Going out to check on the progress.

 

[Olyar15]

I am locked into to the height of the garage now . They started excavating about two hours ago and the trusses are ordered and the prints were approved by the township . So 9 ft is what I have to work with . I measured the height of the Van and I should be able to get to the full height of the lift.

I started taking pictures of the work .I just will have to figure how to down load them.I won't be using the lift all the time because it will be a work shop for everything and anything . The lift will be used for repairs and maintenance work and no restoration work.

I am hoping to buy a new Dodge challenger r/t next year if everthing goes right ---so that will be my toy.

I thank everyone for their input and making me feel at home .

Thanks again . Going out to check on the progress.

Don't forget to take into consideration the height of the garage door, opener, and any lights overhead where you plan on installing the lift. That can take a foot or so of space. Try to get high-lift rails for your garage door and a Liftmaster 3800 opener.

 

[torquepower85]

I entered this video in the GES MaxJax contest, I won a MaxJax in April.

Grats! What're you gonna do with the second one?

 

[Denee007]

To Rentawrench; thank you! I bet that actress doesn't even know what a VOM is


yes, what Torquepower said," what will you do with a second MJ? If I had a second one, I'd probably put at my moms; )

Don't forget to take into consideration the height of the garage door, opener, and any lights overhead where you plan on installing the lift. That can take a foot or so of space. Try to get high-lift rails for your garage door and a Liftmaster 3800 opener.

Olyar, good point! Below is a good point! Here my Mustang and the door obviously will not be all the way up, but backing the mustang in I can have the garage door open all the way. I did install the 3800 lift aster too, very nice opener!!

here, my 59 apache, the garage door comes right up to the truck, got lucky here!