How to remove a two post lift?

[Keithinsc]

Garage here in town is going out of business. He is selling off his lifts and I am considering buying one.
Two post Danmar.

Any suggestions on how to lift the posts up off the bolts and then transition the posts to vertical to lay on my trailer?

Setting up is covered, I'll use my tractor, but I won't have that luxury at tear down!

I might just bite the bullet and hire a rigger to lift and drop on my trailer, but any suggestions are welcome

 

[lakee911]

Got pics of the existing setup?

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

I would think if you remove the cross brace (if it has one) then cut the anchors off with the top of the mounting plate, a simple block and tackle would be able to lower the risers to a horizontal position. Assuming that you can back your trailer close to the lift and lay them down on the trailer and have a location to secure the strap / chain.

 

[pattenp]

Drive the anchor bolts down into the concrete. Two people can handle laying one post over at a time. If the anchors can't be driven down then slightly tip the post and cut off the bolts with a sawzall.

 

[brownbagg]

the two columns by their selves are not that heavy, couple hundred pound, I installed my by myself and I.m only 5'5. on removing either cut the bolts with saw all or drive into ground, then lean over unto trailer, over hanging tail. that way when reinstalling just stand up. they are not that heavy

 

[Keithinsc]

Great suggestions. My big concern was the weight of each post. Seeing ship weights of 1500-2000 lbs, I was concerned about each post being +800lbs.

Tipping them right onto the trailer looks like a winner. I'll go take a look tonight to see if I can anchor a rope to the ceiling or back wall to pulley it down gentle like.

Might be putting the cart before the horse though, we havent yet come to a purchase agreement!

 

[Graham08]

Disassemble as much as possible before trying to move the posts. I was able to take the arms, hydraulic unit, post extensions, etc. off before taking the posts down. In my case, I had access to a forklift to lift over the anchor studs, but cutting them off flush would work just as well.

Setting it back up was much easier than taking it down. I stood the posts up with help from one person, and we were able to walk them to where they were needed pretty easily.

 

[StumpXJ]

I lifted my posts up from flat by myself. Yes, they are heavy, but manageable. Two people would have no trouble at all.

 

[sublimate]

Great suggestions. My big concern was the weight of each post. Seeing ship weights of 1500-2000 lbs, I was concerned about each post being +800lbs.

Tipping them right onto the trailer looks like a winner. I'll go take a look tonight to see if I can anchor a rope to the ceiling or back wall to pulley it down gentle like.

Might be putting the cart before the horse though, we havent yet come to a purchase agreement!

If you have the carriage all the way down then most of the weight is at the bottom with the carriage and the thick base plate. The top is lighter so it's fairly easy to two people to lay it down gently.

Take a bucket to catch any dripping hydraulic fluid when you disconnect the hoses and something to cover over the hose ends or ports on the cylinder so they don't continue to leak on the guys floor or your trailer. You'll also probably want to empty out the power unit reservoir into the bucket.

Also take some shims and blocks of wood of various thickness - if you can't cut the bolts you can rock the posts back and forth while inserting the wood pieces to work it over the top of the bolts.

 

[brownbagg]

weight, most of the weight is in the arms, so if that disconnected your 1500 is now 900, the crate itself couple hundred, the overhead, the cables, the motor, the extra plates. all disconnceted the post with ram are no more than 400 pounds itself. and if you lower unto a trailer with never picking up. one person, no problem

 

[Keithinsc]

Well, I bought the lift!
The shop was selling two, the first one was actually sold already and the buyer was taking it down while I was looking at the other one.
Learned a few tricks. Just like one earlier poster said, remove all the bolt ons, pump, cables, legs, etc.
When they removed the pump and res, the hyd fitting was still leaking fluid. He took a piece of 1/2" gas line, jammed a scrap bolt in it and pushed it over the fitting. Plugged it up and no more leaks. Gonna use that trick!
Two guys had it well under control. But they didnt even bring a set of wrenches! Luckily the mechanic was nice enough to lend them some tools.

I'll take a couple ladders, some tools, a bunch of baggies for the hardware. Camera and a marker to record everything. Already downloaded the manual!

Anything else I should take?

Probably take it down Friday or Saturday.

 

[jhelrey]

We took one down but we had a forklift also

 

[yousesteers]

I just did a Gray 8000 but used skid loader. Took Cables loose, Crossbar off, unbolted uprights laid them down with skid steer and put it all in back of pickup.

 

[short stack]

push them over and have them land on three or four old tires WITHOUT a rim. I The tires are unbelievably strong, prevent the steel from contacting the concrete so no damage to the lift or concrete. At impact, the sidewall of the tire takes all the force and lift is on the ground.


p.s. I unload full 55 gallon drums out of the back of a pickup truck the same way.


short stack

 

[blk00ss]

What kind of lift and how much?

 

[rburke65]

Removed a 2 post lift a year ago with nom problems. Pounded the mounting bolts down through as far as we could. Then we just tipped and walked the post over to the trailer. Because of the mass of the bases, there was no problem lying them down on the trailer, but we did bust our asses sliding the posts forward. All this was of course after we removed the arms, pumps, motor tonged them as light as possible. You can do this! Be careful....watch those fingers....work safe....good luck.

 

[volaredon]

Drive the anchor bolts down into the concrete. Two people can handle laying one post over at a time. If the anchors can't be driven down then slightly tip the post and cut off the bolts with a sawzall.

I would not say that as a "blanket" statement... if its built like an old Mohawk or my Weaver theres NOW AY that 2 people will lay them down
I saw something somewhere saying that the posts on a Mohawk are 900-1000 lb EACH

when I dismantled my Weaver it took everything 4 of us could do to set the posts down without anyone gettin hurt... we tied a heavy semitruck type ratchet strap (27' long and we used every bit of it tug o war style) to the top and 2 guys gave it a (gentle) shove and quickly grabbed the strap, and I was the "anchor" at the end/ and it pulled me towards the post with everyone else hangin on and slidin along for the ride as we set the posts down one at a time...

 

[Keithinsc]

Lift is a 1 year old Dannmar 10ACX.
He still has one lift for sale, and he aked me not to 'advertise' what price we agreed on. I feel we both got a good deal!

But, as an old timer told me once; "A great deal is when BOTH parties walk away pissed."

I hope to move it this weekend. Talking with the seller, he had no problems raising the posts with one person helping, so taking it down with 3 people shouldnt be a problem I Hope!

I just gotta get a new set of anchor bolts and run some conduit in my shop for the power line. I think I might also run a section of black iron pipe down one leg and Tee it into my shop air. I think having an air drop at the lift would be handy. Get it all done while I have the scaffold set up.

 

[pattenp]

I would not say that as a "blanket" statement... if its built like an old Mohawk or my Weaver theres NOW AY that 2 people will lay them down
I saw something somewhere saying that the posts on a Mohawk are 900-1000 lb EACH

when I dismantled my Weaver it took everything 4 of us could do to set the posts down without anyone gettin hurt... we tied a heavy semitruck type ratchet strap (27' long and we used every bit of it tug o war style) to the top and 2 guys gave it a (gentle) shove and quickly grabbed the strap, and I was the "anchor" at the end/ and it pulled me towards the post with everyone else hangin on and slidin along for the ride as we set the posts down one at a time...

He said it was a Dannmar not a Mohawk. As I said before two people can lay the column over. I do not mean two 15 year old skinny nerds. Been there and done it, so I know.

 

[Keithinsc]

All moved, no problems!

I guess I got to overthining and worried.

2 hrs to take down, photo, label and load. Probably would have been done 30 minutes faster, but there was quite a bit of discussion and trial and error by my Dad and Father-In-Law on the exact perfect best safest securest way to strap it onto the trailer.
Too many cooks in the kitchen

Unhooked the electrical.
Removed the lift arms.
Unhooked the cables and slipped them off the pulleys.
Unhooked the hydraulic hoses and capped them off with a piece of silicon hose I brought with an old bolt stuck in it. Didn't spill a drop!
Unbolted the hyd pump assembly.
Removed the top crossover. Two ladders made it easy.
Removed all the nuts from the anchors and pounded the bolts into the floor (per owners request).
Backed the trailer right up to the post and one person pushed it over while two people standing on the trailer caught it and lowered it down.
Drove it home and had it unloaded in about 20 minutes. Stood the posts up in the corner of the shop until I decide exactly where I want to locate it.

THanks for all the suggestions!