Lift modifications Thread- Lets see them!

[Posi]

I use a Handy motorcycle lift model BOB 1500 in my garage for working on our trainer bikes and building up my personals.

I have always been bothered by the cast-iron brick of a foot pedal that is in the way .........with air vented through a silencer.

Thanks for posting this! I changed mine over sometime ago. Just now remembered to get pictures and post.

 

[tom86951]

I built a bracket out of plate steel to orient my hose reel where I wanted it. The Bendpak HD-9 comes with a bracket for the hydraulics on both sides of the front post (so it can be used at either end), so I used that as my anchor. I did it mostly to practice my TIG welding, but it came out so nicely that I opted to use catalyzed automotive paint to match it to the Bendpak. I got the holes in just the right spots by 3D printing drill plates. The whole thing looks like it came with the lift now.

 

[nicke]

Here's my DIY LED light solution and install video. Hopefully, this might be helpful for someone:

Thanks!
-Nick

 

[66Caprice]

Here's my DIY LED light solution and install video. Hopefully, this might be helpful for someone:

Thanks!
-Nick

There ya go!! I only gave you a hard time about you're post because this thread is an awesome wealth of ideas!

 

[ndm]

There ya go!! I only gave you a hard time about you're post because this thread is an awesome wealth of ideas!

As the creator of this thread, I am still amazed at its success. The most sad part of it is that I still do not own my own lift due to not having a suitable place to put it. My garage is too small to fit a lift with two cars and the sad fact that the ceiling it too short.

Im currently trying to plan a garage addition though. I want to add a 15 ft tall , two car deep tandem (11.5ft x 35ft) to the side of my 2 car wide (20 deep x 19 wide).

I almost bought a lift to keep outside where the proposed addition is gonna go but I had to resist that urge.


Keep the mods coming though! I love it!

 

[nicke]

There ya go!! I only gave you a hard time about you're post because this thread is an awesome wealth of ideas!

Thanks man! I appreciate it!

-Nick

 

[Relax]

Here's my DIY LED light solution and install video. Hopefully, this might be helpful for someone:

Thanks!
-Nick

Awesome. Where did you get the channel and LED's? I wanted to do this ages ago but couldn't convince myself that the LED strips were going to be bright enough, and I couldn't find a supplier for the 45 degree channels that didn't require a bulk order from Alibaba.

 

[nicke]

Awesome. Where did you get the channel and LED's? I wanted to do this ages ago but couldn't convince myself that the LED strips were going to be bright enough, and I couldn't find a supplier for the 45 degree channels that didn't require a bulk order from Alibaba.

Thanks! I searched forever to find the right channel, and this is where I landed:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081TLJCXW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

$55.17 for the channel and $29.00 worth of LED's : https://www.ebay.com/itm/5M-16FT-60...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I couldn't be happier with how it turned out.

-Nick

 

[kaymccampbell]

I buried my mid rise scissor lift in the floor and added a center floor to make it nice to work under or next to, in the case of this pic.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=979236&d=1582155326

 

[JeffsJeeps]

This is not actual lift related but it is really cool and close enough.

This is the first i am seeing or hearing of lights in the floor! What a great idea . Wish i'd known of this prior to my pour.

Are there other links discussing this? None i know of in FLOORING or ELECTRICAL..

 

[muckdp]

Here's my DIY LED light solution and install video. Hopefully, this might be helpful for someone:

Thanks!
-Nick

With all the LED's exposed like that, are they too bright? Do you find yourself having to look away from them?

 

[MWitte]

One of the better mods I finally did to my lift was to simply add a 90 degree fitting where the hydraulic line comes out of the side of the runway. Then I just routed the hydraulic line over the top of the cross beam. No more hydraulic line in your way when working at that corner of the lift.

 

[sti491]

I’m 6’3”. My neighbor who works at a machine shop, used Kryptonite to make these solid machined risers so I can work comfortably and safely under my 2 post lift.

Best mod ever!

 

[WaterBoyz]

I’m 6’3”. My neighbor who works at a machine shop, used Kryptonite to make these solid machined risers so I can work comfortably and safely under my 2 post lift.

Best mod ever!

Glad you thought about those risers. My HD-9 is at the height that I can walk under it and not duck. Now, my kids and my friends have left DNA on various parts of the lift.

As to your "lifts", I would be extra cautious of the fit between the riser and the lift arms. You don't need any wiggling at those points.

Good job.

 

[jbfsr]

That's a great idea. I would like to do the same. Can you post the fitting # or size. Thanks

 

[MWitte]

The 90 degree hydraulic fitting I used on my Atlas 4 post lift was a 3/8" JIC male to 3/8" JIC female. I bought mine from from Discount Hydraulic Hose - p/n 6500-06-06.

It wouldn't surprise me if the hydraulic fittings on these lifts changed from time to time. Don't take my success as a guarantee that this fitting will fit on your lift.

 

[jbfsr]

Thanks

 

[Paul_VR6]

I just installed my hose flipped around, with the 90deg end at the ramp and the straight up top. Haven't noticed it get in the way at all.

 

[Fisherguy]

Folks, what in general do you use to screw something on the posts (e.g. outlets)? Self tapping screws, or screws with nuts or..?
If I'm bringing 220v to the outlet, can I "steal" 1 hot wire from it to make 110v outlet next to 220v outlet (I personally think no) or I need to have a separate dedicated wires for 110v outlet?

Not sure the previous answer to this question was right.
There's some 220v plugs with 3 pins, black, red and ground, with a plug like that you cannot get a 120v circuit.

Some 220v plugs have 4 pins, the 4th being the neutral in which case you'd use the black or red and the neutral to get your

 

[ndm]

Bumping this one up to the top. Any new lift mods?

 

[Fisherguy]

I like the way c39er ran the airlines to his Bendpak rolling jacks:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=202648&highlight=air+line

 

[TauntDevil]

Just got a new lift since my last two were stolen at my old shop.
Thought I would see what others have done with modifications and came across this thread (Havent read any of it yet) but subbing to it now.

Current ideas (again, havent read into this thread yet but I am about to)

1- Adding a hoist lift with an electric winch on the top. Thinking the arms should be strong enough to hold the weight. If i make a strong bracket up top with one of the truck bed hoist kits, it should work for pulling engines, etc, without having to roll a hoist over. 80% of the swaps I do or have done, we remove the hoods anyhow so I think it'll work.

2- Same idea with a cental rotating assembly up top but also adding a pressure wash setup up top since at my old shop, we had a pressure washer on the side and always washed the cars under carriage before working on it since I am a little b**** and have arachnophobia.... -_- with this setup, it would work the same as a car wash place. They have a rotating nozzle in the ceiling for going around the car... basically, this is the same idea. (1 & 2 may or may not work together, i dont know)

3- I already had a light setup on my old lifts but basically, would be doing the same to this one. I use offroad CREE lights since they can take a beating (Sometimes they get hit with stuff) and they are pretty cheap.

Excited to read this thread for new ideas or to see if any of these have been done.

 

[Fix Until Broke]

Just curious - how does a lift get stolen?

Regarding a hoist on the vertical beams for engine removal and such...it will depend a lot on the lift itself. Assuming a typical 2 post lift - If you've a 10,000lb hoist and are pulling a 500lb engine out of a 3000lb car, you're probably going to be ok. I wouldn't be shy of additional reinforcement across the top of the two vertical beams connecting them together though.

If you've a 6000lb hoist and pulling a 1500lb engine out of a 5000lb truck, that's probably not a great idea in my opinion.

 

[firebirdparts]

1- Adding a hoist lift with an electric winch on the top. T.

There was an interesting thread on here a month or so ago with pictures of the backyard buddy engine hoist. I never thought about just how that would be done, but anyway, look for that.

 

[Plastikosmd]

^
It has been a while since I took statics
I don’t see how that bracing between the posts (front to back/triangulation) is doing much of anything. Strengthening that span doesn’t seem to be the design limitations

 

[firebirdparts]

Well, I would say that's a very strange take, but it may be that you're not seeing what the truss does, but you don't know the word "truss". Not that it matters what I think.

That's a rolling bridge. The truss holds it up when you roll it back there.

 

[66cj225]

There is more than one unanswered question about that design. If that center hoist attachment is fixed, that is one case, if it is on rollers, that is quite another yet. The same question applies to the bridge- fixed or able to move while loaded. All different 'Free Body' diagrams.

 

[racecougar]

I know lighting on a 4-post has been done to death, but here is the path I took:

These LED strips: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FHNJUGO/?tag=atomicindus08-20

These channels: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0838WJBKR/?tag=atomicindus08-20

These channel connectors: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D32S29P/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I drilled and tapped the ramps for #6-32 screws to attach the LED channels, and the power supplies route to a HF power strip mounted under one of the ramps. This setup lights up the underside of a vehicle exceptionally well.

 

[Shwoody]

Here are a couple things I've done to my 2001 era Challenger CL9 lift. Craigslist buy.

It came with the slip-on style height adapters. Two of them were bent to hell and I am not a fan of that design in general. I cut off the original threaded pads and enlarged the existing holes to fit some 1.5 ID DOM tubing. Then I purchased 1.5 OD pads and adapter pegs designed for a newer Chinese lift. Much better looking and easier to use now! I gave the arms a black and blue truck bed liner paint job while I was at it.

Also, the different sizes of rectangle tubing Challenger used for the arms did not fit together very well. I picked up a truck the other day and the sliding portions of the rear arms were angled downwards quite a bit. I welded a piece of flat strap to the bottom of the rear arms to remove some of that slop.

Next up will be brackets for the adapter pegs and stainless arm pivot pins. They didn't coat these older pins and I had a heck of a time removing one of them that rusted itself in place.

 

[Fisherguy]

I know lighting on a 4-post has been done to death, but here is the path I took:

These LED strips: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FHNJUGO/?tag=atomicindus08-20

These channels: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0838WJBKR/?tag=atomicindus08-20

These channel connectors: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D32S29P/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I drilled and tapped the ramps for #6-32 screws to attach the LED channels, and the power supplies route to a HF power strip mounted under one of the ramps. This setup lights up the underside of a vehicle exceptionally well.

Your first link doesn't work, 2nd and 3rd don't show the particular parts you used.
I like they way you put the lights on but I have rolling jacks on my BP 4 post, wouldn't work for me unfortunately...

 

[racecougar]

Your first link doesn't work, 2nd and 3rd don't show the particular parts you used.
I like they way you put the lights on but I have rolling jacks on my BP 4 post, wouldn't work for me unfortunately...

Just fixed the links. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[WaterBoyz]

Your first link doesn't work, 2nd and 3rd don't show the particular parts you used.
I like they way you put the lights on but I have rolling jacks on my BP 4 post, wouldn't work for me unfortunately...

Yep, that is normal. No rolling jack, all the lights you want. The sliding bridge jack as well, all the lights you want.

I still like my rolling bridge jack.

 

[Fisherguy]

Yep, that is normal. No rolling jack, all the lights you want. The sliding bridge jack as well, all the lights you want.

I still like my rolling bridge jack.

Ya, me too, use them a lot, lights sure would be nice though...

 

[WaterBoyz]

Ya, me too, use them a lot, lights sure would be nice though...

Some people have installed lights IN the floor. I'm not too crazy about that because of shadows and glare.

I use these:
https://www.harborfreight.com/light...ic-slim-bar-folding-led-work-light-56329.html

I keep the long one plugged in when not in use. I have extra batteries and a battery charger for the "folding bar" light.

===========
Which rolling jack did you get? Some days I wish I had two jacks but my wallet said NO. I'm a casual home user.

 

[racecougar]

Having worked with these lights and a sliding jack, that's the way to go, IMO. Being able to flip a switch and fully illuminate the underside of the vehicle is fantastic. I rarely ever break out a drop light anymore.

 

[WaterBoyz]

Having worked with these lights and a sliding jack, that's the way to go, IMO. Being able to flip a switch and fully illuminate the underside of the vehicle is fantastic. I rarely ever break out a drop light anymore.

Keyword "sliding".

Use "roller" people don't have easy options.

 

[racecougar]

Yes. I'm well aware. Hence the callout of said keyword.

 

[Plastikosmd]

Well, I would say that's a very strange take, but it may be that you're not seeing what the truss does, but you don't know the word "truss". Not that it matters what I think.

That's a rolling bridge. The truss holds it up when you roll it back there.

Got it, I didn’t understand that the bridge rolled over that span. Make sense now, sketchy w side loads for sure!

 

[logical]

I think I posted this in another thread, hopefully not this one.

Due to floor slope, the entry end of my Bendpak is on 3 inch or so risers/shims which means the platform was around 9" off the driveway. The steel ramps that came with it are not only really heavy, they were nowhere nearly long enough but too long to leave attached and still close my garage door. Cut 16 inches or so off them to clear the door, got some lightweight trailer Race-Ramps and things are much easier (and safer than the homebrew wood ramps I had)


Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[lolaetype]

A few minor changes to my MaxJax portable.

I wanted to leave the right tower in place and only move the one in the center of the garage when necessary. And I didn't want hydraulic hoses snaking all over the garage. So I extended one of the hoses so the power unit can sit on the the right and t he hose for the left hand tower runs up and over the car.


I also dipped the end of the safety latch handles in Plastidip. Much friendlier to 70 year old skin when you accidently brush against one while walking by.

Finally, the pins that hold the arms to the lift body didn't have handles so I drilled some holes, bent some handles out of 1/4" round stock and welded them from the underside.