MaxJax installlation tips

[97dynaglide]

I know there are several very long threads that have tips and info spread through out, but I thought one more couldn't hurt.

The instructions say to use a 5/8'' bit to start the holes while the column is in place.
Since the holes in the base are 7/8", that leaves a little more room for an alignment error than I was comfortable with.

What I did was take a 7/8" hole saw bit, replace the standard pilot bit with a concrete bit. Use this to go thru the base plate to create a small 'dimple' (1/8" to 1/4") in the floor for each anchor.
Remove the column, then use the 5/8" to drill down the 2" as the instructions state. Follow up with the 7/8" and the holes will be perfectly in line with the base/column.

 

[97dynaglide]

A couple of other things I came across during the installation:

1) The teflon tape on all of the enclosed hydraulic fittings was wrapped backwards. The tape itself, I felt was rather thin, so I replaced it with some that I had at home.

2) The back plate on the power cart was installed upside down from the factory, not a big deal really, but it did make for some W.T.F moments.

3) The drain plug on the tank was installed cross threaded, which resulted in a slow leak. I had to raise the lift 3/4 high, lay the cart on it's back and straighten up the plug.

I'm still fighting an uneven lifting condition (2" to 3" over the course of a lift). I have bled it over and over with no change.

I switched the hoses from one column to the other, and the problem moves with hose.
Since today is Sunday, I'll give a call to Gabe tomorrow about a possible power divider issue, but in the mean time, I'm gonna try another theory.
I'm going to replace the quick coupler on the suspect hose with a new from Tractor Supply, and see if that will make a difference. Who knows, I got nothing to lose but a little fluid and a bit more time bleeding.

 

[c4cruiser]

I noticed some of the same things with my MaxJax when it came to assembly of some of the components. The plate on the car was upside down, the (cheap) teflon tape was backwards on about half of the male fittings, and I found that it was sort of a PITA to get the male hose threads started into the block.

I wound up using liquid teflon for some of the fittings; easier to apply and it was recommended by a local hydraulic shop.

It was nice that there was a 90 degree fitting for the hose leading to the block, but it would have been even better if a pair of 90 degree elbows with one side about 3" long had been included to route the hoses downwards or to the front of the block. I also used short 90 degree hose end fittings for the QD couplers that will go to the rams.

When I was at the hydraulic shop, I compared the QD fitting that was supplied with the MaxJax and the Parker fittings the shop carried. No difference at all.

Seems your uneven lowering problem is a common one. I'm still waiting for some new concrete to cure before I start drilling and then I can start on the bleeding process.

 

[olytdi]

Yeah, I've got the uneveness as well but it's limited to about an inch and a half and is not consistent - sometimes doesn't do it. Makes me think it's the divider. One problem I have had is that if I don't feather the valve on descent, one side will go down but not the other (scary the first time!). Gabe said to feather the valve very lightly on descent which has indeed worked. Problem is that the lever is too short to feather well -- I may have to make it longer for more leverage.

 

[97dynaglide]

I ran into another snag today.
I set the anchors according to the Wej-it instructions. (1/2" space from washer/nut to sleeve, and no more than 3 turns when seating it).
Today I planned on setting the columns and load testing the lift.
The first column went great. The second, not so much....

As I fastened the column to the floor, I had 1 anchor pull up 1/2", 2 pull up 1/4" and 1 pull up 1/8" out above the concrete. Only one anchor held fine. I didn't use a torque wrench, I was just using a typical 15/16" box end wrench, so I can only assume that I was nowhere near 80 ft lbs to make this happen.

I plan on calling Gabe tomorrow to see what my options are. I've read elsewhere here, others have just ground off the protruding 1/8" or 1/4". But I'm not sure it would be a good idea to cut off 1/2" of an anchor.

One other concern, is the fact that the 1/2" anchor is near the relief cut in the floor.

I wasn't concerned about placing the column near the relief cut as I read others have done it with no problems, but the fact that this anchor is lifted doesn't sit well with me.

 

[c4cruiser]

The instructions in the MaxJax manual for setting the anchors specifies a 5/8" distance from the hex nut on the sacrificial bolt to the top of the anchor sleeve. The anchor is pounded down until the hex nut reaches the concrete. That should force the anchor to 5/8" below the surface of the concrete.

The manual goes on to say that the sacrificial bolt is removed and a flat washer is added below the hex nut and the bolt threaded back into the anchor. Then the nut is turned until the anchor is 1/8" below the surface. It doesn't say anything about a specific number of turns of the bolt or a torque value.

I didn't get any instruction sheet in the box of Wej-it anchors included with my MaxJax.

 

[lane028]

Have you moved forward any? I am in a similar situation. I have been looking for ideas and guidance. I have two anchors that will not set and cannot remove them.

 

[dmeadow]

Have you moved forward any? I am in a similar situation. I have been looking for ideas and guidance. I have two anchors that will not set and cannot remove them.

When I had this problem I pounded them through the slab and put epoxy anchors in their place.

 

[97dynaglide]

Sorry for lack of updates, I hate when others never update their situation and here I am doing the very same.....

I talked to Gabe at GES and sent him the pics above of my situation.

He said I need to pound down all of the anchors that rose and use epoxy ones.
I bought the tube and anchors while on the phone with him, and I received them yesterday.
He also said since the crack isn't near the rear anchors, I'd be OK.

As far as the uneven raising and lowering, Gabe said the power divider needs a certain amount of back pressure in order to work properly, so after I get the lift installed, test it with a vehicle, then report back to him.

I've read on here some have used coffee filters to line the bottom of the hole to allow it to fill with epoxy.
What happens when the new anchor is pushed down? Does the epoxy come up and out of the hole, or does it make its way between the sand/gravel and concrete?

I bought 2 more tubes of epoxy locally just in case.

dmeadow, how did it go with yours?

 

[dmeadow]

In my case I originally drilled the holes through the slab and was able to pound down the old anchors into the void/dirt below the slab. If your holes don't go all the way through, then I don't know how you avoid drilling new holes. The epoxy anchors are longer than the mechanical ones, BTW, so the old ones have to be well out of the way.

FWIW, I used some steel mesh (hardware cloth) pushed into the holes and into the void beneath the slab (my slab was only 4"). I rolled the mesh into a cylinder shape before it was put into the hole. I did this after seeing something similar designed for epoxying anchors into the voids in cinder blocks. The mesh would hold the epoxy around the anchor under the slab, which might give it more "pull through" strength while avoiding trying to fill the entire void with expensive epoxy! I guess the coffee filter is supposed to serve the same purpose, but the epoxy might tend to slide more to the bottom of the filter than with the mesh.

You don't need to fill the entire hole with epoxy, just make sure you get a really good coating on the sides of the hole. Some of it will come up and much will be pushed down. It is fairly thick stuff, so it will tend to stay where you put it, at least a pretty good coating of it.

 

[97dynaglide]

My concrete is also 4" thick, so pounding down the old anchors will be no problem.
How much mesh did you use? If the holes are approx 6" deep, did you use a 3" length rolled mesh?

 

[dmeadow]

My concrete is also 4" thick, so pounding down the old anchors will be no problem.
How much mesh did you use? If the holes are approx 6" deep, did you use a 3" length rolled mesh?

Sounds about right.

 

[97dynaglide]

Thanks for the info.
Tomorrow we will see if Murphy and his law are on vacation.

 

[skamp]

My concrete is also 4" thick, so pounding down the old anchors will be no problem.
How much mesh did you use? If the holes are approx 6" deep, did you use a 3" length rolled mesh?

Did you drill all the way through orginally when you drilled the holes?

Steve

 

[97dynaglide]

Did you drill all the way through orginally when you drilled the holes?

Steve

Yes, all of the holes went thru.

 

[regguy1]

Sounds like you have the situation under control, I'm wondering if you didn't clean the holes out good enough? If there's any dust from drilling it will cause the anchor not to grab and seat.

 

[97dynaglide]

Sounds like you have the situation under control, I'm wondering if you didn't clean the holes out good enough? If there's any dust from drilling it will cause the anchor not to grab and seat.

Not sure why they didn't seat. The other anchors for the other column grabbed and seated perfect, 1/8" below the surface.
I just hope the epoxy job goes smooth.

BTW, beautiful shop/garage you have there.

 

[Todd.Brock]

You may be referring to me with the coffee filter solution.... That was Gabe's recommendation. I ended up filling the voids between the shoulders on the anchor as I put it in. That may only make sense if you know what the anchors look like. I did that because I drilled through the concrete. I filled the bottom of the hole a bit, smeared some around the edge wtitht the epoxy nozzle and made sure that I was liberal with the epoxy . Those tubes are a ***** to use in a normal caulk gun. It does set up pretty fast too. I couldn't find a bottle brush to fit so I bought a cheap toilet bowl brush and straightened it out. That worked pretty well. I vacuumed, used some water and the brush. I tried not to blow out too much because of it blowing dirt back in the hole.

I'm not convinced those anchors are right for 4"concrete, but I stuck them in. I haven't tested them yet to see if they all held. If one of them twists then I'm going to cut the concrete and pour new pads. Just my .02

 

[97dynaglide]

Todd, I'm pretty sure you're the one about the filters.
I'm going to use a stiff toothbrush and scrub the sides, then follow with a bottle brush.
I'll also fill the hole 1/2 way with epoxy, then as you did, put it on the shoulders as the anchor is inserted.

I'm also going to test them after curing, if I still have any doubt, I'll pour a new pad.

 

[97dynaglide]

An update to my situation:

After I drove the anchors down, I checked the thickness of my slab. I'm a hair shy of 3 3/4". Not sure if this is due to the concrete flaking apart from drilling, pounding the anchors down to seat them, or from pounding them thru to use the epoxy ones.

Either way, I'm not gonna mess around with this and take a chance. I'm cutting and pouring a 4x4 slab 8" thick.
A friend of the family who is a concrete guy is stopping by later this afternoon to give me a quote.
Deep down, I know this is the right way to go, not the cheapest, but it is the safest.

 

[readhead]

As I mentioned in the other thread you might consider threaded embeds.

 

[97dynaglide]

I was just thinking about something like this while I was replying in the other MaxJax thread.
Since I'm pouring a new slab, I now have a bunch of various options to explore.

 

[readhead]

We build embeds like this for equipment all the time. Picture a plate the same saize as the base plate on the lift. We will punch holes to match, weld nuts on the bottom and weld tubes over the nuts with caps so there is a place for the bolt to go. Then weld headed anchor studs on the bottom. Carefully place and brace in the forms and pour.

 

[lane028]

I unfortunately did not drill all the way through on my slab. This was several months ago before I started reading GarageJournal.com. I have only 2 anchors that are not set out of 10. The rest have
had no problems. I have tried many different ways but cannot remove those 2 stubborn anchors.

I originally bought some anchor epoxy but forgot to use it on the first hole. After realizing this I filled two holes with it. I should have filled them only one at a time. I walked away for a minute and when I came back both were solid to the touch. I didn’t realize that it would set that hard, that fast. So at that point , I reluctantly re-drilled the same holes back out with the 7/8 drill bit trying to stay as vertical as possible. I put more epoxy in the only 1 hole and hammered the anchor in. This time working as fast as possible. I think the anchor is fully expanded but not gripping the sides of the hole hard enough not to slip. I have had the same result with the other hole that I tried to re-do. Both anchors just spin even after trying to set them with a nut and sacrificial bolt. I even tried using two nuts to make sure it was just the anchor spinning.

I only used epoxy on those two holes. At the time I didn't know what to do and the epoxy had already set up a second time. I did the rest of the anchors in clean dry holes with no epoxy. I had no problems what so ever. If anybody has any suggestions or ideas they will be much appreciated. I would like to avoid re-pouring concert if at all possible. For this project I poured 36”x 36”x 12” footings. It would not be fun to knock out and re-pour as I would be doing myself. Thanks!

 

[lane028]

I unfortunately did not drill all the way through on my slab. This was several months ago before I started reading GarageJournal.com . I have only 2 anchors that are not set out of 10. The rest have
had no problems. I have tried many different ways but cannot remove those 2 stubborn anchors.

I originally bought some anchor epoxy but forgot to use it on the first hole. After realizing this I filled two holes with it. I should have filled them only one at a time. I walked away for a minute and when I came back both were solid to the touch. I didn’t realize that it would set that hard, that fast. So at that point , I reluctantly re-drilled the same holes back out with the 7/8 drill bit trying to stay as vertical as possible. I put more epoxy in the only 1 hole and hammered the anchor in. This time working as fast as possible. I think the anchor is fully expanded but not gripping the sides of the hole hard enough not to slip. I have had the same result with the other hole that I tried to re-do. Both anchors just spin even after trying to set them with a nut and sacrificial bolt. I even tried using two nuts to make sure it was just the anchor spinning.

I only used epoxy on those two holes. At the time I didn’t know what to do and the epoxy had already set up a second time. I did the rest of the anchors in clean dry holes with no epoxy. I had no problems what so ever. If anybody has any suggestions or ideas they will be much appreciated. I would like to avoid re-pouring concert if at all possible. For this project I poured 36”x 36”x 12” footings. It would not be fun to knock out and re-pour as I would be doing myself. Thanks!