Maxjax Installs: Post Here

[dwatsonkc]

Mine just got installed Friday. They used the anchors that came with it and also used epoxy. I had them make an extra long hose to run it overhead.

 

[In My Garage]

Here's a summary of my install:

Wow, that is a thin slab.

A lot thinner than mine was after cutting it since I wasn't going to trust the mere 4 inches that the builder claimed to have poured.

 

[Denwood]

Alex, in one sense the slab issue had an upside. The 14" slab and rebar that replaced it (as well as epoxy anchors in full depth concrete) gives me a very good safety margin as far as the lift is concerned. I know you did similar with your install.

 

[Mike C5]

I followed Dennis's lead when my slab turned out to be only 3" thick. I modified it a bit by going 5' x 12' x 12" and put the rebar 2" from the bottom. I then added 6" mesh about 4" down. Just a hair under 3 yards of 4000 psi concrete. 15 days until hole drilling begins... I also decided to go with the epoxy anchors.

 

[Mike C5]

Hydraulics question... I'm planning to order two short hoses to take the place of the fittings at column. I'm looking at discounthydraulichose.com and in order to 'build you own hose', you need to know what the hose ID is for the hose and fittings. I know the threads are 3/8 NPT but does that mean the hose would normally have same ID? I searched but couldn't find an answer...

 

[Denwood]

Danmar specs the hose as 3/8" ID.

 

[kevinwilly]

Mine got dropped off yesterday!

I was impressed... came bolted to a relatively beefy welded angle iron frame. No damage or scratches on anything. Was pretty easy to unbolt. The posts are lighter than I was expecting. No trouble standing them up by myself.

Drilled a test hole in the floor. Hit a piece of rebar and killed my bit. Awesome. New bit, new location- came up at 4 1/16" thick. I'd say that's good enough for me. Going to use the original wej-it anchors and use epoxy with them. I've used these MANY times in the past with good luck for fastening down industrial equipment, so I'm fairly certain I'll be able to make them work.

Sadly, I need to re-frame the door opening and install a new garage door before I can get a car into my garage to figure out where I want everything.... Who puts 4' wide stairs on one side of a garage and the water heater on the other side and then puts in two single car garage doors? I can't actually get a car in either side of my garage and still have room to walk around it on all sides. Putting in one 17'6" door will fix that.

Will post pictures when I actually get it installed....

 

[Mike C5]

Thanks Dennis. I'm also thinking of replacing the supplied quick disconnect fittings with some flush face ones like this:

http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/product_p/3htf3-ht3f3.htm

What concerns me is that these are for 'Skidsteer' applications. Is that O.K.?

 

[Cobra96]

The hoses would be 3500 psi 14000 burst. I bought my hoses on that site and fittings. Get the fittings too, they are twice the quality that comes with the lift. BTW I bought the 4600 psi hoses quick connects and fittings. Great prices and nice quality, regardless of the fact that its made in china!

 

[Denwood]

Mike, I believe skidsteer is a reference to Bobcat's small loader. It should be fine. I just took the bits down to our local Parker Hydrailics reseller (Thunder Bay Hydraulics) and had them sort the extension hose out for my setup. I visit them anytime I'm doing pressure lines for air or oil as they make what I need on site, and I know the materials are high quality.

Curious if anyone has information on the velocity fuses integrated into the cylinders? A gentlemen in another thread dropped a vehicle off his Maxjax after a fitting failure. This should not have happened. One wonders if the velocity fuse was there from day one or added after??

 

[Makoto]

I got tired of the hoses being on the floor, having to walk around the power unit, and haven't moved my right post since I installed it like 6 months ago. with that in mind i decided to fab a frame and some brackets to attach the power unit to the lift post itself.

I had to have a shorter line made with a 90 swivel on one end to fit between the unit and post. on the outside I just picked up a 90 from tractor supply to make the line point upward.

here's the fitting. they dont' list any PSI ratings but it is for hydraulic lines, you guys think its good to go?

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/sto...-male-pipe-x-3-8-in-female-pipe-swivel-90176;

 

[c4cruiser]

I got tired of the hoses being on the floor, having to walk around the power unit, and haven't moved my right post since I installed it like 6 months ago. with that in mind i decided to fab a frame and some brackets to attach the power unit to the lift post itself.

I had to have a shorter line made with a 90 swivel on one end to fit between the unit and post. on the outside I just picked up a 90 from tractor supply to make the line point upward.

here's the fitting. they dont' list any PSI ratings but it is for hydraulic lines, you guys think its good to go?

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/sto...-male-pipe-x-3-8-in-female-pipe-swivel-90176;

What welding did you do to attach the bracket to the post? Was the weld full-length or just a few short lengths from top to bottom? Both sides of the bracket or just the outside? Would there be any concerns about the heat weakening the post? If the one long hose is going to be run across the ceiling to the other post, can you use another 90 fitting and move the the QD fitting to the other ram?

It's an intriguing idea with the result being no hoses or power cable on the floor. I haven't unbolted and removed my MaxJax for nearly a year.

 

[Makoto]

the seam is full length on the outside and a few short lengths on the inside. I just connected the two lines maxjax supplied to go over the joists. total cost probably about 150 bucks (most of that is the new line being made).

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

What size hoses are on those Max Jax units? I suppose I could just pop mine off and go to NAPA to have an extension made.

 

[Makoto]

the hoses are 3/8 an they should have markings on them fro the pressure. all the fittings are 3/8 NPT so finding fittings is easy.

here's a crappy pic of the post before i pull it all apart for paint. I need to drill and tap a couple holes for hose retainer loops but I can do that anytime. You can see how much walking room I have.

here are some pics of the way I'm hanging up the other hose.

I used the quick connect for 2 reasons. 1. its secure. that heaving fitting dropping down on a car is not something you want. 2. it keeps the fitting clean.

Sidenote: I removed the little plunger inside of it so it doesn't open up the hose once connected.

 

[Makoto]

Very happy with the end results. It takes a couple minutes to set up now and less than a minute to put the other post away.

 

[Mike C5]

Just got mine installed... Will test tomorrow.

 

[Denwood]

The new slab looks great Mike.

 

[Mike C5]

Thanks Dennis. I went with the epoxy anchors too. It feels very solid.

 

[Mr onetwo]

Well, I finally pulled the trigger on 1 of these lifts.I got a really good price from these guys...http://www.asedeals.com/car-lifts/2-post-lifts/dannmar-portable-car-lift-maxjax/ $2185 shipped and they sold me the epoxy kit for another $109. Brian, the salesman, was very helpful. I had a used 2 post overhead lift installed, but hated what it did to the usefulness of my shop.I should have it by the end of the week. I also found these Italian flat face quick connects on Ebay pretty cheap....http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hydraulic-f...ic_Hydraulic_Valves_Parts&hash=item53f5a06da0 I plan on changing out all the hydraulic fittings.

 

[ct71rr]

Indefinitely.



You should not have to. Some owners including myself have had issues with the supplied couplers. Sometimes they would leak when disconnected. I had enough of those and bought some flat face couplers by Faster. These do not leak and are near dry when disconnected.

Where did you get these? How many do I need for the MaxJax?

 

[In My Garage]

Where did you get these? How many do I need for the MaxJax?

You need two of each.

These are Faster's High Pressure Flat-Face FFH model. They are made in Italy. I got them at a local hydraulics supplier.

Male coupler part number: FFH06-38NPT-M
Female coupler part number: FFH06-38NPT-F

 

[ct71rr]

You need two of each.

These are Faster's High Pressure Flat-Face FFH model. They are made in Italy. I got them at a local hydraulics supplier.

Male coupler part number: FFH06-38NPT-M
Female coupler part number: FFH06-38NPT-F

OK, thanks for the info. I can't find them on the internet. What size NPT do I need?

 

[BigBronco]

I have a lot of reading to do. Would definitely like to pick up a set.

Lots of great information here.

 

[In My Garage]

OK, thanks for the info. I can't find them on the internet. What size NPT do I need?

The part number should tell you if you go to their site or Google it. I might assume 3/8 since 38 is in the part number.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

I got mine from here:

http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/ISO_16028_Flushface_Hydraulic_Quick_Couplers_s/155.htm

Very similar to what Alex has. So far I've had them for over a year and no problems what so ever.

-Nigel

 

[ct71rr]

I got mine from here:

http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/ISO_16028_Flushface_Hydraulic_Quick_Couplers_s/155.htm

Very similar to what Alex has. So far I've had them for over a year and no problems what so ever.

-Nigel

Thanks Guys. Nigel, which size did you use?

 

[ct71rr]

I got mine from here:

http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/ISO_16028_Flushface_Hydraulic_Quick_Couplers_s/155.htm

Very similar to what Alex has. So far I've had them for over a year and no problems what so ever.

-Nigel

Thanks for the link Nigel, I ordered two sets of these:
http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/product_p/3htf3-ht3f3.htm

 

[the5]

Where does everyone get new and Longer Hydraulic lines?

 

[Cobra96]

http://www.discounthydraulichose.com/
Bought all my fittings and longer lines from this supplier. Good quality and affordable!

 

[olytdi]

Check the torque of the mounting bolts on the base plates. After 3 years with the MaxJax, I thought, "wonder if the bolts are still tight." Pulled out the torque wrench and found 4 bolts that weren't loose but needed nearly a turn to re-torque to 90 ft lbs.

Worth checking if yours is permanently mounted and bolts haven't been checked since install. Thankfully, they all tightened up and there was no spinning/lifting.

 

[RecceDG]

I check the torque on mine before every use.

 

[BITRBO]

Check the torque of the mounting bolts on the base plates. After 3 years with the MaxJax, I thought, "wonder if the bolts are still tight." Pulled out the torque wrench and found 4 bolts that weren't loose but needed nearly a turn to re-torque to 90 ft lbs.

Worth checking if yours is permanently mounted and bolts haven't been checked since install. Thankfully, they all tightened up and there was no spinning/lifting.

I check the torque on mine before every use.

You guys may want to be careful about torquing down your bolts too often, and if you do, I wouldn't use a very high amount. You'll basically be pulling out the anchors if you're constantly torquing them to the max allowed value, since lift will apply an additional "pull" on them once loaded/operated...

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=188429&page=3

I initially torqued my bolts to 20-25 ft/lbs, and each time I check them the wrench clicks at the exact same spot. If you're anchors are in fact "set" then there's no need IMO to have the base plate secured to the floor any more than enough to eliminate slop in the fasteners.

 

[olytdi]

You guys may want to be careful about torquing down your bolts too often, and if you do, I wouldn't use a very high amount. You'll basically be pulling out the anchors if you're constantly torquing them to the max allowed value, since lift will apply an additional "pull" on them once loaded/operated...

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=188429&page=3

I initially torqued my bolts to 20-25 ft/lbs, and each time I check them the wrench clicks at the exact same spot. If you're anchors are in fact "set" then there's no need IMO to have the base plate secured to the floor any more than enough to eliminate slop in the fasteners.

Now that's an interesting idea. I'm no engineer but I have to acknowledge the idea that if your anchors are set, that there shouldn't be a need to tighten down past the level needed to secure them.

I'd like to hear others chime in on this. Makes sense to me but I'm unsure. Let me start the debate by asking this: Why then do automotive bolts need to be torqued to certain degrees if just keeping them secure should work well enough?

Interesting thought, Bitbro.

 

[JCByrd24]

Not much to add to the maxjax anchor debate, I have a scissor lift and haven't touched the anchors since the day they were installed, but they basically do nothing on my lift.

In general bolts are torqued to higher degree than snug for a couple of reason, both of these very applicable in automobiles. 1) Being that you actually want clamping of 2 surfaces instead of shear in the bolts, e.g. a wheel to a hub. You eliminate the motion between the parts and provide the required connection strength, as opposed to just the latter. This has numerous advantages in many applications, like eliminating acceleration between the 2 parts which can drastically increase loading on the fasteners. If you've ever had a loose lug nuts you know things go crazy in a hurry. 2) In dynamic loading, by preloading the fastener you can reduce fatigue effects in the bolt. A bolt torqued to 2000lb preload can have a cyclical load of 0-2000 lbs applied repeatedly and the bolt will not experience fatigue because it always has the 2000lb applied.

 

[glennda5id]

Thanks Dennis. I went with the epoxy anchors too. It feels very solid.

Mike, how far apart did you mount your posts? I have an Outback along with a few other cars and I am trying to figure out the best location for everything.

 

[olytdi]

Not much to add to the maxjax anchor debate, I have a scissor lift and haven't touched the anchors since the day they were installed, but they basically do nothing on my lift.

In general bolts are torqued to higher degree than snug for a couple of reason, both of these very applicable in automobiles. 1) Being that you actually want clamping of 2 surfaces instead of shear in the bolts, e.g. a wheel to a hub. You eliminate the motion between the parts and provide the required connection strength, as opposed to just the latter. This has numerous advantages in many applications, like eliminating acceleration between the 2 parts which can drastically increase loading on the fasteners. If you've ever had a loose lug nuts you know things go crazy in a hurry. 2) In dynamic loading, by preloading the fastener you can reduce fatigue effects in the bolt. A bolt torqued to 2000lb preload can have a cyclical load of 0-2000 lbs applied repeatedly and the bolt will not experience fatigue because it always has the 2000lb applied.

Thanks for that info. Good stuff.

 

[rich g]

It's made for 8' or better.

Is that 8' to the door opener or 8' to the ceiling?

 

[shortykorte]

I got the call this morning that my maxjax will be delivered Monday. Will post delivery and install (hopefully sooner than later).

 

[Denwood]

Cleaned things up a bit: