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Pallet rack workbench...how to lift?

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TitaniumFryCook

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"long time listener....first time caller..."

I'm looking for some advice on how to lift an approx 10'w x 7'h x 3'd pallet rack that I use as a workbench.

I'm in the middle of installing Racedeck flooring over a 20 year old epoxy job in my residential 3 car garage. The one tricky section (for me) is to install the flooring under a pallet rack that I use for storage and as a workbench. Being lazy, I'd like to avoid completely removing everything from the pallet rack - there's a lot of **** on there. Being even more lazy, I'm not sure I'll even bother installing tiles under the entire rack. Instead, I think I'll focus on getting a full set of tiles under 2 of the 4 legs (the two front legs) and laying those full tiles across the front of the pallet rack from left to right.

So, I think what I really need to do is a controlled tip of the pallet rack versus completely picking it up an moving it. But how?

My current idea is to use a strap and a floor jack. Wrap the strap around one of the lower cross members and see if I can jack/tilt the pallet rack several inches. However, the cross members are made to slip out of the uprights on either side of the rack via slots and pins. I'm concerned that once I start lifting, the cross members will slip out instead of lift the rack from the ground.

Any other ideas?

Thanks,
John

P.S. Yes, the pallet rack is currently a sh$t show! :)

IMG_2580.jpg
 
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nadogail

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My only thoughts are it should be done very carefully, Some pallet racking is basically snapped together and the system relies on Gravity for stability.
 
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CSRPenFab

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If it was me, I'd put the tiles right up to the front edge and allow your needed 3/8" expansion gap. Who cares if there are tiles under the bench? If you ever relocate the bench, it's a 5 minute job to snap in the missing tiles. I tiled underneath my large bench, but I was able to lift/drag it out of the way to complete the install.
 
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benjy

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Need some pictures of the sides. I think I'd bolt an anchor of some type into the holes on the uprights down low & use bottle jacks to lift slowly. Once up, 2x4 blocks under the corners like jack stands.

Need more pics
 
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Gutman

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Can't make out the specific joint configuration from your picture, but could clamping a piece of stock to constrain upper movement the cross member work?
Also, consider a chuck of flooring under all four legs to keep as close to level.
 
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TitaniumFryCook

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Thank you for the replies.

One reason to insert the tiles under the legs is just to avoid a bunch of cuts (I said I was lazy, right?). In addition, although I've lived with it for 20 years, the workbench doesn't sit level due to the slope of the garage floor. The tiles under the front legs would potentially solve this - tiles could be too thick too - but I haven't measured accurately yet.

I do like the look of those wheels, FTG-05. It would take some doing but sure would be handy. I'd have to completely empty the rack so that I could move it and get proper access to all four legs. Right now the rack is pushed tightly into a corner.

I think cutting/tiling around the legs is probably the right answer. I can still level the rack with another material if I need to. A little bit more cutting isn't a big deal.

Thanks again!
 
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jpaw

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Some rack has provisions to bolt the rails in place or a properly placed bolt and washer above the rail should work.
 
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LXCam

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Just bolt a piece of 4” x 4” angle to the side of the uprights and use a floor jack to lift it up one side at a time.
 
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Spud McGee

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It looks like its backed into a corner? How do you plan on lifting up that back corner? Is there room to get a jack back there?
 
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Beefmaster

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I don't know if I would do this, but: Run a chain between the two front legs. Attach a come-along to the middle of the chain and tilt it back so the front legs come off the ground an inch or so to give you clearance for the tile.
 
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LXCam

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Spud McGee said:
It looks like its backed into a corner? How do you plan on lifting up that back corner? Is there room to get a jack back there?
Click to expand...
That's why I suggested the angle. He can bolt it to the inside of that side.

So a pictures worth a thousand words right?
stuid pet tricks.jpgDo I got mad excel skills or what :spit:
 
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gearhead1

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A floor jack will do it. I just did this a couple weeks ago in the attached garage on the house similar to the diagram LXCam posted. I removed a wire rack in between two pallet racks to put in two closed door cabinets. I had to make the gap about 16” wider. There happened to be cross beam on the pallet rack upright close to the ground. Given the pallet rack was loaded, I cut a scrap piece of 2x4 to fit right under the horizontal cross beam all the way to the verticals. The wood spreads out the load as I didn’t want the cross beam to permanently bend. I jacked each end up just so the pallet rack feet were barely off the floor, then pulled the jack on one end. Voila - pallet rack moved over 18”.

In your case, you could lift one end at a time. That is less risky than lifting one side at a time. If I was only lifting one end, I could have lifted the height of the jack, things may slide or fall off the shelf, but it wouldn’t tip.
 
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TitaniumFryCook

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Great replies...thank you.

Yes, the rack is currently backed into a corner. I wasn't thinking of lifting all four corners of the pallet rack....only the front two. Additionally, my plan was to lift those two front legs at the same time...by lifting in the middle of one of the orange cross beams. Although the rack is sitting in the corner, it is off the back wall 8" or so for a vent chase that is behind it (it's about 18" tall). I think there's enough room that I could tilt the entire rack back on its back feet and get the front legs off the ground the couple of inches I need to slip the tiles under.

Having said all that, I do think I will just tile around the entire rack, which is probably the safest option. And I won't need to worry about deforming the tiles either. After all this discussion I may just try it to move it though!
 
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Spud McGee

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If you have 8" of room, you can fit a toe jack between the rack and the wall. You may need to come up with an extension for the handle to be able to pump it and then release it when you're done.
 
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hampster

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Thanks for the link to those specific wheels. I'd seen the idea before but Amazon reviews of other sellers generally said the wheels were poor quality. Glad someone is finally making better quality ones. Going to buy a set for my small welding table.
 
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nadogail

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First, weld the sections pallet racking together, 6011 Electrode should be fine, then jack it up and put a sandwich of steel plates with a grease filling under each leg.
It should then slide easily; you may have to repeat the sandwich installation and repositioning several times.
 
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rsanter

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I have us d floor jacks to lift and even move them many times.

The cross beams have a hole for bolts that will secure them from getting lifted from their slots.
Bolt them up and then lift
 
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