Scissor lift install questions

[comquat1]

I am in the process of looking at getting a scissor lift for my garage. I found out you can source the harbor freight unit for under $1000 shipped where I live with those 25% off coupons they have. Anyways, I have a few questions...

I have a spancrete garage and this will be going in the upper garage. I am guessing I have around 4 inches of concrete poured on top of the spancrete. I have no idea what the PSI is of the concrete. I was thinking of positioning this on some thin steel plate to spread the pressure out a bit. Is this thinking correct or am I crazy? There's no option of putting this in the basement garage as I can't get my vehicles down there anyways, so it would have to be top floor. Or should I have no issues as the combined thickness of the spancrete and the top pour are thick enough to cover any concerns?

Here's a link to the unit I'm looking at.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6000-lb-capacity-scissor-lift-91315.html

 

[Jagmandave]

FWIW, I don't think you can use the 25% coupon on those, IIRC I called the store and asked them as I was looking for one also. Double check on that.....

I wound up finding a nice, clean, well cared for used one for $600.

I don't think you'd need the steel plate either, as long as the concrete's good and you're not trying to lift too much. My heaviest car only weighs about 3800lbs.

 

[zkling]

I'd try to find something large name brand and good condition used for less.

Dave, I didn't realize you had a lift? Is it in your garage? I thought you didn't have room for one during your reorganization or am I thinking of someone else?

 

[comquat1]

Interesting in that I just looked at the local craigslist and the cheapest I see is for $1000 for a used one that's been rebuilt.

 

[comquat1]

FWIW, I don't think you can use the 25% coupon on those, IIRC I called the store and asked them as I was looking for one also. Double check on that.....

I wound up finding a nice, clean, well cared for used one for $600.

I don't think you'd need the steel plate either, as long as the concrete's good and you're not trying to lift too much. My heaviest car only weighs about 3800lbs.

In your opinion, I'm looking at lifting a 2013 f150 crew cab... If I recall correctly I'm at around 5800lbs already, I'll be pushing the max on the lift I'm sure. I don't sense my concrete is bad, just thought some steel plate would spread the load out a bit on the one side.

 

[Jack Olsen]

I would put something down to protect where the rollers roll. Other than that, I don't think you have anything to worry about with that load.

 

[JakeKohl]

I'm usually one of the last ones to jump in here and talk about hiring an engineer/architect to look at it but this is one of those cases where you are moving a spread load (car over four tires) to a more tightly concentrated load on a suspended concrete structure. I'm an engineer (M.E., but not qualified to evaluate this) and you are probably fine as long as the lift sits on the surface and isn't bolted in or recessed into the floor in any way..but it may be worth a couple $100 to get someone to look at the structure and confirm that it won't be a problem. The failure mode is just so severe that it would be worth checking.

 

[comquat1]

I would put something down to protect where the rollers roll. Other than that, I don't think you have anything to worry about with that load.

Good to know... now just to decide if I really want one. I usually do all my washing in my two stall area of my garage and store and service on the four post in the third stall but this will have to sit somewhere in the two stall area.... debating if it's worth it for washing a car around it.

For those that move them out of the way, how much of a pain is it to move these?

 

[comquat1]

I'm usually one of the last ones to jump in here and talk about hiring an engineer/architect to look at it but this is one of those cases where you are moving a spread load (car over four tires) to a more tightly concentrated load on a suspended concrete structure. I'm an engineer (M.E., but not qualified to evaluate this) and you are probably fine as long as the lift sits on the surface..but it may be worth a couple $100 to get someone to look at the structure and confirm that it won't be a problem. The failure mode is just so severe that it would be worth checking.

When I got my four post I did do this to confirm the span could handle holding two 3000-4000 lb cars along with the lift and was told it would not be an issue. The four post is a direct lift with roughly 12 inch steel plate feet so the weight of the car on the lift is spread out over area greater than what a tire contact patch would be. However I see how these scissor lifts work and realize at least on the rolling side that at least half the weight of the vehicle will be concentrated on the rollers. I'll have to make a call to the spancrete guys next week and see what they say.

 

[Jagmandave]

I'd try to find something large name brand and good condition used for less.

Dave, I didn't realize you had a lift? Is it in your garage? I thought you didn't have room for one during your reorganization or am I thinking of someone else?

I just got it, and no I don't have room for a regular 2 post, I found a mid rise scissor lift - I have about 3 ft of height over my Jag and a little less for my MINI, but that's still way better than jack and stands!

In this pic the distance to the garage door opener box/motor is about 7'4"

View media item 35158
Here's a couple of pics of the new (to me) lift....

View media item 35350
View media item 35352
I looked for a long time to get this one, most of the used ones I saw had been used hard and not cared for and were priced over $1000. This one belonged to a fellow gearhead who was replacing it with a 2-post. I was happy to find it on CL.

Comquat, I don't know how comfortable I'd be going to the limits of the lift, but the guy I bought this one from (it's a 6K limit too) had a 2012 F-150 that he lifted on it regularly too.

In my garage moving it around is best accomplished with two people, but on a good flat smooth floor I think one person could easily move it, it rolls really easy. I agree with Jack Olsen, a steel plate under the rollers wouldn't hurt anything.

 

[comquat1]

The only thing that stinks about the harbor freight lift is it only comes with one low set of pads, nothing higher for trucks which is what I would primarily use this for. Does anyone know of other scissors whose pads will fit on this for higher vehicles?

 

[zkling]

I just got it, and no I don't have room for a regular 2 post, I found a mid rise scissor lift - I have about 3 ft of height over my Jag and a little less for my MINI, but that's still way better than jack and stands!

Cool, congrats. I bet that is much nicer than the jack stands.
Did you get rid of you old SO box setup I don't see it in the pics?

The only thing that stinks about the harbor freight lift is it only comes with one low set of pads, nothing higher for trucks which is what I would primarily use this for. Does anyone know of other scissors whose pads will fit on this for higher vehicles?

If you could find the dimensions of the arms on the HF unit, you could compare them to the larger name units. One would think that they would use a common dimension, but that is HF again. It wouldn't be hard to make up a set of risers, if you are proficient with a mig welder.

Personally I'd probably go with some steel plate under the rollers. I have the opportunity to occasonially use a mid rise lift and the rollers have done a number on the concrete over the years. But I guess that would be kinda specific depending on how brittle your concrete is.

 

[Jagmandave]

The PO of my lift had it in place since 2005, I saw no damage to his concrete...although there were some marks, but the concrete wasn't damaged....still, a steel plate would protect it, you're right.

zkling, my Snap On and all the other boxes went into the basement - they're going to wind up being storage boxes down there I think.