The Ultimate Creeper - "The Human Hoist"

[Boyd]

Anyone see this on Invention USA? Pretty dang cool. The 2 guys who built it are brother-in-laws that have been working on the design for years. Supposedly the price is around $1000. If I were a professional mechanic, I'd want one.

 

[Fyrme]

That is a pretty damn cool piece of equipment. It is a little bulky but a very nice compromise for a everyday mechanic. Not real practical for the home mechanic types unless you have disposable money. but for $1000, if I was a mechanic by trade, I'd likely spend it on that than on a tiny roll around Snap-on tool box.

 

[kered]

A couple stirrups & a few strategically placed straps & I could think of some pretty cool uses for it


Massive piece of engineering though

 

[Wastedwagesracing]

That is a pretty damn cool piece of equipment. It is a little bulky but a very nice compromise for a everyday mechanic. Not real practical for the home mechanic types unless you have disposable money. but for $1000, if I was a mechanic by trade, I'd likely spend it on that than on a tiny roll around Snap-on tool box.

Where id you find the price? Just wondering if they are actually for sale.

 

[Boyd]

Where id you find the price? Just wondering if they are actually for sale.

They just signed a manufacturing deal with DR Equipment. Not sure when they will come to market, but $1000 was the price everyone on the show agreed the target should be.

 

[Perrorojo]

Looks a little tall considering the truck in the video is on stands and blocks. Great idea and is probably better sold as a back and knee saver vs a creeper.

 

[Wastedwagesracing]

They just signed a manufacturing deal with DR Equipment. Not sure when they will come to market, but $1000 was the price everyone on the show agreed the target should be.

Cool thanks.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

Very innovative.

 

[woody 73]

Just my luck I would be under the darn thing and my hand would bump the control switch, as it raised under the car the next screaming might be...Help I fell and my squashed body can not get up!

Hello 911 "what is your emergency?"
" Wife talking " help my significant other is flat as a pancake under the car"
"do you want us to call the fire Dept?"
" No that will not be necessary he is squashed like a bug, maybe I can now
sell off his tools to make more room in the garage".

 

[RCRGarage]

I'd like to see how fast actually rises and lowers- the video was sped up. It looks to be not that fast, when I'm jamming at the shop, waiting even a few seconds for the creeper to lift up would make me pissed. El Passo.

 

[Boyd]

Looks a little tall considering the truck in the video is on stands and blocks. Great idea and is probably better sold as a back and knee saver vs a creeper.

On the show they hooked up accelerometers to one of the hosts knees, elbows, back, chest, etc. and measured the force his body took to go from a standing position to laying flat on a creeper. The readings on a standard creeper were around 1500lbs of total force exerted on the body. Then they did it using the human hoist; the readings were 1/10th of the conventional creeper. I thought that was pretty amazing considering how many times a day a mechanic performs that movement.

 

[Fyrme]

As a young mechanic with one of these, it would add years to your body's physical health. I find my self taking more time to get up and down off my back than I did in my 20's.

 

[e-tek]

Need one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Slackerzinc]

On my wish list!

 

[signcrafter]

I think for around 500 they would sell like crazy but a grand is pretty steep for that. I think it's a great idea and the older I get the more usefull these things are. I hate when I'm working under a car and forget a tool or need a different tool. By the end of the day my knees and back hurt. Hopefully it will come down in price a little after some time on the market.

 

[BrokewrenchLS1]

I think for around 500 they would sell like crazy but a grand is pretty steep for that. I think it's a great idea and the older I get the more usefull these things are. I hate when I'm working under a car and forget a tool or need a different tool. By the end of the day my knees and back hurt. Hopefully it will come down in price a little after some time on the market.

For the machining of the parts, and the off-the-shelf parts they'd be using, I don't think they'll be making major profit selling them at $1000.

Definitely a neat bit of engineering.

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

Add in propulsion from a wheelchair and you could live in the thing. If it's as good as it looks it could become a major aid for some handicapped people and a sort of lifestyle extender for old, stiff car nuts...
There is a lot of research on right now for robotic exoskeletons for people with severe mobility issues (as well as soldiers carrying lots of equipment)...this could become a very similar sort of aid for people with some levels of mobility problems. It at least looks to be well enough engineered to go far beyond the original market intent.

 

[91bronc300]

Great piece of engineering and all but it reminds me of this:

 

[signcrafter]

For the machining of the parts, and the off-the-shelf parts they'd be using, I don't think they'll be making major profit selling them at $1000.

Definitely a neat bit of engineering.

You may be right, I was just saying 1000 bucks probably isn't going to sell a ton of them. I'm just a weekend mechanic but I could probably justify one for 500 bucks to save wear and tear on my body. A grand I can't justify, just don't have that kind of money laying around. I think it's a great idea and product and hopefully over time the price will come down. The other part that concerns me would be the 18 volt rechargable batteries in how long they will last and how many cycles can they be recharged.

 

[andywander]

It does look neat, but it says it will stop at any position......I guess you better hope it's all the way down before you scoot under the car.....

 

[bobadame]

Would you pay a grand for one made in the USA or $299 for a Harbor freight version? I hate to even ask.

 

[Journaler]

I'm not a professional mechanic, but I'd still like to have that around the shop.

 

[Monte]

cool !!!!!!!!

 

[signcrafter]

Would you pay a grand for one made in the USA or $299 for a Harbor freight version? I hate to even ask.

I probably wouldn't buy either. I can't afford 1000 for a USA one and I don't think I would trust a HF one for a number of reasons. I wouldn't expect HF batteries to last more than 6 months. Wouldn't trust HF to be able to raise up and down that well either. I try to buy US whenever I can, bought the kids US made Kamik winter boots last night. I always had sorel when I was a kid but they were made in vietnam I believe. But some things I can't justify spending a grand on.

I did buy a set of US made knee pads that are amazing for 250 bucks. I have bad knees and these take all the weight off your knees, http://proknee.com/. Well worth it for putting a floor in if you have bad knees.

 

[2oolhound]

It should have 3 positional arms that adjust to hold a transmission or transfer case so you could pull it right out and wheel it to the bench.

 

[zakmartin]

The dude in that video is flying around on that thing like he's on Honey Boo-Boo's Go-Go Juice.

 

[txdiesel15]

Cool Idea, Great Technology! As a professional technician, I think I've only laid on my back to do work, maybe 10 times in the past 6 years. To have that at the house would be amazing though!

 

[neonnblack]

i bet a huge market for this would be retiree's with knee and back issues that like working on their cars, but is difficult.

 

[srmofo]

At $1000, you could spend another $500 and have a lift.

I think it would be more handy for guys working at home then professionals in a shop setting with lifts. Unless youre in a heavy line that doesnt raise vehicles unless you absolutely have to.

 

[kythri]

Just my luck I would be under the darn thing and my hand would bump the control switch, as it raised under the car the next screaming might be...

So, yeah, this seems like a legit issue - I'm curious how it's mitigated?

 

[lithdoc]

The machinery and engineering looked really complex! I'd say $1000 seems rather low for this. I'm also rather skeptical about it making to market, but we'll see.

 

[dirtbikedude]

WOW. i need one

 

[shampoop]

Looks really cool till you remember a lift doesn't cost much more than that. And no matter how effortless it is to get up and down, working on a car on the ground still absolutely blows compared to working on a car on a lift. Seriously, when a car is on a lift it doesn't even feel like "work". Working on the ground is usually pretty frustrating.

 

[sensei_]

id want one

 

[luvit]

somethings can't go on a lift... like buses, farm implements, and heavy line.

.

 

[Boyd]

At $1000, you could spend another $500 and have a lift.

I think it would be more handy for guys working at home then professionals in a shop setting with lifts. Unless youre in a heavy line that doesnt raise vehicles unless you absolutely have to.

Looks really cool till you remember a lift doesn't cost much more than that. And no matter how effortless it is to get up and down, working on a car on the ground still absolutely blows compared to working on a car on a lift. Seriously, when a car is on a lift it doesn't even feel like "work". Working on the ground is usually pretty frustrating.

Not every garage has room/overhead clearance for a lift.

 

[csargents1546]

I want one!!!!!!

 

[Danglerb]

I don't see it coming to market for $1000 retail, but I know a lot of mechanics with bad backs where money might not be a big factor.

OTOH I have a midrise lift, which puts most under the car work at stool height.

Could be this is a thing you would have to try to know if it would work for you.

 

[Fastbird]

My bad lower back just screamed with relief at the sight of that. WOW. I'll never be able to afford it but I can dream right?

 

[badnabor]

Well I don't know about the price point, but I think it would be handy. Just moved it up from "want" to "need". My bad knees & back might be clouding my judgement!