New Workshop Planned

[Arjan]

Bonjour All !

Next year, we hope to start the build of a new workshop - about 7,5 x 8 mtrs and about 4 mtrs. high.

Ideally, I'd like to install a ramp.

Pref. a scissor type one so I have a flat floor when not in use.

Does anybody here have experience with them, what to avoid and what sort of money they fetch.

We have both single and 3 phase..

 

[landroversforever]

Soren has a scissor type one, that's portable once its down.

I'm interested too as my workshop is only really about 1 bay... if I put a permanent lift in I wouldn't be able to put more than one vehicle in there in the future.

[Bowie69]

Put one vehicle in, raise it, drive other one under

[elbekko]

Or put some blocks on the other side of the lift and drive over it.

[landroversforever]

Well that sort of works... but doesn't let you work on one with the other in there easily, without shuffling about.

 

[Cynic-al]

The only think I have against them is they limit access to the gubbins underneath, they're great for working on brakes etc but they are a bit awkward for exhausts, transfer boxes etc. The ones I've always fancied are the ones which are like an individual lifting post on a pallet truck. You can store them at the side of the garage then when you want them put either one under each wheel or one under each sill, connect them together and lift. It's a 2 post and a 4 post in one with no permanent floor space required. You can get very cheap manual ratchet type ones all the way upto ones for trucks and buses.

 

A bit like these;

http://www.maxjaxusa.com/dannmar-maxjax-standard-package.html

[Arjan]

I know this is going to be a one car at a time workshop...

Deep Sigh and a somewhat sad look on my face..

Back in Holland I had 590 M2 (or about 6350 Sq.Ft. in your money) with 3 ramps, compressors, hydraulics and.... Heating ! Shared the space with a life long friend who's seriously into Jags & Morris (remember the artic trailer...)

But this is what it is and more than many so, open for suggestions.

I have seen / talked to Soren a while back about hos ramp and it looks promising what he has.. But I need to choose carefully as, apart from the money, it will need to lift 2,5 tonnes of vehicle and that rules out many on offer..

[steve b]

If it is mainly Land Rover then the 4 post Bradbury with wheel free beams are pretty useful and not dear used or a good quality 2 post ~ 4.5T , those move-able units look really useful , giving total flexibility . Scissor lifts don't allow much access to the underside between the wheels .

What a great project to have pencilled in your calendar .

........and Ross if you get it done you won't need to have space for two

cheers

Steve b

[Arjan]

Thanks guys - pls keep it coming.

I've had 4 posters and if the space is big enough they're fine.

In my case, I think it is just too small to have them 4 poles standing there all the time.

Due to the way things are build, I can make something like this sit flush in the floor.

Make the 2 ramps sit flush in the floor - easy when pushing dead vehicles on - and less obstructive when not in use..

Or am I missing something ?

 

 

[Retroanaconda]

You say at least 7.5 metres wide, that’s about 24 feet. A Land Rover is only 7’ wide, say 10’ including the ramp uprights - so plenty of space around it surely?

Unless you have a constraint with regard to positioning of door(s) etc. perhaps?

With that amount of width, I’d have thought a good setup would be two vehicle ‘bays’. One with the 4-post ramp and one just bare flat floor. With enough length to play with you might get away with one central 10’ wide roller shutter door, or similar.

[JohnnoK]

I don't know if the regs will allow it, but what about repurposing a forklift's lift gear with arms that recess into the floor so you can drive over them?

It will tuck up against the wall nicely and be out of the way.

[miketomcat]

4 hours ago, JohnnoK said:

I don't know if the regs will allow it, but what about repurposing a forklift's lift gear with arms that recess into the floor so you can drive over them?

It will tuck up against the wall nicely and be out of the way.

Now there' an interesting idea I like that.

Mike

[landroversforever]

There was one on the Garage Journal forum, he made a single post lift out of a forklift front.

[Cynic-al]

The tyre place I use has a scissor lift recessed in the floor, you wouldn't know it's there until they lift a car with it. They have thick rubber mats over it to protect the cars which hides it well. It seems a bit of a fiddle getting the car in the right place but I guess that's because they're lifting on car sills and don't want to damage any of the underneath. They're also only interested in getting the wheels off not working underneath. For wheel alignment and exhausts they always use a 4-post. The scissor is too restrictive underneath. They also use the air jacks for getting wheels off, they impress me too!

A friend has a forklift which he uses for lifting cars (amongst other things). He's made a parking bay between two sheds that it reverses into, drives over the tines then lifts the car. He's made some props which he then lowers under the tines onto for safety before he works on the car. He has wooden blocks he positions under sills to try protect them when lifting. The only downside is the lift capacity of a forklift is usually based on the weight at 0.5m from the heel, car's are more like a meter so you need a fair size forklift to lift a car. The tines also tend to be relatively close together so things can be a bit tippy especially if your removing gearboxes etc, again unless you've got a good sized forklift. The tines can also get in the way of transfer boxes etc whereas a 2 post leaves the under side completely exposed. Converting a mast is a great idea though!

[miketomcat]

I suppose there's nothing stopping you making some posts that bolt to the four corners of the scissors giving you perhaps a foot of clearance from the platform to chassis.

Mike

[landroversforever]

The chap that owns the forklift at the farm regularly has cars on it for either working on or cutting the cat off and draining the fuel before scrapping.

 

[andyb]

Many moons ago I worked in a rural garage (think converted barns) I worked off a scissor lift that was recessed into the floor. There where rubber blocks for lift cars by the sills. We used cross beams and rubber blocks under the chassis for LRs and similar. Swapping clutches and gearboxes was not an issue on that lift. Did, LR90, Discovery and Jimny on it. 

For general servicing they are a lot less of a pain then a 2 or 4 post lift. IME the post are often in the wrong place!

If pennies are short but you have the head room (assume you do if you are considering a lift) then the drive on display ramps seen on forecourts now-a-days seem like a good option. 

 

[Arjan]

Thank you all !

I have been looking at a scissor lift with 5 mtr. long ramps - so the vehicle drives on and is actually lifted on the 4 wheels.

That one had also a "slider" with a jack option.

But its SWL was only 2,000 kgs. and the 110 is 25 % over that....

Hmm...

[landroversforever]

1 hour ago, Arjan said:

Thank you all !

I have been looking at a scissor lift with 5 mtr. long ramps - so the vehicle drives on and is actually lifted on the 4 wheels.

That one had also a "slider" with a jack option.

But its SWL was only 2,000 kgs. and the 110 is 25 % over that....

Hmm...

They're one of my favourite ones.... but expensive for a big one! 

 

2 hours ago, andyb said:

Many moons ago I worked in a rural garage (think converted barns) I worked off a scissor lift that was recessed into the floor. There where rubber blocks for lift cars by the sills. We used cross beams and rubber blocks under the chassis for LRs and similar. Swapping clutches and gearboxes was not an issue on that lift. Did, LR90, Discovery and Jimny on it. 

For general servicing they are a lot less of a pain then a 2 or 4 post lift. IME the post are often in the wrong place!

If pennies are short but you have the head room (assume you do if you are considering a lift) then the drive on display ramps seen on forecourts now-a-days seem like a good option. 

 

This is what a friend uses on the farm.... useful when there's a telehandler to move them out the way.  I'm wondering about building a fixed set with removable ramps as they can then be stacked out the way when not being used. stood on end maybe.

[Arjan]

I can have them sunk in the floor - that is why I'd love to go for the scissor type.

Empty floor - no obstacles

The Mrs. told me that once the new hay storage is finished, we can start with the workshop.

 

Need to think about heating the thing....

[UdderlyOffroad]

I’ve gone round this loop somewhat when seeing what I could put in my ‘vapour’ garage at the bottom of the garden.

Height issues notwithstanding, the biggest problem with the recessed into the floor ramps, as I see it, is that they are more money than a mid-range ‘CE marked’ chinesium 2 or 4 poster.  Add in the requirement to have you or your builder mess around getting the recesses correct and the cost starts to mount.  Whereas a low cost 4 poster just bolts to the floor, and can store a ‘project’ vehicle up in the air and you can park underneath it.  Always assuming you can get planning permission for a building tall enough, that is*.

I know you crave an open working space Arjan…but in your previous projects you’ve mentioned you have a ‘decent’ amount of space/land where you are.  Surely it’s cheaper in the long run to create a dedicated covered space for a four poster lift and be done with it?  In my head, you’re then not making as many compromises with the lift either, and you can do pretty much anything safely on a 4x4 with a four poster.  Additionally, you can get small tractors/trailers/equipment etc up to a decent working height.  Try doing that with a 2 poster, or even a drive over ramp device.

That said, if you’re going to do an interesting build thread on integrating one of these things…don’t let me talk you out of it!!

Finally, you mentioned about not having to work on more than one vehicle at a time.  Good luck with that, I’ve never managed it :-)

Matt

*Am sure someone will be along shortly to link to Simon/X-eng’s lifting roof device!

[Arjan]

Thank you all - please keep the thoughts coming..

- Scissor lift or 4 post ? Good points raised

- size is what I wrote. Once things are a bit more organized outside I'll make some pics but the 7,5 x 8 is basically what it will be - height about 4 mtrs. Not so much due to planning (this is rural France) but to where it is going to be

- Doors is something needs to be looked into..

[Scotts90]

I've mulled this topic over several times. Regardless of what you go for any of the options are better than lying on your back with a crick in your neck trying to do stuff. I'm sure we've all suffered the joy of weld spatter in ears or running down sleeves lol.

I did a fuel filter head on an RRS the other night from ramps and off-road height selected...bloody nightmare.

A plus point for a two poster over a four....with a two you can do body off stuff ( think full body off a defender in one go, or a d3/RRS). It really depends on what you foresee as its main use.

I would dearly love to install a ramp bay up the back of my shed with a spray booth next to it. 

[miggit]

On 09/11/2017 at 2:27 AM, JohnnoK said:

I don't know if the regs will allow it, but what about repurposing a forklift's lift gear with arms that recess into the floor so you can drive over them?

It will tuck up against the wall nicely and be out of the way.

If you were to do this, you have to convert the ram to anti burst, that way if a hose went pop, you wouldn't be left feeling a little flat .. I'm not too sure what is involved, but I know a lot of telehandlers have them fitted, so it's not rocket science

[FridgeFreezer]

As Miggit says, the thing with using bits not designed for the purpose is the potential for dropping a car on yourself...

4-posters are cheap enough used, 2-posters are no longer a novelty.

Only issue with the "portable" ones is you've got to "park" them somewhere when they're out of use. A 4-poster you can just leave a car on it, or one on it and one under it...