Low Budget Lift Solution

Johnny5 · 08-28-2008, 03:54 PM

First off I know getting under a car can be dangerous but this setup makes me feel more comfortable than some. I've had one start coming down on me off ramps before so I'm a bit anxious putting it in the air.

I've been looking at lifts and at the kwik lifts and I basically couldn't justify the cost for either at the moment. However, I did need to get the car up high enough to pull the tranny out (comfortably). I looked online and saw a guy on a lexus forum or something that had done a stacked system and I just modified it for an F-body so that I can drive up on the first piece and easily get a floor jack to the cross member or rear end. It is supporting the car now with 325's out back with room on either side so it is plenty big enough.

Each piece is basically a 24" long and 16" wide unit. Each unit is built stackable so that it supports the other pieces and helps keep it all locked together.

The whole thing invlolved the following materials (I have the number of each piece at each length as well):
25 - 2"x4"x8'
24 Board feed of 2x12" (I had a guy cut 2 2x12x12 into 6' pieces to achive this)

I also used some 2x10 that I had sitting around for the ramp pieces on the first section but you could just get some additional 2x12. Either way you need 4 pieces, 16" long

2.5lbs of your favorite 2.5" screws
==========================
$100 +/-

Drive it up on the firs level. From there you jack it up to the next level in the front and then put the next section under the wheels. Repeat for the rear and you are good. In my case I had one more section to get it up high enough to pull the trans so I repeated that process again to put it up to the highest setting. Putting this thing together reminded me of playing Tetris.

Here are some pictures.

This picture shows the base level. Put one under each tire and drive up.

Piece #2

Piece #3 (Second Level) ... A bit higher than a rhino ramp and with wheel stops.

Picture shows 2/3 stacked. These go on top of the first piece.

Piece #4

Piece #4 Stacked on the pile

Piece #5 Again with wheel stops

Piece #5 Stacked

Johnny5 · 08-28-2008, 03:59 PM

The full stack is around 14" + 3" from the base which is under the tires already.

Here is the car up at the middle level.

Here is the car up to the highest level.

As you can see it is about 22-23" up to the bottom of the subframe. This works out about right for the trans jack that is a max of 24 1/2. At worst I may need a small board between the jack and trans to pull it.

So like I said this isn't as good as a lift but for about $100 it should do the job. I looked at the 12-ton jack stands that would go 30" +/- and they were about 80 for two.

DeepV · 08-28-2008, 04:25 PM

Nice setup, kind of reminds me of jenga.

Camaroholic · 08-28-2008, 04:28 PM

Looks good. Before I got my lift, I'd put the car on 4 Rhino Ramps, and then I had a secondary platform made from 4x4's and 2x12's that went on top of the front wheel Rhino Ramps. Pulled my transmissions a number of times with that setup, worked just fine.

02SOMWS6 · 08-28-2008, 08:47 PM

My low budget lift is my open car trailer. Drive up and crawl underneith.

built408 · 09-16-2008, 11:50 AM

Accident waiting to happen

chpmnsws6 · 09-16-2008, 12:26 PM

Now drill down two of the four sides of each stack and add a set of metal rods to make sure everything stays in place in the event that you get to shaking the car around alot.

It will cost another 10 dollars but will make your setup worlds safer

The Alchemist · 09-16-2008, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chpmnsws6

Now drill down two of the four sides of each stack and add a set of metal rods to make sure everything stays in place in the event that you get to shaking the car around alot.

It will cost another 10 dollars but will make your setup worlds safer

I agree with that thought. I did that with my 4 post lift. It's moveable, and doesn't need to be bolted down, but when I'm going to be working on the car with it in the air, I have holes drilled into the floor that I insert 8" long bolts into at each corner to make sure it doesn't move around on me.

Take your time and be careful.

Rich2279 · 09-19-2008, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepV

Nice setup, kind of reminds me of jenga.

lol, I was thinking that the whole time while reading this thread. Jenga

Kiddi · 09-19-2008, 03:29 PM

Wow this seems a bit scary to me.. I would rather put it on 4 wide steel wheels

I remember a guy that got killed in his garage.. goofing around with some sort of ramps. He was the father of one of my buddies when I was younger

Chevy-art · 09-19-2008, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chpmnsws6

Now drill down two of the four sides of each stack and add a set of metal rods to make sure everything stays in place in the event that you get to shaking the car around alot.

It will cost another 10 dollars but will make your setup worlds safer

If it makes it safer it is well worth it. I like the idea.

76LS1BIRD · 09-21-2008, 03:07 PM

I made this years ago.
16' x30'' Ramps
Dale

chpmnsws6 · 09-21-2008, 05:31 PM

I'm thinking about building a set of these out of 4x4's unless the 2x4's are really that much cheaper

mrhzk35404 · 09-21-2008, 09:48 PM

Why not just use jack stands and rhino ramps? That is what I did when I put my clutch in.

*98TransAm* · 09-21-2008, 09:55 PM

cool idea!!!!!

NemeSS · 09-21-2008, 10:37 PM

i would be nervous with that setup,
i keep a set of old salad shooters under the car when i put it on stnds.
at least the wheel will be a stop if the stands collapse

*98TransAm* · 09-21-2008, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NemeSS

i would be nervous with that setup,
i keep a set of old salad shooters under the car when i put it on stnds.
at least the wheel will be a stop if the stands collapse

i do the same thing except with some old cutlass wheels, i dont know i guess im a little paranoid.

Johnny5 · 09-22-2008, 02:42 AM

Just got the car off the ramps tonight with a bunch of work being done. No issues what so ever. The way the pieces stack they can't move around as is.

I guess if I had four old rims/tires that would be one thing. I don't think it would yield the same amount of clearance though. I could barely get the tranny out on my jack as it was just sliding the whole thing out from under the car.

The way I see it wood holds up your house and wont' just compress so it isn't like all four sides will squash down either. I dont' know but this was cheap and worked really well. I'm thinking about selling my rhino ramps now.

sway99bird · 09-22-2008, 07:10 AM

That's a pretty cool idea but like a guy said up above it reminds me on jenga!! lol

chpmnsws6 · 09-22-2008, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrhzk35404

Why not just use jack stands and rhino ramps? That is what I did when I put my clutch in.

Have both. Guess you've never had a jackstand start to tip on you..... Its NOT fun! I don't have a nice slab to work on (rock covered with a rubber mat) so thats why I'm looking at this setup. It has 10 times the footing a 6 ton jack stand does.