I see you stressed the 'old'...LOL. Gotta tell ya though it has been really helpful so far. Simple, cheap and functional. It covers all the bases for a lazy guy !! Thanks for the comment and have a nice week.
Hahahahaha....I figured you'd pick up on that right real quick Matt... LOL I got this one that was newly installed in a business that went out of business before they opened. Then my buddy bought the building and sold all five brand new two post lifts except for this one and I traded him a little work even money for it. So the whole thing is pretty much a low budget project for me. LOL.
Hahahaha....Peewee, you are right about that. She was so happy to see how easy it was to wire brush, primer and paint two of her expanded metal outdoor tables. Thanks for the kind comment as well as for the visit today.
With all the implement you just enumerated, it`s just hard to believe you got along without it for so many years.... good I would like to say .....invention and at the farm, they maybe will find some use for this modification.....CHEERS
For years and years Gator I worked on everything on the gravel in front of the old shed. But there WAS a short period of time when I worked on stuff inside the shed so I built an overhead lift with a couple old fashioned cast iron chain hoists on the I-beam. I pulled engines under that hoist many times until the shed got filled with tools and shelves etc and possibly a permanently installed 66 Mustang coupe right under the hoist. LOL. The sliding adjustment is a little tricky the first time you do it but after that, its a snap.
You did and OUTSTANDING steel fabrication and construction Sir !!! Great yellow painting !!! It is amazing universal mission tasking !!! Keep up your great works and have a safe week Sir Cheers !!!
THAT....and sore knees. LOL. A darn four wheeler or riding mower is always at the WRONG height for engine work. That problem is now dealt with. Thanks for the visit.
A fella can never have enough scrap iron. This is the remnants of a pile I got off a construction site. During construction, instead of stringing cables between the I-beams on the second floor to meet OSHA safety requirements, this general contractor rung it with 8'' channel iron bolted in place. As the wall skins went up, this metal came down and it was given to me by the superintendent on the job. I've used it for a lot of projects so far and still have a bit more in 20' lengths. I never say no to a good offer....but then again never to one not so good as well. LOL
Hi Wendell! What a great idea and well designed addition to your car lift! Awesome fabrication as always! Your car lift is now way more versatile. Thanks for sharing!
Hahahaha...yeah Dave it was a good quick and simple but very useful adaption. Wait until you see the project I've got going on right now...... No, I'm not gonna spill the beans...LOL
Hahahaha....that's one of those fancy schmancy 'Tervis' cups with lifetime warranty that I've broken about a dozen of. I have yet to get a free replacement though. I've got a whole box of them now...LOL Yeah, I'm a little rough on cups I guess.
Ain't nothing worse than a hot day and a gravel driveway to lay on and working on something hard to get to with one hand. LOL. This took almost all that out of the equation on many projects now. Thanks Danny for the visit and the comment.
Wendle, you never cease to amaze me with your ingenious ideas. I sure would love to have access to my smaller Massey under bottom. That lift would make things so convenient. Enjoyed a full-watch. Be well my friend and enjoy the remainder of your week. Semper Fi! 👍🏽🙂 Don
Thank you Don, for the kind words my friend. It sure has been a great addition so far. I've not made the motorcycle accessory to the adaption yet, but that too will help a lot. Have a great week too Don. S/F
Good to see you Wendel, nice to have that lift, hard to crawl around under small tractor's . The older I get the higher my work needs to be lol. Take care buddy.
Hahahahaha.....my thoughts exactly. I find my knees are getting like the old gray mare...they ain't what they used to be. LOL. Thanks for stopping in my friend. Happy wood cutting this week !!
I have been using my two post lift for my lawn mowers and lawn tractors for several years now. Very handy, especially so since I got a zero turn which is easily double the weight of my largest lawn tractor.
That's cool Bill. I've been thinking of making something like this ever since I installed it a couple years ago. Do you have a factory supplied adaptor or just lift it with the four lifing points...?? Or maybe fab up something similar to this one. Thanks for the input. Its good to know others try to maximize their shop machinery too.
Yes, the adjustment is necessary as the wheel width changes from one project to another. Now, its not intended for use with your 3000 or my 2000 Ford, but I'm sure there's no problem with compact tractors up to 30 hp or more.
It IS a bit limited for working directly under the mower deck. But for engine work on a mower or a four wheeler and even servicing a motorcycle or compact tractor without getting down on the floor its great ! Its really easy to adjust with a helper. I stop the implement in front of the lift then adjust to the tire spacing without measuring. The first time adjusting the spacing for the needed width is a bit tenuous, but after you figure out the technique it is not a problem at all. Thanks for watching and commenting, I do appreciate your time.
It's a bit easier with a helper, but it really IS a good addition to the car lift. I've been thinking of a way to make one for the Harley or other big bikes too.
I just got my first 2 post lift and was looking around the interwebs for a lawn mower adaptor. I love your simple design. I wish I had some channel iron laying around.
It IS a bit limited for working directly under the mower deck. But for engine work on a mower or a four wheeler and even servicing a motorcycle or compact tractor without getting down on the floor its great ! The first time adjusting the spacing for the needed width is a bit tenuous, but after you figure out the technique it is not a problem at all. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Hahahaha....thanks DaveyJO. I'm editing a video right this minute of the repair that was the impetus behind making this adapter. I spent two days on my knees working on a 26 hp Briggs V-Twin and just thought there has GOT to be a better way !! Good morning my friend and I am tippin my cuppa JO towards you and the lovely Nurse Alice !!
I use a 4-post hoist, as I bought it mainly for storing my Mini Cooper ( summer weather driving toy ) up off the floor, with my Buddy's car under it for the winter months. I have modified the ramp too so that I may use the hoist to service my smaller wheeled equipment ( as you have ) with one length of 10 inch channel to allow for the narrower wheel spacing. This is a nice adaption for a two post. Good job!
Leave it to you to be ahead of the curve with a cool adaption Reg. I expect nothing less of you. LOL. I always thought those Mine Coopers were neat fun looking little cars though I've never had a ride in one. Have a wonderful day up there in God's country...
@@tractorman4461 I'm still waiting for you to have that thought of " God's country" proved by you, all roads lead North and then East! LOL Cheers brother!
@@regsparkes6507 The Missus has been suggesting for a couple years for us to incorporate a great long road trip encompassing a large circle of the Canadian provinces. Sooooo.....one of these days.....
@@tractorman4461You will need plenty of time and a decent budget for fuel etc. as this country is some 4100 miles from end to end, In this case then maybe you could save the best for last.
Very cool project!! I am very jealous! 😂😂😂 When you were talking about making the rear post adjustable, I got a picture in my mind on how to make it adjustable. The next part of the video was exactly how I envisioned it!! 👍👍👍 You might want to make both channels able to accept the bar for tying down the motorcycles in case you need to work exclusively on the right side of a bike. Just a thought. 👍👍👍
That's a good thought for sure. The reason I was capitalizing on that one is that most guys 'walk' a bike up a ramp from the left side for some reason. But....because these are easily adjustable to fit the center to center dimensions of the lifting arms, the motorcycle adaptor will work on either set of arm on either side.....I think. LOL Odd that you mention the right side of a bike because my 97 Valkyrie with the horizontal six cylinder has a six carb carburetor assembly that the ONLY way I found to get it off as one assembly is from the right side. And guess what that bike needs to be put back on the road....yep, two days of carb service coming right up !!
I picked up a Heftee 4000 lbs lift from a government auction. Looks like a huge manual fork material lift. I've used it for my SxS which made the fluid change super easy. Now I don't have the SxS and probably should get rid of the Heftee lift for an automotive style lift like you have.
That sounds like the Heftee did what you needed it to do so that's a good thing. I really really like this two post lift. And with the 8'' channels for the compact tractors and the lawn mowers it's really an awesome adaption to the shop. The main thing on the two posts is good 3/4'' x 6'' anchors in good thick concrete. The way I made this one is really easy to adjust with a helper. I plan on using ONE side of the lift to secure a motorcycle for service too.
@@tractorman4461 I would be very interested to see how you solve the motorcycle lift adapter. I was wondering how best to do that with a 2 post lift. For the Heftee all I would need to do is slide the forks together and mount a harbor freight motorcycle front wheel holder. I suspect a 500lbs bike or bigger would not be good to lift with just one post carriage. Maybe you need matching ballast on the other post?
@@thereplacementfordisplacement I haven't thought it all the way through yet, but I use one side arm to pick up different machines with a strap wrapped around an axle up to the arm to fix flat tires so I'm not too concerned about a motorcycle...but I will come up with something for sure. I am getting tired of servicing them on the ground because there's always a dead one on the hydraulic cycle lift for some reason. I think a heavy bike on one side though may add a bit of 'compression' strain on the very light cross member up top. But I still don't think 5 or 600 pounds would be enough to effect it though. Those formed posts on the two post lifts have got some strength to 'em.
That's cool. I lifted a pretty big sailboat off the trailer with my lift. I don't recommend it. LOL. I also would never lift anything asymmetrically, like a big motorcycle on one side and the weight not balanced on both posts. I do like this idea. I need a way to store the ramps while I'm not using them. :)
Yes, I'd think overbalancing to one side wouldn't be good at all. I lifted the saw head onto the bedframe of the sawmill...but that was only a couple hundred pounds. I just lean my ramps against the edge of the lean-to for storage. Thanks Pat for the visit today.
Good morning my friend. I think of you every time I pick up my custom built Tractorman44 ball point pen sent to me by a pretty cool guy !! Thank you for watching and I really appreciate the gift !!
It's a little tough to line up by yourself, but once you got it you're set !! I like to use it for the normal engine maintenance so I don't have to kneel on the floor any more. It's great for four wheelers and the compact tractors too. Thanks John for stopping in today.
I think its the bright yellow Rustoleum that makes it look good. I usually don't paint projects, but couldn't resist on this one. Thanks Mark for the kind comment.
Love it. Thank you Sir for your time. I really enjoyed watching this video. What material did you use to make the slider track. Looks like some flat bar/stock with a bevel on one side?
It was just 1'' flat stock. I welded it at an angle with a shim holding it up just enough for my sliding mount to pass snugly. But I burnt it is hot for good penetration. The tracks are very easily adjusted with the help of a second person, because you can just 'float' it in or out. By yourself its admittedly a bit tougher to do. What we do is park whatever machine we are going to lift lined up right with the center of the open area between the posts but out of reach of the ramps. That way there is no measuring to fit the wheel bases. Just slide to align, roll it forward and strap one or two of the wheels to the ramp for security. Just cheap 1'' ratcheting straps work very well for 4 wheelers and lawnmowers. Good luck Wesley and I hope this helps.
Good luck.... for the slide guides, I plasma torched one side of a 1'' angle iron down to a few thousanths higher than the thickness of the material I used for the slides welded to the end of the pipe. Skip welded it to prevent warping after about 5 tack welds. First time to set it up is a mite tricky, but after that its a snap... Next project on the lift is a Suzuki quad.
I use my single post inground to work on my riding mower..I have wood 2+ 10s on both side s of the arm. Drive on it I can get my blades off easily..or Change the oil
Thank you so much for the inspiration. I have a couple of questions on the build not explained in the video or I missed them. On the front pipe you welded to the u-channel what goes down into the arm on the lift? Did you use a solid round stock to fit in the round hole on the arm and then used the gas pipe as a spacer to get up high enough to clear the arm? Second question what are your thoughts on tires wider than the 8 inch channel like on your zero turn with 11 and 12 inch wide tires? And lastly on a engineering thought how would cutting a slot down the center of the channel for the rear pipe that had a bolt coming up through it and allowing you to tighten the bolt where the pipe needed to be in relation to the u channel. Again great idea. thanks
I selected schedule 40 black iron pipe in the largest outside diameter that would fit easily and not allow excessive side to side wobble. It probably should have been the thicker schedule 80 for the added security, or solid steel shaft material. I drilled all the way through at a point that would allow the pipe to remain flush with the bottom of the lifting arms and drove through the holes 1/2'' steel rod and welded them in place. If the pipe extends below the lifting arms, when rested on the floor, they would raise up when the lift would be lowered to the lowest level potentially jeopardizing the load. If I were to cut a slot, I would just take it to one of the milling machines. But I don't feel the need to secure them in that way. But what we DO do is use a ratcheting strap around one tire binding the load to the channel. You literally have to run into it with another machine to move them though once they are bound down. I do have a few machines that have wide tires so for now I just carefully center the sides of the channel iron on the fatter tires and it has been just fine. Off side it a little and you'll see quickly just how far the channel will move to the side, but retained in place by the stubs of pipe. Working on four wheelers we actually lift and slide them sideways down the channels until the load is centered on the posts. Not the most convenient, but that allows access to both sides of the engine without interference from the lifting arms. Of course two guys can easily do that, one guy might have a little trouble. Good luck with what ever you do JJ, that's what sharing ideas is all about. See something, take it and improve on it and keep on sharing because the next guy may improve it a little more. IF you want an easy way to stabilize the channels, consider welding in a 1/2'' thick round slug into the bottom of the pipe, flush with the bottom of the lifting arm. Drill and tap it, and use a 1/2'' grade 8 bolt with a larger diameter plate, round or square to secure the pipe to the bottom of the lifting arm. Four required. At that point it can't flip or flop even if you are loaded offsides with the wide tire machine.
I gotta tell ya, it works well but it's much easier aligning them to a compact tractor or lawnmower with a helper. But it sure is nice not having to kneel down on the concrete for small engine work now.
I am getting closer to building my ramps. Are you still happy with the front pins being 18 inches from the front of the channel or would you place them at a different location
For my lift, that is a good spacing. I chose that dimension after measuring the wheel bases of several machines that were to go on it. I've had four wheelers and lawnmowers both on it now and there is no issue with balancing at all. You will figure out your own technique for setting them up and they are a bit difficult to do by yourself the first time, but with a second guy on the other end, it is a snap. My son and I can install and adjust spacing to match whatever machine it is and have it safely in the air in just a few minutes. We park the machine at the end of ramps needed location, adjust the arms to roughly be inline with the wheel base, set the channels into the eyelets then hold and pivot as necessary to align with the wheel base by sight. Just for added safety, we lock one tire down with a 1'' ratchet strap. Remember one pin on each of the ramps need to be adjustable to allow the width adjustments as described above.
Hahahaha....Lawn mowers are much better than four wheelers to get into Tom....but I have enough in back log already. LOL Thanks for the smile this morning my friend.
when you work smarter not harder we get more video's. love it !!
Thanks Jeffrey....I'm glad to see you enjoy the videos.
Brilliant job 44, like the use of available material, that is the only and best modification I ever seen on a car lift, well done my friend
Simple, cheap and functional too Jan. It works like a dream !!
That will certainly make it easier for working on and servicing equipment. Much better for the old back and knees. Ingenious idea!
I see you stressed the 'old'...LOL. Gotta tell ya though it has been really helpful so far. Simple, cheap and functional. It covers all the bases for a lazy guy !! Thanks for the comment and have a nice week.
Scrap; my favorite medium. That's a great idea. Now I need to go find a two post lift LOL!
Hahahahaha....I figured you'd pick up on that right real quick Matt... LOL I got this one that was newly installed in a business that went out of business before they opened. Then my buddy bought the building and sold all five brand new two post lifts except for this one and I traded him a little work even money for it. So the whole thing is pretty much a low budget project for me. LOL.
@@tractorman4461 Great deal!
Anytime you can incorporate your honeydoo list for the Missus into a shop project is a bonus! Nice job, Wendel!
Hahahaha....Peewee, you are right about that. She was so happy to see how easy it was to wire brush, primer and paint two of her expanded metal outdoor tables. Thanks for the kind comment as well as for the visit today.
With all the implement you just enumerated, it`s just hard to believe you got along without it for so many years.... good I would like to say .....invention and at the farm, they maybe will find some use for this modification.....CHEERS
For years and years Gator I worked on everything on the gravel in front of the old shed. But there WAS a short period of time when I worked on stuff inside the shed so I built an overhead lift with a couple old fashioned cast iron chain hoists on the I-beam. I pulled engines under that hoist many times until the shed got filled with tools and shelves etc and possibly a permanently installed 66 Mustang coupe right under the hoist. LOL. The sliding adjustment is a little tricky the first time you do it but after that, its a snap.
You did and OUTSTANDING steel fabrication and construction Sir !!! Great yellow painting !!! It is amazing universal mission tasking !!! Keep up your great works and have a safe week Sir Cheers !!!
Hahahaha...Dave, I KNEW you would love the paint job...Now If I could add some black angled stripes. Have a great week mon ami !!
@@tractorman4461 Good evening Sir, have a great week too Sir Cheers!!!
Necessity is the mother of invention.
THAT....and sore knees. LOL. A darn four wheeler or riding mower is always at the WRONG height for engine work. That problem is now dealt with. Thanks for the visit.
The scrap pile comes through again.
That will save a bunch on arthritis knee pain. 😁😎
A fella can never have enough scrap iron. This is the remnants of a pile I got off a construction site. During construction, instead of stringing cables between the I-beams on the second floor to meet OSHA safety requirements, this general contractor rung it with 8'' channel iron bolted in place. As the wall skins went up, this metal came down and it was given to me by the superintendent on the job. I've used it for a lot of projects so far and still have a bit more in 20' lengths. I never say no to a good offer....but then again never to one not so good as well. LOL
Hi Wendell! What a great idea and well designed addition to your car lift! Awesome fabrication as always! Your car lift is now way more versatile. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Martin for the cool comment my friend. And yes, it does make the carlift useful for a lot of other things.
Your craftsmanship is unbelievable man you have such a talent it is amazing to watch!!! Two thumbs way up 👍👍
Hahahaha....Andrew you as usual are too kind with your observations....LOL
@@tractorman4461 or just kind enough 😜 don't sell yourself short man you are awesome!!
@@ButlerOutdoorsCanada Aw heck Andrew....as 'vertically challenged' as I am, I can't sell myself any higher than I already am !! LOL.
Maybe Sunday I can come back and help you on some of your steel projects. This project looks like a lot of fun.
Hahahaha...yeah Dave it was a good quick and simple but very useful adaption. Wait until you see the project I've got going on right now...... No, I'm not gonna spill the beans...LOL
I had to laugh Wendell. You had your coffee cup sitting directly in front of the fan.
Hahahaha....that's one of those fancy schmancy 'Tervis' cups with lifetime warranty that I've broken about a dozen of. I have yet to get a free replacement though. I've got a whole box of them now...LOL Yeah, I'm a little rough on cups I guess.
Wow! That looks factory when you got it done. Great job Wendell. Like Don, I too enjoyed a full watch and gave you a thumbs up.
Hahahaha....thanks Gary. In spite of my efforts to the contrary, it DID turn out pretty decent. LOL Thanks for watching.
Very nice You are a smart man wish I had one it would come in handy no more laying on the floor.
Ain't nothing worse than a hot day and a gravel driveway to lay on and working on something hard to get to with one hand. LOL. This took almost all that out of the equation on many projects now. Thanks Danny for the visit and the comment.
Wendle, you never cease to amaze me with your ingenious ideas. I sure would love to have access to my smaller Massey under bottom. That lift would make things so convenient. Enjoyed a full-watch. Be well my friend and enjoy the remainder of your week. Semper Fi! 👍🏽🙂 Don
Thank you Don, for the kind words my friend. It sure has been a great addition so far. I've not made the motorcycle accessory to the adaption yet, but that too will help a lot. Have a great week too Don. S/F
T44 good job cool lift adaptation, looks like it will be really useful for all kinds of projects.
Heck yeah it will and has already !! And many more to come too. Thanks for the visit old timer....LOL
Good to see you Wendel, nice to have that lift, hard to crawl around under small tractor's . The older I get the higher my work needs to be lol. Take care buddy.
Hahahahaha.....my thoughts exactly. I find my knees are getting like the old gray mare...they ain't what they used to be. LOL. Thanks for stopping in my friend. Happy wood cutting this week !!
I have been using my two post lift for my lawn mowers and lawn tractors for several years now. Very handy, especially so since I got a zero turn which is easily double the weight of my largest lawn tractor.
That's cool Bill. I've been thinking of making something like this ever since I installed it a couple years ago. Do you have a factory supplied adaptor or just lift it with the four lifing points...?? Or maybe fab up something similar to this one. Thanks for the input. Its good to know others try to maximize their shop machinery too.
Nice idea and very handy. Can never have too much adjustment either👍
Yes, the adjustment is necessary as the wheel width changes from one project to another. Now, its not intended for use with your 3000 or my 2000 Ford, but I'm sure there's no problem with compact tractors up to 30 hp or more.
Awesome idea. I’m going to make one for myself.
It IS a bit limited for working directly under the mower deck. But for engine work on a mower or a four wheeler and even servicing a motorcycle or compact tractor without getting down on the floor its great ! Its really easy to adjust with a helper. I stop the implement in front of the lift then adjust to the tire spacing without measuring. The first time adjusting the spacing for the needed width is a bit tenuous, but after you figure out the technique it is not a problem at all. Thanks for watching and commenting, I do appreciate your time.
Excelent piece of engineering
It's a bit easier with a helper, but it really IS a good addition to the car lift. I've been thinking of a way to make one for the Harley or other big bikes too.
I just got my first 2 post lift and was looking around the interwebs for a lawn mower adaptor. I love your simple design. I wish I had some channel iron laying around.
It IS a bit limited for working directly under the mower deck. But for engine work on a mower or a four wheeler and even servicing a motorcycle or compact tractor without getting down on the floor its great ! The first time adjusting the spacing for the needed width is a bit tenuous, but after you figure out the technique it is not a problem at all. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I watched a second time and I say BRAVO! DaveyJO
Hahahaha....thanks DaveyJO. I'm editing a video right this minute of the repair that was the impetus behind making this adapter. I spent two days on my knees working on a 26 hp Briggs V-Twin and just thought there has GOT to be a better way !! Good morning my friend and I am tippin my cuppa JO towards you and the lovely Nurse Alice !!
I use a 4-post hoist, as I bought it mainly for storing my Mini Cooper ( summer weather driving toy ) up off the floor, with my Buddy's car under it for the winter months.
I have modified the ramp too so that I may use the hoist to service my smaller wheeled equipment ( as you have ) with one length of 10 inch channel to allow for the narrower wheel spacing.
This is a nice adaption for a two post. Good job!
Leave it to you to be ahead of the curve with a cool adaption Reg. I expect nothing less of you. LOL. I always thought those Mine Coopers were neat fun looking little cars though I've never had a ride in one. Have a wonderful day up there in God's country...
@@tractorman4461 I'm still waiting for you to have that thought of " God's country" proved by you, all roads lead North and then East! LOL
Cheers brother!
@@regsparkes6507 The Missus has been suggesting for a couple years for us to incorporate a great long road trip encompassing a large circle of the Canadian provinces. Sooooo.....one of these days.....
@@tractorman4461You will need plenty of time and a decent budget for fuel etc. as this country is some 4100 miles from end to end,
In this case then maybe you could save the best for last.
@@regsparkes6507 ....or just head that direction first and abandon the rest....LOL.
Very cool project!! I am very jealous! 😂😂😂 When you were talking about making the rear post adjustable, I got a picture in my mind on how to make it adjustable. The next part of the video was exactly how I envisioned it!! 👍👍👍 You might want to make both channels able to accept the bar for tying down the motorcycles in case you need to work exclusively on the right side of a bike. Just a thought. 👍👍👍
That's a good thought for sure. The reason I was capitalizing on that one is that most guys 'walk' a bike up a ramp from the left side for some reason. But....because these are easily adjustable to fit the center to center dimensions of the lifting arms, the motorcycle adaptor will work on either set of arm on either side.....I think. LOL Odd that you mention the right side of a bike because my 97 Valkyrie with the horizontal six cylinder has a six carb carburetor assembly that the ONLY way I found to get it off as one assembly is from the right side. And guess what that bike needs to be put back on the road....yep, two days of carb service coming right up !!
Nicely done
Thanks. I can tell you for sure it makes working on a mower or 4 wheeler engine a lot easier. No more stooping over !! Thanks Merlin for the kudos.
I picked up a Heftee 4000 lbs lift from a government auction. Looks like a huge manual fork material lift. I've used it for my SxS which made the fluid change super easy. Now I don't have the SxS and probably should get rid of the Heftee lift for an automotive style lift like you have.
That sounds like the Heftee did what you needed it to do so that's a good thing. I really really like this two post lift. And with the 8'' channels for the compact tractors and the lawn mowers it's really an awesome adaption to the shop. The main thing on the two posts is good 3/4'' x 6'' anchors in good thick concrete. The way I made this one is really easy to adjust with a helper. I plan on using ONE side of the lift to secure a motorcycle for service too.
@@tractorman4461 I would be very interested to see how you solve the motorcycle lift adapter. I was wondering how best to do that with a 2 post lift.
For the Heftee all I would need to do is slide the forks together and mount a harbor freight motorcycle front wheel holder.
I suspect a 500lbs bike or bigger would not be good to lift with just one post carriage. Maybe you need matching ballast on the other post?
@@thereplacementfordisplacement I haven't thought it all the way through yet, but I use one side arm to pick up different machines with a strap wrapped around an axle up to the arm to fix flat tires so I'm not too concerned about a motorcycle...but I will come up with something for sure. I
am getting tired of servicing them on the ground because there's always a dead one on the hydraulic cycle lift for some reason. I think a heavy bike on one side though may add a bit of 'compression' strain on the very light cross member up top. But I still don't think 5 or 600 pounds would be enough to effect it though. Those formed posts on the two post lifts have got some strength to 'em.
That's cool. I lifted a pretty big sailboat off the trailer with my lift. I don't recommend it. LOL. I also would never lift anything asymmetrically, like a big motorcycle on one side and the weight not balanced on both posts. I do like this idea. I need a way to store the ramps while I'm not using them. :)
Yes, I'd think overbalancing to one side wouldn't be good at all. I lifted the saw head onto the bedframe of the sawmill...but that was only a couple hundred pounds. I just lean my ramps against the edge of the lean-to for storage. Thanks Pat for the visit today.
Well done!!
Good morning my friend. I think of you every time I pick up my custom built Tractorman44 ball point pen sent to me by a pretty cool guy !! Thank you for watching and I really appreciate the gift !!
@@tractorman4461 I’m glad you are enjoying it!! I always enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work and stay safe.
@@bobhover3863 Thank you sir. And I will take heed of your advice. I hope......LOL
Awesome ,...looks great..thank you
It's a little tough to line up by yourself, but once you got it you're set !! I like to use it for the normal engine maintenance so I don't have to kneel on the floor any more. It's great for four wheelers and the compact tractors too. Thanks John for stopping in today.
Nice addition. Looks factory
I think its the bright yellow Rustoleum that makes it look good. I usually don't paint projects, but couldn't resist on this one. Thanks Mark for the kind comment.
Love it. Thank you Sir for your time. I really enjoyed watching this video. What material did you use to make the slider track. Looks like some flat bar/stock with a bevel on one side?
It was just 1'' flat stock. I welded it at an angle with a shim holding it up just enough for my sliding mount to pass snugly. But I burnt it is hot for good penetration. The tracks are very easily adjusted with the help of a second person, because you can just 'float' it in or out. By yourself its admittedly a bit tougher to do. What we do is park whatever machine we are going to lift lined up right with the center of the open area between the posts but out of reach of the ramps. That way there is no measuring to fit the wheel bases. Just slide to align, roll it forward and strap one or two of the wheels to the ramp for security. Just cheap 1'' ratcheting straps work very well for 4 wheelers and lawnmowers. Good luck Wesley and I hope this helps.
That’s is a fantastic idea ! I know what I’m building now ! Lol
Good luck.... for the slide guides, I plasma torched one side of a 1'' angle iron down to a few thousanths higher than the thickness of the material I used for the slides welded to the end of the pipe. Skip welded it to prevent warping after about 5 tack welds. First time to set it up is a mite tricky, but after that its a snap... Next project on the lift is a Suzuki quad.
I use my single post inground to work on my riding mower..I have wood 2+ 10s on both side s of the arm. Drive on it I can get my blades off easily..or Change the oil
Heck yeah Stephen...what ever makes the job easier is the way to go !!
Thank you so much for the inspiration. I have a couple of questions on the build not explained in the video or I missed them. On the front pipe you welded to the u-channel what goes down into the arm on the lift? Did you use a solid round stock to fit in the round hole on the arm and then used the gas pipe as a spacer to get up high enough to clear the arm? Second question what are your thoughts on tires wider than the 8 inch channel like on your zero turn with 11 and 12 inch wide tires? And lastly on a engineering thought how would cutting a slot down the center of the channel for the rear pipe that had a bolt coming up through it and allowing you to tighten the bolt where the pipe needed to be in relation to the u channel. Again great idea. thanks
I selected schedule 40 black iron pipe in the largest outside diameter that would fit easily and not allow excessive side to side wobble. It probably should have been the thicker schedule 80 for the added security, or solid steel shaft material. I drilled all the way through at a point that would allow the pipe to remain flush with the bottom of the lifting arms and drove through the holes 1/2'' steel rod and welded them in place. If the pipe extends below the lifting arms, when rested on the floor, they would raise up when the lift would be lowered to the lowest level potentially jeopardizing the load.
If I were to cut a slot, I would just take it to one of the milling machines. But I don't feel the need to secure them in that way. But what we DO do is use a ratcheting strap around one tire binding the load to the channel. You literally have to run into it with another machine to move them though once they are bound down.
I do have a few machines that have wide tires so for now I just carefully center the sides of the channel iron on the fatter tires and it has been just fine. Off side it a little and you'll see quickly just how far the channel will move to the side, but retained in place by the stubs of pipe.
Working on four wheelers we actually lift and slide them sideways down the channels until the load is centered on the posts. Not the most convenient, but that allows access to both sides of the engine without interference from the lifting arms. Of course two guys can easily do that, one guy might have a little trouble. Good luck with what ever you do JJ, that's what sharing ideas is all about. See something, take it and improve on it and keep on sharing because the next guy may improve it a little more.
IF you want an easy way to stabilize the channels, consider welding in a 1/2'' thick round slug into the bottom of the pipe, flush with the bottom of the lifting arm. Drill and tap it, and use a 1/2'' grade 8 bolt with a larger diameter plate, round or square to secure the pipe to the bottom of the lifting arm. Four required. At that point it can't flip or flop even if you are loaded offsides with the wide tire machine.
Very clever!
I gotta tell ya, it works well but it's much easier aligning them to a compact tractor or lawnmower with a helper. But it sure is nice not having to kneel down on the concrete for small engine work now.
I'm thinking of getting some straight aluminum ramps.. Getting too old to lift steel channel :) Thanks for sharing
@@DK-vx1zc I'd like to have some lighter ramps myself for that reason. But the channel iron was free and easy to weld the pins and slides on.
I am getting closer to building my ramps. Are you still happy with the front pins being 18 inches from the front of the channel or would you place them at a different location
For my lift, that is a good spacing. I chose that dimension after measuring the wheel bases of several machines that were to go on it. I've had four wheelers and lawnmowers both on it now and there is no issue with balancing at all. You will figure out your own technique for setting them up and they are a bit difficult to do by yourself the first time, but with a second guy on the other end, it is a snap. My son and I can install and adjust spacing to match whatever machine it is and have it safely in the air in just a few minutes. We park the machine at the end of ramps needed location, adjust the arms to roughly be inline with the wheel base, set the channels into the eyelets then hold and pivot as necessary to align with the wheel base by sight. Just for added safety, we lock one tire down with a 1'' ratchet strap. Remember one pin on each of the ramps need to be adjustable to allow the width adjustments as described above.
Ok everyone that needs rider mower service, send it to Wendell. I don't know if Amazon will ship it.
Hahahaha....Lawn mowers are much better than four wheelers to get into Tom....but I have enough in back log already. LOL Thanks for the smile this morning my friend.