Would you buy a 2 post hydraulic lift?

jsmoke

jsmoke

jsmoke

Soldato
Joined
17 Jun 2012
Posts
11,259
I've seen second hand 2 post lifts for as low as £500 on eBay. Obviously you would need the space at home to store it but what a game changer it could be for working on cars.

I would however be pretty nervous about going under the lift at first, you'd probably want to get it serviced regularly.
 
as above really, you cant skimp on the safety, there are companies that will do fitment and commissioning. when i retired from my unit a few years back i had a fairly new two poster so decided to bring it home with me. had it bolted in after a few mods to the roof :) although i really should have converted it to single phase (its three phase so i run it through a convertor) it still works pretty well and has saved a lot of back bending , great for working on my projects. although for the last few years its had the fil old focus parked on it.:)))

just to edit mine is a two post electric lift not hydraulic.
 
I came very close to buying a 2 post lift when i built my garage but didn't for several reasons, in the end i decided if i was going to get anything it'd be one of those scissor lift types. I was worried as not being a professional if i didn't line it up right and got the weight distribution wrong or did something stupid or my concrete wasn't as thick as i thought etc etc etc especially as i'd be working on my own with no one to rescue me if anything went wrong.
 
jsmoke said:
I've seen second hand 2 post lifts for as low as £500 on eBay. Obviously you would need the space at home to store it but what a game changer it could be for working on cars.

I would however be pretty nervous about going under the lift at first, you'd probably want to get it serviced regularly.
Click to expand...
What is the make? And is it single or three phase?
 
Doobedoo said:
What is the make? And is it single or three phase?
Click to expand...
www.ebay.co.uk

bradbury 2 post lift | eBay

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;">bradbury 2 post lift.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;">3 phase works well needs a clean</p> <br> <p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;">Can lift on to a trailer.</p> <br> <p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0...
www.ebay.co.uk
 
That’s not a hydroelectric that’s a mechanical screw lift. You’ll want to make sure the brass lift nuts are in a good condition otherwise that’s going to cost you to replace them. It’s also three phase which means you’ll need a three phase supply or a means of converting single to three phase.

I’m a garage equipment engineer by the way.
 
This will be a much better choice. Rotary are mustard.

www.ebay.co.uk

rotary 2 post lift | eBay

<p>rotary 2 post lift. </p><p>3 of these availability come from Ford main dealership perfect working order any inspection welcome any other info please call on 07510153140</p>
www.ebay.co.uk
 
jsmoke said:
I've seen second hand 2 post lifts for as low as £500 on eBay. Obviously you would need the space at home to store it but what a game changer it could be for working on cars.

I would however be pretty nervous about going under the lift at first, you'd probably want to get it serviced regularly.
Click to expand...

Big game changer for me. I've always had access to a pit but you are hunched, it's darker and a pain to get in and out for more tools etc. 2 post lift is brilliant and especially good for suspension work and then preloading for torquing up. The safety aspect does cross my mine every time I go under, but the lift is checked annually and has a safety locking mechanism. It's probably more important making sure the car's weight is even distributed front to back than anything else.
 
tbh mine had just come out of a 3 year lease purchase so was mine. when i was giving my unit up the landlord wanted it and offered me 300 pounds for it.....he was really ****** when he came in next day and found me and a mate had dismantled it and taken it home in my transit:).
but hey ho i knew the lift and knew it had only had light use.
as said main problem was altering the inside beams in the roof but apart from that with a convertor it wont lift a car very high but i can get it 4 to 5 feet of the ground if needed. one day i will swap it. still remember not long ago (well maybe a couple of years when there were chinese single phase lifts on the bay new for about 1500 pounds.
 
Doobedoo, can you still get the lift nuts for older Tecalemit 2 post lifts? Mine is beginning to make hard work of lifting heavier cars, and I suspect the nuts may be past their best, thanks.
 
Chris Wilson said:
Dunno, only been looking at it for 18 years, will check this morning, thanks :)
Click to expand...
You can check the wear in the nuts by jacking the carriage up slightly just to take the weight of the nuts, then use a flat head screwdriver between the screw thread and the nut and lever it up and down. You should have no play, if you have play it should be no more than 50% of the width of the thread.

I would give the screw and carriage guide blocks lubrication because if they are dry no only will it accelerate wear on the nut it will cause friction, especially with the carriage guide blocks.
 
Does your ramp look like this?

1983-Twintec.jpg
 
Yes, I am in the workshop later, will photograph the plate on it, but it looks exactly like that. I have a car in bits on it right now, but once it's off I will check the nuts as you describe. I guess it's necessary to take down both columns to replace the lift nuts and safety nuts? I appreciate your help, very good of you. The reason I suspect the nuts may be worn is with a heavyish car on it it now seems to be slow and the motor (three phase off a BIG rotary phase converter) sounds laboured. I sometimes have to lower the ramp a touch before I can raise it higher, too. The lift screw threads are well lubricated. The drive chain between the columns is well greased, however it has a load of play in it, and appears to have no means of adjustment, save removing links.


EDIT, started work (day of rest indeed...) so here's a poor photo, you were of course correct and thanks again!


tecalemit.jpg
 
Chris Wilson said:
Yes, I am in the workshop later, will photograph the plate on it, but it looks exactly like that. I have a car in bits on it right now, but once it's off I will check the nuts as you describe. I guess it's necessary to take down both columns to replace the lift nuts and safety nuts? I appreciate your help, very good of you. The reason I suspect the nuts may be worn is with a heavyish car on it it now seems to be slow and the motor (three phase off a BIG rotary phase converter) sounds laboured. I sometimes have to lower the ramp a touch before I can raise it higher, too. The lift screw threads are well lubricated. The drive chain between the columns is well greased, however it has a load of play in it, and appears to have no means of adjustment, save removing links.
Click to expand...
tbh i have to do this most times with anything like a mondeo est/407 est/merc etc. if i didnt it would try to work and then stop but hear the motor trying. sometime a helping hand with the vehicle helps.

i assumed it was due to it going through a digital convertor, as the problem was never there when it was on three phase lifted transits etc no probs.
saying that ive had mine 24 years and the only other hickups ive had was a chain jump off the gears which meant my lad who was here at the time had to manual lower one side at a time (bit by bit) with a large socket on the thread nuts. he was cream crackered afterwards but thank god for the safety locks or major problems.

always remember being at a rover main dealer when a young mechanic being a bit cocky dropped a rover 200 off a two poster sideways very messy.... i was in reception sorting a job sheet when the customer was told his new/new rover was in the showroom..."but my rover was 12 months old" erm now we give you a new one ....

must admit mine is probably due for its service , but i think the old guy who used to do it has retired, will have to try and find someone else, seem to think its dutch must find out off the plate lol

autec 2500kg just checked , was wondering how easy it would be to convert with motor etc to single phase?
sad part is when i first had it at home inlaws were alive and they had three phase to there house as built on the end of there farmland.....
 
Chris Wilson said:
Yes, I am in the workshop later, will photograph the plate on it, but it looks exactly like that. I have a car in bits on it right now, but once it's off I will check the nuts as you describe. I guess it's necessary to take down both columns to replace the lift nuts and safety nuts? I appreciate your help, very good of you. The reason I suspect the nuts may be worn is with a heavyish car on it it now seems to be slow and the motor (three phase off a BIG rotary phase converter) sounds laboured. I sometimes have to lower the ramp a touch before I can raise it higher, too. The lift screw threads are well lubricated. The drive chain between the columns is well greased, however it has a load of play in it, and appears to have no means of adjustment, save removing links.


EDIT, started work (day of rest indeed...) so here's a poor photo, you were of course correct and thanks again!


tecalemit.jpg
Click to expand...
Wear in the lift nuts do not normally result in the lift labouring, normally that is the result of excess friction. If the screw is well greased then I’d suspect the carriage guides also need lubricant. They are channel either side of the screw that rubber/nylon rectangular blocks run up and down to prevent excess movement in the carriage.

Replacing the lift nut are pretty easy on these lift due to the simple nature of them. They will require the columns knocking over on to some axle stands and the screw removed enough to get the old nuts out and the new ones in.

If you need assistance we have a guy that works for us who’s located just outside of Birmingham.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom