Car lift - 7,000lbs

[alwaysFlOoReD]

A couple years ago I bought a new to me car lift from my boss. It sat at his place until last fall and he got tired of looking at it. He got a couple of the other guys to help move it, I wasn't there. It has a sub-frame that is bolt to poured in place concrete slab about 1.5'x5' by I don't know how deep. The used a couple 1.5" x 1.5" x 1/8” angle to span across the posts at the top. Then used a chain from one post to the other and a fork lift...
The angle folded and the sub-frame bent to crap...
That's how I got it. I was a little bit pissed at the time but in hind sight it was probably a good thing as the sub-frame was pretty rotted.
The last few weeks I've been slowly getting a new sub-frame put together. The only parts I used from the old one were the 2 end pieces, 2" x2" solid bar 55" long. I cleaned them up and welded some 2" x2" x1/4" angle to the top to be used to attach a 6"x6" x10' pressure treated beam. The beam is in place of concrete. It will sit on compacted recycled concrete. The other part of the sub-frame is two tubes, 2"x2"x3/16"x134", which are welded to an I-beam that has been cut in half to form a T. Two holes were drilled to match the holes in the base of the lift and the 2x2 was welded into the opposite side.
Pics and descriptions to follow...

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Using some 2x2 tube that I found at work, I built a better spreader bar to keep the posts from folding in;

Next pic its hard to see the rot under the snow, but its there;

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

The next set of pics is of the crossbeam of the subframe. First is of the I-beam cut in half and drilled to match the post holes;

Bolted in place;

Tacking the 2x2 to the plate;

Then a full perimeter weld. I don't want water getting in between and rusting. Ends are capped too.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Then I cut and welded some 2"x2"x1/4" Angle to the solid bar that form the ends of the subframes.

And bolted subframe all in place;

Attaching the 6x6 beams. I put a 2x4 on the outside of the beam to have something to put a jack under. I only did that because the lagbolts were too long by an 1.5" and I didn't want to cut the ends off...lol

You can see some black stuff on top of the 2x2. That is joist guard to protect the metal from the pressure treated wood. The PT will accelerate oxidation of the metal if it touches.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

And the final pics. Until I move it into place and put a wood floor in between to work on.

Its probably going where the blue tarp tent is now.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

Eagerly waiting on the next post, AlwaysFloored

 

[97RangerXLT]

Eagerly waiting on the next post, AlwaysFloored

i thought there were only 4 posts... itsnot a 5 post lift is it?



AJ

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

PS;
Somehow lost the bit where I ask for an evaluation. I know @Rick W wanted more info on what I was up to. If anyone else has input I'm happy to tune them out too...lol.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

I say when you get it in place you put some hand and foot pegs on each end.
And a metal tractor seat on top of each end as well.
Hence the reason for the hand and foot pegs.
Lol.

 

[JoshT]

I've wanted a lift for a long time, but got no place to put it. Instead of buying a new one and putting it in a shop, I probably aught to look for a used one and get a pad poured to put it on with a carport type cover over it. Wouldn't be as nice as a fully enclosed shop, but better than nothing and could string tarps around it to combat the weather.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

You get the rat slab I. E. your concrete pad. To put the lift on.
As for the carport that's an okay idea.
However I would be willing to bet that a prefab metal garage wouldn't be much more expensive.
I don't know for sure. Might be worth looking into however.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

Okay I googled prefabricated metal garages and they're over $8,000.
The ones I saw were averaging around 10,000.

So I will admit that I was wrong and I would have lost the bet.

The prefabricated carports were averaging between $300 and $500.

I was wrong!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

PS;
Somehow lost the bit where I ask for an evaluation. I know @Rick W wanted more info on what I was up to. If anyone else has input I'm happy to tune them out too...lol.

@Rick W
I hope you took that with a grin. It was meant in fun...

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

I think some railroad spikes would make good hand and foot holds.

 

[Rick W]

So the heavy steel columns are bolted through those wood beams with lag bolts? That still concerns me a little bit. I’d rather see regular threaded bolts through the wooden beam with flat plates or giant washers on the back. As that thing rocks around it’s going to be a tremendous amount of force on those leg bolts, and I fear they might loosen up one day. If it’s bolted all the way through with big washers or plates on the underside, it may get to the point it moves, but the bolts aren’t going to pull out of the wood.

In addition to that, I’d like to see some 45° braces from the columns to the wood at least 18 inches out and preferably 24 or 30 inches out. But I know that could get the way of doing work. But if you go out a little bit with a 45, that’s gonna take a lot of strain off the bolts holding it down.

And what is it going to stand on? Is it just going to lay on the dirt or gravel? You might wanna put some dirt or concrete anchors at the end of the wood leaves about three or 4 feet into the ground. Basically, it would be a big threaded rod With a flat square or round plate on the bottom down about 3 feet in the ground. Pour some thin concrete on the top of it so we can run down the sides and seal lady voids, and then bury the dirt, but compact the dirt. So the thing ever wanted to lift up, it would provide a bending moment, but also more counterweight.

My two cents, certainly available for questions