Is it still a "lift" if I use it to get my 911 lower??

[GH85Carrera]

A week ago I did a track day at Hallett Raceway just 85 miles from my house. Super fun day and I got rid of a lot of unsprung weight from my brake pads and excess rubber on my tires. Just the most fun one can have in a car while wearing clothes.

Today I finally had the time to do a full check up on my 911 to double check the car. So I put it up on the lift, and looked at the brakes, and suspension parts. I can get my 911 up to 42 inches from the floor to the floorpan on the car. That is the photo above. All parts of the car looked great, so drop it back down and fix one issue that popped up on my trip home from the track.

The AC in my car is normally astonishingly good, and it will blow a lot of COLD air and normally I can't run the AC at full cold even on the hottest day because I will get cold. On the trip up to Hallett I noticed the compressor was cycling off way too long. On the way home, I figured out the thermostat was not working right. If I wiggled the knob up and down the compressor would kick on for a while.

After 35 years and 176,000 miles the OEM factory temperature switch has worn out. So I replaced it today. Golly that is fun.

As a old fat guy, it is really hard to work in the "smugglers box" and in the cockpit with the car on the tires, at normal ride height. Since the tires were off, I dropped the car lower than it will go with the tires on. To get to the smugglers box area I normally have to stand on my tip toes, and that kills my back, feet and knees. To get to the interior parts, it is uncomfortable to get in to the spaces. With the car lower, it was much more comfortable. See photo below.



My AC system is all upgraded to a Griffith's system. The only parts that were left as original is the front and rear condenser, and that thermostat switch. Now that switch is replaced.

The AC is ice cold again. Phew.

So it it still a lift if I use it to get my car lower than it will go with the wheels and tires in place? It is then a "lower" not a lift?

[rusnak]

Damn fine looking shop. Nice Macan too.

[GH85Carrera]

Thanks. It has taken me a lifetime to get to my dream garage. I feel tired after a full day in the garage. I can’t imagine doing what I did today without the lift, and the tools I have.

[fastfredracing]

Second the nice garage Glen! I do that all the time on trucks if Im doing motor work . Take all the wheels off, and slam it just an inch off the ground, makes the up and over the core support 200 times much easier .

[pete3799]

What's this A/C you speak of Glen?
Was going to take the old 911 out for a spin today but due to the heat decided to take something that blows cold air instead. Maybe some day......

[GH85Carrera]

Of all the things I have done to any car, upgrading the factory AC to work like is should have when new, it the best upgrade ever.

I can drive my 911 on the hottest days, and stay cool. My wife will actually take road trips with me.

I have all new hoses, 4 condensers, and it just simply works.

[Bill Douglas]

The car always looks so nice Glen. Something "right" about it.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

While the car is low, you need to put the the tires into the wheel wells at silly negative camber angles and take a "slammed stance" photo for general fun/ trolling purposes in the technical "right stance" thread. Pimp that ride!

[Bill Douglas]

LOL I prefer it with wheels but like leaky says and with a 45 degree negative camber - don't scratch the paint!

[friendly]

I too have been an admirer your garage and read all of your posts when I see them.
Why did you choose the Bend-Pak? What other lifts were in your selection process?
How did you derive the specifications for the pit in your floor?
A belated happy 4th.
Fred

[DonDavis]

Seriously, before I read all your post, I saw the pic of your car in the lowered position...and my stupid car brain went directly here...



So I thinks it's an "unlift", yo.

Also, it was mentioned your car just "looks right". I think that's due to your proper care of it, in many regards.

Makes it look like a damn fine race horse...but at rest.
And comfortable on the go.

Like.

[widebody911]

A "lift" uses mechanical force to raise the car; an "anti-lift" would thus use force to push the car down. In this case, we're just using gravity and a lack of wheels holding it up.

I do the same thing with my VWs - makes it easier for painting and doing bodywork on the top.

[ZOO]

A white 911 coupe with no tail is/was my holy grail . . . Gorgeous car!

[Zeke]

OK, Glen, if your silly thread needs an answer, your 'lift' at lower than what the car would be on tires is a support. As in support your car with jack stands.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Zeke

OK, Glen, if your silly thread needs an answer, your 'lift' at lower than what the car would be on tires is a support. As in support your car with jack stands.

I can accept that!

It was supported at a height lower than possible with the wheels on.

[friendly]

I thought that my questions, comments, deserved an answer...

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by friendly

I thought that my questions, comments, deserved an answer...

They do....

I was teasing a forum veteran a bit.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by friendly

I too have been an admirer your garage and read all of your posts when I see them.
Why did you choose the Bend-Pak? What other lifts were in your selection process?
How did you derive the specifications for the pit in your floor?
A belated happy 4th.
Fred

Sorry, I missed your post.

I chose the BendPak MD6XP after reading several (many) threads on Garage Journal and on Pelican. I was shopping around and found Summit Racing has a sale on them, free shipping. When it came to the pit, I was fortunately smart enough to hire someone else to do it. They showed up, cut the floor, dig the pit, hauled away all the dirt and concrete, and used rebar, 3,000 PSI concrete, and it was obvious they knew how to do it. I would have made a mess, and ended up in the hospital with all that work. I am too old to do concrete work.



At first I just used 2x12 boards to get high enough to get on the lift. That sucked to align the car, and was not my end plan anyway.





I had them open a trench that I placed 2 inch PVC pipe in, and made a conduit. The Hydraulic line and a Romex line is run into the pit. The pump is mounted on the wall to get it out of the way. It is nice to have 115 volts for drop lights or whatever in the pit.

I just measured the height of the lift when fully down, and added 1/2 inch to that and told them I wanted the pit that deep and enough room on the sides to have 1/2 inch on each side. I use a piece of 1/2 inch marine grade plywood from a lumberyard, not big box store, to cover the pit when it is lowered, and it just goes away.



With the El Camino I could smash the roof of the car into the light for the garage door opener, so a taller lift would do no good.

Overall I love the way the installation turned out.

If I want to put my lawnmower or any project up in the air, put it on the plywood, and raise it up. We painted the front door of our house on the lift. I have worked on my gas grill up on the lift. It is just handy.

Getting the lift into the pit was a struggle, and required one buddy and some pry bars and work to drop in down in the there, and not tear up anything. It is HEAVY!

[WPOZZZ]

It is still a lift, even if you use it to get your car lower. Cars have power windows that are called lifts, They raise and lower the window. The same goes for an elevator, that is called a lift in other parts of the world.



Any problems servicing your lift?

[widebody911]

This lifts are a bear to move. A while back a neighbor of mine sold me a similar lift for dirt cheap; I didn't need it so I sold it on to another friend of mine. It was a challenge to get it from the neighbor's house to mine (we dragged it down the street with his Jeep) and then into my friends F150 and then out again at his house.