Scissor Lift

[simonjb]

HI,

I am looking at an in-ground scissor lift for my new garage. The distance between front and rear wheels is about 59" on my 1968 911. Has anyone found an in-ground twin ramp scissor lift that is shorter in length than this?

[Marwil]

The Atlas FM9SL would work if you want a full rise lift. You would need to remove to remove the end caps. Have a look at this video from the Klassik Automotive Training School series (fantastic resource). Kurt goes through their thought process behind installing the FM9SL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh3Rb39FbEM the Klassik

[simonjb]

Originally Posted by Marwil

The Atlas FM9SL would work if you want a full rise lift. You would need to remove to remove the end caps. Have a look at this video from the Klassik Automotive Training School series (fantastic resource). Kurt goes through their thought process behind installing the FM9SL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh3Rb39FbEM the Klassik

Perfect. Thanks Marwil !!! It is only about 56" with both 4" end caps removed.

[Marwil]

I'm thinking of going this route myself. I have a Mohawk A-7 that I got a great deal on but need to lift my other vehicle, Ford Transit T-350 camper van conversion and I'm a bit short on capacity. The weighs in at 7300lbs and the A-7 lift is rated at 7000 lbs while the Atlas is rated for 9000 lbs. Nice thing about the Atlas is that you retain greater flexibility with the flush floor mount.

[winglesss]

Originally Posted by Marwil

The Atlas FM9SL would work if you want a full rise lift. You would need to remove to remove the end caps. Have a look at this video from the Klassik Automotive Training School series (fantastic resource). Kurt goes through their thought process behind installing the FM9SL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh3Rb39FbEM the Klassik

That appears to be an excellent solution.

I don't like the cantilever load shown at time index 5:40, even though it must be designed strong enough to support that type of load.

If the primary usage is the stated 911, pulled in as-shown, then improved strength would be realized by installation rotated 180° from that shown.

[simonjb]

FYI - the PIT should be about 58" long - that will accommodate the 56 5/8 Length without the end caps.

This is also a great article...

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/atlas-fm9sl-scissor-lift-flush-mount-install.383717/

[GH85Carrera]

First off, go over to Garage Journal and ask there. There are endless threads on garage scissor lifts. That is where I found my inspiration to order a Bendpak MD6XP and have a pit. I decided to pay for some pros to dig my pit, haul off the debris, and line it with 2,000 PSI concrete and let them lay in the reinforcing rebar.

I had them cut out a trench so I could mount the pump on the wall, and bring 110 volts to the pit.








I mounted the pump on the wall to get it totally out of the way.



I have had my 911 on it many times, and I will put it in the air just to do electrical work or simple tasks at a level I don't have to bend over.




I use a piece of 1/2 inch plywood to cover the lift and pit when not in use. It is 100% out of the way when not in use, and it is wonderful to use to lift up my lawnmower or any other thing to work on.


Just behind the heater or the air conditioning in my garage I love my lift as a third best upgrade.

Id the lift 10 years ago in 2014 and it has been flawless.

[pmax]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Couple more feet and you could have dispensed with the Bendpak.

[Cairo94507]

I sunk my BendPak mid-rise scissor lift into my last garage floor. We also ran a chanel from the lift to the cabinets at the back of the garage so we could run the hydraulic lines in the floor and have a clean floor. We also installed the lift pump assembly in a bottom cabinet so the only thing you saw was the controls for the lift which we mounted on an upper cabinet side panel adjacent to my work bench. The whole thing came out perfectly and worked great.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by pmax

Couple more feet and you could have dispensed with the Bendpak.

They completely removed the old concrete to be able to pour the new 2,000 PSI concrete with reinforcing steel in it.



Getting the lift into to pit was a challenge on it's own. Lots of large levers and cussing.

[winglesss]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Getting the lift into to pit was a challenge on it's own. Lots of large levers and cussing.

My engine lift has been sooo handy. It would have been great for that task.

[GH85Carrera]

Yea, an engine lift would have come in handy. I just used a buddy and two long pry bars, and several beers and profane words.

[930cabman]

I have had this one for several years and Not recessed, works well, but could use another 4 or 6" of lift. Considering a two post, but $$.

https://www.harborfreight.com/6000-lb-capacity-scissor-lift-91315.html

I would recommend, but recessed maybe not

[aoncurly]

Just curious if you are going through the trouble and expense to set the scissor lift in a pit, why not just buy a 2-post lift that would allow full access to the underside of the entire car and really, any other car? Bendpak claims they have 2-post lifts to fit almost all garages...

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by aoncurly

Just curious if you are going through the trouble and expense to set the scissor lift in a pit, why not just buy a 2-post lift that would allow full access to the underside of the entire car and really, any other car? Bendpak claims they have 2-post lifts to fit almost all garages...

For me, it is simple. Reason one: When the lift is lowered into the pit, and I place the plywood over it, it is essentially gone. I can walk across or use it to work on my lawn equipment.

Reason two, my garage is a fully finished interior, with 12 foot ceilings, and a two post lift has two posts in the way every single day I am not using it. And the posts take up a lot of room.

Reason three: My garage in on the side of my house. The logical way to park in the single bay garage it to pull, up to the end of the parking area, and then back up to park. So I back in to park and just pull forward to leave.


My "work" bay is the single garage on the right.

For me, I have no regrets having a scissor lift in a pit. I can do a transmission fluid change easily. I replaced the fuel line in the tunnel and was working at the nose of the transmission at the firewall with no issues, and at the fuel pump end as well.

[Dpmulvan]

Originally Posted by aoncurly

Just curious if you are going through the trouble and expense to set the scissor lift in a pit, why not just buy a 2-post lift that would allow full access to the underside of the entire car and really, any other car? Bendpak claims they have 2-post lifts to fit almost all garages...

Most don’t have high enough ceilings for a two post and scissors take up zero space in the ground.

[GH85Carrera]

Yea, my scissor lift can raise my El Camino up to the point that I have to stop it to avoid crunching the roof into the garage light. I have my garage door rails raised up to be less than 1/2 inch from the florescent bulbs.

My wife's Macan only goes up a few feet before I have to stop due to lack of ceiling space.

[Funracer]

Let me throw out a caution here although it applies to any lift not just scissor. Had my Jag on the scissor a couple of years ago just to do some front suspension work. Went inside to lunch and came back to this:


While I was gone for an hour the lift slowly lowered the car to the ground. No damage done but of course why?

My system is similar to most I would guess with a control panel, pump, hydraulic fluid tank and hoses to the lift. I did a beautiful job tucking my panel and tank in the corner wedged between to metal cabinets. Only thing that you could see were the buttons. It looked really tidy and custom. No pic unfortunately.

After pulling the cabinets away from the wall there was a large puddle of pump oil on the ground,. A fitting from pump to the lift had failed at the pump end and slowly lowered the car to the ground (I think. I was not there to see it.)

So what is my point? I believe the fitting had been cracked and leaking for some time. Since everything below the control panel was not visible I never saw the volume dropping in the tank over time. The entire puddle, about half a tank worth was hidden by my nifty installation between the two rolling cabinets

Now I have my panel/pump/tank out in the open where I can look at the tank every time I get under the car and see underneath the pump looking for any fluid accumulation. Not as neat and tidy, but safer.



And one more thing. Yes the car was below the safety ratchets. I was sitting on a stool outside the footprint of the car and wanted the front suspension right in front of me. This position was below the last ratchet, but I reasoned this was ok because I was not under the car. Lesson learned.

Beautiful installation btw. I just park over mine.

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by Funracer

Let me throw out a caution here although it applies to any lift not just scissor. Had my Jag on the scissor a couple of years ago just to do some front suspension work. Went inside to lunch and came back to this:


While I was gone for an hour the lift slowly lowered the car to the ground. No damage done but of course why?

My system is similar to most I would guess with a control panel, pump, hydraulic fluid tank and hoses to the lift. I did a beautiful job tucking my panel and tank in the corner wedged between to metal cabinets. Only thing that you could see were the buttons. It looked really tidy and custom. No pic unfortunately.

After pulling the cabinets away from the wall there was a large puddle of pump oil on the ground,. A fitting from pump to the lift had failed at the pump end and slowly lowered the car to the ground (I think. I was not there to see it.)

So what is my point? I believe the fitting had been cracked and leaking for some time. Since everything below the control panel was not visible I never saw the volume dropping in the tank over time. The entire puddle, about half a tank worth was hidden by my nifty installation between the two rolling cabinets

Now I have my panel/pump/tank out in the open where I can look at the tank every time I get under the car and see underneath the pump looking for any fluid accumulation. Not as neat and tidy, but safer.



And one more thing. Yes the car was below the safety ratchets. I was sitting on a stool outside the footprint of the car and wanted the front suspension right in front of me. This position was below the last ratchet, but I reasoned this was ok because I was not under the car. Lesson learned.

Beautiful installation btw. I just park over mine.

My Snap-On Lift had mechanical stops to prevent that sort of thing

[GH85Carrera]

Any lift will lower if the hydraulics fail. If I leave mine off the ground overnight, I always make sure it it on the mechanical stops and the pressure is off.