MaxJax?

les_garten · 06-22-2011, 04:43 PM

Any of you guys ues the MaxJax with a 911/930? I'm going to get one I think and wanted to know if there were any issues?

Les

sc_rufctr · 06-22-2011, 04:56 PM

Les

I've been doing some research for a lift... The MaxJack does looks great and is a good price but it looks way too uncertain to me.
The 5 bolts going into the floor are the only thing holding the posts upright.

IMHO... You're much better off with a hoist with the two posts braced across the top or with a flat plate across the floor.
That seems a lot more sensible to me.

les_garten · 06-22-2011, 05:13 PM

Yeah, I just don't have the room. I'm just a little over 8' ceilings in my garage. The research on the anchors is supposed to be way over engineered if they are installed correctly. I would get epoxy set anchors which are even stronger.

sc_rufctr · 06-22-2011, 05:20 PM

I understand that but why even risk it?

Don't get me wrong the MaxJack has a lot going for it. The ability to move it easily is a great idea.

What's above the ceiling in your garage? You could extend the posts into the ceiling and have the cross brace in there as well.

Like this from and older thread.

TimT · 06-22-2011, 05:24 PM

Five bolts on each leg should provide ample anchoring...

The unknown is what you are anchoring the legs of the lift to...

A four inch slab that was placed with a eight inch slump might not be a good candidate to set this lift on.. and that slab might very well be the way the contractor placed your garage slab...

Since that lift does not have any sort of bracing tying the legs together... I would investigate the floor you will anchor it to... drill a hole in the slab and measure the thickness... Is suspect you can get some sonotube and make your own piers and not worry about the anchorage etc..

les_garten · 06-22-2011, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimT

Five bolts on each leg should provide ample anchoring...

The unknown is what you are anchoring the legs of the lift to...

A four inch slab that was placed with a eight inch slump might not be a good candidate to set this lift on.. and that slab might very well be the way the contractor placed your garage slab...

What is a slump? I looked up the Sonotube stuff.

yelcab1 · 06-22-2011, 05:52 PM

I had considered it for my old garage. Then when I drilled into the concrete I found that the old concrete was not up to the task. I was happy I got a 4 post instead.

TimT · 06-22-2011, 06:00 PM

Slump is a representation of the amount of water in the concrete mix...

Contractors love to add more water because is makes the concrete easier to move around and finish...which you would think is a good thing.....BUT!

But there is a point where concrete mixes have to much water.. then strength,durability etc go out the window..

I.e. on a 3000 psi mix, the specified slump might be 2-4 in +/- (0.5) in.... at the high range 4.5 in its pretty workable... Its even easier if it comes out of the truck at 6 in...

The finishers can easily close the surface... the laborers can easily move the mix... And the owner has a slab that does not meet the minimum strength requirement...

My concerns regarding anchoring not only this lift, but any lift, is that what you are anchoring to is an unknown variable, unless you witnessed the placement of the slab...

check the thickness at the least... I'm sure MaxJax mentions a minimum slab thickness in the installation manual

TimT · 06-22-2011, 06:07 PM

Graphically....

Now I have no idea if this applies to your situation.... but....having dealt with contractors for 30 years I may be jaded..

les_garten · 06-22-2011, 06:11 PM

The specs call for 4" 3000 psi concrete, which is what I have. Although I didn't witness it. The builder is known here for well built over spec'd houses in my area. Home was built in 2006.

I don't want to cut the ceiling. It's a finished garage with floored attic above.

Kroggers · Kroggers's Garage

I was also looking into this lift and went as far as get shipping quotes to Finland. But in the end decided against the MaxJax and got a good scissor lift instead. My reasons were:-

1.- Not convinced that the slab in my garage is strong enough.
2.- Whilst the MaxJax is movable - it is not a quick process to relocate it (it bolts to the floor!) A scissor lift can easily be moved to another location in the garage and used.
3.- I could get a really good scissor lift with TUV approval from Germany cheaper than the MaxJax.

DanielDudley · 06-23-2011, 02:06 AM

Garage Journal has hundreds of satisfied Max Jack users, and hundreds of pages of discussion on jacks and lifts.

You should find something you like there.

NY65912 · 06-23-2011, 03:17 AM

Listen to TimT, he may not know much,but this he knows

les_garten · 06-23-2011, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanielDudley

Garage Journal has hundreds of satisfied Max Jack users, and hundreds of pages of discussion on jacks and lifts.

You should find something you like there.

I'm over there as well. The reason I posted over here was to find out any 911 specific issues. I had my 911 up on an old 2 post jack and always had a hard time getting it situated on the arms, because the arms were too long to swing around the wheels. I had to floor jack the 911 to get the arms under it.

hcoles · 06-23-2011, 06:36 AM

additional add to jaded comments....

plans say 4" slab...
what is handy? 2x4's and they are not 4" more like 3.5" and if they deflect when screeding less
this is why I had my driveway spec'd and poured at 5" and the concrete guys hated me when I watched, thought I was a know it all when I found places not meeting 5" and wanted the base well compacted like the plans say, enough said on that, 20 years later and I don't have a crack in my driveway but I also spec'd the rebar placing/etc.

jsmithcds · 06-23-2011, 07:21 AM

I have a max jax and it does exactly what it was made to do. I had about 3.5 inches of conrete so the anchors they sent had to be modified a bit.

I got the 6" extensions that came as an option to give me a little more head room under it if I plan on having it up for a while.

I use it all the time. Cleaning the wheels?? Let's do that at eye level........

Really easy to install and when the pump is put away your garage looks clean.

les_garten · 06-23-2011, 07:28 AM

I like the Green!

Can you give me your inside post to inside post measurement? Do you have any problems swinging the arms past the wheels? I'm trying to figure out the range for the post install holes. My 930 is not handy right now. I also have a MB 300 TE wagon and a Toy Landcruiser.

Jack Olsen · 06-23-2011, 07:30 AM

MaxJax makes me nervous only in that they seem to encourage a user installation. With a two-post lift like that, the floor becomes a structural component of what is holding the car. Assuming the bolts torque correctly and your pad is stable, everything is fine. I've never seen (or heard or read about) a MaxJax failure. But the safety-conservative in me thinks a scissor jack is a safer bet, since it asks so little of the existing pad and the installer -- and is so well suited to the architecture of a 911.

In my own case, I went in a direction that would probably make my inner safety-conservative go nuts, if I saw someone else doing it. But I believe I covered my bases.

It's just something you don't want to be at all casual about. Dropping 3,000 pounds of car in an enclosed space is a really scary thing.

jsmithcds · 08:18 AM

I would have to take a measurement on the distance apart. I have marks on the floor for were my front and rear tire need to be close to so that the pads all clear the wheels. Just takes a little trial and error to get it right then mark it out on the floor. I'll shoot you a PM tomorrow sometime. If I forget remind me.

Too close ='s cannot open the doors. To far ='s car has to be in the perfect location between lift towers both front to back to lift.

By all means Jack's installation is awsome. Watch the video. Killer!!

les_garten · 06-23-2011, 08:18 AM

Thanx!