Car lift for clutch replacement

[suffolksmallholder]

I have done our Honda civic and Skoda Fabias from ordinary ramps. I had the tractor over the engine bay with a chain-fall winch to do the lifting. I also made an engine steady to support the engine when the mount was off.
Not forgetting making the Honda front pulley tool to get the nut undone.

Day to get it out and a day to get it in.
I’d love an Automotech two-post but I have been looking at scissor lifts as well simply to get a vehicle to me rather than getting me to the vehicle.
SS

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Of it’s a front wheel drive car just take everything that needs taking off the top first the jack it up as high as you can to match your stands under subframe somewhere and drop the box onto an old cushion!! If it’s a VW the driveshafts take nearly as much time as everything else!!!

 

[BuskhillFarm]

Fork lift and extended tines. Too brutal!

Neighbour did this once he was also crushed by his jeep falling off the forklift

I’d say old fashioned pit built out of concrete blocks

 

[grainboy]

This week

 

[rob h]

if you have the space get a second hand 2 post lift . makes jobs so easy and quicker

 

[Bury the Trash]

Of it’s a front wheel drive car just take everything that needs taking off the top first the jack it up as high as you can to match your stands under subframe somewhere and drop the box onto an old cushion!! If it’s a VW the driveshafts take nearly as much time as everything else!!!

yes but that gearbox has still got to be lifted back in position again
theres a drive shaft thats needs doing anyway so 2 birds with one stone i spose.

could easily write the car off tbh. but its finding something else with such a known history for the right money ,
thrust bearing/worn out / broke up i think.

 

[Mur Huwcun]

yes but that gearbox has still got to be lifted back in position again
theres a drive shaft thats needs doing anyway so 2 birds with one stone i spose.

could easily write the car off tbh. but its finding something else with such a known history for the right money ,
thrust bearing/worn out / broke up i think.

Suspend it from above so you can wiggle it in, they fall out and pop back in quite easy on cars anyhow

 

[David Bliss]

I got a 3t one for free that had little use as just had to remove it, as things have gotten heavier and longer old hoists are cheap as chips its just taken them out and fitting, I did this on my own just using a engine hoist and trolley and same coming off, it was being replaced with a 3.5 hoist same make and lifted maybe 4inches higher, only thing with the new type it had electronics, so to go down it always had to go up some inches before descending all done electronically, defiantly not ideal. the old type is simple and bullet proof, move the hydraulic handle to lift it just starts the motor and up, and to go down its move handle to lower, even if power fails can still lower. I have used both and a two poster takes up less space and how I would use one would be of no help, and photos says it all, as with a four poster it has many advantages as can work on axles easy support springs and lower all done at chest hight, I have two cross sliders with a extra runner so can use it for three wheeler or a narrow vehicle like lawn mower or support gearbox and lower. A lot of the old hoists have hydraulic or screw so ram, ether cables and alloy pulleys, cables need very careful handling and pulleys wear so you need to check and screw rods and nuts wear and check if spares are available.
This is rather funny local lads had a large traveler van in to service including stove pipe out the top, with limited head room with a new hoist that goes up before down, they never thought about the stove pipe and wondered what the rice crispy sounds were.

 

[CPF]

Put it on a trailer, reverse another trailer against the first one, then drive car 3/4 onto second trailer, apply handbrake, leave gears in neutral, then drive second trailer away opening up the gap between the two trailers

I’ve done that to put clutch in a pickup.

 

[Neil MP]

I’ve done that to put clutch in a pickup.

I did it with a Land Rover to steam genny the whole chassis, so I know it works.

 

[Phil P]

I picked up a used rota lift about 9 years ago for £250, two post ramps aren’t expensive to start with and can be picked up at very reasonable money used.

The right gear makes the job much easier!

 

[TripleSix]

I've tipped old vehicles sideways onto a large straw bale before now to do work underneath.

No damage if you do it right.

 

[David Bliss]

I've tipped old vehicles sideways onto a large straw bale before now to do work underneath.

No damage if you do it right.

A friend made sort of hoops that bolt on to replace the wheels to go up and over the top, once lowered the car is rolled over onto its side, he had seen this done and had ago and worked. was very surprised.

 

[David Bliss]

I would like to add a bit to my first post, I do all my work on my own with really bad arthritic joints and struggle so every bit of awkward effort is pain, a four poster with two rails is ideal for me and maybe slower. I needed to drop the heavy three-piece prop on the truck, so easy with clear centre line once everything is loose and using the extra runner to lower it onto, rear wheel drive gearboxes, adapter to fit end of engine hoist is so easy. I often have badly out of weight balance things, like the 1.1t compact tractor with the overhanging weight of the lighter topper, you don't have to think about it as not a problem with four posts. There are mishaps with out of balance weights you have to think about on one and two posters being very careful. As for making your own a friend designed and made a car hoist and I done the safety bit of fail-safe, sort of similar to high lift trailer with clear un-obstructive access to centre.

 

[Bury the Trash]

but surely a 2 poster could be made a bit more 'safe' by the addition of a prop or 2 or strap or similar
forgive me for being dum and i dont frequent garages but is there a photo of a 4 poster with the vehochle wheels off please to see how it can be done ?
trouble is a jacking beam etc will be extra cost , but then the extra load spread of a 4 legged one would mean less worry about 'concrete thickness for the legs i should think....

 

[TripleSix]

but surely a 2 poster could be made a bit more 'safe' by the addition of a prop or 2 or strap or similar
forgive me for being dum and i dont frequent garages but is there a photo of a 4 poster with the vehochle wheels off please to see how it can be done ?
trouble is a jacking beam etc will be extra cost , but then the extra load spread of a 4 legged one would mean less worry about 'concrete thickness for the legs i should think....

4 post ramp either has hydraulic jacks that run up and down the middle to lift the vehicle or they have two long bars full length on a separate locking system called "wheel free bars"

Lock them in place and lower the ramp, the car stays on the bars and the ramp lowers away

 

[Bury the Trash]

new 2 post is fair bit cheaper but 4 seems a more natural way of going about it .

 

[Interested in farming]

Internet is full of hilarious videos of home mechanics being maimed and killed or even worse, damaging their cars. The numbers working on cars raised on forks is astonishing. Metal on metal and a moving centre of gravity and seized bolts.

Most get caught out by COG changing, the old hands in the workshop had amusing stories of cars backflipping off when engines/gearboxes came out or stuff rolling off the back of a ramp.

All the above are around 2k

 

[box]

If it's only a one off, there's not much point in "making" anything.

Lift the front of the car up as far as it goes with the loader, then prop it up with a couple of long strainer posts dug into the ground on an angle. You'll be able to do most of the underside stuff by standing in front of it.

 

[Bury the Trash]

If it's only a one off, there's not much point in "making" anything.

Lift the front of the car up as far as it goes with the loader, then prop it up with a couple of long strainer posts dug into the ground on an angle. You'll be able to do most of the underside stuff by standing in front of it.

yes will probably end up doing something like that to get it done ,but for perspective truth is the car only cost £50 from a friend year or 2 back, its got lot mot on it and will prob. pass another , i have done fair bit of work on it already mind you .