How to raise the car really high

Last time I needed to do repairs under the rear of the car, I put it onto axle stands on the sills, but this didn't really get it high enough for comfort. So this time, I did it a little differently. I made a sturdy bracket which can be bolted in place of the rear bumper and then an engine crane used to lift the car. The bracket was a simple affair, made using 60x60x4 hollow square section tubing. It was welded together on the highest power setting of a 150A welder:


Meaty welds


This is it in action, with the axle, fuel tank and other parts removed


This is the area which needs a couple of repair sections

hahaha suppose thats one way of doing it  

prity clever tho really

very cool. i'd be tempted to make legs that can be fitted so you don't have to leave it on the engine host. something that maybe goes on though  hole then has a pin that stops it from coming out. (i'll draw you a picture if it helps)

novocaine said

very cool. i'd be tempted to make legs that can be fitted so you don't have to leave it on the engine host. something that maybe goes on though  hole then has a pin that stops it from coming out. (i'll draw you a picture if it helps)

Yeah did think about that, but I don't need the crane for anything else so it may as well stay there. The axle stands in the pics aren't touching the car or taking any weight, they're simply there in case something funny happens, otherwise I'd be dead!

I'd have just drunk a few stella's and lifted it up….

       

Fair play tho mate, good way around it, beats crawling around on the floor, will it lift teh front tho  8O

quality idea

I see your welding has improved !   


Good idea do you think the ram on the lift can take it ? Being left under pressure ?

Nice job!

chudd said

I see your welding has improved !   

Different welder - made all the difference!

excellent idea there Paul… need to do something similar as I don't have enough space to repair my axle mount at the moment!

amazing

looks fun haha

8O 8O

want one!!!!

all ive got is axle stands at full length on the square bracket right at the back of the car (well, as of tomorrow anyway) so that's nearly as high as that :wink:

I have to say Paul I'm I'mpressed with that, was wondering could the same be done at the front? but not at the same time of course

Definitely possible on the front too, not sure if the load would be spread so well on the bumper mounts, since at the back, the repair washer touches the floor and this takes some of the load. I think the front bumper mounts are wider too, so it would need to be another bracket made up. Also the front is heavier in general, should be ok though. You always have the option of making the bracket longer, so the engine crane when its lifting, is well out of the way of working. It doesn't get in the way at the rear and its only just far enough away to open/close the tailgate.

Great idea. I suppose you could even rest that bracket on a brick wall?

Are you going to enter the Dragons Den?

I've now done all the welding underneath (needed one patch underneath and a small patch to properly close the end of the sill), and its painted in primer, seam sealed and now covered in stonechip underbody paint.

I'm quite looking forwards to tomorrow's task of refitting the fuel tank, suspension, exhaust and a bunch of other little parts. It shoule make things nice and controllable being able to independently raise and lower the suspension beam into place and the car body itself. The fuel tank is quite light and not too hard to just chuck on, the exhaust should be okay because I can raise the car really high again and do it comfortably.

Crikey,  makes that job a lot easier to do….wish I had those sort of facilities/room when I was changing the tank  :cry:

Yep, all refitted today, all I need to do now is to refill the tank with new fuel (I must have lost around 3 litres, I'd let it run right down). Ironically at some points of the job, the car was too high up and I was on my back stretching to reach it, so I lowered it down a little. Refitting the rear beam is a doddle when you can adjust the height of the car and the axle (sitting on a trolley jack) independently.

hi
this looks like a great idea
i am going to do the same in the winter to refurb the back axle,tank etc
has anyone else tried & tested this method
cheers
baz

Nice one Paul, good idea! I'm quite handy with the welder but wouldn't want to put too much faith in a butt joint between the sections of bar. I think I'll make one of these but I'll place the long rear bar beneath the bumper mounting bars to put less stress on the welds.

Thinking about it that way it wouldn't even need welding - it could just be drilled and bolted.  

Cheers Paul.  8)