I have to ask

chromebumpers

chromebumpers

solid fixture here in the forum
Staff member
And I expect the 2 guys here that would know this, Brian & Grumpy. Have either one of you guys ever raised a car (namely a 'vette) on a 2 post lift with bias for the right side post? In other words, I need to raise and lower the car up and down several times getting in and out with the door fully opened. The capacity is 2500 for each arm (X4). I couldn't find anything in the owners manual and it seems there's some big venue going on so the guys with the answers at Mohawk are out this week.
 
Grumpy can give you the best answer Rich.
Its a Real Pain in the ass to set the arms on my worklift for the 1987 C4 convertible.
Very short wheelbase car. Its light. 9,000# lift has plenty of reserve power.
Roll car forward back at least 6 times to set each arm.

Its an older Foward lift. # S203T*4636.
My workbay lift.
 
I like working on ground with my Vette.
4 heavy duty jackstands like Grumpy shows us how to.
 
Getting a Jeep Wrangler or any CJ is the worst. one arm in, roll it back . . . and then there is a tiny spot on the frame just 4' between the rear wheel turn-up and the skid plate for good balance. I can position the 71 vette blind-folded. If I spread the space between posts It eliminate most of the BS with most models but I don't work with the lift too much anymore, just to park 2 cars in one bay.
 
9000 FP Foward Lift.
Read the Pump Tag.....sorry.
ALI CERTIFIED.
This Lift has no Bias from left or right.
Powerfull. LIFTS HEAVY Ford F250's . Wiegh at least 8,000-9,000lbs.
 
chromebumpers said:
Getting a Jeep Wrangler or any CJ is the worst. one arm in, roll it back . . . and then there is a tiny spot on the frame just 4' between the rear wheel turn-up and the skid plate for good balance. I can position the 71 vette blind-folded. If I spread the space between posts It eliminate most of the BS with most models but I don't work with the lift too much anymore, just to park 2 cars in one bay.
Click to expand...
Yes Jeep Wranglers have short wheel bases too Rich.
Don't want to break fiberglass floors in my Vette.
Nearly all coupes C4's have lift arm damaged floors.
Not my 87 C4 vert.
Test drive time Rich.
Chat later.
 
I'm not 100% sure I understand what your asking, but i can tell you that a two post lift with the corvette ,with the weight and frame support points properly centered on the car in relation to the two support posts leaves you minimal but adequate room to open the door and enter and exit the car only if you position the car correctly and that its entirely possible to drive the car between the lift support poles and align the cars center-line too far to the drivers side of the lift so the arms interfere with easy access to the cars interior, so its standard practice to always lower both windows before you raise the corvette to insure at least limited emergency access to the cars interior.
garage11.jpg

carlifta.jpg

vettelif1.jpg

now obviously because the lift arms can be adjusted by easily a foot or more in length the cars center-line between the lift arms can also be adjusted to some degree, it should also be rather obvious that maintaining as close to equal loading as possible would be advisable, for safety reasons.
the low ground clearance makes rotating the extending lift arms rather difficult unless you use a small ramp under the front tires to gain a bit of additional extra clearance.
yes if you position the car correctly you can on most lifts make access to the car far easier but it takes a bit of trial and error testing, once you find what will work, I suggest you do what I did and outline all four tire locations on the shop floor for future reference when driving the car in to use the lift as it make positioning the car much easier for later use!


LOOK AT THE LINKS
http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Asymm ... Post-Lifts

http://www.government-fleet.com/article ... afety.aspx

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=98
 
87vette81big said:
chromebumpers said:
Getting a Jeep Wrangler or any CJ is the worst. one arm in, roll it back . . . and then there is a tiny spot on the frame just 4' between the rear wheel turn-up and the skid plate for good balance. I can position the 71 vette blind-folded. If I spread the space between posts It eliminate most of the BS with most models but I don't work with the lift too much anymore, just to park 2 cars in one bay.
Click to expand...
Yes Jeep Wranglers have short wheel bases too Rich.
Don't want to break fiberglass floors in my Vette.
Nearly all coupes C4's have lift arm damaged floors.
Not my 87 C4 vert.
Test drive time Rich.
Chat later.
Click to expand...

mine does under the drivers floor... shit happens... all we can do is take care of them the best we can.
 
I know I'm over analyzing this but I'm in for a penny, in for a pound on this one.

If I drive up (with the vette) near exactly between the 2 uprights and by the book it shows the posts centered on the "A" pillers for balance - the drivers door hits the left post not allowing the door to open wide enough for ME to get in and out of the car. I'm putting in the interior with rugs and seat tracks (bolt holes and floor plugs) I need to work in and under the car and the lift helps make the process quicker for me.
Here's the important part:
If I park the vette off centered to the right - close to the right post I then can open the driver's door wide open and everything is good. Question is - "Is this a hazard? The left arms are not anywhere near fully extended and the right side is not at all. I'm well within weight capacities and the Mohawk arms are the strongest in the industry. I know there is a formula, I just can't remember how to calculate the amount of force is at work pulling down on the uprights when the weight is "X" at a certain distance from the upright post (I should have saved my physics book for school).

However, because this is a Symmetrical/Asymmetrical lift due to the articulation of the arms and not the angle of the uprights, I can swing the arms both sides back using the arms to balance the car and ignoring the post position and I can open both doors wide. Just think, I haven't had anything to drink and my meds are fine! :lol:
 
chromebumpers said:
I know I'm over analyzing this but I'm in for a penny, in for a pound on this one.

If I drive up (with the vette) near exactly between the 2 uprights and by the book it shows the posts centered on the "A" pillers for balance - the drivers door hits the left post not allowing the door to open wide enough for ME to get in and out of the car. I'm putting in the interior with rugs and seat tracks (bolt holes and floor plugs) I need to work in and under the car and the lift helps make the process quicker for me.
Here's the important part:
If I park the vette off centered to the right - close to the right post I then can open the driver's door wide open and everything is good. Question is - "Is this a hazard? The left arms are not anywhere near fully extended and the right side is not at all. I'm well within weight capacities and the Mohawk arms are the strongest in the industry. I know there is a formula, I just can't remember how to calculate the amount of force is at work pulling down on the uprights when the weight is "X" at a certain distance from the upright post (I should have saved my physics book for school).

However, because this is a Symmetrical/Asymmetrical lift due to the articulation of the arms and not the angle of the uprights, I can swing the arms both sides back using the arms to balance the car and ignoring the post position and I can open both doors wide. Just think, I haven't had anything to drink and my meds are fine! :lol:
Click to expand...

Grumpy is the Master of Safety Tips Rich.
 
Grumpy is the Master of Safety Tips Rich.
Click to expand...

I included you Brian simply because you're one of the few full-time professionals between the two forums that I thought would have done this by now.
 
I would mark the floors at work but the grease dropped daily from Beaters worked on is sure real.
I can tell where the balance point is on most any car or truck by experience prior.
I always lift till all 4 tires are off the ground 2- 4 inches, do a walk around, bounce on front & rear bumpers with both hands.
If tires touch the ground, I put the vehicle down & reset the arms &/or roll the vehicle slight forward or backwards.
Check again.
Then I lift fully in the air.
Check safety locks. Lower vehicle onto safety locks.
A- OK to work underneath then, typically take 3-4 minute total.
 
the first car i did this to i foolishly used the lift, up and down and up and down and didnt want to juxtapose the car like youre proposing because i had the same concerns you do... furthermore it was a customers car so i REALLY didnt wanna fuck it up. i think even if it were safe, someone would have jumped in my ass about it because it just looks wrong... after that time wasting debacle i decided on using jackstands... just easier for me since i could slide on the creeper and then jump in the car no big deal... im curious if theres any real safety issues tho, now that you mention it, because with a vettte its not like the lift is really straining itself to have the arms uneven like that. i usually raise the car until the tires are JUST off the ground and shake the shit out of it, just to make sure my lift points are good... every time i raise a car on a lift... last thing i need is a car 6 feet in the air to un-ass the lift when i apply torque to a bolt or something! ouch! i think that kind of low to the ground testing may be proof enough in this case?
 
I think your checking correct Phil.
Shake the shit out of it prior.
I apply about 135 lbs bench press arm power testing.
 
philly said:
the first car i did this to i foolishly used the lift, up and down and up and down and didnt want to juxtapose the car like youre proposing because i had the same concerns you do... furthermore it was a customers car so i REALLY didnt wanna fuck it up. i think even if it were safe, someone would have jumped in my ass about it because it just looks wrong... after that time wasting debacle i decided on using jackstands... just easier for me since i could slide on the creeper and then jump in the car no big deal... im curious if theres any real safety issues tho, now that you mention it, because with a vettte its not like the lift is really straining itself to have the arms uneven like that. i usually raise the car until the tires are JUST off the ground and shake the shit out of it, just to make sure my lift points are good... every time i raise a car on a lift... last thing i need is a car 6 feet in the air to un-ass the lift when i apply torque to a bolt or something! ouch! i think that kind of low to the ground testing may be proof enough in this case?
Click to expand...

YEAH I HAVE A LIFT BUT AT LEAST 40% of the time I revert to the set of (6) 12 ton jack stands, two 3 ton floor jacks, and a mechanics roller/creeper simply because at times it serves the purpose so much better..a fact the guys that don,t own lifts, who stop by the shop, never seem to grasp



viewtopic.php?f=59&t=3178&p=38649&hilit=mechanics+creeper#p38649

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=26&hilit=corvette+jack+stands
 
Right now I don't have the option of using jack-stands. After my operations - I shouldn't have any problems getting up and down then. So, it's the lift that will help me get things done - or find a mechanic that will work at my place.
 
grumpyvette said:
philly said:
the first car i did this to i foolishly used the lift, up and down and up and down and didnt want to juxtapose the car like youre proposing because i had the same concerns you do... furthermore it was a customers car so i REALLY didnt wanna fuck it up. i think even if it were safe, someone would have jumped in my ass about it because it just looks wrong... after that time wasting debacle i decided on using jackstands... just easier for me since i could slide on the creeper and then jump in the car no big deal... im curious if theres any real safety issues tho, now that you mention it, because with a vettte its not like the lift is really straining itself to have the arms uneven like that. i usually raise the car until the tires are JUST off the ground and shake the shit out of it, just to make sure my lift points are good... every time i raise a car on a lift... last thing i need is a car 6 feet in the air to un-ass the lift when i apply torque to a bolt or something! ouch! i think that kind of low to the ground testing may be proof enough in this case?
Click to expand...

YEAH I HAVE A LIFT BUT AT LEAST 40% of the time I revert to the set of (6) 12 ton jack stands and a mechanics roller/creeper simply because at times it serves the purpose so much better..a fact the guys that don,t own lifts, who stop by the shop, never seem to grasp



viewtopic.php?f=59&t=3178&p=38649&hilit=mechanics+creeper#p38649

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=26&hilit=corvette+jack+stands
Click to expand...

were gonna be closing on a warehouse soon i think so we will finally be out of the driveway and under a proper lift again... but i think this will still end up being the situation. speaking of, all we have left on the yenko is change the tranny pan gasket and put it up on ebay, i'll be sure to link it here on the site so you guys can see the finished product
 
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