Hi everyone, new here, found the site through Google during a frantic search for help with 2 post lifts. I also need some advice on welders and welding in the near future so I thought I'd better sign up!
So my issue; I have an old Hofmann Duolift GTE 2500 2 post screw thread type lift which had been working fine but I've had a bit of a move around in the workshop and one of the things I moved was this lift. I had a mare setting one of the new anchor bolts and in a bit of a rash (probably very foolish) fashion I jacked the lift up via the knuckle on one of the lifting arms (with a trolley jack), during this the lifting mechanism moved up inside the post a little before the entire lift (or one end of) came off the ground.
Having set the anchors and bolted the ramp down I plugged it back in to find that the far post (from the one with the up/down switch and motor which is also the end that I jacked up) appeared to be jammed in some way and would no longer go up, it just made and awful clattering noise as the chain tightened and then presumably slipped, it seemed to go down completely as normal though. The switch end seems fine, when trying to lift you can see the chain tensioning from the far post so I'm pretty sure that's where the problem lies. I've unplugged the lift and tried to operate the lifting mechanism manually with a spanner via the tops of each leg with no joy and have ended up lowering the liftings arms to their lowest possible position, limiting access to the lower part of the post.
I assume I've broken or dislodged something inside the post of the lift by jacking the lift up and may have made things worse by lowering the lifting arms in my attempts to work out and fix what's wrong with it.
I can't find a manual for this lift anywhere which makes things harder, I've read a lot of things about how solid/sturdy these lifts are though so I'm hoping I haven't done anything too severe! I've looked inside the legs as best I can (the view is very limited in it's current position/state) and I can see very little apart from some big metal rollers which I can't imagine I've damaged by doing what I have, there must be more going on in there that I can't see, I nearly started taking it apart yesterday but a friend who I share the workshop with was quite insistant on finding someone who knows a thing or two about these lifts before going down that road (probably a good shout judging by how it's gone so far lol).
If anyone knows anything about the workings of this lift or similar screw thread chain driven 2 post lifts and is able to offer advice I'd be very grateful.
Thanks
So my issue; I have an old Hofmann Duolift GTE 2500 2 post screw thread type lift which had been working fine but I've had a bit of a move around in the workshop and one of the things I moved was this lift. I had a mare setting one of the new anchor bolts and in a bit of a rash (probably very foolish) fashion I jacked the lift up via the knuckle on one of the lifting arms (with a trolley jack), during this the lifting mechanism moved up inside the post a little before the entire lift (or one end of) came off the ground.
Having set the anchors and bolted the ramp down I plugged it back in to find that the far post (from the one with the up/down switch and motor which is also the end that I jacked up) appeared to be jammed in some way and would no longer go up, it just made and awful clattering noise as the chain tightened and then presumably slipped, it seemed to go down completely as normal though. The switch end seems fine, when trying to lift you can see the chain tensioning from the far post so I'm pretty sure that's where the problem lies. I've unplugged the lift and tried to operate the lifting mechanism manually with a spanner via the tops of each leg with no joy and have ended up lowering the liftings arms to their lowest possible position, limiting access to the lower part of the post.
I assume I've broken or dislodged something inside the post of the lift by jacking the lift up and may have made things worse by lowering the lifting arms in my attempts to work out and fix what's wrong with it.
I can't find a manual for this lift anywhere which makes things harder, I've read a lot of things about how solid/sturdy these lifts are though so I'm hoping I haven't done anything too severe! I've looked inside the legs as best I can (the view is very limited in it's current position/state) and I can see very little apart from some big metal rollers which I can't imagine I've damaged by doing what I have, there must be more going on in there that I can't see, I nearly started taking it apart yesterday but a friend who I share the workshop with was quite insistant on finding someone who knows a thing or two about these lifts before going down that road (probably a good shout judging by how it's gone so far lol).
If anyone knows anything about the workings of this lift or similar screw thread chain driven 2 post lifts and is able to offer advice I'd be very grateful.
Thanks