2 post lift H frame

[superfly]

Hi lads,

I need to fit my 2 post lift in a new workshop, and the floor is to thin.
So I need to break it and redo something stronger and leveled.
I am also thinking of making a H frame, for stability purpose well I don't know if it will help.

My 2 post lift is a standard hydraulic one, rated to 4T, but the max weight I put on it is Van like Transit so a weight arround 2T and I already found this wobbly. So I wonder who It could increase the stability.

So I thought maybe a H frame which will be over the post based and bolt on with the bolt as the one holding the lift.

What do you think ?

 

[knighty]

quick note - with two post lifts the posts are supposed to lean out a little when there's no weight on them.... then as you put weight on them they lean back in slightly and are vertical

(it's only a very slight lean)

makes them more stable too (because they're properly vertical)

 

[colnerov]

Hi, IIRC @normspanners was involved in a similar problem for someone and they ended up bolting it to a heavy plate. I can't remember which thread it was now.

Colin

 

[superfly]

Thanks for the idea and information.
I have the manual and I will contact the manufacturer about the leaning of the post.

In my previous workshop, there was a guy with the same issue (I call that an issue it might not be).
We had the same lift his was heavily used compare to mine.
And he was usual but a gear box lift on the crossmember of the van to help the stability.
The van type vehicle are quit long and the weight repartition is not great.

So I basically wonder since I have to break the slab and put some new one on my new place and knowing it is my own place if I could do something to improve this ?

Edit: the all problem I found maybe would be sorted by a 20cm of foundation concrete.
I doubt the previous place was having the full requirements for the floor.

Thanks

 

[knighty]

seeing s you have to dig up the floor anyway, I can;t see a good reason not to put some steel in while you're on

20cm must be the minimum ? I'd go for 30sm if I were you

also, it's not just how deep you go, you need it to be wide so it spans some area
(to stop the new concrete breaking away from the old)



even if you don't go full H frame.... you could add a steel plate under each post with threaded bar sticking up through it, so you can bolt the post down to that instead of using the normal rag bolts ?

 

[normspanners]

Hi, IIRC @normspanners was involved in a similar problem for someone and they ended up bolting it to a heavy plate. I can't remember which thread it was now.

Yep I made that one so it was free standing, leveled the tiled barn floor with sand and 'floated' the two poster on it lifted some big old cars on it aston martins lagondas etc etc

found it btw http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/tight-squeeze.65997/page-2