Midrise Scissor Lift

[RetroPug]

I've been looking at the various midrise scissor lifts available.

It would need to be this style to go either side of a fairly shallow, narrow pit: https://automotechservices.co.uk/products/as-7530d-garage-scissor-lift/

It seems that once you add VAT and shipping, you're looking at £2200 for most brands.

Is anyone using this style of lift, any recommendations for brands, cheaper ones, ones to avoid and so on?

Thanks!

 

[JOEPRO]

I uee this one which is good quality and lifts my MB S Classes with ease

(Photo taken before I installed it - I bolted it down to my concrete garage floor)

 

[MetalMonkey]

I have that lift, I can recommend Automotech as a decent company - the stuff is all Chinese, as most is - but their service and support is very good.

The advantage of that style of lift is that it is a self contained unit, good if the floor isn't the best or if you need to move it about.
They also do "in-floor" ones which are separate and don't have the cross bars - something to consider if you are going either side of a pit - you'd have to be certain nothing is going to cave in though.

The Automotech unit uses pneumatic safety locks, some other ones use electric actuators - that may be advantageous depending on if you have air available or not. I like the air locks personally.
The other nice thing with this one is the sliding mechanism is contained on each slide with two fixed cross braces, I think on some models one of the braces slides which could be more of an issue if you want to box in or recess the lift.

So far its done pretty well, including have vehicles stuck on it for extended periods (months at a time).
Problems so far are limited to the valve for the safety lock release getting stuck open, but on disassembly it seems some sort of beetle manage to get inside (not sure how) and wedged the valve open.

Other niggles, the motor/pump unit doubles as the dolly for lifting and moving it - but its a bit of a rubbish design and very difficult to control and manoeuvre.
Its also quite a bulky thing - I’d have preferred a separate lifting beam and a more compact motor/pump unit (possibly enclosed). Its a minor thing but worth mentioning if you intend to move it about a lot.

The controls are up and down, and the down button will momentarily raise the lift first, so the locks can disengage. I think that's pretty standard.
As a result you can't sit the lift on the mechanical locks, it will always be on the hydraulics unless you remove the air so the locks don't disengage.

Obviously that works fine, but I quite like the idea of being able to relax the hydraulics and leave the weight on the safety locks if I know its going to be on there for some time.
I've no idea if that's a good or bad thing, but I intend to modify mine so I have a switch that just lowers it onto the locks - should be pretty easy to do.

I've found mine to be invaluable, especially as I get older. It’s been very useful for a lot of different jobs and I've not really run into anything that it has been a restriction on.
Any scissor lift blocks access to sills but if you have four stands (or suitable cribbing) you can get around that - I'm currently doing a sill repair using exactly that method.

 

[Robert Weaver]

how is contact made with the vehicle ? looks like the platform is too short to lift the wheels, so does it lift the floorpan or use riser blocks?

 

[Mick Annick]

how is contact made with the vehicle ? looks like the platform is too short to lift the wheels, so does it lift the floorpan or use riser blocks?

Either from what I’ve found, I’ve been looking at one for a while

 

[RetroPug]

Thank you for the replies so far.

They also do "in-floor" ones which are separate and don't have the cross bars - something to consider if you are going either side of a pit - you'd have to be certain nothing is going to cave in though.

I've just seen that one, which is invariably ideal but even more expensive.

I've found mine to be invaluable, especially as I get older. It’s been very useful for a lot of different jobs and I've not really run into anything that it has been a restriction on.
Any scissor lift blocks access to sills but if you have four stands (or suitable cribbing) you can get around that - I'm currently doing a sill repair using exactly that method.

I know I'd get a lot of use out of it, and would love owning it. I've plenty of experience using 2posters etc in a professional environment (and borrowing the use of them!) so I know how much nicer it would be.

 

[Robotstar5]

how is contact made with the vehicle ? looks like the platform is too short to lift the wheels, so does it lift the floorpan or use riser blocks?

They had one at a tyre place I was at yesterday, they put 4 nylon blocks under the car so they pick up the jacking points.

 

[MetalMonkey]

how is contact made with the vehicle ? looks like the platform is too short to lift the wheels, so does it lift the floorpan or use riser blocks?

Included is four large rubber jack blocks which you position under the jacking points.
The ramps at either end can be lifted up and locked, so you can capture the jacking points if it is a long vehicle.

I also bought a selection of hockey pucks which are just about the perfect thing for blocking up to jacking points, either when using the lift or on a trolley jack.
I've seen some people machine a groove in them to suit pinch welds, but so far I've not needed to do that.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Be aware that if you ever need to do work on your sills this type of lift will not be suitable.

 

[Robert Weaver]

thanks all for the comments, didn't mean to hijack the thread.

 

[frank horton]

Hope u have good back…

 

[MetalMonkey]

Be aware that if you ever need to do work on your sills this type of lift will not be suitable.

You can get around that by using the lift to raise the car and then dropping it down on to stands or cribbing, which is what I've done.
They do make specific stands for that, but they are expensive IMO.

The only time that fails is if you need to access the sill and the wheel arch, so far I've managed to work around that.

 

[wobblie]

I have that same lift from Automechservices. I've only had it a few weeks, but so far it's been very good.

I've changed the gearbox in my Boxster, and had an Audi A2, my Freelander 2 and an Audi S8 on it to do a mixture of suspension work and subframe cleanup etc (the ramps needed locking up and were used to jack up the S8 as it's so long)

Build quality is good from what I can see. When I spoke to them before I bought it, they explained the reason for pneumatic locks is that they sell a lot to body shops, so it reduces chances of electrical sparking in a fume filled paint booth ...

Pretty fast delivery too, but it is heavy to get into position. Once in the garage it can be moved around on its own wheels if needed, but getting off the pallet is hard work when you have a 30m gravel driveway to navigate and no lifting gear

They specify a 16A supply with a c curve breaker, and you have to supply the hydraulic oil.

 

[jo1010]

......dropping it down on to stands or cribbing, which is what I've done.

Interesting. How high did you build your cribbing? 4x2 sw timber presumably?

.....talking of stands the ones used on the old chassis repair dozers are pretty solid too with a good stable spread on the legs...I use mine a lot

 

[ukracer]

Be aware that if you ever need to do work on your sills this type of lift will not be suitable.

Yes but you can use tall axle stands in that case.