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Auto trailer hoist combo idea Nuts
Here's a wacky idea.
Hypothetically, say a guy had an auto hauling trailer with runners (not flatbed) and also wanted a four-post lift to work under the car.
Would it be feasible to modify the trailer to have four flip-down screw jacks (or other secure jacks) to raise the whole thing up a couple of feet for working under the car? If you could get the bottom of the trailer runners 4-5 feet off the ground it would be nice to sit on a rolling work stool and just roll it under the car. Sure the trailer axles would get in the way but you should be able to work in the front and rear ends of the car without too much interference.
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Auto trailer hoist combo idea Nuts
A real two poster would be nice but the garage isn't tall enough to make one worthwhile. With the trailer approach you could work on a low car in the garage or a taller vehicle out in the driveway.
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Auto trailer hoist combo idea Nuts
The car I'm working on has interesting jacking points.
Directly in front of each rear wheel and behind each front wheel are ~1" ID pipes, about 6" long, welded directly to the unibody perpendicular to the cars axis and flush with the running boards. The spare tire jack has a rod that gets inserted in these jacking points to lift the car.
So another idea was to build a "car pallet" that could be lifted with the loader. It could lock into these jacking points to locate the car and once on a strong loader it could be tilted up rotisserie style.
Unfortunately, even though the car only weighs 2000 lbs soaking wet it's still too much for my loader.
A rotisserie would be nice but since the body will be sent out to be dipped/blasted and painted I could probably do without.
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Auto trailer hoist combo idea Nuts
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Okay, Northern has them. They call it an "auto twirler": the standard model starts at $800. Bascially it would take the place of cherry pickers aforementioned. Another idea is buy this unit and you could either mount it to the trailer, or leave the roll around casters on it and that would let you roll it on/off as you wish.
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Got a link or stock number? A search for "auto twirler" on their web site turns up bupkus and I usually just toss the catalogs they send out. I've seen a few of these - even saw one a guy made out of a couple of heavy duty engine stands.
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Auto trailer hoist combo idea Nuts
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118542-2806.Needs 18" to mount118540-2806.Needs 40" to mountThey have variations for more money of hydraulic lift and/or powdercoat.
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Thanks EW. You must be looking at a catalog since the website says those items are no longer available. However, stock number 157845 is probably similar. There are a number of those around but they are probably limited to bodywork because the engine, suspension, etc. add a lot of weight. Of course you wouldn't want to turn a car on it's side with all the fluids filled.
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Auto trailer hoist combo idea Nuts
Thanks Auerbach, that MaxJack two poster looks pretty neat. I'll have to do some height measuring but that might be the way to go.
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Auto trailer hoist combo idea Nuts
The MaxJax looks pretty good but it seems about $700 too expensive for what it does. You can buy full size lifts for nearly the same price and they will raise a car 2-4 feet higher. No portability though and high ceilings are required.
I'm punting on the lift idea though. I'll use a body rotisserie and tall jack stands instead.
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Auto trailer hoist combo idea Nuts
The other thing about the MaxJack design is that it seems that the concrete bolt retention holes would loosen up after a few uses. The threaded concrete inserts I've used don't exactly seem well suited to multiple cycles. Now if there was a big T-nut type of retainer embedded in fresh concrete that might be another story.
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Auto trailer hoist combo idea Nuts
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Those car-b-q jobs are meant to be used with engines and trans ect removed. I looked at them a while back. Also the "tall" jack stands I've seen are not rated to hold a car. A buddy of mine has a two post hoist and uses those stands to hold up exhaust pipes and gas tanks ect. That's all they are intended for. BE CAREFUL!I'd watch Craigslist and e-pay for a used hoist. Folks are hurtin fer cash nowadays. Once you use one, you'll find it was way worth the investment. Don't be afraid to post a wanted ad either. Good luck, Denny
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Not sure what you mean about the tall jack stands not rated to hold a car. Shouldn't a 2-ton jackstand should be able to hold two tons? Now if I put four of them under a car that weighs less than 2 tons it seems there would be plenty of safety margin. At most 500lbs each.
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Auto trailer hoist combo idea Nuts
Murf, I know what you're saying. But sometimes companies use terms like "safety stands" to weasel out of any liability claim. That said, I have been looking for a four-post lift. Wish the garage door was a roll-up instead of a segmented door though, that would add three feet of clearance. Or I could go into hock and just build the dang shop that I've always wanted.
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12-23-2009, 08:55 
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