It looks like 25 years of jack stands are finally behind me. I dropped my scissor lift in this weekend and used it for the first time:

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=252226

But... am I doing this right? Any tips or jigs you guys use when lifting 914s.

First, I made some wooden blocks to see near the donuts in each corner.

Then, on my first lifting attempt, I had the yellow arms exactly perpendicular to the lift and it seemed stable, but the lift intruded on about 9" of the engine compartment area. So I tried again and rolled the car forward and swing the rear arms as far back as they would go. This totally opens on the engine compartment area.

Does this look ok? Any tips?

Some day I'll actually finish cleaning, unpacking, organizing, and playing with my lift and actually work on my car and get something done.

-Steve

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I guess my big concern is that I don't think there is any way the car will remain balanced like this with an engine in it. I've had the same problems when using jackstands and either had to (a) lower the front so that just the rear was sticking up (which is not really an option here) or (b) add concrete bags to the front trunk.

How do you guys use scissor lifts, especially with significant weight changes (i.e. removing/installing an engine)?

-Steve

There was no way I was going underneath this thing yet, so I had my youngest test it out.

He lived.

-Steve

Yes and no, in my opinion.

I would suggest you never use pine to hold weight like that.
Get oak, and cut the grooves against, or perpendicular to the grain to help ensure there are no cracks.

The owner of our shop warned me of this on mid rise lifts. He's worked on many 914's so I'll listen to his concerns. He told me he will strap the car (914) to the lift if he's dropping the engine from the car. I'm guessing if you balance the body and keep the engine static - raising and lowering the body onto the engine, you should be fine. It's when you have the car up and drop the engine out that the weight shift causes issues.

We mostly do 911's and the techs all work under two post lifts. We have a couple mid rise lifts but they rarely get used. I have a mid rise lift at home but never used it to drop an engine.

I wouldn't use wood, I lift on the "donuts" and use hockey pucks but that's on a 2 post.

Or buy some hockey pucks and cut a grove.

Not a 914 but quarl is a 914 owner

Do you mean *actual* hockey pucks? I.e.:

http://www.amazon.com/Crown-Sporting-Goods...e/dp/B00MVRQQG2

I feel like I may be confusing "donuts" and "hockey pucks"

-Steve

> I lift on the "donuts" and use hockey pucks but that's on a 2 post.

Do you hollow out the center of the hockey pucks? Or just all the weight right on each donut. I feel like the donuts always get a little smooshed when I jacked straight up on them.

-Steve

A trick I like for when lowering the car again is to place a doublefolded sheet of building plastic where the wheels touch down, that lets the suspension settle down nice and easy since the plastic lets the wheels slide a bit against the floor.

Yes, hockey pucks, I am Canadian after all.




The hockey pucks deform quite a bit and spread out the load, I never see any damage but my whole car is in very good condition.
I use them because they do deform taking on the shape of whats on it, plus they don't scratch paint.

Maybe I'll just try this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5MZcxZdZdw

-Steve

I use my midrise lift all the time and have dropped many of engines with it with no issues. First I would suggest either turning the lift around OR the car so the rear end is over the end of the lift with the rolling wheels. I use the rubbed pads that came with the lift, place them on the donut lifting points so that the arms are straight out to the sides on the rear donuts. This gives you enough room for the engine tin to clear the main frame of the lift when dropping it. I always test to make sure the car is solid on the lift. Once the wheels are off the ground a little I give it the slight push on each corner to see how it feels. If it doesn't rock any then all is good. If not dropping the engine then I move the car maybe a 1 foot more forward so the arms are at a slight angle to the donuts when lifting.

If I am working on a really rusty parts car I run one (or two) heavy duty straps from the front suspension over the front trunk to the targa bar and cinch them tight. This helps support the rear from sagging while lifting the car.

totally. I use the same technique when pulling the engine with my lift. I have never had a balance problem on the lift.

Man I love that orange color on your car!!!!

Yes your car does need to be moved forward a bit to get the motor out. Still feels very stable to me. I pulled/pushed mine & tested with my car in multiple positions. Felt rock solid in all spots. We are still probably talking movement fore/aft of maybe 12-18". Just make sure to us the lift locks ALWAYS . Then do what you feel comfortable with. If you feel you need to strap the car to the lift do it. Considering how many different ways I contorted my body under my 914's with jack stands. The safety I feel with the mid rise lift is astronomical

Since I had two people ask on PM, here are more details of my install:

BendPak md-6xp. It is seriously heavy - ~1,000 pounds. It was ~$2,000. I bought here: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/pro...02674_200102674

The pit is 44" x 84" x 7.5" deep. The lip for a cover is 48" x 88". It ended up being about 6" of 3,000 PSI concrete, but I think only 3.5" or so is required.

But this is not my original thinking... I copied several other nearly identical installs I found elsewhere on the Internet.

-Steve

Click to view attachment

> If you feel you need to strap the car to the lift do it.

Hmmm... I'll play with that tonight. I suppose strapping the car to the lift would help, but then the lift itself could still tilt forward. I suppose I could also play with bolting the fixed end of the lift to the concrete.

Or maybe the mechanical advantage would need to be huge at that point and it would be very difficult to tip over the car and the lift. I'll try to figure that out.

Another idea I had was to use one of the 3" spacers the lift came with to lift the rear 3" higher.

-Steve

I really think you are OVER thinking this. I think you need to turn your lift the other way so the rollers face the garage door OR put the car on the lift the ass first. Once you do that see how stable you feel it is. The way you are doing it now you have to work around the lift cylinders which is making you move the car father back in order to clear them.

Like I said before I have had my mid rise lift for 4 yrs now and have dropped many engines with zero balance issues.