I remember seeing some plans on the internet a couple of years ago for a service "lift" that was made out of wood. It was basically four platforms that the tires sit on, two "bridges" to connect the front and rear platforms together and ramps to get the car up there. The idea as that you drove the car up on it and then removed the ramps and bridges and you had the underside of the car free to work on it (except for suspension work).

Any pointers? I've searched on google and come up with nothing... but I distinctly remember seeing it.

that doesn't sound like anything i'd want to be under...

be easy to fab something if you were a welder, but they sale similar things for about 1k.

With liability issues, I'd be carefull about buuibling a wood car lift. Unless your experienced in building with wood be very very careful. Car car up int he air can be deadly. Wood is not a consistant material, so the design must take the type and conditon of the wood into account. Something designed using solid heart oak may not work if low grade pine were used. So be sure what ever you build is greatly overdesigned for strenth, with redundant safety features.

i have always been told never put a car up on wood blocks, nor bricks, becuase they are not a good material for this use, they can fail. Not to say a good strong wood or brick sturcture can't be built, but you must be careful, else, smashed like a bug.

Why not just drive up 4 ramps and leave the car on ramps? Or jack the car up and put it on jack stands? I guess I'm not seeing the advantage to building this contraption.

JP's boxes are perfectly safe.

I saw a post here a long time back, that had a car sitting on two framed runners.. like 2' tall, looked like a great way to get comfortable, for cheap. (relative)



M

The design seemed pretty robust... each of the 4 bases were 2 2x8s on edge with a 2x8 across the top. You would want to brace it internally so it couldn't collapse sidways, but that would be plenty strong. the "bridges" were similar...

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i have always been told never put a car up on wood blocks

have you driven past a freeway overpass being built??

they use wood blocks for support......I myself have partial tree trunk piece that I use from time to time....great for supporting the car and using as a pounding block