Lift me, please

"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
11/06/2013 at 11:08 • Filed to: Lift

I'm having a dreary morning. Does anybody have experience with this thing? Is it a deathtrap for occasional use? (weekend warriors) Is there something better for the money?

http://www.harborfreight.com/6000-lb-capaci…

DISCUSSION (24)

The man in the iron mask > deekster_caddy
11/06/2013 at 11:13

i'd be scared of it

CAR_IS_MI > deekster_caddy
11/06/2013 at 11:15

Harbor Freight is a good one and done store, as in use it once then throw it away. That being said, I would not chance my life on a cheap scissor lift. I've bought jacks from there with a blown hydraulic seal out of the box, last thing you need is a 4000lbs car popping the seals and crashing down on you.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > deekster_caddy
11/06/2013 at 11:17

You can just about get a solid two-post lift for that. Having the room/place for it is another story.

But as much as I love Harbor Freight, that's the kind of HF thing you don't buy. Rule of thumb: if it can kill you, don't buy it at Harbor Freight. Everything else is fair game.

Party-vi > CAR_IS_MI
11/06/2013 at 11:17

The best thing about Harbor Freight is that when you buy something and it breaks you can buy the tools to fix it from them too.

CalzoneGolem > Party-vi
11/06/2013 at 11:20

... at a 25% discount you get a free flashlight.

efme > deekster_caddy
11/06/2013 at 11:41

that just looks useless. it is all in the way!

Jake, Yes, wearing khakis > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
11/06/2013 at 11:44

This. A few months ago i picked up an Atlas 9OHSC-SS two post lift

Works wonderfully and we put a 7000lb ram truck up on there all the time.

Cost was about 1600, no shipping as i picked it up in Delaware.

deekster_caddy > efme
11/06/2013 at 12:24

For transmissions and drivetrain stuff yeah. But for brakes and tires it looks helpful, which is a lot of what I do...

deekster_caddy > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
11/06/2013 at 12:25

Yeah I really don't have room for a two-post as much as I'd love it. I hear you on the "don't buy something that critical from HF" thing.

nafsucof > deekster_caddy
11/06/2013 at 12:31

i thought you were talking about using the aerostar on the weekend...I was going to respond: 5 speed cargo vans versions do awesome reverse burnouts.

deekster_caddy > The man in the iron mask
11/06/2013 at 12:31

I hear you... that's kind of why I'm asking!

deekster_caddy > nafsucof
11/06/2013 at 12:32

Hahahaha please no! No Aerostar!!! That's HF's pic not mine. I'm just interested in a small lift to make things easier. I'm getting tired of jacks and jack stands...

deekster_caddy > Party-vi
11/06/2013 at 12:34

Hmm, well I probably already have all the tools necessary to fix it, old Craftsman stuff so it won't chip when I do... Love my Craftsman tools. Replacing broken tools over the decades has always been a cinch.

deekster_caddy > CAR_IS_MI
11/06/2013 at 12:35

I would hope there are some kind of locking pins there... and I would never bring it that high. Just getting really tired of jacks and jack stands...

CAR_IS_MI > deekster_caddy
11/06/2013 at 12:37

Looks like a single axis point so I am guessing no way to lock it.

The man in the iron mask > deekster_caddy
11/06/2013 at 12:43

well if you feel you would be uncomfortable working under it. Dont buy it. I never trust my jack stands and always put my wheels or other solid objects under it,i also leave the hydraulic jack barely touching the car for backup.

But i dont know what you can buy that can lift the car that high.

deekster_caddy > The man in the iron mask
11/06/2013 at 12:48

I definitely don't need that kind of height. Couldn't go that high in my garage. I'm more interested in the weight rating (6000 lb). Mostly I find myself doing brakes, tires, front end work etc.

The man in the iron mask > deekster_caddy
11/06/2013 at 13:01

well i would stick with the traditional jack and jack stands

deekster_caddy > The man in the iron mask
11/06/2013 at 13:02

I hear you. That's what I do now, and it works. I just get tired of the jacking and jack stands and start dreaming about affordable compact lifts every now and then!

The man in the iron mask > deekster_caddy
11/06/2013 at 13:18

yeah it takes some time, i don't know what jack you use but i spend too much time lifting my car up, because my jack can't lift the car(1500kg) from the front, it a 2 ton cheap jack. so i need to go lift each side and put a jackstand, then go to the left side and put the other one and i dont like it, i feel im twisting the car a bit, but thats how i roll, im saving up for a decent jack that can lift the car from the front/back of the car.

deekster_caddy > The man in the iron mask
11/06/2013 at 13:21

I used to have a decent 4 ton jack with a quick rise but the seals left a few years ago. Then I went cheaper and bought a basic 4 ton jack that's a slow pump up to the height you need, boy does that one suck to use. But it's never had a problem lifting anything I put on it. The 'twist handle to release' thing gets old after a few years too - those gears start to strip etc. Blech.

Maybe I should just invest in a really good jack instead.

Milwagner > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
11/06/2013 at 16:22

True that!

The engineering on that thing is frightening. There should at least be a bar across the bottom that locks in place and keeps the uprights from spreading back out if anything happens to the hydraulics.

Should anything happen to that flimsy rubber hose, you're looking at 4000lbs. accelerating downwards at 8 meters per second... and it won't stop til it's all the way on the ground.

Milwagner > deekster_caddy
11/06/2013 at 16:25

+1 for getting a good jack and dealing with jack stands instead of purchasing the Harbor Freight Scissor Lift of Death.

While you're at it, get a set of ramps for basic undercar maintenance like fluid changes, etc. Takes no time to drive the car up on ramps when all you need is a foot or so underneath the front end.

deekster_caddy > Milwagner
11/06/2013 at 16:32

Oh yeah, I have ramps too. Big metal ones that hardly any modern cars fit up (approach angle too high) and low approach plastic ramps that are pretty darn useful and surprisingly sturdy. I've been doing this for a while... but never had my own lift.