New Toy for the OldToy!

[kentvette]

I put my latest acquisition to work today for the first time - a Quick Jack lift:



Very pleased with it so far. We have a height restriction in the garage, so any full-height lift was out of the question. This fits the bill nicely. A bit of assembly required and the two halves are certainly not as light weight as the companies videos imply! Very well packed and nicely made.


Overall, a nice piece of kit that will make some of the planned work a lot easier.

 

[antijam]

Looks good! Coincidentally I've been looking at the QuickJack range myself as I also have no room for a normal lift and I don't like cars on 4 axle stands - which model did you get?

 

[kentvette]

Looks good! Coincidentally I've been looking at the QuickJack range myself as I also have no room for a normal lift and I don't like cars on 4 axle stands - which model did you get?

Hi

I went for the BL-5000XLS. Some people in the US have apparently taken the risk of the 3500, but as the Corvette is actually over that weight limit I wasn't going to! I went for the 240v power supply as opposed to the 12 volt set-up. Mine came from The Netherlands, the European agent, as the UK agent (Best Portable Car Lift System for Garage or Shop - QuickJack UK ) does not ship overseas. The price actually came out about the same, maybe a few Euros less here in fact, even with the free shipping offered in the UK!

I had to wait a few days for a new shipment to arrive, but in all I think it was about 8 days from the order to arrival. It comes in three big boxes, one for each side of the lift and one with the pump, hoses etc. All very well packaged and delivered on a mini pallet. The shipping weight was listed as 96kgs, but either I'm getting a real wimp, or it was more - it was "bloomin'" heavy! I also ordered the hydraulic fluid with it. A few hours to attache hoses, fill the pump etc, then good to go.

It comes with two sets of rubber jacking blocks, one small, one larger. I discovred that I need the larger items to ensure the chassis crossmember clears the Quick-Jack frame, which may be worth remembering.

My regret is that I had not seen these before - guys in the US have been using them for years apparently!

 

[Fishy Dave]

The Quickjack does look great. Fortunately I built the carport to have just enough internal height that I could use one of these instead, that lifts to 1 metre (comfortable sitting height) and is easier for me on gravel. MOBILE SCISSOR CAR LIFT AUTOMATIC VEHICLE LIFT RAMP HOIST 3000Kg MID RISE PLATFO (I paid less than this)

 

[kentvette]

Dave
I started looking that sort of thing first, and came across the Quick-Jack almost by accident. I also looked at a low level two post lift, but wasn't sure about the floor strength here. I can see the advantage of your set-up on gravel. For me, the Quick-Jack is good because it leaves the underneath of teh car completely clear, so I can roll under it on the creeper. I have a suspicion that yours might take the car just a bit too high for our garage.

 

[antijam]

The Liftech website is light on specification - does the lift have lockable intermediate heights or just to 1m? There seem to be quite a few of these portable (or at least movable) low level lifts on the market, all with advantages and disadvantages. I was looking at the Sealey lift that has a max lift of 1.06m with 6 lockable intermediate positions, however the siting of the lift jack in the centre of the frame restricts access under the car. Not surprisingly, all of these lifts are very heavy - the Sealey is nearly 600lbf! ; which makes them difficult to manhandle and in the case of the full frame models, if you can't leave them in situ, difficult to store when not in use. The Quickjack is more flexible in this respect, has a low retracted height and minimum obstruction of the car when raised, but on the other hand the max lift is only around 20".

 

[FIVE RED]

All of the above devices have pros & cons, a lot depends on what you think you need the device for, eg basic maintenance tasks like oil change etc, or more extensive work.
My garage has limited height due to a structural beam across the centre. The Hamer Car Lift is perfect & will get the car up to 48" high. I had one made very similar by a local fabricator for a third of the cost while retaining all safety & strength aspects of the Hamer. The lift can go as high as the 48" maximum, in my case leaving 1" clearance. However the lift can be set at any height up to this height in increments of 1" so is pretty versatile. The best feature I find is that the car sits on the wheels so providing full access to the underside, although it's easy to fit a small trolley jack between the runners & side rails to take a wheel off while it is in the air, great for accessing discs etc.
Check out the Hamer HAMER HOME PAGE

 

[antijam]

@ Stephen
Do you find the two Quickjack lifts raise equally i.e. the car doesn't tip laterally during lifting? The blurb suggests the two lifts are synchronised with equal pressure being supplied to each cylinder. This isn't the ideal solution if the weight distribution of the vehicle is not equal side to side or if there is differing friction in the two lifts - have you found this to be a problem at all? A better solution in theory would be to valve the system to supply equal flow to each cylinder.

 

[c5ynk]

i have just got the xl-5000 from costco £950 a real find get a member 2 take you round 4 a look

 

[c5ynk]

they lift very even and i use hocky puks 4 my vet c5 and c7 mate

 

[kentvette]

@ Stephen
Do you find the two Quickjack lifts raise equally i.e. the car doesn't tip laterally during lifting? The blurb suggests the two lifts are synchronised with equal pressure being supplied to each cylinder. This isn't the ideal solution if the weight distribution of the vehicle is not equal side to side or if there is differing friction in the two lifts - have you found this to be a problem at all? A better solution in theory would be to valve the system to supply equal flow to each cylinder.

Hi

Yes, both sides raise equally. The very first time I used it, the "test run" in effect, I was a tad concerned as one size rose first. But, when it reached the car, the other "caught up" and the car came up level. From then on, they went up and down together. I read a lot of posts on US forums and everyone seemed to rave about them, and I haven't been aware of any issues.

I like the fact that the underneath of the car is clear. The reality is that most jobs on the underside of the C3 are in the middle of teh car (or in a wheel arch) so having the frames running along teh chassis will hopefully not be a problem.

I see that c5yank has found the Quick-Jack at Coscto! I'd say that would be the best bet over there! However - I did notice that onthe Costco website, the lift shown is powered by a 12 volt supply. I didn't fancy that and went for the 240 volt option, which was an extra cost.

But, be sure you are ready for the weight - take a trailer or a big car, and some friends! I had to smile at the Quick Jack videos of blokes carrying them around as though they weigh about 10 ounces! It does come in three separate boxes though.....

 

[c5ynk]

The 12V is good as you can take them anywhere and all the power you need is a battary jump starter which is handy 2 have anyway only about £50

 

[kentvette]

The 12V is good as you can take them anywhere and all the power you need is a battary jump starter which is handy 2 have anyway only about £50

That's actually a good point - if the Quick-Jack had been available when I was in the UK and the car lived in a lock up, having one powered by a 12v battery would have made life sooo much easier!
But now, the 240v option was better for me.

 

[Milner62]

Trolley Jacks & Axle Stands | Costco UK

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[Fishy Dave]

Dave
I started looking that sort of thing first, and came across the Quick-Jack almost by accident. I also looked at a low level two post lift, but wasn't sure about the floor strength here. I can see the advantage of your set-up on gravel. For me, the Quick-Jack is good because it leaves the underneath of teh car completely clear, so I can roll under it on the creeper. I have a suspicion that yours might take the car just a bit too high for our garage.

You are right, although I can work under the centre of the car I couldn't use a creeper, I use a gym mat over the top of the two round beams. Then again, at sitting or kneeling height I've not found a need to scoot around under the car. The maximum height can be limited and it does lock in various positions, but buying a lift that could go higher than your roof allows does seem like a bit of a waste. You've made the right choice.

 

[Fishy Dave]

The Liftech website is light on specification - does the lift have lockable intermediate heights or just to 1m? There seem to be quite a few of these portable (or at least movable) low level lifts on the market, all with advantages and disadvantages. I was looking at the Sealey lift that has a max lift of 1.06m with 6 lockable intermediate positions, however the siting of the lift jack in the centre of the frame restricts access under the car. Not surprisingly, all of these lifts are very heavy - the Sealey is nearly 600lbf! ; which makes them difficult to manhandle and in the case of the full frame models, if you can't leave them in situ, difficult to store when not in use. The Quickjack is more flexible in this respect, has a low retracted height and minimum obstruction of the car when raised, but on the other hand the max lift is only around 20".

The lift has various lockable heights, I'll try to post a video in the next few weeks. I chose this model carefully knowing that it leaves the centre clear, precisely because I only own rwd cars. It is VERY heavy, I had to use my engine hoist to move and drag it, even then it took hours of sweating between two of us. The weight is reassuring though, it never moves and I just leave it in place and every day just park over the top of it.

 

[antijam]

Well, after considering the various options and my own space restrictions, I've joined the Quickjack club. Its relative flexibility and portability and the fact that it leaves an unobstructed workspace under the car swung the decision.

After Stephen's warning on the weight I was rather taken aback when the delivery driver - half my size - nonchalantly slung the jack package over his shoulder and asked where I wanted it! The lifts are (perhaps reassuringly) very heavy - I struggled to carry them the short distance to the garage! ( I guess he was half my age too). The wheels on one end do help when moving them about and after fitting everything together and filling the pump with ISO 32 hydraulic oil, positioning them under the car is relatively simple.

I too went for the 5000 lbf model. As has been pointed out, the C3 is just about on the limit of the 3500 lbf unit and moreover I need to use it under six different cars, the heaviest of which is my 'Stang at 500 lbf more than the 'Vette.

It was the 'Stang I used for the first test since its jacking points are very flexible and I figured if the jack raised this, anything else would be no problem.







Must say I was impressed with the ease it went up and once locked car felt very stable. The current Costco offer was the cheapest I found - it came in at just over £1k. This is supplied with the 12V power unit which I thought was fine since I could power it with my Smart Box jump starter......


For some reason this didn't want to play ball with the Quickjack - I'm not sure why - so I had to use a spare battery.

Partly because of the weight but also useful with limited garage space, it's very convenient being able to store the jacks under the car when not in use.
Thanks to those who contributed to this thread, your input helped my decision. All in all, car maintenance in my twilight years just got a little easier.

 

[kentvette]

Well, after considering the various options and my own space restrictions, I've joined the Quickjack club. Its relative flexibility and portability and the fact that it leaves an unobstructed workspace under the car swung the decision..........

I think you'll love it! I've been using mine "in anger" this week and it's proved betetr than I'd expected actualy. Being able to move it around was handy, as I had the car in the front of the garage for some of the jobs. I notice that you put the lift on what I'm guessing are the pieces of plywood that came in the packing. Was that to protect the lift or your drive? I have noticed that siding the lifts across the painted garage floor can mark the floor a bit, I may look at some sort of covering.

One thing I have discovered is that the lifts really need to be positioned under the Corvette so that the hose outlets are at the back of the car. If the other way around, it is difficult to get the jacking rubber blocks to match up with the front jacking position, due to the configuration of the "trays" the the lift. Not an issue, but something to remember.

Interesting that the smart box didn't like it - I'd wondered if something like that would be an alternative to a battery. Apparently not

 

[antijam]

I think you'll love it! I've been using mine "in anger" this week and it's proved betetr than I'd expected actualy. Being able to move it around was handy, as I had the car in the front of the garage for some of the jobs. I notice that you put the lift on what I'm guessing are the pieces of plywood that came in the packing. Was that to protect the lift or your drive? I have noticed that siding the lifts across the painted garage floor can mark the floor a bit, I may look at some sort of covering.

One thing I have discovered is that the lifts really need to be positioned under the Corvette so that the hose outlets are at the back of the car. If the other way around, it is difficult to get the jacking rubber blocks to match up with the front jacking position, due to the configuration of the "trays" the the lift. Not an issue, but something to remember.

Interesting that the smart box didn't like it - I'd wondered if something like that would be an alternative to a battery. Apparently not

Glad to hear it's as practical as it looks - first job scheduled for mine, as soon as I can get round to it, is sorting the currently useless handbrake on the C3 - for which the lift should be ideal.

As you spotted Stephen, the bits of plywood under the frames are those from the packing. This was to protect both the lift and my drive, since sliding the heavy frames around directly on my concrete block drive was not going to do either any good. Normally I'd set it up in my garage that has a plastic tiled floor that doesn't mark and slides easily.

The user manual is generally a model of clarity and very comprehensive (a far cry from the incomprehensible literal translations from Chinese that seem to come with most tech these days) but it does seem somewhat ambivalent on a couple of points. In answer to the FAQ "Can I use my Quickjack outdoors?" the reply is No! - "Outdoor installation is prohibited" . It then later on lists nine important precautions if you do !? . The final item in the Safety Information states "Do not work under an elevated Vehicle unless properly rated Vehicle Jack Stands are used and placed under the factory approved Lifting Points". The implication is that these are in addition to the Quickjacks, but since these are already supporting the vehicle on the "factory approved Lifting Points" , that's not going to be easy!

Personally I'd be quite happy to use the kit outdoors in fine weather and the locked elevated Quickjacks are far more stable than a car supported on four axle stands. The lock bars seem adequately rated to support the car once raised, but in the interests of safety I'd place strategic additional emergency supports when working directly under the car.

All in all though - a great piece of kit.

 

[Blackzed]

I have seen these on the US sites, some guys put a jackstand under the part of the lift which is near the rear wheel (Mustang pic) so if it fails the jackstand holds it all there. Can't see it failing though.