Anyone with experience using a scissor lift? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

violametallic-S- · 09-29-2013, 06:12 PM

I've been debating on purchasing a scissor lift for my home garage. First for the boxster I'm assuming you can access the engine/headers/exhaust comfortably. Along with obviously working on brakes/suspension without awkwardness. Am I correct with my assumptions in regards to working on the boxster?

But I don't see this being useful while working on a regular front engine sedan besides just brakes and suspension. There's no way you could replace an exhaust system since the middle of the vehicle is occupied with the lift

Here is a link and a YouTube video to the lift I was thinking about.

Pro 6MR Scissor Lift - DirectLift.ca: Residential Automotive Lifts, Motorcycle Lifts and ATV Lifts

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz4rqvMq6sk

Hopefully someone with experience in this type of lift system could chime in and let me know if this lift is a pain to use or not...

Trey T · 09-29-2013, 06:57 PM

Do you have at least 5" clearance below? A lot of ppl use them. Jack Olsen from garagejournal.com has it for his 911 but its recessed into the ground.

I would try the maxjax instead, it's a very popular residential lift

rp17 · 09-29-2013, 07:26 PM

Max Jax is a nice setup for home use.

coreseller · 09-30-2013, 02:51 AM

I have the Atlas Scissor lift from Greg Smith Equipment, similar to the one you are looking at. Fine for Porsches, could present a problem with front engined cars if looking to drop transmission or exhaust, most other jobs are not an issue. 2 post lifts such as MaxJax would work better for those jobs, but they also have their drawbacks (set-up time, storage issue, opening doors, etc.). I would suggest you go to The Garage Journal Board (The Garage Journal Board - Powered by vBulletin) and spend some time browsing before deciding. Good Luck.......

Just read your bottom sentence, it is not a pain to use at all, especially if you recess it into the garage floor. If you do not recess it, you will need to make ramps on either side of it to drive your Boxster up on to for clearance, THAT is something I saw as a pain so I recessed mine. It also serves as a helluva workbench......

NewArt · 09-30-2013, 10:53 AM

WOW! That's a sweet setup!

Jack Olsen · 09-30-2013, 12:46 PM

The only downside to the MaxJax is the inconvenience factor: it's either in your way when you're not using it (assuming it's set up and ready to go) or it requires 15 minutes or so to move it into place and bolt it down again so you can use it.

A recessed scissors lift is always available and it's never in the way. The downside to one like mine, which has a single-piece top, is that it works great for my rear-engine car -- but is a lot less useful for my other cars, which are all (conventional) front wheel drive.

The better solution is a scissors jack where there are two units -- one for each side of the car. They leave the center open for work, and can be recessed down just like mine is. I know Bend Pak is working on a new model like this and expects to have it out early next year. But there are others out there.

This is a randomly grabbed image of one that goes to full height, but you'll get the idea:

Mine sinks into the ground and is tiled to match the rest of the floor. For my 911, it's just perfect.

woodsman · 09-30-2013, 12:48 PM

[QUOTE=violametallic-S-;365613]I've been debating on purchasing a scissor lift for my home garage.

hey did you get the coolant intermix problem solved?

Johnny Danger · 09-30-2013, 03:06 PM

The "scissor" is Coreseller's favorite position.

coreseller · 09-30-2013, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Danger

The "scissor" is Coreseller's favorite position.

You're a FREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!

How'd you know?

coreseller · 09-30-2013, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Olsen

The only downside to the MaxJax is the inconvenience factor: it's either in your way when you're not using it (assuming it's set up and ready to go) or it requires 15 minutes or so to move it into place and bolt it down again so you can use it.

A recessed scissors lift is always available and it's never in the way. The downside to one like mine, which has a single-piece top, is that it works great for my rear-engine car -- but is a lot less useful for my other cars, which are all (conventional) front wheel drive.

The better solution is a scissors jack where there are two units -- one for each side of the car. They leave the center open for work, and can be recessed down just like mine is. I know Bend Pak is working on a new model like this and expects to have it out early next year. But there are others out there.

This is a randomly grabbed image of one that goes to full height, but you'll get the idea:

Mine sinks into the ground and is tiled to match the rest of the floor. For my 911, it's just perfect.

I'm glad I saw that last still picture in your post Jack, I thought your garage always looked too neat and organized.

violametallic-S- · 09-30-2013, 05:16 PM

Hey JACK OLSEN is your garage on the houzz app? I know I've seen it somewhere...

violametallic-S- · 09-30-2013, 05:20 PM

[QUOTE=woodsman;365719]

Quote:

Originally Posted by violametallic-S-

I've been debating on purchasing a scissor lift for my home garage.

hey did you get the coolant intermix problem solved?

Actually brought it to a new Porsche mechanic today that confirmed my issue being the head gasket.

So he's interested in my engine so ill be looking for a big boy engine over the winter

Gforrest2 · 09-30-2013, 06:23 PM

I getting garage envy from this thread

Jack Olsen · 09-30-2013, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coreseller

I'm glad I saw that last still picture in your post Jack, I thought your garage always looked too neat and organized.

Thanks. It cleans up fast, which makes it easy to have it look that way in pictures. But most of the time it's 'in use' -- which isn't nearly as pretty.

Quote:

Originally Posted by violametallic-S-

Hey JACK OLSEN is your garage on the houzz app? I know I've seen it somewhere...

I don't think so. I just looked it up to see what that is -- it's a cool site.

For garages, there's one place to look -- the forums at: The Garage Journal

If you want to see more of my garage, and how it was put together: The 12-Gauge Garage

RawleyD · 09-30-2013, 09:25 PM

I seem to remember a 'scissor lift' was just what the Dr. ordered..

Oil Leak - Pulling Trans to change RMS, IMS, Clutch, etc

It really seemed to be instrumental in getting the job done.

woodsman · 10-01-2013, 04:20 PM

[QUOTE=violametallic-S-;365766]

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodsman

so he's interested in my engine so ill be looking for a big boy engine over the winter

That's too bad- especially with the low miles. Not too big of a job to fix but if a 'big boy engines' within grasp why not!
Also, have you read the 'engine leakdown test' thread under 'mechanical and performance'?

violametallic-S- · 10-01-2013, 07:01 PM

[QUOTE=woodsman;365895]

Quote:

Originally Posted by violametallic-S-

That's too bad- especially with the low miles. Not too big of a job to fix but if a 'big boy engines' within grasp why not!
Also, have you read the 'engine leakdown test' thread under 'mechanical and performance'?

hey you somehow replied to this post instead of my other post about the engine...

but I did a quick search and couldnt seem to find that leakdown test

so could you explain it and what you were thinking....

woodsman · 10-02-2013, 05:07 PM

[QUOTE=violametallic-S-;365919]

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodsman

hey you somehow replied to this post instead of my other post about the engine...

but I did a quick search and couldnt seem to find that leakdown test

so could you explain it and what you were thinking....

halfway down the page... 'engine block leak down test- DAVE2001S' . There was a discussion about blown headgaskets versus cracked cyl hds on 2001S's