Lifting Equipment safely

[dougtrr2]

Might want to look at some side post auto lifts. You might have to pour a couple pads but in the long run it would probably be the safest and most flexible option.

Doug in SW IA

 

[8n Bruce]

Hi Drew Just checked Craigslist in Greenville , there is a used portable lift ,AD#5980799109, If your interested.That will give you 48"lift & it's usable where ever you can plug it in .It will lift your car even your truck . & should hold it's value if at some time you no longer need it .

 

[bcp]

A local guy uses a HF motorcycle lift when working on his riding mower collection.

Motorcycle Lift Table, 1 Lb. Capacity

On sale here for $299
Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Bruce

 

[daugen]

A local guy uses a HF motorcycle lift w
Bruce

Bruce, thanks, I looked at all them when I went to HF a few days ago, they all seemed too small for what I wanted to accomplish.
the auto post lifts would be a dream solution. I'll check out that Craigslist ad, thanks guys.

 

[daugen]

well I have to admit I never did anything, yet, since by the time I removed the spindles and all the equipment, the old
deck wasn't terribly heavy and I was able to lift it up on top of a cut down sheet of plywood, on top of a pretty heavy duty plastic service
cart. Not overly stable, but it worked. And reminded me I really needed a good solution here.
Likely to be pallet based.

Most of the time I'm just changing blades, and I have a good lift ring in the front of my Gravely to grab. The JD X750 has a strong
front bumper/reinforcement that is easy to hook a chain to. No matter how many jackstands I put on, it still makes me nervous crawling under there.
Isn't likely the loader is going to fail, but I could do something stupid with the chain, perhaps..., and it could slip off.
So the idea of lifting everything up to level working height like a mechanic in a garage is very appealing.
Basically trying to recreate a car lift with a HD Construction Attachments set of forks and a reinforced pallet.

Since I could not depend up on the loader hydraulics to maintain height, they all leak down, I'd have to make four boxed supports, for each corner.
Fold down legs underneath?
Easier to just build stuff out of 4x4's I have plenty off.
I'm just learning how to weld so I'd rather trust my skills with gluing and screwing lumber than fabbing anything from scratch.

I drool in envy of guys with F series Kubotas and the same from JD with the up front hydraulically lifted decks that just flip up for service.
22 grand for a lawn mower was a bit much...

That 24G Gravely is equally drool worthy, and one of the reasons I felt putting a 23 hp Vanguard in mine would be well matched.
Put some real life in the old girl vs the tired Kohler KT19. Sure smells better too...
I grew up with a JD B in the 50's and here I am with a tiny little tractor with a hand clutch exactly the same.

I went to HF and looked for that motorcycle lift BCP and they didn't have it displayed, which surprised me. Need to see if it can be enlarged beyond its normal size
and the primary challenge of actually being able to get to the blades, particularly the outer ones, without being blocked by the apparatus. It may look good
and not work at all...

I thought of this older thread when I came upon this old Caterpillar video on operator safety.
Living alone, I have to be extra careful and think twice before sticking my hands into things. Or crawling under them.
Shake Hands with Danger | Caterpillar Safety - YouTube

 

[Xfaxman]

I thought of this older thread when I came upon this old Caterpillar video on operator safety.
Living alone, I have to be extra careful and think twice before sticking my hands into things. Or crawling under them.
Shake Hands with Danger | Caterpillar Safety - YouTube

Thanks for posting the video. Caterpillar put a lot of resources into making it and the stunt men had fun.

I enjoyed seeing the pickup trucks that were on the road when I was a kid.

 

[Todd727]

That was painful to watch, which of course is the point.

 

[D7E]

How I lift most things

 

[Al 2]

Well, I was lucky enough to have found a scissors lift with it's own hydraulic power pack about 20 years ago for a very good price. I made a 4'x 8' steel frame for the top to make it larger. I usually use it to store junk on. It would very easily lift a ton. When I can I use it as welding bench as you can vary the height to anything up to 40''. I also have a pallet jack that will lift to 6'. As for your situation possibly build a work bench whatever size you need and a pallet the same size. Park whatever you are going to work on on the pallet and then set everything on your bench if you have enough tractor. Set up your bench so you can move it in or out with your tractor.
Al

 

[Mace Canute]

A local guy uses a HF motorcycle lift when working on his riding mower collection.

Motorcycle Lift Table, 1 Lb. Capacity

On sale here for $299
Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Bruce

Princess Auto sells one similar if not identical to that one too. I never could understand why they didn't make it sized for garden tractors since there's a lot of old rich guys with garden tractors who don't like to kneel down or bend over to work on it.

 

[daugen]

Princess Auto sells one similar if not identical to that one too. I never could understand why they didn't make it sized for garden tractors since there's a lot of old rich guys with garden tractors who don't like to kneel down or bend over to work on it.

I don't know why you think it's just old rich guys who need help...any of us with severe arthritis and/or too many operations would sure appreciate a good lift. But Mace, you are right, it stops at 1000 pounds. My JD X750 weighs almost double that with the mower, same with my Gravely rider. I'm sure your typical JD L110 would do just fine. I've never liked jacking the front end up so far anyway to get under, sometimes the gas runs out and even an oil drip once in a while. Keeping machinery level has its advantages.
Even if I made that motorcycle lift bigger, by extensions, just not enough lift. I need one ton to do this safely.

I just built a carryall for the back of my new(to me) little Massey, and that helps me haul heavy things around with much less lifting, I can drag trees and planting material right into the carryall at almost ground level. So that really helped in the close to ground hauling...now I need something to pick it all up and I think the palletized lift with my FEL, with a good stand for the pallet once placed, would be the hot (and simple) ticket for me. And some really good safety stops/holders so the machine doesn't roll off at four feet up.

As I go through changing oil and winterizing so many of these little machines, and doing all that bending over, this lift idea keeps popping up.

 

[newbury]

Do you have $$ for some posts, a few 6x6's and a bunch of 2x6's?
Do you have a place you could build a "work table"?

Alternatively find a section of used pallet rack. Used pallet rack normally goes for about $20/beam, $50/upright and $20/ mesh shelf. The minimum needed is 2 uprights and 4 beams. So for $220 you could get the minimum so you had a shelf to work on and vast potential for expansion.

And it's like adult tinkertoys.

 

[daugen]

pallet racks, good to know. There is even a usedpalletracks.com.........
will that hold a ton?

 

[newbury]

pallet racks, good to know. There is even a usedpalletracks.com.........
will that hold a ton?

You might be able to get some that only hold a ton. Most of mine are rated for 5,000 lbs and up.

 

[hawkeye08]

There are Costco racks that hold 2000lbs per shelf (dispersed), with 4 shelves for total of 8000lbs. They are $150, but go on sale for $125 at times. I have several and have loaded them with heavy stuff (not near the rating) and they appear to be holding up well. Perhaps one could be adapted to do what you need..

 

[lakeside]

No matter how you lift something never, ever get under a slung load. Lower the load unto strong supports till it just rests on the support before getting under tractor or implement. That way you have the sling and supports in case one or the other lets go. You seem to be working on a hard level working surface but sometimes what seems level ground outside just isn't. Unless the supports have a wide footprint they could topple over on uneven or soft ground

Not to nag, but don't get under an implement that raised. All it takes is a busted hydraulic line or a leaking valve and the implement could either sag or suddenly drop with you or parts of you under it.