Lifting Equipment safely

[daugen]

I am currently restoring an old Gravely wing mower, pretty rare, have two of them to renovate.
As I get older and my arthritis and spine problems get worse, I can't crawl under this equipment any more or it really hurts my fused neck.
So...I need to lift this equipment up higher to work on it.

I went to Harbor Freight yesterday looking for a lift, knowing I'd have to modify it to make a larger platform.
Their ATV/Utility lift was way too small. I know lawn mower shops have neat hydraulic lifts in the floor, but that isn't going to happen in my barn.
Can anyone recommend an equipment lift that will raise 1 ton two to three feet in the air? Higher the better. My diesel JD garden tractor is pretty heavy.

If I can lift the unit up I can work on it without bending over.
Currently trying to get the rusted spindles off this mower, been sitting for years. Would sure be easier if it were higher, plus even with a dozen jack stands I still don't like getting under there.

I use my FEL now to pick up my mowers for blade sharpening. Have a lot of small equipment I could use a lift on, in fact most of it. Would be nice to sit down on a rolling chair and work on my equipment. That would be just marvelous. And safe.

Ideas? Thanks Drew

 

[Shaneard]

How about a gantry? I made one out of old stuff I had laying around and some donation wheels from my dad. This gray one is one we have at work. It's a tad heavier duty.

 

[daugen]

How about a gantry? I made one out of old stuff I had laying around and some donation wheels from my dad. This gray one is one we have at work. It's a tad heavier duty. View attachment 496971

thanks, I've looked at those in the Northern Tools catalog plus at Harbor Freight. About a grand to get something basic, more if all electric.
But what about the thing wobbling around, almost nothing I work on has pick up loops like on my Everything Attachments rake and blade, which pull up perfectly level. Puts a smile on my face when I see it, someone actually placed it intelligently. Good basic engineering.
But my garden tractors don't have them, nor do the mowers. Unless the gantry picks up a self leveling floor of sorts that the equipment sits on.
that will have me thinking for awhile. Thanks

 

[fidowanttobe]

I believe what you need is something like a "Low Rise Auto Lift" .

 

[CADplans]

Did youu say Gravely,,, and loader??

Here is my 24G Gravely,, they do not get any heavier,,,

This is the 700 pound mower deck off the 24G

 

[8n Bruce]

Drew a portable automotive lift/hoist would probably be a good thing . because it could be easily stored leaning against a wall when not in use.

 

[PJSprog]

We have an I-beam mounted across above the entryway just inside the barn, with an electric hoist on a roller. I use it for mower maintenance mostly, by using a tow strap to lift the front bumper on the rider, and across the front wheel mounts on the zero-turn.

 

[CobyRupert]

I'm currently in the middle of working on my ATV after it decided to become a member of the Polar Bear club after take a dip in the lake last weekend. brrr!

But I left it on the utility trailer when I parked it in the garage. THAT was handy as heck, because everything is now at the right height.

 

[aczlan]

There are two ways that I would go about this:
1. With a turf equipment lift (I worked at a place that had a Heftee brand one that was nice: http://www.heftee.com/products/products.cfm )
2. With a small walk behind forklift such as Crown Electric Vertical Pallet Jack (otherwise known as a walkie or stacker) and pallets that fit your equipment
I lean toward the forklift because of the other things you can use it for, but to each their own.

Aaron Z

 

[Industrial Toys]

I use a loader for lifting things I don't have to get under. Or on a pallet and I can adjust height to suit. Yes, it sucks to get old.

I also put things on small pallet racking that has been bolted up tight. Or any frame good and strong.

 

[daugen]

thanks guys. Hard to see how it was built but the Heftee looks pretty manual to me. I know it allows open access to the underneath of things which a pallet based system would not. Not hard to use some HD plywood, perhaps doubled up and make a very strong platform on top of a pallet, which I would likely reinforce. I want to be able to drive my Gravely 8199G on top, and yes it is heavy, just as heavy as my JD diesel garden tractor. Which is why I need a one ton capability.

this would basically be "in the way" all the time so it really has to be able to be used for small and large equipment, basically a moving workbench. My real problem with a stacker unit is the floor here is made of recycled pavers and pretty bumpy. I'd have to really work on the floor but sand and pavers isn't the best to pull stuff around on.
But it's what I've got...of course I could put this on top of several sheets of HD plywood and that would make a nice rolling surface.

There is a 1000 pound lift shown by Heftee that I wish was 2000 pounds. I'm just not going to put a 1600 pound garden tractor up on something rated at 1000 pounds no matter what they test it at.

If I reinforced my custom platform maybe I could cut access areas out of it. ?
Both of my garden tractors have shaft drive and there's a pto zerk that's seriously hard to get to.

If I had a nice enclosed storage building with a concrete floor, Aaron I'd be chasing after that forklift. In between the barn and the concrete floored implement shed is gravel...not good for hard little wheels.
Now if a Hyster fell of a truck at the end of the lane...
what does a ratty but useful propane forklift truck cost?

 

[Industrial Toys]

Yeah, not a good idea to exceed ratings. Especially on junky consumer stuff. I got away with these 1000 # ramps a bunch of times and then my luck ran out.

 

[aczlan]

thanks guys. Hard to see how it was built but the Heftee looks pretty manual to me. I know it allows open access to the underneath of things which a pallet based system would not. Not hard to use some HD plywood, perhaps doubled up and make a very strong platform on top of a pallet, which I would likely reinforce. I want to be able to drive my Gravely 8199G on top, and yes it is heavy, just as heavy as my JD diesel garden tractor. Which is why I need a one ton capability.

this would basically be "in the way" all the time so it really has to be able to be used for small and large equipment, basically a moving workbench. My real problem with a stacker unit is the floor here is made of recycled pavers and pretty bumpy. I'd have to really work on the floor but sand and pavers isn't the best to pull stuff around on.
But it's what I've got...of course I could put this on top of several sheets of HD plywood and that would make a nice rolling surface.

There is a 1000 pound lift shown by Heftee that I wish was 2000 pounds. I'm just not going to put a 1600 pound garden tractor up on something rated at 1000 pounds no matter what they test it at.

The one we had was the Heftee 2000: http://www.heftee.com/products/product_details.cfm?ProductID=1 it has a electric motor and a hydraulic pump to lift things. It uses two arms each of which has two "cups" for the wheels to sit in.
Perhaps a 3 point forklift? fork lift for tractor

If I reinforced my custom platform maybe I could cut access areas out of it. ?
Both of my garden tractors have shaft drive and there's a pto zerk that's seriously hard to get to.
If I had a nice enclosed storage building with a concrete floor, Aaron I'd be chasing after that forklift. In between the barn and the concrete floored implement shed is gravel...not good for hard little wheels.

Good point, I would look at making a custom pallet with a pair of 2x12s to drive on and a piece of plywood under them, then

Now if a Hyster fell of a truck at the end of the lane...
what does a ratty but useful propane forklift truck cost?

$500-3000 depending on the truck. For your uses, I would look for a 2000# capacity truck with dual pneumatic wheels (NOT solid rubber tires), something like this, but smaller:


Aaron Z

 

[4570Man]

This is the only forklift I have that has air filed tires. I think we paid 700 for it knowing the motor was full of water. It ended up costing about $1000-1500 to get it running and convert to propane. This has far the widest turning radius, but it's the only one semi off road capable. By that I mean gravels and firm dirt. The yellow one gets stuck when one of the 4 wheels rolls of concrete. The Cat goes ok unloaded on gravels and firm dirt. Loaded and all bets are off. I think my other one was about $1500 The nicest one and the best deal is the Cat which was a hard worked ( not ) TVA machine. It's a 1980s machine but it has always been kept indoors and only has 900 hours. Paid $1500 for it and spent $500 converting it to propane. The orange one only has a double stack mast which is a big negative in my opinion. It's too tall. This isn't my actual machine but it's pretty similar.

 

[daugen]

Thanks for all the great pics. I had always thought the right solution was the gantry one, having a nice electric motor up there and up and down it goes with the push of a button. But on my garden tractors, we all know what happens when you lift one end up too far...you have oil leaking out and a real mess. Sometimes gas leaks. Need my machinery to be level, stay level and not fall in my lap when I pull on a big wrench...
Plus with some custom access holes to get a grease gun through. I have a compressor powered grease gun so I just need to get the hose in there, but as we also all know you usually have to get your whole hand around the thing to get it to click in.

I think some of the funniest contortions we must go through is trying to pump a manual grease gun in very tight quarters, usually underneath something, while keeping the end straight on the zerk since the grease squirts out if not perfect...
I just wish they had a solution somewhere between a grease cartridge, which I am incapable of changing without getting slimed, and a 55 gallon drum. Like a small keg of beer...

I decided not to build a big concrete floored utility building when a local realtor who knows his business told me I'd never get a penny of the money out of it. Real estate is fairly depressed here, out in farm country. I'm a retired finance guy and I'd better hit the lottery because
I could not pull the trigger after hearing that. So I built a fairly small concrete floored open shed, very high quality, floor is like glass, but it's 30 feet from the barn door. Across ABC/gravel/dirt, though I could bring more ABC/crusher run in to make it smoother and level between the
buildings, though not too level, getting the water away on flat land is always number one priority. But my work area is half of the open area in a three horse stall barn. Prettied up, but still a barn. Not a nice workshop with a flat floor. Don't want to do anything to the barn floor that would
mess it up for future horse owners. Which I have never been.

I have a nice set of Construction Attachments forks on my Kubota. Pretty sure they would handle a ton though I know my tractor won't. But it would pick up 1500 pounds. Hmmm. It would put the tractor out of commission but no one else using it. The platform would be dropped onto four/six/however many jackstands and the tractor could be removed, or not. Or some other form of elevated base. Something really strong and non tippable. I've read too many stories of guys dying under equipment getting squashed, including one of our own members just last year. Which is why I put this in the Safety section. Safety first...

 

[daugen]

View attachment 497041

Yeah, not a good idea to exceed ratings. Especially on junky consumer stuff. I got away with these 1000 # ramps a bunch of times and then my luck ran out.

what a great pic. And a testimonial to the strength of your tailgate door.

 

[SandburRanch]

I've put the lawn tractor up on the level for years.

 

[oldballs]

Here's another.....

 

[Xfaxman]

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I think some of the funniest contortions we must go through is trying to pump a manual grease gun in very tight quarters, usually underneath something, while keeping the end straight on the zerk since the grease squirts out if not perfect...
I just wish they had a solution somewhere between a grease cartridge, which I am incapable of changing without getting slimed, and a 55 gallon drum. Like a small keg of beer...

-------------------------------------

Guess you haven't seen the LockNLube coupler: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/304889-locknlube-cupler-grease-gun.html

The G. Gun is the small keg of beer: G.Gun Grease Gun | LockNLube


Grease won't squirt out of this:

 

[daugen]

Guess you haven't seen the LockNLube coupler: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/304889-locknlube-cupler-grease-gun.html

The G. Gun is the small keg of beer: G.Gun Grease Gun | LockNLube

actually I DO have one of those little couplers and I admit it got stuck on the shelf when it came in, distracted by something else.
I will try it out, thanks. The G Gun is cute, looks nicely made, but unless there was a very odd cartridge that fits in there, no way am I scooping grease. Did that in the 50s out of a drum filling grease guns with a giant ladle spoon confused2, you want to talk about getting slimed from head to toe....

what I did learn in that thread was that turning the grease gun nozzle coupler a half or full turn really helps in the seal. I didn't know that...nor am I entirely sure of the science behind it.