I am preparing to lift my 68 convertible body off the frame in my garage and curious if I can use my Max Jax to do so instead of a cherry picker. If anyone has experience using a Max Jax for this, please let me know how you approached the strapping or braces used for the lift. Thanks!
-
-
Re: Body lift with Max Jax
Dan,
I don't have direct experience with this lift. I do have a suggestion though. Borrow or rent some scaffolding that you can put on either side of your lift. get a couple of 6" posts the width of the span from one scaffold to the other. lay those post across the top of the scaffolding and then drape/tie straps from the posts along the sides of the car. I bought straps from the local hardware store that had hooks on the end and could grab the side of the car right behind the front wheel and in front of the rear wheel. I also had a strap that went around the radiator support to then nose. 3 straps on each side.
Then raise the car on your lift, attach the straps on either side of the car and then lower the drive train slowly while you make sure the body is free of all connections. It helps to have a couple of others to watch while the lift is lowered.
push the drive train out from under the car. then you put whatever dolly you have for the body on the lift and raised it to attach the body to it. This approach worked well for me and minimized the stress of twist etc on the body.
Rich -
Re: Body lift with Max Jax
Rich, thank you for your reply - it is helpful advice. My motor and trans are already out and all body mounting bolts have been loosened. This is the first time I have lifted a body off the frame and the steps you've laid out make sense. So I will investigate scaffolding and straps. I do not have a body dolly, so at the point of rolling my chassis out from under the car, what do you think about using the lift to support the body until I complete my chassis work? If I can avoid the expense of buying a dolly and make use of my Max Jax I will do it, but my biggest concern is minimizing the stress on the body. DanComment
-
Re: Body lift with Max Jax
Dan,
Stress on the body is an important thing to worry about. see the pictures below. Since it is a convertible you have to have some sort of bracing for the doors to keep the thing from snapping in two. As for dolly, I can't imagine not having something underneath that body for support while you are working on it. leaving it just rest on the lifts arms sounds like a potential problem. Plus, you have to have some type of support under the nose. Not to mention that you will want the lift to do things on the frame as well. Plus, this takes more time than you can expect and not having the ability to move the body around to make room for other things while this project is underway will cause problems at some time or another. there are plans available to make a dolly from wood and it is relatively inexpensive. I bought my aluminum dolly from a place in Michigan and it was one of the best investments I made for this project.
Per my earlier post, you can see what I had assembled and where I tied off the straps. I had that body hanging (as in the last picture) for just a short time - an hour or so - until I could get the dolly lifted into place and attached properly.
Rich
100_0818.jpg100_0828.jpg100_0832.jpg100_0834.jpgComment
-
Re: Body lift with Max Jax
A couple more pics. The first shows how I supported the nose. The second is raising the dolly up to meet the body.
100_0822.jpg100_0837.jpgComment
-
Re: Body lift with Max Jax
Richard, Sure beats the way we did it in the late 70's, with 3 guys on each rocker panel to lift & 1 man to roll the frame out & body dolly in while the seventh took pictures of the "event". Congratulations You guys sure have come a long way! BarryComment
-
Re: Body lift with Max Jax
Dan
I assume you use the Max Jax due to limited ceiling height so I am curious if the scaffolding works. Cool idea though. I too use a Max Jax in my height-challenged two-car shop/garage!Tom Russo
78 SA NCRS 5 Star Bowtie78 Pace Car L82 M2100 MY/TR/ConvComment
-
Re: Body lift with Max Jax
Hi Richard: Can you post or send me the link or address of the place you purchased your dolly? Thanks and regards...JoeComment
-
Comment
-
Re: Body lift with Max Jax
Joe,
Not sure if you can read this. phone number is 800-456-8247. tom komendera. he is with the Michigan chapter. The ad is from the Michigan chapter magazine that is posted on their website.
the dolly is extruded aluminum and easy to assemble, light weight and allows me to work underneath with out too much interference. 6 caster wheels. I added a 2*8 board on each side for the length of the dolly to give it more rigidity. probably wasn't needed, but I have hauled the body on a flat bed to the body shop, pushed it from garage to garage at my house, and perched on my lift. one person can move it around, but I recommend using two to prevent an oops. wheels lock to keep in place. Perhaps I should get a commission...
Anyhow, I would recommend it.
Rich
body dolly.jpgComment
-
Re: Body lift with Max Jax
Many thanks, Dan. Looks like link is broken?Comment
-
Re: Body lift with Max Jax
Many thanks Richard. The link doesn't seem to work, but I'll try to contact Tom through this forum or by PM...Thanks again and regards...joeComment
-
Re: Body lift with Max Jax
I asked Tom about that. He said they are constructing a new site which will be back up next week.Comment
-
Re: Body lift with Max Jax
The voice mail message on the above listed phone number says the company name is New Air Fluid Power. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to contact Tom?Comment
-
Vice-Chairman (West), Michigan Chapter NCRS
71 "deer modified" coupe
72 5-Star Bowtie / Duntov coupe. https://www.flickr.com/photos/124695...57649252735124
2008 coupe
Available stickers: Engine suffix code, exhaust tips & mufflers, shocks, AIR diverter valve broadcast code.Comment
Comment