Lifting A Cobra Off The Ground

[rodneym]

Night vision goggles and a road map.

[streetrod1927]

If anyone is interested, I have a Kwik Lift for sale. I' m on Long Island. Includes bottle jack, bridge, manual, and wheel chocks.

[Bernica]

Somebody should grab it!

[Dirty Harry]

Along with my Kwik Lift, I have the optional casters that position under each leg. That raises the car an additional couple of inches, but more importantly allows me to easily push the car around in the garage. I can roll it easily by hand to position the car over the floor drain to wash it, or I can push it outside into the driveway if I want to work outside. If I align the sidewall of the left front tire with the v-groove in the left ramp, I can pull onto the lift accurately to the same place every time. The car is then supported very solidly and safely. I once used my lift to work under my son's 5300# pickup truck without problem, though I would not recommend exceeding the weight rating of the lift.

[tims210]

Along with my Kwik Lift, I have the optional casters that position under each leg. That raises the car an additional couple of inches, but more importantly allows me to easily push the car around in the garage. I can roll it easily by hand to position the car over the floor drain to wash it, or I can push it outside into the driveway if I want to work outside.

This isn't meant to be sarcastic but how do you drive on a ramp that is castered in all four corners? Doesn't it tend to slide?

[Dirty Harry]

Before driving on, the back of the ramp is lifted with a floor jack, the casters are removed, the pedestal that holds up the back of the ramp folds up, and the back of the ramp is then lowered to the ground. (That's how you get the car on and off the lift.) The weight of the car pins the back of the ramp in place while you drive off and back on. Once on, your floor jack then raises the back of the ramp, the pedestals hinge back into place and you slide the casters back in before lowering the floor jack. Once you're used to it, you can do it in one to two minutes, and I've never had the lift hint at moving while I was pulling on or off. While the front of the lift is still on casters, the back is held firmly to the ground by the weight of the car. Perhaps if you drove onto the ramp at some unwise speed and slammed the brakes, you might get it to move a little. Seriously, though, not a problem.

[tims210]

Makes sense. Thanks for the advice.

[jon@harrison.ne]

Over the years I have considered all manner of jacking systems but have always come back to the simplest one that I have used for about 50 years. It is a quality floor jack and four inexpensive jack stands. I bought the jack at Sears around 1970, back when they were quality made in the US, had the hydraulics rebuilt once since then. I jack up one frame rail and place a stand near the front and rear and then do the other side. With the jack pulled out there is a a lot of room to work , as opposed to any alternative setup that I have seen. I don't do this often, just for my brake and clutch fluid flushes every two years and a front wheel bearing pack and disc pad replacement every ten years or so. For once a year oil changes (engine, trans, rear) I sometimes get lazy and just jack up one side but I find it makes life a lot easier to do the four stand routine. I can easily afford any jacking alternative but I still like my system the best.

[BDR_Boy]

Just chiming in to offer one more vote for Kwik-lift. I too have to contend with a low ceiling... & I too picked mine up off of Craigslist... and it came with 2 bridges... for $700.00... and yes... you can remove wheels by utilizing the bridges. Very solid... would be a good way to describe it.

When I was younger... I used to work under cars on jack stands... and I had a very good set of stable jack stands... but I always felt uncomfortable. When I would put the car (not the Cobra) on the stands... I would literally shake it to prove to myself how sturdy it was BEFORE crawling underneath... and I still had the willies laying there under it. With the Kwiklift... the worries are gone... I don't even give it a thought.