Technical Increasing clearance on a four post lift.....anybody do it?

Ray,
Don’t apologise, the more comments that say the same thing will hopefully impact in the right way. - which was why I commented on your post.
Clemens

 

Ray, I'm sure your idea will work fine, but it requires the builder to buy two different kinds of material and then cut them to size and shape. It somewhat mirrors my first suggestion before I realized that the footplates were a foot square. Its hard to come up with steel plates of sufficient thickness and cutting them to size isn't real easy unless you own a plasma cutter. Not to likely to find four 6" long or one 24" long box tube, so will probably end up paying for a longer length of box tube and additional 3/8" or 1/2" steel plate. What is simple to assemble may prove much more expensive to procure.
I don't think you could get much cheaper than one piece of off fall box tubing 6" x 10 ft or so. Cut it into four 1' and six 8" pieces. Weld them into a square with a cross brace to give support directly under the post. Can't get much simpler than that and keeping the surfaces parallel will be much easier. No disrespect meant, just a different point of view about whats cheapest and easiest. Everything can be cut with a simple chop saw. I wouldn't miter cut, I'd just use straight cuts with two different lengths. Should be able to cut them and weld them in less than an hour.

 

cheapest and easiest is why I suggested wood blocks. we are only talking about raising it a foot higher correct? a chunk of timber 1' x1'x1' with the grain running horizontal to the floor lagged to the post would work fine. the chart I posted rated a 6x6 at over 50,000 lbs. 4 of which stacked and criss crossed would give only 11". it would be real hard to crush it.
wood seems frail compared to steel, but look around at what it is doing around you.

 

Wood cribbing holding buildings/structures up for moving or repair is prime example..

 

You could always dig the floor out ... like a one foot deep pool ... with an entering concrete ramp. About a car size worth. Haha.

Sorry. Just waiting on the finale'. Can't help myself. Carry on !

 

Whats that ?
Suggesting letting the air out of the tires...........and leaving the hoist as is.

 

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Very Interesting !. Only need minimum 4" height increase. I do have some seasoned oak in 6"x 6". With that capacity, two 12" lengths, bolted together through the cross section with all thread and sheeted top and bottom with plywood would give me a 12x12x6 riser. Bingo!Sounds like a plan. Thanks, everyone!

 

I have been using two 12" x 12" x 3/4" pieces of plywood screwed together for jack pads under a 30,000 lb RV for 10 years and they show no signs of deterioration.

 

Have a look at what they rest 60 tonne machinery pieces on trailer decks. Timber. As long as it's quality timber it shouldn't be an issue.

 

Yeah, I'm surprised they don't make the whole lift outta wood. They used to make wood rollercoasters so it should be fine?

Sent from my LG-TP450 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

The right thing to do is to chop and lower these things. The lift isn’t the problem

 

^^^^^^There ya go! Just chop the tops.