Hot Rods Porta Power? Are They Practical??

I have one I used to recontour the floor of a truck where the bellhousing and exhaust manifolds were a tight fit. Instead of pounding with a hammer, I just wedged the jack in place and pushed the sides of the trans tunnel/firewall area back. I guess the real point is that if you don't find yourself in a position to need to use one, thats a good thing.
When that rare time comes that you do need one, its nice to have one.

 

I had a 40 gal. water heater that was sitting on a platform 3 ft. off the floor and inspector required a drain pan under it. My HF porta power lifted it (still full of water) 3 inches one side at a time to install the pan. It had flex pipe connections.

 

You run a dirt track car...nuf said

 

If you remember you have it you will get a lot of use out of it. I've used the spreader jaws as much as the ram on mine. Last time to work on a crease in a quarter panel where I could stick it between the panel and the edge of the trunk floor to move it back out a bit at a time rather than pull the dent from the outside.
After I got rear ended in my little box with wheels and shoved into a Johnson barrier I was out here figuring out how to hook a chain to the edge of the trunk opening and jerk the panel out far enough to get the spare out when I remembered that I had my 12 ton taking up space in the garage. It took longer to assemble the pieces I needed to do the job than to do the job.

 

That is a tool I could have, and probably should have, used many times, but just never bought one. Fact is, I have a couple things I could make use of one, if one was sitting here, right now.
I've done a lot of moving stuff with a bottle jack and blocks of wood, but having a steel shaft would have made several of those projects a bit faster and probably a lot safer.
These days I have a friend that has a body shop, so he has a really nice one I can borrow any time, but its across town. Often when I'm working in my shop, I don't feel like running across town.
Cheapness prevails. If I really need one, I'll plan ahead and borrow my friends Port-a-power. I can use the money saved to buy car parts. Gene

 

Have you ever barrowed one twice, then you need your own.

 

Check out this restored Porto-Power I saw at Hershey in 2016. A Blimp Shaped Box

 

I ran on pavement, yet the PP was handy to fix crash damage. I had a kink in my front hoop where the radiator was tied in, a little heat with the torch and some PP action, things move pretty easily.

 

my engine hoist uses one it is handy you can have the pump on top of the motor or fender i bought it from an old ford dealer it is a ratonda made by otc

 

Everyone that gets in over there head needs one of these in there shop, especially if you work by yourself.
https://www.tooltopia.com/keysco-to...Q3421nIuC21MNfyWniHEnbX54CoImZ9xoCsMAQAvD_BwE
Great for pushing and holding body panels.

 

When I was a bodyman years ago I used them almost every day . They come in handy to push dents out of tops after a roll over . A must when doing frame work . Be careful if using chains to pull , when they break get outa the way !

 

With a home made adapter, it is one of the safest ways to spread a model A rear spring.
With a couple of small "U" clips you can even spread reverse eye springs.

 

The body of my 40 was tweaked pretty badly, floor rusted through, it had a hard life. Doors way off, trunk way off, a few hours with the porta power and things began to come into shape. It's one of those tools that can pay for itself in one use.

 

I have used one a few times to move roofs and other panels.

We use them a lot at work. A few weeks ago we used several cylinders to put 180 tonnes of force on a coal pulverizer we were rebuilding. When the bowl finally broke free of the taper fit, it sounded like a cannon went off.

 

Now don't be doing that, it's like holding a handful of drugs in front of an addict!

 

I used mine to stretch a pair of leather shoes that were slightly snug.

 

Now there's a really great use! Over the years UV rays have caused some of my clothing to shrink.... All will be put right with the power of "PortaPower"!

 

I've had one since the early 80's and seldom used it. Then the one daughter kept banging her car up and I used it several times to push things back into position. She caved in the right quarter corner once (someone ran into it while I was parked "SURE"), I picked up some used parts and pushed it out enough that the quarter popped out and you could hardly see any damage. When I reskinned the door bottoms on the Studebaker I had them off the car and when I bolted them back on the lower door corner at the B pillar was out an inch or two, I blocked the door at the jamb and wedged the porta power against the floor/wall and after two or three tries I tweaked the door back to a decent fit, I know it wasn't as good as they do on television but it looks fine now Mine was made in Taiwan it's so old

 

50 years ago we called that a hood stretcher , VERY handy tool...

 

Look for an old push/pull and have it rebuilt. Well worth it.


Sent from my iPad using H.A.M.B.

 

I have one that is a work alike, it is a small hydraulic jack body with a long adjustable rod and foot plate.
It was sold as a replacement for car bumper jack, but I have used it for everything but lifting cars.
Another great tool.
Bob

 

they should be sold with a box of rags and a bag of speedy dry.

 

I bought one a year ago cheaply at an auction. Spent an hour cleaning it and the box it came in.

 

There's a lot to be said for the original Porter Ferguson Porta Power. There's all kinds of different ways to set them up that most other brands can't do. It's all in the careful design and shaping of the components. e.g. The chain, ram, and extensions can be used to form a pyramid to take the twist out of frames etc. They had a manual back in the day to show you all the different pulls. Ask an old body man. I'm still building up my set, expensive here in NZ.

 

Unsure about frames, but they are very useful, bought mine in the early 80's and has pushed a lot of stuff around I don't use it for car stuff only.

 

I checked the unit I bought and other brands online and they all look like they came out of th same factory...
I didn't see any chain components. Is this an optional part or is it supposed to be standard equipment?

 

I bought inexpensive quick disconnects. That cuts down on the mess, and also speeds up the tool change.
Bob

 

I used mine to lift my work bench when a socket rolled underneath. Since then is been forgotten, stashed away ina big box under a shelf unit.
Yes, I had to clean up the drips afterward.

 

Blackhawk made a good set as well. I've never seen one to see how it compares to Porter Ferguson.

 

If it's Chinese or a modern design they generally don't. You can get a "pull ram" which looks useful. I have yet to find cheap ends that fit Porter Ferguson, not interchangeable with other brands.

I just checked their website and it says P-F has been discontinued. Such a shame to see a great USA product go away due to cheap Chinese rip offs. Page is still up "for research" so check out their attachments.
https://lowellcorp.com/product-category/hydraulics/4-ton-hydraulics/4-ton-hydraulic-attachments/