Working on the Tractors just got easier

[Guest fireman]

I started thinking about a lift table for working on the tractors. I looked all over the net for them. Found everything from $400 at Harbor Freight (not wide enough) to the sky was the limit elsewhere. Looked at Ebay and found some good used ones for cheap but they were across the country and shipping was hundreds of dollars. I found plans on how to build one and priced out the metal. It was over $500 not including hydraulics.

Then started searching Craigs List. Low and behold, found something close by and couldn't belive the price. Called the guy and he said he own's a motorcycle dealership and they had bought this back in the 70's at a trade show. Has a lift capacity of 1000 lbs. A few years ago the piston started to leak. They just bought a new one and put this in storage. He figured now was a good time to sell it (for me it was). Drove 60 miles over to Ulster County NY (real rural). Got to the address and here is this big old barn with only half its door on it. Inside is stacks of crates with new motorcylces and outboard engines just sitting there. The owner meets me and shows me the lift. I couldn't believe how well built this was and he only wanted $100. I tried to hold my composure as we loaded it the truck.

Got it home and cleaned it up. Took apart the piston and the outer lip seal was stretched and the inner shaft seal fell apart. Dropped the piston off at a place I know so they can rebuild it ($50). Now i'm just waiting for a piece of steel diamond plate to come in and it will get welded to the existing deck so it is wide enough for the tractors to fit on it $100). I plan on adding some swing out outriggers on the base so it won't tip if any "accidents" happen. It came with a narrow removable ramp but I will make a wider one to accomadate the tractors. It does have a safety rod that slides in and stops the scissor legs from collapsing.

So for a total of $200 here it is:

[BairleaFarm 339]

Very nice - ive never worked on one of these at counter hieght but its bound to be better than on the ground.

[KyBlue 652]

Nice find!!!

[TJ 171]

Good deal. :thumbs:

[sorekiwi 761]

Very cool. As you get older, the higher you need the stuff you're working on needs to be!

Here's what I currently use, but it was build for the RJ, so its not quite right for the latter tractors:

$0 (discarded bed frame picked up from the curb...)

Here's what I'm gonna build when I find the round tuit:

(pic's shamelessly stolen from a "green" forum....)

[jerrell 1]

:whistle: Hey Mike , you get that thing put together , how you gonna get it down?? :thumbs:

[sorekiwi 761]

Hey Mike , you get that thing put together , how you gonna get it down??

Thats where you need the hydraulic table!! :whistle:

[jerrell 1]

:whistle: hey fireman, not taking away from your find or your ideal, it is great especially for old farrrrrts like me, get it in the air, and not have to bend over, i just saw a motorcycle lift on HF, it is hydraulic,(foot operated) for 79.00 will lift a 1000 lbs, and shrinks to 4.5 inches,have to use under the middle ,,,not like yours to lift the whole tractor which is better. i had to use a hydraulic motor lift to get mine off the floor, then blocked up ,,worked pretty well. :thumbs:

[fordsonmajortom 1]

From the work surface it looks as if it has been designed to lift a wooden box of certain shape. :thumbs:

[KyBlue 652]

From the work surface it looks as if it has been designed to lift a wooden box of certain shape.

Its the Coffin work table Eh?

[HorseFixer 2,012]

Yep I got mine a year ago paid $50.00 bucks! It was in preperation of The Horse Stable mine will lift the ponies on the Platform but first it will go through a major transformation and will have a Table extended to 3'w X 5'L " perfect for the round hood size which is Already made" and will get aome modifications to the stance ie wheels spacing to make it stable! Mine lifts 770lbs 52" which is all I will ever need as the round hoods weigh in at 450 lbs or less.

[bk-scouter 93]

Good looking table fireman

Love to see pics when your done modifying it.

-BK

[Guest fireman]

The piston is rebuilt and re-installed. All new hoses and fluid were added. Works like a champ now! Metal is being sheared. Hope to have it by this weekend.

HorseFixer,

I saw those but didn't want to take the risk of tip over. Having that narrow base with two young boys around is a recipe for disaster. I stood on top of mine at it's max height and rocked it on purpose to see if I could tip it. It ain't going anywhere anytime soon. For extra safety I am going to add for lack of a better term, short wheelie bars on the sides just in case.

[HorseFixer 2,012]

The piston is rebuilt and re-installed. All new hoses and fluid were added. Works like a champ now! Metal is being sheared. Hope to have it by this weekend.

HorseFixer,

I saw those but didn't want to take the risk of tip over. Having that narrow base with two young boys around is a recipe for disaster. I stood on top of mine at it's max height and rocked it on purpose to see if I could tip it. It ain't going anywhere anytime soon. For extra safety I am going to add for lack of a better term, short wheelie bars on the sides just in case.

Fireman: If you read my post I said Major transformation and I meant just that! ie: widening the stance as in widening wheel stance there will be no tipping over here! Safety is NO #1 @ the Horse Fixers Coral!

And I think what ya meant to say was OUT RIGGERS on yers! :thumbs:

[glenn27 64]

Sounds like you got a really fine deal..and then the improvements--

I've been looking for one awhile, myself..

[iicap 1]

Fireman, great find. At 66yrs old and 6'4"(at least I used to be) bending over easily is not part of the game anymore. My thoughts have been where your at and I'll catch up one of these days. Right now enjoying my new oversize 2 car garage with a horse in it and no wind blowing. Sorry going off subject a bit, but when I saw your pics I said " Yes, thats me, I need one"

[BadDad 1]

sorekiwi How do you get it up that high & when you have it built how do you get it back on the ground?

[sorekiwi 761]

sorekiwi How do you get it up that high & when you have it built how do you get it back on the ground?

The Rotisserie thing isnt mine, they're pictures I found at "weekend freedom machines" which is the JD "equivalent" of Red Square...

My stand is the short one, its only 24 inches high -easy to get a tractor onto it, not really high enough to totally save my worn out back...

[Brian1045 28]

Looks like to me that fancy "Deere" stand is made from a couple avg. car engine stands.

hmmmm...This might be something to look into. :thumbs:

[HorseFixer 2,012]

Looks like to me that fancy "Deere" stand is made from a couple avg. car engine stands.

hmmmm...This might be something to look into.

Thats what it blooks like to me too! :thumbs:

[KyBlue 652]

Thats what it blooks like to me too!

Blooks like Duke?? Is that another michigander word?

I kinda like the rotisserie idea..might have to see what I can cobble together

[sorekiwi 761]

Here's a different one from the same site, this one using HF engine stands...

But you'll still need the Firemans lift to get it up there.

Bet it doesnt steer too well... :thumbs:

[HorseFixer 2,012]

Blooks like Duke?? Is that another michigander word?

I kinda like the rotisserie idea..might have to see what I can cobble together

Yeah Blooks is short for looks! Wheres the the spelling "B" king when ya need him! :whistle:

[KyBlue 652]

Yeah Blooks is short for looks! Wheres the the spelling "B" king when ya need him!

Now duke, Im not a math major or anything but isnt "blooks" actually LONGER than Looks??

I dunno how long we'll be able to hold off the spelling police.

Good thing you build workshops better than ya spell! :omg:

[KyBlue 652]

Here's a different one from the same site, this one using HF engine stands...

But you'll still need the Firemans lift to get it up there.

Bet it doesnt steer too well...

Thats why you have to NOT use engine stands...

The way alot of the car rotisseries are set up, is they have a jack mounted so that the whole assembly can be raised up in the air via this jack, and then once its to the height you want, locked down.

Lemme see if I can find a pic.

as you can see, the whole thing gets jacked up. Pretty simple operation to make really.