Do-it-yourself garage lifting mechanisms

Cars tend to break down and require periodic maintenance, like any equipment. Access to the lower part in garage conditions is often impossible due to the lack of a lifting device. Having all the necessary tools, a lift equipped and ready for work, it is possible to replace the consumables of the chassis, transmission, and engine. Despite the fact that the device is in demand when repairing cars with your own hands, purchasing it for use for your own needs is very expensive. Maintenance can be performed no more than twice a year, so it is better to make units and components yourself.

What types of lifts are there?

Lifts come in various designs, differing in the method of lifting the car and the type of drive. For vehicle repairs, three types of drives are mainly used:

• chain mechanisms;
• screw;
• hydraulic systems.

The method of lifting the car plays an important role in the design; a garage lift can be a fork, scissor, or platform design. The most popular are fork screw units, the basis of which is a long threaded shaft made of tool steel. The parts of the unit are able to withstand the load of an average car; it is almost impossible to make the mechanism with your own hands, due to the complex design of the forks.

Types of lifts for car repairs

The easiest way to make a platform lift with your own hands is using a screw mechanism.

Parallel beams attached to the mechanism are capable of lifting a car weighing up to 3 tons.

Operating instructions and safety instructions

When a car enters a pit, the traverse is aligned with the reference points, adjusting the reach of the wings and the height of the stops. Next, the rollers are blocked. When the jack is removed, a push rod is installed, which is pressed by the screw rod of the jack. Then, using hydraulic force, the traverse rises to the required height, and the lift is blocked with pins.

If the jack does not provide the required lift height, it is drained, leaving the locking pins for temporary support. After this, the bar is changed to a longer one and raised to a higher position. For most situations, you need a set of a maximum of 2-3 rods of different lengths, which are connected to the jack rod with an adapter sleeve.

The car is lowered in the reverse order: first the locking pins are removed, then the jack is drained. If an extended rod was used, the descent is made with an intermediate position to replace the pusher. If it is necessary to move the car along the pit, it must be lowered to a slope of no more than 3–5°, then remove the wedges from under the rollers and roll the lift manually or using a small winch. This design allows for complete safe lifting of the car from both sides, however, for this it is recommended to consider a system of rigid connections between both platforms, for example, using long threaded rods.

Choosing a design

To make a vehicle lifting unit with your own hands, it is important to familiarize yourself with the designs on the market. The cost of finished equipment can be equal to the price of a car. In auto repair shops you can find the most common option - a screw two-post jack; the design can be made with a hydraulic or electric drive. The structure can be made using additional beams, depending on the expected loads. A scissor lift has a platform and is driven by a scissor-like mechanism. A homemade lift of this type is driven by mechanical force and is lifted by a hydraulic drive connected to an electric motor. Before making such structures, it is important not to forget about safety precautions. During operation, parts may spontaneously fall, which will lead to irreversible consequences. A homemade car lift must be made with a reserve of aggregate power; when using it, it is important to know the mass of the element being lifted.

In emergency situations with a garage lift, locking mechanisms allow you to hold the car. To avoid critical moments, it is necessary to check the condition of the electric motor and hoses. The main problem of making a screw lift with your own hands is the complexity of assembly and manufacturing of the mechanism. Hydraulic parts are expensive, purchasing a new design is impractical.

For garage use, a modification of the mechanism is suitable that allows you to lift the car from a certain side. With your own hands, you can make a hydraulic lift that lifts a car at an angle of up to 60 degrees; this design is called a tipper.

Choosing a garage lift

When choosing a lift, you should study their technical characteristics and their capabilities. The quality of the work performed and the performance of the maintenance point will depend on the correct choice.

For help, you can contact directly the company that supplies this equipment. They can navigate and choose the lift that will meet all the requirements.

Attention: While designing a garage, it is better to design a garage with a lift. Then you can take into account the dimensions of the lift and correctly determine the area of ​​the room.

When making a garage lift with your own hands or purchasing it, we immediately pay attention to:

• A do-it-yourself or purchased lift in the garage must correspond to the dimensions of the room.
• Do-it-yourself car lifts for a garage should also be selected according to the weight of the vehicle.

Attention: According to the first point, you need to add space for free movement. And the second fate is that the load capacity must be selected in the direction of increasing the permissible weight by at least 20%.

Car lifts are divided into several types:

So:

• In turn, lifts come with upper or lower synchronization, as well as lifts with symmetrical or asymmetrical arm designs that open 180 degrees. Lifts with asymmetrical paws are more versatile and allow you to service any type of vehicle, without forgetting about ease of maintenance.
• They also differ in their locking systems, which can be manual or electric. Mechanical or manual also come in two types: with symmetrical locking of the posts or with separate locking. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. It should be separately noted that electromechanical lifts do not have stoppers.

Attention: The most popular are electro-hydraulic lifts, which are safer, more durable and simpler in design, which does not require special maintenance.

At service stations, two-post lifts with a lifting capacity of 3 to 4.5 tons are installed.

Lift drives: pros and cons

A do-it-yourself car lift for a garage must also be selected based on the drive. Their prices are quite different, it all depends on the configuration.

Electromechanical lifts have a lower cost and a simpler design. Caring for such a lift involves caring for the “screw-nut” system, since it is the basis of the lift’s drive system and tends to wear out.

Lift installation diagrams

So:

• Timely inspection and maintenance (lubrication) prolongs the life of the system, and therefore prevents the possibility of failure of the serviced vehicle. It is advisable to use lubricants recommended by the manufacturer for this purpose.
• Lifts with an electromechanical drive do not have special stoppers that ensure the safety of full diagnostics (see Complete diagnostics of a car in the garage) and repair work, which speaks to the convenience of their use: there is no need to constantly check whether the stoppers are installed, which really saves working time.
• These lifts can be equipped with either one or two motors. In a lift with one engine, the force is transmitted to the second column using a belt or chain drive, which require additional maintenance and reduce the reliability of the structure. Over time, such lifts began to be designed with a transmission shaft, which transmits force to the second column. This design is more reliable and does not require special maintenance.
• In twin-motor lifts, the rotation of the motors is synchronized electronically. As a rule, the main attention is paid to the operation of this system, which determines the quality indicators of the operation of these types of lifts. Poor operation of such a system can lead to lifting with distortions, which will entail unpredictable consequences.
• Lifts with electro-hydraulic drive have many positive characteristics that are fundamental for working with vehicle maintenance. They are safe, have high lifting and lowering speeds, significantly save electricity, are quiet and smooth in operation.
• They are equipped with one electric motor and a hydraulic pump that controls the operation of two hydraulic cylinders. The working fluid is transferred to the cylinders using high-pressure hoses. The lifting height is controlled using steel cables. The cables can be located at the bottom (lower synchronization) or at the top, in the crossbar (upper synchronization). Preference can be given to lifts with lower synchronization, as it allows you to service any type of car. As a rule, the cable and hoses of the lift are located below the floor level, which does not interfere with the work and the entry of cars onto the lift, and the absence of a crossbar removes height restrictions.

For service stations, we can offer Bend Pak lifts made in the USA, as well as Chinese lifts for private garages AE&T, NORDRERG and others with hydraulic drive and a perfect safety system.

Such lifts are installed in many service stations and have proven themselves to be safe and reliable devices. Such a lift in a private garage greatly facilitates the work of a private entrepreneur in the garage.

• Most often, 2-post lifts are used, which are simple in design, not more expensive and can save work space. Many people, especially recently, use scissor lifts with a traverse for maintenance. And yet, the choice remains with those who decided to open their own business, namely, a service station in their garage.
• It’s a very good idea when you have a garage, but there’s nothing to store in it, although other options for using an empty garage are possible: you can simply rent it out or open a retail outlet if the location of the garage is very promising.
• If you decide to repair cars, you should first of all pay attention to the size of the garage, and as a result, its capabilities in terms of installing a lift. Garages, as a rule, do not have high ceilings, which makes its own adjustments: in such a garage it will be possible to repair only passenger cars, and the lift that can be installed is the most basic and simplest, which would make it possible to lift the car even a little height.
• If desired, you can solve this problem by digging a hole to simplify access to the car. The alternative is to remove the roof and build a garage in height, which is realistic and optimal, since there will be no special costs, but the result will be significant.
• And yet, first you should stock up on information and have a complete understanding of the technical characteristics of lifts: their load capacity, height and lifting speed, its design features and manufacturer.

Load capacity

The installation of the lift in the garage must correspond to the weight of the vehicle. Moreover, the carrying capacity should be greater than the weight of the car itself.

• Mini garage lift for passenger cars whose weight is in the range of 1.2-4.0 tons, you can use a lift with a lifting capacity of 4.0-4.5 tons, which will be enough to service cars, SUVs and small trucks. There are also lifts with a lifting capacity from 4.5 to 20 tons, but they are not suitable for a service station in a garage, as they require more space for their installation.
• The rate of ascent doesn't matter much. At the same time, devices of different types have practically identical indicators in terms of lifting and lowering speeds, which are within one or two minutes.
• The lifting height of electromechanical lifts is within 2 meters, but the maximum height is determined by about 3.5 meters and is determined by the type of lift and its design features.
• When organizing a service station in a garage, you are unlikely to need a lift with a lifting height of more than 3.5 meters. This applies primarily to standard-sized garages, of which we have a large variety.
• You can purchase mobile lifts for the garage that could organize vehicle maintenance with tire fitting work (see How to open a tire fitting shop in a garage) or wheel alignment procedures. It is unlikely that a full-fledged service station could be organized in a garage, where a full range of services could be performed. Most likely, this will be a mini service station with a minimum set of operations that do not require the use of special lifting equipment.

Minimum paw lowering height

A private garage with a lift should also be selected according to the lower lowering point. There should be a flat plane here.

Attention: Each manufacturer produces structures with its own dimensions for the minimum height of lowering the paws, but it cannot be lower than 95 and higher than 110 mm.

So:

• Lift for a private garage with a lower lowering height of the arms The manufacturer produces special lifts for cars with very low ground clearance. Such cars include sports cars and sports versions of low-slung passenger cars, which are contraindicated on our roads. And yet, more and more such cars are appearing on our roads.
• An electromechanical garage lift requires daily inspection and monitoring of the safety nut gap. If a gap appears that is less than the required one, the mechanism should be repaired, with the replacement of worn parts. Lubrication of the main rubbing parts can be done either manually (for cheaper copies) or automatically.
• In daily human activities, various types of vehicles are involved, which require preventive inspections, maintenance and various types of repairs. The range is so large that it requires lifting mechanisms for a very wide range of purposes: from lifting mechanisms for motorcycles to lifting mechanisms for armored vehicles and vehicles with an extended wheelbase.
• Based on this, each type of lift is designed to lift certain types of transport. The manufacturer produces certain types of lifts for passenger cars. There are different types for trucks, especially since not every truck can be driven into a box and undergo repairs or technical inspection.
• There are specially designed lifts for large car depots that have large-capacity cargo transportation facilities. There is no point in driving such cars into special boxes every time for inspection or minor repairs, especially since the presence of such boxes is an extra waste of money and usable space. Such cars are usually repaired in specialized workshops if major repairs are required.
• When choosing a garage lift, you can choose the electro-hydraulic version of the lift, as it is more reliable and convenient to use. The advantage of such a lift is that in the event of a lack of electricity, it can be lowered manually and handed over to the customer. Moreover, this will be done very quickly, unlike other types of lifts, where you will have to turn the mechanism handle for about half an hour.

DIY garage lift

For use in the garage, it is possible to make a kit for lifting a car with your own hands. You will need the necessary components, tools and plumbing skills.

A homemade lift is made using the following parts:

• Steel corners measuring 8x8x1 cm, for making a stable structure.
• Worm type gearbox. A new product can be expensive; it is usually selected during disassembly or removed from a non-working mechanism. It is necessary to pay attention to the load capacity, the indicator starts from 350 kg, the transmission force indicator is 60 kg.
• A steel plate with a minimum thickness of 1 cm is removed from old equipment.
• Set of bolts, mounting hook, star-shaped keys.
• Several iron chains with a link diameter of 2 cm or more. Weak chains will not withstand the load, you should pay attention to the quality of the product, some materials can stretch during operation.
• Steel cable, 5 mm thick.

Assembly and installation of components occurs in the required sequence, following the proposed instructions. The steel corners are fastened to the walls in the opposite direction from the hood of the car. On top of the corners for the lift, a steel plate is installed with your own hands. The connection is made with prepared bolts. Next, you need to install the worm gear, securing it with a key on the drive shaft. A key of smaller diameter is installed on the output shaft of the gearbox.

DIY chain lift

Holes suitable for the diameter of the chain are made in the plate, after which the chain mechanism is installed. It is important to pay attention to safety; holes are made in the frame at a certain distance, and a locking mechanism is inserted with them.

Features of operation of such a lift

The use of a worm-type unit during operation is suitable for lifting a car engine or load-bearing parts. The procedure for using a self-made car lift is simple; you must follow these steps:

• Remove engine mounts, bolts, nuts.
• Afterwards, the steel cable loops are supplied and the structure is coupled.
• The drive shaft rotates by turning the chain; with a little effort you can slowly lift the part to the desired position.

Worm type garage lift

After lifting, it is necessary to remove the car from the work area by placing a table under the engine. It is possible to make a stand or table with your own hands; the design must be durable and withstand heavy loads. Convenient to use is a table on wheels, which allows you to move the part in the required directions.

If the car is too big

Repairing large vehicles is not uncommon; wheel size and ground clearance may not allow you to raise the necessary parts to the required height. The process takes place with an assistant, who pulls the part onto a pre-prepared table. The gearbox rotates with the opposite side to the installed element.

Assembly, fit and bells and whistles

The traverse must move freely in the guides along the entire travel height. If necessary, you can mark the lapping areas, then remove excess metal using an angle grinder, or turn the guides or cups in the desired direction. With periodic checks for smooth running, the cups are attached to the platform at all points of contact. After fastening, the guides are lubricated with grease.

Next, work is carried out on the pusher rod. It is better to make it from a round rod about 33–35 mm thick. The rod is inserted into the centering sleeve and thrust cup, and the sleeve gap should not be less than 2 mm for convenient alignment. After installing the rod in the lift, you first need to weld the glass: apply a double seam on both contacting surfaces. Next, a sleeve embedded in the platform is welded. Its fastening should not be too strong; it is much more important to do a good job of eliminating the distortion. The movement of the pusher in the bushing is carried out dry.

To ensure reliable blocking of the lift, it is necessary to calculate the position of the racks under the platform so that the guides are exactly between them. A vertical row of coaxial holes is drilled into the racks every 50 mm, and it is advisable to make a mark from the lower ends of the guides as the traverse rises. Long pins are inserted into the resulting holes and secured with cotter pins. The platform can be immobilized using square rods with beveled ends, which are inserted between the rollers with a gap of 3–5 mm.

Making a tipper yourself

The tipper is used to raise one of the sides of the car to the required degree. A simpler option that does not require special devices like a gearbox and chains.

Homemade car tipper

The process of making a do-it-yourself tipper includes several stages.

1. The shoe is made to work as a support for the future jack. It is important to follow the dimensions prepared according to the drawing so that the movement is free.
2. The lifting stand is made from 1.5 meter long corners, assembled in the form of squares, fastened with a welding machine. The racks are used in the amount of two pieces; it is important to take into account the distance through which the beam will travel.
3. Holes are drilled to attach the support pipe, also required for the locking mechanism.
4. The platform for the beam is made from a sheet of steel, the edges are bent, then the result is a box to which the sides are welded.
5. Supporting the car on the opposite side by raising it is done using a self-made structure made of beams. The square profile is made from a long corner corresponding to the car.

If you don’t have time, you can contact specialists who will make a tipping mechanism in the garage if it meets the requirements.

Simple lift for turning the car over

For use in open spaces, it is possible to make a simple lift for turning over a car. The chassis of the car requires maintenance and repair in a timely manner; in the absence of a lifting device or inspection hole, this is not possible, and work will be stopped.

Using a mini lift in a garage will require the efforts of several people, which can result in the side of the car being damaged. Few dare to repair a car at a strong angle, but in the absence of other options, there is no way out. It can be made by using corners with a cable mechanism from an old winch.

Creating the Foundation

To make a pit lift with your own hands
, you first need to prepare the necessary tools and materials. The design requires 2 metal shafts of 20, which correspond in length to the inspection hole. Grooves are cut into them using a small grinder and corkscrew rings are inserted.

Also for garage pit lift

Bearings with an internal diameter of 20 mm are required. They are put on on both sides of the shaft and ensure free sliding of the equipment over the garage pit.

Next, the shaft is inserted into a metal pipe. The bearings must be on the outside to ensure the mobility of the lift. If necessary, communications are cut. The second shaft is equipped in a similar way. workshop of useful homemade products will help you find practical advice and get acquainted with the recommendations of professionals.

.

Metal jumpers are installed between the pipes, which are secured by welding. Lift in

should move freely over the pit. Then you need to pick up a jack on top of the structure.

Lift into garage pit

It’s better to take 3 tons. It is recommended to strengthen the installation with reinforcing bars. Next, the jack is welded, and a large steel pipe is welded to it, inside which 2 smaller diameter communications are placed on both sides.

Difficulties in making a lift

The cost of a finished car lift is high, but a self-made version can damage a person working under it if the design is unreliable. The weight of the car should not exceed more than a ton; if the structure falls on a person, irreversible injuries can occur.

A homemade car lift is made according to prepared drawings, or versions of finished products are used. In the latter case, one has to rely on the author's high computational skills. Incorrect calculation of the base or one of the fastened units can lead to irreversible consequences, at best, damage to the lifted unit.

For a homemade kit, made with your own hands, you will need parts and components, without which assembly is impossible. You can find this type of component in large stores that sell construction equipment. If there are not enough funds for new parts, you need to go to scrap metal collection points and enterprises that write off old parts.

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.

Today, overhead garage doors are very popular, and they are also convenient, reliable and practical protection for the garage, but at the same time, factory options are quite expensive. Opening using a special mechanism, they take a horizontal position under the ceiling and move forward a short distance, thereby forming a small shelter in the form of a canopy. As already mentioned, factory samples are quite expensive, but no one bothers you to study Internet resources to make such gates yourself, and, armed with the necessary tools and drawings, make them yourself.

Advantages and disadvantages of a lifting structure

The lifting structure perfectly fulfills its function and has a number of undeniable advantages over other types of garage doors, but at the same time it is not without its disadvantages.

Advantages:

• No additional opening space required. The unused space under the ceiling is used.
• The one-piece design of the canvas provides reliable protection against penetration.
• Any external finishing and decoration can be used.
• The door leaf can be additionally insulated with expanded polystyrene.
• It is possible to supply equipment for automatic opening.
• Can be used in both single and double garages.

The disadvantages are primarily due to the design features of the lifting mechanism and the inability to do it any other way.

Flaws:

• Installation is only possible in rectangular openings.
• When damaged, a solid canvas must be replaced, as it does not involve partial repair.
• When the gate is open, the height of the opening decreases.
• The gate mechanism is designed for a certain load and this should be taken into account when insulating.
• Some difficulty in installation.

Design and operating diagram of folding garage doors

The lifting (panel) gate system is a fairly simple mechanical device. The main and load-bearing elements are the frame, guides and a lever-spring mechanism that moves the sash. The mechanism can be controlled either manually or using an electric drive controlled by a remote control (remote control). When opening the gate, levers are used that are attached to the bottom of the sash, and two guides for the movement of rollers, fixed at the top at the ends of the sash. Opening is carried out by lifting the lower part of the door by the handle and is done quite easily, since the stretched springs of the lever mechanism help in opening the gate.

Scheme of operation of the lifting mechanism

There are two types of lifting gate mechanisms:

1. Lever-spring is a fairly simple and reliable mechanism that is popular among garage owners. Installation features: precise adjustment of tension springs and high quality and precision installation of roller guides.
2. With counterweights - used mainly on gates with a large leaf weight. The cable is attached to the lower corners of the sash and passes through the block to a counterweight mounted on the other edge of the winch.

Drawing of overhead garage doors

When preparing a drawing to suit your opening dimensions, you should use ready-made solutions, slightly adjusting them to your dimensions. Here is an example of drawings for making gates:

Drawing of lifting gates

Drawing of the frame, dimensions must be set to match your gate dimensions.

What is required for production

For the manufacture of the sash frame, rectangular profile pipes with dimensions of 40*20 and a wall thickness of 2 mm are most suitable. For transverse and longitudinal spars we also use profile pipes, but of smaller sizes - namely 20*20*2 mm, to reduce the weight of the structure. For sewing up the front and inner sides of the sash, a profile sheet is best suited, since it is already coated with an anti-corrosion compound from the factory. You can also use galvanized sheets.

For guides, it is ideal to use a channel up to 20 cm wide. The size of the channel shelf depends on the width of the rollers used in your particular case. The box to which the lever-spring mechanism is attached in the garage doorway can be made from a 100*50 mm wooden beam. For these purposes, you can also use a metal corner with a 50 mm shelf.

Support-sliding rollers and lever-spring rollers are purchased separately at a store specializing in sliding gates.

For thermal insulation of gates, for reasons of price and quality, it is advisable to use polystyrene foam with a thickness of 40 mm and a density of 15 to 25 kg/m 3.

Manufacturing materials and processing methods

The vast majority of car lift parts can and should be made from rolled metal. This is convenient, because this kind of materials is available at every metal warehouse, you can purchase exactly the required quantity, and most importantly, some elements can be replaced with other types of rolled products while maintaining the equivalent section.

Some parts have requirements for primary use, so some items will have to be purchased. First of all, a profile pipe of two sizes, the thickness of the smaller one should, with a minus millimeter tolerance, be equal to the internal dimensions of the larger one, for example, 40x40x5 and 50x50x4 mm. On average, no more than two meters of each type of pipe will be required.

It is advisable to make the remaining parts from a more massive assortment: channel, T-bar or angle steel. The base of the frame can be assembled from a 14U or 16U channel by connecting two sections in parallel. The channels can be replaced with pieces of angle steel connected by a solid weld with a reinforcing lining.

At the bottom of the frame, the choice of materials is absolutely free. In total, it takes about 6 meters of 63x4 mm angle steel, but it can be replaced with almost any materials of the same cross-section. Additionally, you will need several pieces of hot-rolled steel pipe, round timber of 40X steel or similar, as well as sheet steel for making gussets.

Step-by-step manufacturing instructions

1. The frame installed in the opening is the main strength element of the gate. It bears the main load of the entire garage door system. The box is made from a 100*50 mm wooden beam or a thick metal corner. The width of the corner shelf should be 1.5 times wider than the sash thickness, that is, if the sash thickness is 40 mm, then we take the corner with shelves of at least 60 mm. The box parts are installed in the letter P, two on the sides of the opening, one on top. If we use wood, we fasten it with 100 mm self-tapping screws into pre-prepared wooden embeds. In the case of using a corner, we fasten it using anchor bolts, however, they are perfect for the first case.
2. Let's start assembling the frame for the gate leaf. We cut the profile pipe to size according to your drawing. We lay out the frame elements on a flat horizontal surface and, after checking the right angles, use a square to grab the joints. Before fully welding the joints, it is necessary to check the length of the frame diagonals with a piece of cord or tape measure. If necessary, you can adjust the product and begin fully welding the joints. We weld gussets at the corners of the frame, as shown in the drawing, to enhance the rigidity of the structure.

Welding joints of frame elements

We clean the weld seams from burrs and the entire frame from rust with a grinder.

• We coat the frame with an anti-corrosion primer and paint it with alkyd enamel in 2 layers with intermediate drying.
• We weld brackets with rollers to the upper corners at the end.
• We place it on the frame and fasten the profile sheet with self-tapping screws with a drill and a rubber washer in increments of 15–20 cm. We attach the sash opening handle to M8-M10 bolts. This operation can be done at the end of installation work, which significantly reduces the physical stress on workers when checking the operation of mechanisms.
• We attach guides for the rollers to the ceiling. We check their parallelism and perpendicularity to the opening.
• We temporarily install the sash in the opening to mark the place where the lever-spring mechanism is attached. We remove the sash and attach the levers along the marks to its ends with self-tapping screws.

Checking the correct operation of the gate

Gate leaf installation

How and with what to insulate

Classic insulation materials used for these purposes are mineral wool and polystyrene foam boards. Foam plastic compares favorably with mineral board in that it does not shrink over time. We will insulate the sash with polystyrene foam 40 mm thick and density 20. First, we insert the foam without fastening into the sash to cut all the necessary trims to size. Sheets of foam plastic are glued to the profile sheet from the inside between the side members using “liquid nails”. Next, we fasten the inner plane of the sash with a sheet of galvanized sheet using self-tapping screws and a drill.

Insulation of gate leaves with polystyrene foam

Exploitation

For ease of use of garage doors, you can install an electric drive with a control unit operating from commands coming from the remote control to the existing opening system. When purchasing a drive, make sure that it is suitable for your type of gate.

In winter, rubber seals must be periodically lubricated with silicone grease to avoid freezing of the leaf and damage to the seal when opening the gate. Also, periodically pay attention to lubricating the lever system and support rollers.

Video: homemade folding garage doors

Video: lift-and-swivel design

The overhead garage door system is easy to implement on your own, so almost any car owner with welding and metal working skills can do it, the main thing is to be more careful with the installation of such critical elements as guides. From the start of work to the complete installation of the gate, you can handle it in 2 days if you invite friends or acquaintances to help.

Homemade lifting devices are an indispensable tool for a garage where major car repairs are planned. With the help of such an auxiliary device, you can easily remove the car engine, lift the edge of the body, or even the entire car.

Easy-to-make homemade lifting mechanisms make work several times easier and faster not only in the garage, but also near the house. They are indispensable for construction and repair, moving construction waste, and unloading heavy loads.

Strengthening the structure

Pipes of smaller diameter, which are located across the jack, are reinforced on all sides with metal plates. A thick plate is installed on top of a large pipe welded to the jack, and metal corners are installed below.

The structure is welded and ground with a grinder. To learn welding skills on your own, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the information in the useful DIY workshop

. Next, the stands are made.

Required materials for stands:

• Thick metal washers;
• Nuts for 20;
• Bolts 20.

For the construction of lift stands for the inspection pit

the nuts are welded vertically to smaller pipes that run across the jack. Then the washers and bolts are fastened together.

Next, the resulting structure is screwed onto the nuts. Rubber cups are placed on top of the washers. This is a DIY pit lift

ready for use. Thanks to the jack used, the traverses are raised quite high.

It is necessary to treat the metal with a special anti-corrosion compound, due to which the structure will last longer. To give the lift for the inspection pit

aesthetic appearance, the structure can be painted. The ready-made traverse is easy to use, does not require significant effort in operation and provides good lifting of the car.

The following solutions were used as materials. For longitudinal beams, channel No. 8 was used, for transverse beams - channel No. 6, for platforms with holes for guides - corrugated pipe 50x100. The material was selected taking into account the entry of the smaller channel with its edges into the larger one, and the profile pipe into the smaller channel, which ensures additional rigidity of the structure.

Length – 500 mm, width between the edges of the cross beams – 820 mm. The distance between channel No. 6, where the pipe enters, is 340 mm. The distance between the guides is 600 mm. The length of the guides themselves is 700 mm; 32 pipes were used for their manufacture. The lifting beam is made in the form of a kind of profile pipe, which is welded from channels No. 8 and No. 6 - they are inserted into one another. The length of the beam is 1050 mm.

The jack is a two-rod jack, made in China, according to the stated characteristics - 6 tons. For the platform for the jack, 3 pieces of channel No. 6 were taken. A 6 mm reinforcing plate was welded into the end of the platform on the sides. The “wheels” are bearings 180604, size 20x52x21 - 2 pcs. on each of the corners. M20 bolts are used as axles; the part without thread has a length of at least 40 mm and a thickness of 20 mm. 30 mm spacers are inserted between the bearings and the frame. They are here because the inspection hole for which this structure is made is filled unevenly, with a floating distance between the edges. In order for the traverse to move more smoothly along the pit, horizontal guides are provided in the form of small bearings 608 (they are in the photo where the structure is placed on the pit).

also made several pneumatic traverses for a local service station a little earlier:

Types of lifting mechanisms

Before you start assembling a garage faucet with your own hands, you should choose which mechanism will suit you best. Load lifting machines belong to a fairly important category of industrial and household equipment. They are designed to move various loads in a vertical or inclined direction. A useful feature for motorists is the ability to move a load suspended on a hook to the side, thereby freeing up space for work. When designing a car lift, it is advisable to supplement it with a similar option - this way you can expand the list of actions performed in the garage.

What characteristics should a garage lift have?

Since the device will be used in the rather cramped conditions of a standard garage, certain requirements are put forward for it. Firstly, it should not be too large - such a car lift, despite its high power, takes up a lot of space, which is very undesirable in such a small area. Secondly, it is recommended to give preference to mechanisms with a small vertical stroke, otherwise you risk running into the ceiling.

The second requirement is carrying capacity. It is calculated based on the types of work for which the car lift is being developed. The dimensions of the mechanism also depend on the purpose. If a regular jack is suitable for regular wheel replacement, then for larger-scale work you will need a car lift with a platform, although for such important actions it is recommended to resort to the help of professional equipment.

Materials and tools

When constructing a garage lift with your own hands, you need to have in your arsenal not only drawings of the future device, but also arm yourself with a set of tools and high-quality, load-resistant materials. First of all you will need:

As the planned homemade garage winch becomes a reality, the list of components for it may change slightly, depending on your specific requirements for the mechanism.

Types of lifts

Car lift
Various designs have been developed for a personal auto repair shop - a block, a jack, a hoist, a hoist, etc. Mobile devices for lifting heavy objects are popular.

A small jack is a mandatory attribute of a car trunk. The mechanism allows for minor repairs in any conditions. Large structures are designed for installation in a garage and are used for large-scale work.

Block mechanisms are suspended from the ceiling of the room. The devices reduce the operator’s labor costs for lifting a vehicle or other load. Depending on the number of blocks, the need for strength is leveled. For example, the presence of 4 elements installed on the garage ceiling beam allows you to completely lift a passenger vehicle.

Tal is a single block system. The design of the hoist is similar to a combination of a hoist and a trolley that moves along a beam on top of the car. This mechanism can be equipped with motors - one for moving the hoist, the second for rotating the cable. The result is a miniature crane.

The best option for a DIY garage lift is a scissor or worm type design. This is due to its performance characteristics and ease of maintenance. Making it at home is a simple process.

How to assemble a simple faucet

Before assembling the lift with your own hands, you should create a detailed drawing indicating the dimensions of all parts and the method of attaching them to each other. At this stage, the type of mechanism is determined - it could be a beam crane for a garage, a regular winch suspended from the ceiling, a powerful jack with manual, electric or hydraulic control. Often, craftsmen even construct such complex devices as a two-post lift that can withstand the weight of a passenger car.

One of the simplest models, which includes a homemade winch for a garage, consists of a cantilever fixed boom mounted on a vertical stand made of steel pipe. A trolley with a winch is mounted on the boom. The vertical pipe is welded to the base. This could be a massive steel plate or the garage foundation itself. A homemade garage winch will be more reliable if you secure the upper end of the rack to the ceiling of the room.

The working part of the mechanism is a small winch. If it is homemade, the faucet will lose some reliability, so it is better to purchase a factory-made device.

A steel cable is passed through a groove in the winch block, at the end of which a hook is installed. By rotating the winch handle, you will set the block with the cable in motion, lifting the load to a given height.