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So I'm thinking about a mower lift

#1

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

I ordered a 2000lb wench today. Gonna use it for 1 of 2 things.

A 4 post mower lift, that works off the wench. My idea is similar to a 4 post car lift. Except there won't be as much steel involved. 4X4 wooden corner posts. The wench will be attached just in front of the lift about 3 feet. Cables will be ran along the side of the post, and connected to a single cable that goes to the wench. Of course, the 4X4's will be braced.
The mower wheels will roll up on two 2X6's (Maybe 2X4's). There will be two 4X4's that will go crossways under the 2X6's, to the corner posts. On the ends of those post, will be some sort of wheels. Probably 4" idler pulleys, that will go inside a a track. The 4 cables will be secured to the two 4X4's that run crossways under the 2X6's that the mower sits on, with eye bolts. The cables will also go through other eye bolts up the corner posts, to keep them in place.

Getting the mower up high enough may be a problem. I only have about 10ft from the ground to the roof of the shop. The mower is gonna take up a lot of that. And the cable mounts will take up some room as well.

It's just in the "think about" stages right now.


#2

7394

7394

Be careful..


#3

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

7394 said:
Be careful..
Click to expand...

Careful? That's a good idea. I'll have to hook up some sort of stabilizers for it to rest on after it's up. To take the weight and pressure off the wench.


#4

B

bertsmobile1

FWIW I use an old 2 ton yard crane , picked it up for $ 150 ( Aus) 4 years ago.
Before that I used an engine crane you see them everywhere.
A friend who goes about 25 stone ( x 14 for pounds ) put me onto that.
He has been using an old engine tripod for decades.
No real need to lift square.
Just lift the front or back leaving the other pair of wheels on terra firma.
The only "trick" is to remove the plugs when you have finished & crank the engine just in case the cylinder has filled with fuel or oil.
Naturally you pull the battery & block off the fuel tank.
If stood up near vertical then you are working sither standing or seated with the mower in front of you rather than trying to work hunched over with the mower overhead.


#5

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

bertsmobile1 said:
FWIW I use an old 2 ton yard crane , picked it up for $ 150 ( Aus) 4 years ago.
Before that I used an engine crane you see them everywhere.
A friend who goes about 25 stone ( x 14 for pounds ) put me onto that.
He has been using an old engine tripod for decades.
No real need to lift square.
Just lift the front or back leaving the other pair of wheels on terra firma.
The only "trick" is to remove the plugs when you have finished & crank the engine just in case the cylinder has filled with fuel or oil.
Naturally you pull the battery & block off the fuel tank.
If stood up near vertical then you are working sither standing or seated with the mower in front of you rather than trying to work hunched over with the mower overhead.
Click to expand...

One of my biggest reasons for this, (besides my knees) is getting a look at the top of the deck. Seems like it would make it EXTREMELY easier to check out those deck and drive pulleys, from a standing position. Easier belt changes. Getting to those PTO's. etc etc etc
Not having one shoulder resting on the ground, while trying to reach stuff with both hands.

I don't have a concrete floor yet.

This one looks pretty nice.
img15.png


#6

B

bertsmobile1

Most of these things are like exercise machines.
They seem like a good idea at the time .
If you only serviced one style & size of mower then they might be fine.
However I would be 1/2 way through a service before you got that set up adjusted for the mower it was going to lift.

Decks always come off during a service.
You can not get into the tensioning arm properly with the deck on regardless of what height the mower is at.
In my case the mower is driven up to the hoist over a sling.
I slip a pair of 2 x 4's under the deck and undo the attachments ,
Hook the cling to the crane hook then lift the mower off the deck which can then be slid sideways out of the way.
With clean access to the deck I can use the nut driver to remove the belt /spindle covers quickly then check all of the deck
You can also get the rattle gun to the spindle pulley nuts, which you can not do with the deck on, nor can you get a rattle gun to the tensioning or fixed idler pulleys.
As for PTOs with the mower 45 deg or better you are pulling the double pulleys towards you and if they suddenly let go then they drop onto the ground ( or your feet ) rather than smacking you in the face.

Then there is dirt, dust & clippings.
All of which will fall into, your eyes, hair etc is you are under the mower but not when you are standing / sitting next to it.

Fine for Mr Heftee as he only works on brand spanking new mowers in photo studios.
Then there are things like wheels which need to be removed . Rear axels need to be greased every 2nd service so that wheels can come off when needed and of course you need to remove the rear wheel to service the brake caliper.
And in many cases you need to pull a rear wheel to lube the deck lifting mechanism.

When I first started, it was an extra low jack which did not work very well.
After than a modified motorcycle paddock stand which worked a lot better was way quicker but limited in use ( still use them for some jobs )
Next try was some planks on stands at one end & the trailer at the other , again quite limited and not that useful.
Then when at Terry's place I saw a mower hanging off the engine tripod.
The joke of that was I had a hydraulic engine hoist sitting out the back under a tarp but never thought about using it.
Again it was a pain till I got the cloth slings.
After that I was looking for something that would roll on the dirt floor and the Yard crane came up.
If I want to lift the entire mower then it is just a matter of using 2 slings but in reality there was little to be gained by doing that.

You would have to do a lot of services to pay for Mr Heftee.


#7

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

bertsmobile1 said:
Most of these things are like exercise machines.
They seem like a good idea at the time .
If you only serviced one style & size of mower then they might be fine.
However I would be 1/2 way through a service before you got that set up adjusted for the mower it was going to lift.

Decks always come off during a service.
You can not get into the tensioning arm properly with the deck on regardless of what height the mower is at.
In my case the mower is driven up to the hoist over a sling.
I slip a pair of 2 x 4's under the deck and undo the attachments ,
Hook the cling to the crane hook then lift the mower off the deck which can then be slid sideways out of the way.
With clean access to the deck I can use the nut driver to remove the belt /spindle covers quickly then check all of the deck
You can also get the rattle gun to the spindle pulley nuts, which you can not do with the deck on, nor can you get a rattle gun to the tensioning or fixed idler pulleys.
As for PTOs with the mower 45 deg or better you are pulling the double pulleys towards you and if they suddenly let go then they drop onto the ground ( or your feet ) rather than smacking you in the face.

Then there is dirt, dust & clippings.
All of which will fall into, your eyes, hair etc is you are under the mower but not when you are standing / sitting next to it.

Fine for Mr Heftee as he only works on brand spanking new mowers in photo studios.
Then there are things like wheels which need to be removed . Rear axels need to be greased every 2nd service so that wheels can come off when needed and of course you need to remove the rear wheel to service the brake caliper.
And in many cases you need to pull a rear wheel to lube the deck lifting mechanism.

When I first started, it was an extra low jack which did not work very well.
After than a modified motorcycle paddock stand which worked a lot better was way quicker but limited in use ( still use them for some jobs )
Next try was some planks on stands at one end & the trailer at the other , again quite limited and not that useful.
Then when at Terry's place I saw a mower hanging off the engine tripod.
The joke of that was I had a hydraulic engine hoist sitting out the back under a tarp but never thought about using it.
Again it was a pain till I got the cloth slings.
After that I was looking for something that would roll on the dirt floor and the Yard crane came up.
If I want to lift the entire mower then it is just a matter of using 2 slings but in reality there was little to be gained by doing that.

You would have to do a lot of services to pay for Mr Heftee.
Click to expand...

That brings up a lot of facts and certain regards for sure. One thing, I would rather buy an acre of land that spend on a Mr. Heftee. I'm cheap that way.
The lift I'm still thinking about wouldn't cost me anything. Except the new wench. Which I got from Harbor Freight for like $50 on sale. The one I have on my trailer, I've had for 2 years now. I've used it a lot. And have had very little problems out of.

So, It's all just in the planning and thinking stage stilll.

I'd like to see what you're using. Care to post a pic or 3?


#8

B

bertsmobile1

So here are the pictures.
You will have to stand on your head to look at them because the forum turns them upside down.
Tried turning them upside down & reposting but it did it again.
Perhaps it realizes that are from Australia.:laughing:

1 crane in yard.jpg
This is the crane, It was made to straddle a pallet to lift explosives at an oil plant thus no power or anything else that might make a spark.
2 Sling on ground.jpg
I managed to rip up the usual rubber mat I lay on but this shows the sling in position
3 Mower in working position.jpg
Finally an MTD getting worked on. It will lift it dead vertical if I want but that is a convienent height to work when sitting on the milk crate.


#9

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

That's alright, right there. Plenty of room to stand them way up. If I could find one that big, I'd go with just that too.


#10

B

bertsmobile1

Before the yard crane, I used a standard engine crane like you would get from Harbour Freight.
Prior to that it was a pulley around a tree branch.
The workshop is on a farm in a flood plane so there are very strict regulations about what can be built.
However because the crane is on wheels there is nothing the local authorities can do about it.


#11

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

bertsmobile1 said:
Before the yard crane, I used a standard engine crane like you would get from Harbour Freight.
Prior to that it was a pulley around a tree branch.
The workshop is on a farm in a flood plane so there are very strict regulations about what can be built.
However because the crane is on wheels there is nothing the local authorities can do about it.
Click to expand...

Regulations for that kind of stuff? I've never heard of that. Around here, they wouldn't care what you used.
At my last shop, I had two 2X6's secured to posts. With a come a long in the middle. It worked fine. But it was kind of a pain in reverse with a heavy mower. But it did the trick.


#12

B

bertsmobile1

Can not put down any more concrete
Can not build an outdoor service facility without building a flood proof oil & grease trap.
Property owner can because his house is above the 100 year max flood level.
My workshop is in his old house which regularly went under.
They have built 20,000 houses in the up stream catchment so floods are more frequent ( when it actually rains ) and there is another 150,000 due to be built.
Australians are the stupidist people on the planet.
The USA would build a new city then connect it to the rest of the state.
We just keep on making the capital cities bigger.
Right now it takes 6 hours to drive the Sydney north to south


#13

W

WeldGuy

PTmowerMech said:
I ordered a 2000lb wench today. Gonna use it for 1 of 2 things.

A 4 post mower lift, that works off the wench. My idea is similar to a 4 post car lift. Except there won't be as much steel involved. 4X4 wooden corner posts. The wench will be attached just in front of the lift about 3 feet. Cables will be ran along the side of the post, and connected to a single cable that goes to the wench. Of course, the 4X4's will be braced.
The mower wheels will roll up on two 2X6's (Maybe 2X4's). There will be two 4X4's that will go crossways under the 2X6's, to the corner posts. On the ends of those post, will be some sort of wheels. Probably 4" idler pulleys, that will go inside a a track. The 4 cables will be secured to the two 4X4's that run crossways under the 2X6's that the mower sits on, with eye bolts. The cables will also go through other eye bolts up the corner posts, to keep them in place.

Getting the mower up high enough may be a problem. I only have about 10ft from the ground to the roof of the shop. The mower is gonna take up a lot of that. And the cable mounts will take up some room as well.

It's just in the "think about" stages right now.
Click to expand...
Dang... how are you going to feed a 2000 pound wench? Maybe a 200 pound wench?
Here's an idea... how about buying a WINCH? LOL


#14

Hammermechanicman

Hammermechanicman

PTmowerMech said:
I ordered a 2000lb wench today. Gonna use it for 1 of 2 things.
Click to expand...

That's a fairly hefty gal you got ordered. Didn't know you could order a woman online now. I don't want to know what the 1 of 2 things is.

Google "wench" and "winch"





Spelling matters.


#15

Its Me

Its Me

[B]PTmowerMech[/B] like you over the years built several but mower are much heavier now so I decided to get the real deal and bought a lift table, I will post a pic of it and the name brand, if you get it dropped off by the freight company where they make local stops I talked them into no shipping charge and the agreed to do so, for a mechanic you think it is better than sliced bread, get one, after a few repairs it is paid for and I put an electric lift above it, cuts down of set up a lot, give them a look, you would love one, Joe
Lawn Mower Lift Table.JPGLawn Mower Lift Table 1.JPG


#16

Ken22

Ken22

WeldGuy said:
Dang... how are you going to feed a 2000 pound wench? Maybe a 200 pound wench?
Here's an idea... how about buying a WINCH? LOL
Click to expand...
I had a 200 pound wench on my Jeep. She ate to much and was lazy so I bought a winch instead. ?


#17

StarTech

StarTech

The type lift all depends what you needing to do. I got one those 2 foldable engine cranes but it can be a problem being use for mower work. Still useful for certain projects. Its the stabilizer legs that get in the way. Most time just put the mowers up on jack stands for most work that I need to be under the equipment. What I really needing and am seriously looking at is the 1 ton gantry crane. It help with unloading and loading of generators and also lifting mower for transaxle R&R work. Just don't like the idea of having let it sit outdoors when not in use.

BTW I got to return all my HFT jack stands as they have been recalled.


#18

Ken22

Ken22

I doubled 4 ceiling joists in my shed and put a 8' 4×4 across them and mounted a winch to it. I lift what I'm working on and use jack stands. When I work on my ZTR I back up on ramps so the muffler deflector doesn't hit the ground then I lift it. I also built a deck from pallets and 4×4s. I can raise it to the level I need using pallets or my trailer. I move it where I want with my FEL. Crude but works for me.


#19

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

The new shop came with a 2 post lift with the 4 arms that extend out. I've used it a few times so far. And love it.
Raising them up is is so easy.
I put a push mower on two legs the other day. I usually pick them up and put them on saw horses. Pain in my back.
Gonna see if I can find a way to safely raise a rider using the 4 legs.


#20

BenRichardson

BenRichardson

Its Me said:
[B]PTmowerMech[/B] like you over the years built several but mower are much heavier now so I decided to get the real deal and bought a lift table, I will post a pic of it and the name brand, if you get it dropped off by the freight company where they make local stops I talked them into no shipping charge and the agreed to do so, for a mechanic you think it is better than sliced bread, get one, after a few repairs it is paid for and I put an electric lift above it, cuts down of set up a lot, give them a look, you would love one, Joe
View attachment 52041View atvachment 52042
Click to expand...

Nice choice. My lift has a weight capacity of 1.500 lbs that can stand my bike as well.


#21

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

What I have now. I got sooo lucky. The shop I moved into already had it. They bought it for the mechanic they had previously. Who got hooked on meth. The shop got a bad reputation because of all the screw up the guy made. So, they stopped doing mechanic work.
LMAO.. It's making me lazy. I raise push mowers with it.
1593197066125.png


#22

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

Better start pumping iron or your arms will go flat, lol!
i have a plastic 500 pound rated foldable work table, storage underneath for parts, and plenty of room for a 22" mower. I;m still young enough i can crawl around and under the riders.


#23

S

seattlepioneer

I'm AMAZED you guys can get so much work out of a wench.


#24

S

SeniorCitizen

This is how poor people lift a lawn tractor . They use the engine power of the 2 pieces of equipment involved . A truck tail gate and a pair of saw horses will do it . If I need parts, just roll it back into the truck and take it along . If there is a question on what parts needed i have them all handy . Don't be concerned about the old man's safety . He's passed more rigid test than this for many years .

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