lawn tractor lift/work table

[Jim Demery 404]

On 5/19/2017 at 8:59 AM, WHX12 said:

@Texas Todd needs to chime in here, he has a dandy!

I know a few guys here have got a motor cycle lift table they put extension wings on hopefully they will chime in as well.

HF lift table with 2x10 wing extensions make it 36" wide so it'll handle almost any mower/tractor. 

On 5/19/2017 at 9:30 AM, Texas Todd said:

I bought a HF MC Lift and put a 39"(as I recall) wide 3/4 inch plywood top on it. The table has a 3/4 lip down the sides. I screwed 1x2 to the bottom of the board and it fits perfectly within the lip and prevents the top from shifting. Works really well. The few times I have had a project occupying the lift and had to work on a tractor on the ground, it really made me appreciate the lift!

The mini tire changer works pretty well for front tires, but rear tires are still quite a gut wrencher. But better than two tire irons on the ground.

The chain hoist mounted on a unistrut trolley sure makes handling engines a snap.

 

 

Very nice table! 

[Therepairman 0]

We bought a table from a company in the mid west it's air piston driven runs off the shop comp and a set of hand valves cause the foot valve leaks after 3 new ones have been sent . Air piston or hydraulic is hard in the shop due to dust and debris make them leak and the table drops slow if you don't lock it . Replace the seals your good for a month and then it happens again. The table has extensions though so it's mabe 7' long and 48 with extensions.  There are 2 per side that add 1' width front and back now that I think it's probably 8' long so the extensions are 1x4. It's great to work on And lift zero turns and riders cost almost 3k

[c-series don 8,708]

I purchased a Harbor freight lift table a few years ago and widened the top. Honestly this is one of the best tools I’ve ever bought. It’s a real game changer for me as I have a bad back. I can raise it up, leave it and it might drop an inch in a week. There’s a locking bar that you can lower it onto, when it’s fully raised then it definitely can’t drop. I would highly recommend this, as my only regret is not buying it sooner!! 

[Horsin'round 79]

Long time lurker,  relatively new member. 

I recently picked up a harbor freight lift during the sale, have yet to assemble it.  Are you adding any sort of support structure to the extended top,  or is the plywood strong enough for support?

[squonk 41,118]

Picked up this Horror Fright lift table a couple of weeks ago. Has Handy Lift side extensions and has been converted to an air hydraulic jack so no crappy foot pedal. Previous owner updated one end with better casters and a wider footprint. As an added bonus I can take the sides off and store the whole shi-bang under my Power King! 

 

@Horsin' round The average WH tires sit on the edges of the original table so there isn't much weight applied there. 

 

Edited February 23 by squonk

[c-series don 8,708]

I used to sheets of 3/4” plywood glued and screwed together. I was going to use CDX plywood and then found furniture grade oak plywood was cheaper! So I didn’t have to fill knot holes that CDX would have in it. I sanded it and painted it with good oil base paint, then cut some poplar for banding. Oh then I had to add the horse emblem from The Vinyl Guy! 
 I agree with @squonk on the foot pedal lift, maybe someday I’ll convert it to air ? I’m actually just happy to have it! For the amount I use it to go up and down I may just live with it? If I was a mower repair shop I most certainly would have air or electric/hydraulic lift. 

Edited February 23 by c-series don

[Tonytoro416 1,034]

I have been fairly happy with this setup.  Use loading ramps to get tractor on them.  I have a set of arched ramps I use and they lock into a channel on the back of the stands.  Actually really stable and not sketchy 

[kpinnc 12,062]

I built mine several years back, and it's had several upgrades. 

 

The best part is that it locks onto a bare frame, so you can tear down or build up from there. Raises and lowers with a trailer jack. And it's got wheels so it can be moved around in the shop, or towed by another tractor. 

 

It's very stable, and when locked full up the tractor can't be pushed over from the sides. I also use ramps to load/ unload complete tractors. 

 

[ohiofarmer 3,276]

On 5/20/2017 at 7:39 AM, Shynon said:

Harbor freight high lift motorcycle lift and work table in the background with storage underneath. Made a bolt on platform to lift tractor high enough to put on the table, also doubles as a worktop.

 

On 5/20/2017 at 7:39 AM, Shynon said:

Harbor freight high lift motorcycle lift and work table in the background with storage underneath. Made a bolt on platform to lift tractor high enough to put on the table, also doubles as a worktop.

 

  This is a great setup. I keep telling people that it is my most used tool in the shop. I have three of them, However, they are recalled because of the fact that there can be failure of the lift frame. To get the recall, you return the jack mechanism and keep the rest.. The thing will lift a balanced load but the problem comes with lifting one of our tractors cannot be balanced from the frame. strap down the front especially . The load twisting on a single point of two inch tubing is a problem that can be helped with beefing up the connection with heavier stuff. it also sags a bit front to back. I have thought that re-engineering that stuff as a solution, but with a rig like your table,, you have a good balance of safety.

   i have also thought about copying the design to an engine hoist platform and that would already have half the engineering done. I have added weight to the front of tractors on the lift especially when changing front tires. A short frame with a smaller engine will fall off flipping backwards when you remove a tire.

    Even when not being used as an equipment or motorcycle jack, i still would be pleased with mine. I have used it in a kitchen to lift a row of upper cabinets to install and as a general purpose shop and welding table. Keeping all three of mine. don't suggest that i get the recall and buy another jack. Too tempting.

   A motorcycle shop I know of uses his main bike jack and puts bikes on a table to work on them. Bike customers for him at least kept stringing him along and there would be a bike on a lift occupying space. i suggested to him making roller tables and when the promised payment to buy parts did not come in, rent of five to ten dollars a day would accrue.It worked for that and worked in general for his own project bikes.