Newest Acquisition

[Copper01]

Here's our newest acquisition and I'm planning to make the most of it while I'm replacing the rear shocks on the Cobra. I'm really looking forward to not having to roll around underneath it on a backboard! :D

http://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/Copper01/P1610014a.jpg

Ben
Unique 427
SA 427SO w/ Toploader
Guardsman Blue w/ White Stripes

[clayfoushee]

Congrats Ben. It makes things a whole lot easier doesn't it? It amazing how many things needed attention under there, that I didn't notice crawling under jack stands.

Who built yours? Did you have as much fun installing it as I did?

Clay

'98 Unique #9299, 427FE side oiler, top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MDhttp://www.uniquecobra.com/uploaded/clayfoushee/HCFPictures 059.jpg

[Brent]

I am so jealous [V]

I want a lift so bad I can taste it. As hard as it is to jack the car up and as many times as I have done it I think they are a must have for a Cobra owner.

Congrats you lucky dog :D

Brent

[Copper01]

Hi Clay,

This one is a SR-7H model made by Superlifts and their website is at http://www.superlifts.com/?src=overture

Actually, I didn't have to put it together. The whole thing, delivered and installed was $3,300 and that included extra long aluminum ramps and castors for moving it around. It has a 7,000 pound capacity, which is more than enough for anything I've got, but you do have to have a 10' ceiling in your garage.

Brent, I have to say that I jacked this one of mine up and down so many times that I was beginning to think that I could do it blindfolded. And I've been finding out lately that I'm not as flexible as I used to be. After a couple of hours laying on a backboard under the Cobra, I'd have to roll over on my belly to get up. [:o)] It's not a mystery to me why wars are fought by young men.


Ben
Unique 427
SA 427SO w/ Toploader
Guardsman Blue w/ White Stripes

[pgermond]

Damn, those are nice. I want a lift sooooooooo bad :( 10'garage ceiling, huh. I wonder what it would cost to get a backhoe in there and dig a pit. The wife would love that [:P]

Phil

427 Roadster, #4279436
Southern Automotive FE
3:31 and Toploader

Roseville (N.Cal)

[clayfoushee]

Ben,

I'm beginning to think there's just one company that manufactures these things, and sells them to distributors under different names. A couple of friends in our Cobra Club have one by "Eagle," which is supposedly top-of-the-line, and they also look exactly the same.

Mine came from Team Lift in pieces, but has the same specs including castors, same capacity, etc. The pieces, including jack tray, and 3 drip trays cost $2200, but it took a friend and myself about 3 days of struggling with poorly machined parts, missing parts, multiple trips to Home Depot, busted knuckles and sore backs to get it working. It's perfect now, but if I had to do it over again, I'd probably do what you did.

Phil,

I may be mistaken, but I don't think you need a 10 ft. ceiling unless you're going to want run it to the top, or store another car underneath. Max lift height on mine is 69", but I rarely put it up there. I like to sit on rollable stool, while working under there. I swear it's money well spent. It's even got me doing maintenance on daily drivers. Just don't let any car-minded neighbors know you have it in there....LOL.

Clay

'98 Unique #9299, 427FE side oiler, top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[bittentoo]

Oh man am I jealous! You lucky dog:D

BTW, Ben, I thought that you were coming the the TCC Austin event this past weekend? I looked for you the whole time:(

I guess that I had that confused with Homecoming.

You missed a GREAT event:D:D:D:D:D

[Poorboy]

Ben,
Do you have the jack tray with your lift? To change shocks the weight will have to be off of the rear suspension. To start put the back of car on jack stands, remove the 4 5/16" bolts in each upper shock mount. Remove the shaft from the bottom of the shock that goes though the lower arm. Remove both shocks and upper mount from under car. Remove long bolt from upper mount plate that holds the shocks. Reassemble putting 1 spacer between shock and mount, and shock and lower arm. What kind of washers did you get? If they are small dia., one should go on each side of the shocks.

Poorboy

[Copper01]

Hi Bittentoo,

Sorry about the miscommunication of the TCC Austin event. I do plan to make Homecoming and hope to see you and everybody else there.


Ben
Unique 427
SA 427SO w/ Toploader
Guardsman Blue w/ White Stripes

[excelguru]

Man, that is SO nice. Toy Collector (on the CC forum) has a really sweet setup in his garage. Then again, his [i]entire garage[i/] is a sweet setup. I have the ceilings for it, but...

Keith :)
Unique Motorcars (http://www.uniquecobrareplicas.com)
Southern Automotive (http://www.southernautomotiveengines.com)
Bruce Bunn (the painter) (http://www.jodecoautobody.com)

My Photo Album (http://members5.clubphoto.com/keith355593/owner-429c-1.phtml)

[eliminator]

Those are definetly nice, I do have a good tall ceiling so this could be on the shopping list. Adjusting the sway bars would sure be a piece of cake.

Rick

[jhaynie]

My garage ceiling is not a problem, but there is another ceiling that could be a problem, the one on my wallet.

[Master]

Ben, any opinions on the economy lift, it appears to have the same lift capacity as yours.

Scott

"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."

[Copper01]

Scott,

I have to admit that I didn't really look too hard at the economy lifts. I figured that if I was going to have several thousand pounds sitting over my head while I was walking around underneath it, I wanted the highest quality (read safe!) product that I could find. These folks build a variety of different lifts with capacities up to 35,000 pounds, use heavier gauge steel than most of the others, larger hydraulic cylinders, enclosed positive locks, and aircraft quality cables. When it arrived, I closely monitored the assembly process and this one went together, start to finish, in less than three hours and there there were no surprises. And finally, although I hope to never have to use it, they offer a warranty that was the best I found.

Kind of like buying a Unique. It's not the cheapest, just the best.


Ben
Unique 427
SA 427SO w/ Toploader
Guardsman Blue w/ White Stripes

[davids2toys]

I had purchased a back yard buddy 4 post lift 3 years ago with 2 jacking trays, 3 drip trays, 4 wheels delivered for 5000.00. It is awesome, best money I ever spent.I saw a bunch fo 1500 to 3000, not even close , actually looked at a bunch in shows also
I researched these things for a year, this is the safest thing in the world, very high Quality, Amerian made. I would call Jason at their website.
free standing , no welded on tabs, laser cut 4 inch post, not an extrusion!
I opted for the 220 v, 2 hp motor, free. I also got the truck size which made it a foot longer and 200.00 more expensive

[eliminator]

These are 7,000 Lb Capacity American Made. Really nice. Nice big Poly Wheels for moving the lift around. Jack pads are 3,500# capacity, 110V or 220V. The 220V is just faster, same motor and pump. Got mine at the Street Rod Nationals, it was a new one set up for display, all accessories for $2,800.00 in 2007, they list for around $6,000.00. Rotary Lift is a Dover Corp. Sub, been around forever.

[will butterworth]

that your new garage you were going to build when we came by?Nice--and the lift? Jealous in Alabama--Will.

[davids2toys]

These are 7,000 Lb Capacity American Made. Really nice. Nice big Poly Wheels for moving the lift around. Jack pads are 3,500# capacity, 110V or 220V. The 220V is just faster, same motor and pump. Got mine at the Street Rod Nationals, it was a new one set up for display, all accessories for $2,800.00 in 2007, they list for around $6,000.00. Rotary Lift is a Dover Corp. Sub, been around forever.

Not to knock your lift and please don't take this wrong. You have the extruded columns I refering to, they need the bolt going thru the uprights to help keep it's shape. I cant see from the pictures if you have the welded on tabs or not. If it does, and the lift ever fails with a car on it, those tabs will be history, and so will you if you are under it. Also cant see if yours is bolted to the floor
All the companys that I checked that were American made got most of the parts from Japan, but they were assembled here, therefore they were calling it American made. I really don't remember if I had checked into Rotary or not.
I will post a pic of my lift, it is a 4 inch pole, not a sheet metal extrusion, it has laser cut holes for the spring loaded dogs to go into...so, if it was to free fall,it could not go more than 8" max.
If you go to their website they have great info and some good video. They actually had a car on the lift, and a forklift hitting the poles, pretty hard, of course they were just trying to demonstrate how strong and stable there lift was.
There was a whole bunch more stuff they talked about and compared theirs with others.
Here is good note though, I was up at the Dyno guy's shop 2 weeks ago, he had a lift that look to be at least 10 years old and beat up bad, real bad, this thing was still going up and down just fine, and it was definately one of cheap ones...so, I guess it is all what you are comfortable with!

[Stan]

I have a friend who has a Back Yard Buddy and he is very pleased with it. He also helped me install my Rotary lift and liked many of the features it has compared to his.

One of the reasons I bought the Rotary Life was the fact that a large percentage of the repair/muffler shops in my area use them and have for years (including thru several large earthquakes).

I guess when my house falls down on top of the garage the lift and cars will be the least of my worries.

Yes it is not a 4" pole but it also not of the extruded type shown on the Back Yard Buddy website. It is sort of the old apples and oranges thing.

By the way I have yet to see a Back Yard Buddy in a commercial shop setting.

Stan

[Tony Radford]

I've been considering a Kwiklift for some time. Looks like a good compromise between too simple and too expensive.

[nolastyankee]

David,
You may want to know that the posts on your lift are extruded too... No worry though, extrusion does not mean compromised strength. Since the post is in compression that's the part of the device that is the least of your worries - I haven't seen a lift yet where the posts were the weak link. Those locking dogs, the lifting cables or rotary rods, that's where the focus needs to be placed to determine quality and safety.

[eliminator]

Rotary Lift a Division of Dover Corp. out of Madison, IN does not use China parts that are assembled in Indiana. The lifts are all fabricated and made in Indiana.:p
I have looked at all these lifts for 4 to 5 years and in my opion the Revolution lift blows all others out of the water. So to get a lift of that caliber for that price it was a no brainer. So I trust my own judgement when it comes to mecanical engineering and I am very happy with mine.:banana: If other folks are happy with theirs then good deal.[thumb]

Note: Rotarys main business, 98%, commercial lifts, for the Automotive indsustry, they own the industry.

[diegokid]

My wife has encouraged me to get one of these in my new shop for Christmas. It was one of my plans to begin with so I went with a 11'6" side with a 12'6" center. Since I do all our oil changes and general maintence it wouldn't only be used for one car.

Its getting harder to move around under cars anymore.

[Jerry Cowing]

I don't know if you guys have noticed, but davids2toys is bringing up 4 year old posts and treating them as if they are current.

[Naumoff]

All those four post drive on lifts are good for is waxing your frame and storing another car under it.:)

It is a waste of money otherwise. JMHO

[ralphscott]

Diego- like you wife without even having met her!

Ralph

[davids2toys]

David,
You may want to know that the posts on your lift are extruded too... No worry though, extrusion does not mean compromised strength. Since the post is in compression that's the part of the device that is the least of your worries - I haven't seen a lift yet where the posts were the weak link. Those locking dogs, the lifting cables or rotary rods, that's where the focus needs to be placed to determine quality and safety.
Point taken, I guess what I meant was open extrusion...Mine is a 1/8 inch thick closed hollow pole with laser cut holes for the dogs to go into. The fact the poles(uprights) are open and being compressed down will try and make the opening spread more open. There is lots of info on their site if anyone is interested. At the time, I was very interested in safety and I am just trying to share what I had learned...as i have said previously, not trying to down anyone's stuff here!
Dave

[davids2toys]

I don't know if you guys have noticed, but davids2toys is bringing up 4 year old posts and treating them as if they are current.
I thought in forums you are always encouraged to search out old messages and threads first, before you start new subjects and questions. I found this thread because I was looking for information about the rear coilover installation and somebody said in a post that they posted instructions in this thread about the lift, so then of course I found this thread interesting so I posted to it, and yes, I have done this with other threads and gotten great and helpful results, people have done this with old threads of mine on the Mustang forums all the time, so I guess I don't understand your point, what exactly am I doing wrong here? If I find a thread, that is helpful for what I am doing , but I have a question or further clarification needed, I think posting to it is fine, that way when I get help it is also on there for others to use! What does it matter if it is four years old, I would have prefered if it was more current , but if that is all there is, you have no choice!
Would you rather have people not search and just post a question everytime they have a problem or get stuck on their car?
Dave

[Jerry Cowing]

davids2toys

Yes, you are correct about doing a search before posting - good on you. The problem arose when folks were trying to get this "new" Unique manual thinking it was a current post and not 4 years old. When they tried to send an email it was rejected because that person is no longer on the Forum. Just some confusion that I thought most folks were overlooking and I wanted to bring it to everyone's attention.

I don't know how to solve the problem of the way posts are brought back from the past. I guess everyone just needs to pay closer attention to the dates and that is what I was trying to bring to everyone's attention.

[davids2toys]

davids2toys

Yes, you are correct about doing a search before posting - good on you. The problem arose when folks were trying to get this "new" Unique manual thinking it was a current post and not 4 years old. When they tried to send an email it was rejected because that person is no longer on the Forum. Just some confusion that I thought most folks were overlooking and I wanted to bring it to everyone's attention.

I don't know how to solve the problem of the way posts are brought back from the past. I guess everyone just needs to pay closer attention to the dates and that is what I was trying to bring to everyone's attention.
Ok, I understand much better now, but just because something is 4 years old does not mean it does not apply or not available...it would be quite foolish to make that assumption.
that being said, it would be great to have a real assy/dissassembly manual, with some good detailed specs, pics, torques, and instruction for a UNIQUE COBRA.
I actually downloaded the ERA assy manual from their site and there is a lot of info there, but still, it is not for our car...somethings are close and helpful and some are way way off or are just plain different, much like Ford to Chevy I suppose...lol
Regards...Dave