Garage lift system

[Bobbob]

Had to lift new AC motor into cart. My back is not what it used to be, have trouble lifting heavy things like motors and batteries. So came up with a solution to help me. I purchased an electric hoist powered by AC power. This hoist is rated for 440lbs lift. Before every one jumps on me I only use it to lift about 120lbs. I used my garage door rails to carry the hoist. My garage door weighs about 220 lbs with the wood exterior on the garage door. The door is closed when I use the system.

I used a uninstrut channel track to span across the garage rails. I bolted two angle irons on each side of the strut to hold the garage door wheels. I drilled holes in the angle iron to hold the wheels. I purchased three trolly wheels to hold the hoist so it could slide back a forth across the uninstrut. I added extra support to the rails for the added weight of what the lifting hoist has to lift.

So far this system has worked ok for me, don’t use it very much just occasionally to lift stuff. In future want to beef up rafters in attic with 2X8 to give more support to lift for additional weight.


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[Bobbob]

Trying to post pictures IMG_2373.jpg
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Sorry about sideway pictures but you get the idea.


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[Bobbob]

Some one texted me about if I could open garage door with this installed. Yes I can open garage door. When I measured length of angle iron I made sure it was short enough to make room for garage door being open.


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[JoeHynes]

Brilliant idea. I need this to save my back.

[scottyb]

I put one in my garage like it many years ago. USed it to work on carts and to install gas & electric motors. Handy as heck

[LuckyStars]

If it works it ain't silly. Before you brace the trusses, could you bolt the rail to the ceiling and leave the garage door out of it? It would depend if the trusses run front to back or left to right.
If that beam isn't sagging with being bolted on just the ends it would be a lot stronger bolted every 2' like the trusses are spaced.
IMHO $0.02

[Capt. Lenny]

I actually thought about that a while back but figured I wouldn’t use it very much. I did end up bolting my Harbor Freight hoist to a truss in the attic. I use it mostly for lifting a 35 gallon fuel tank off of my truck and on to the cart to fuel my boat. Also used it to lift a Navitas motor into my cart.