Quickjack for Pantera - Pinch Weld Pucks ok?

Hi Rob.  I just bought a QuickJack 5000TL and was able to use it while avoiding the rocker pinch welds.  Personally, I would not feel comfortable using the rocker pinch welds as lifting points.  I was able to use a "frame" spot very close to the front factory jack point for the front portion of the lift and a spot on the rear "frame" between the rear factory lift point and the engine mount area.

Mike Thomas did a great write up with photos of how he used the lift.  I followed the same approach.   According to QuickJack you can also use their lifts turned 90 degrees and lift that way as well.  As long as you keep both lifts in parallel.   You can see Mike's forum thread here:  Seeking Opinions Regarding QuickJack Portable LIfts | The De Tomaso Forums (infopop.cc)  -  Regards, Mike Reilly

I lift at the Pantera jacking points (where the holes are) using the quick Jack Rubber blocks. I add a hockey puck to the rear jack blocks to make them slightly taller. After the car is up I use my jackstands with pinch weld hockey pucks to support the back end of the car under the part of the frame that supports the ZF. Very stable.

Thanks everyone. I just order a Quickjack 5000 from Home Depot - special sale today ending in about 4 hours!

Worth every penny. Use mine all the time for both cars. Just don’t leave the robber blocks in under the car or you’ll drag the jacks halfway down the driveway… or so I’ve heard.

@Riley posted:

Worth every penny. Use mine all the time for both cars. Just don’t leave the robber blocks in under the car or you’ll drag the jacks halfway down the driveway… or so I’ve heard.

Lol!
I had a drive on ramp system (kwiklift) which was nice but it weighed 20 tons and took up a lot of space when stored. I just sold it, so I’m looking forward to the convenience of using the quick jack - I think it should work well on my hot rod too.

I can't believe the price of these things now, for about the same money you can pickup a mid rise scissor lift that is portable and/or that you can park the car over when not in use. I got my scissor lift hardly used locally on Craigslist and it has been the single most used piece of equipment in my garage. It can lift a normal car to about 4 feet for easy access with a roller stool.

I just paid $1079 (free shipping) for the Quickjack from a Home Depot special buy sale - not too bad. For me, I need to be able to roll on a creeper to have full access to the undercarriage - mainly for my hot rod so that I can keep it clean (undercarriage is painted like the body) and will also need it for the Pantera to do some improvements (coolant hose leaks at the engine, etc).

Scissor lifts (at least the ones I have seen)  get more height which would be nice, but wipe out access to the areas that I need.

I purchased a 26 inch lift from EZcarlift.com in Goleta California prior to the reassembly of 2511

it is powered by your high torque corded electric drill. The two lifting sections are connected by a “driveshaft” and the lifting action is through screw jacks which pull the legs together and in doing so lifts the vehicle. With the optional caster wheels I was able to rotate 2511 by myself within my two car garage  

cost for the lift is about $2000, casters  and shipping are extra. He has run specials in the past for several hundred dollar discount  

Photos are from the website showing Richard Barkley‘s car. Other photos show the casters and the lifting sections stored in my garage  

Larry

EZcarlift.com

Hi all.  I also owned the EZCarlift but just returned it last month and bought a QuickJack 5000TL.  Overall, I liked the EZCarlift and it worked great on my Alfa Romeo Spider.  When I tried it on the Pantera, I saw that it was bending quite a bit which didn't give me confidence in it.  The owner, Boytcho, is fantastic to deal with and he was willing to take it back for a refund minus shipping.  I was impressed with him and his customer service but in the end I didn't feel it was right for me.  I used the proper factory lift points. None-the-less the back section of the lift was bending on both sides. See attached photos.  Boytcho told me that the bending is within safety tolerances but I was not comfortable with it.  He was very easy to deal with and took it back no problem. 

Larry, I noticed in your photos you don't have the engine installed.  I found that the rear weight of the Pantera with the engine in place really stressed the back part of the EZCarlift.   With the QuickJack 500TL, which has 3" more lift than the previous 5000 version I found the Pantera lifted easily with no bending of the lift platform. 

Both are good products overall.  For me the QuickJack worked out better.  No matter which lift I'm using I always place some Esco jackstands under the car as well when I'm under it : )  Mike R.

Larry, I see you mention your photos were of Richard Barkley‘s car  (without engine).  When you used the EZCarlift with your car complete with engine did you see any bending of the aluminum platforms?  Mike R.

Agreed that Boytcho is a very pleasant gentlemen to deal with.

I didn’t notice the bending as shown in your photographs. I lifted from a different contact point than you did which did not place the lifting puck in the center of the aluminum deck.

I suspect in your case a 4x12 inch strip of quarter inch steel plate underneath the pucks would’ve successfully spread the load to avoid the bending

I love how it is so easy to store it in nooks and crannies. Also no hydraulic lines to deal with.

Larry

The deflection in the EZ lift is unsettling. It is rated for 4400 lbs so the Pantera should be in the sweet spot for capacity from a design standpoint. Perhaps it is not an "issue", but I would be concerned if I saw that much flex in anything that is used to lift a car.

The EZ lift looks like it requires cross braces front and rear? For what I use the lift for these could get in the way.  I'm sure it is a good product but I think the Quickjack is a better fit for me.

Appreciate all of the info from everyone.

Yes it does have cross braces, one at each end of the lifting decks. One of those braces contains the driveshaft for the screw jack gear drive.  The builder/seller told me they needed to be in place while lifting and most certainly when moving on casters but could safely be removed if car was in a fixed and static location.

Larry