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 Posted: Jun 20, 2018 05:42AM
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Now you need to get some grease into them or it will lock up again in no time as the PB blaster has no lasting lube value. I would enjoy seeing a picture of your mini up on it.

 Posted: Jun 19, 2018 06:08PM
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Took my 5lb splitting maul to the arm and it moved a quarter inch at a time.  Sprayed PB Blaster all around it and did some other stuff.  Came back and had some friends hold the other arm, while me and a friend pushed the stuck arm.  Got it moving, junk came out the top of the joint.  Wiped it away and cleared under the arm.  Spray more Blaster.  Looks like it maybe got painted stuck.

 Posted: Jun 6, 2018 12:34PM
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CA
A friend has the same sort of lift.....from 50's or 60's.  Lifts his 53 Cadillac with ease

Blunt force after some penetrating oil as suggested should do it.  Did the arms come with the extensions and flip ups?

You mention your "jacking points"....hopefully you're meaning the subframe or such and not the corner of the floors

 

"Everybody should own a MINI at some point, or you are incomplete as a human being" - James May

"WET COOPER", Partsguy1 (Terry Snell of Penticton BC ) - Could you send the money for the unpaid parts and court fees.
Ordered so by a Judge

 

 

 

 Posted: Jun 6, 2018 05:35AM
 Edited:  Jun 6, 2018 05:46AM
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+1 to Dan's safety info, Also if it does not have the side tube, it will lock when nearly fully raised by means of a catch dog popping out of the main cylinder to catch the floor, to release you need to raise it another inch or so to flip the catch dog back in. If it's low on oil, this can lead to no safety, or a lift stuck fully up. Test this stuff first without a car on it. oil is added/checked with the lift DOWN, by removing a large plug that lines up with the center of the ram, on top of the lift. By the way, don't let any kind of inspectors near that thing, in ground oil tanks are not environmentally OK anymore.

 Posted: Jun 6, 2018 04:59AM
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CA
I can't help with the repair or parts information, but can suggest a caution or two using this type of lift. When lifting a vehicle, you don't necessarily extend all the arms equally. Some vehicles are quite nose-heavy, especially older cars like 60's Mustangs where the weight of the engine is well over the front wheels and the lift points are behind the front wheels. You need to estimate the centre of gravity of the car and position that over the post. Then extend the arms to the lift-points. (This might help your pivot problem.)
There should also be some sort of safety mechanism to prevent the lift from coming down in the event of a hydraulic failure. The ones I've used had a smaller tube (maybe 3" dia?) beside the lift and attached to the head. As the lift went up, it pulled the tube out of the floor exposing holes where a safety bar could be inserted.
Another caution is to watch headroom above the vehicle as you lift it. My brother and I were lifting a Jeep with the hood up leaning against the windshield and succeeded in poking a big hole in the ceiling. Oops!

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Jun 5, 2018 05:54PM
Total posts: 169
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Member since:Jan 28, 2014
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I have not found any markings to be able to identify the brand of the lift.  Correct, the arm pivot is the part that is stuck.  I can extend and retract the arm to meet my jack points and rotate the entire thing to get in a correct position.  I'm just not sure if that puts the lit out of balance and causes a bit of a bind.  I can't rotate the car in the air unless someone is raising it up at the same time.

A guy at work mentioned a 10lb sledge.  I'm sure it can probably take it, but seems a bit extreme.  The arms are about 1 3/4 inches thick at the mounting points.  Best I've got is a splitting maul, maybe I'll strap a bit of scrap wood to it and give it a whack?

 Posted: Jun 5, 2018 05:02PM
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Do you know the brand? Is it the arm pivot that’s stuck? I would look at one of the other arms that’s working for what moves, and flood the stuck one with penetrating spray for a day or two, may need a sledgehammer to work it back and forth. Parts4lifts looks like they know of most lifts. Good luck

 Posted: Jun 5, 2018 03:45PM
Total posts: 169
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Good day all.  I recently sold my old house and moved in to a bigger house with a large detached garage.  Oh darn, need to have an extra bedroom for making another kid......  Hey look!  A shop with a lift, let's buy it.  Inside the shop bay is an old air over hydraulic center post lift.  The previous owner told me it was from about 1959.  It was built before they added the key direction, so I can spin my cars around if I want.  I got my air compressor all hooked up and everything works, but one of the arms is stuck so I can't adjust it to support the cars properly.  I'm hoping some of you have knowledge of these old lifts and can maybe point me in the direction of a way to get the arm loose so I can grease it.  On the bottom looks like a giant screw cap or something, with two holes.  Maybe I need a special key tool or need to make one?  Unfortunately pictures can't be posted from phones, so I can't show you what I'm working with.


PS no the Mini has not been on the lift, not sure how or if I want to try and lift it.  The arms are so long, the Mini will have to drive over them to get in position.  I just park the Mini on top so I don't trip on the arms.