Patton
Got a couple of ideas for you.
1 - screw the doubled planks together thereby increasing
their beam strength. Make a little wooden frame that you
can slip under the middle of the planks while you drive up.
Make it an inch or so lower then the unladen plank so that
it only supports the weight after some deflection. (I'll
send you a pic of what I mean by small wooden frame if you
like - just a 12" long beam supported by a couple of
verticals standing on 8" long feet - all made from 2x4s and
plated with 1/4 plywood screwed on).
2 - front towers can just be 2x4s plated with 3/8" plywood,
Make sure the towers are about 6" longer at ground level
than at the top to prevent tilting over.
3 - 'hinging' the planks to the front towers can be as
simple as long 3/8" bolts dropped through 3/8 holes in the
planks and 1/2" holes in the tower floor - enough slop to
act like a hinge. Or, if you must, buy some slotted angle
iron to bolt permanently on the rear of the towers and
finger tight to the planks.
4 - instead of a rear lifting beam use two lightweight
jacks using one under each plank - but you'd need jacks
with low down height. Or your local welder could easily
knock up something similar to the quiklift rear beam. Just
locate it under your planks with 1x2s screwed underneath.
5 - OORR - if you have a jack with a high lift - lift the
car off the planks and use some rear towers - then you can
take out the planks to work on the car.
Or learn to weld :~)
Derek
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