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ENGINEERS: I need your assistance!

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Then you really need some kind of sway bracing!! There is still a lot of welding to pre-fab something to bolt together!! You have to be careful that you don't pull down on the cars when winching them up!! Personally, I would attach it to the wall, but still make it free standing, that is a good start for sway bracing!! Anyway, inspections have nothing to do with it, it has to be safe!! A large foot, gussetted and bolted to the floor will help with stabilizing it a lot!!
 
hmmm wouldnt it be cheaper and easier to just buy Drive-under 2 post car lifts?

mark
 
The lifts that you can buy are oo wide...they're designed for any size car....I want them to be only 5' wide...
...I'm gonna use those drip pans you can buy from Advance Auto...they'll sit on the lips of the u beams the cars are rolling on.
 
Talked with a friend today who's a practicing engineer...he ran some quick numbers &, knowing why I prefer wood, said it might be possible using 6x6 posts...however, he's gonna check some wood strength numbers before he comes over to the garage to look at my idea....placement of posts so they don't interfere with moving lower cars in & out is my main concern...with wood, I can add as many as I like in between cars - with steel, they've gotta be evenly spaced which could mean fewer cars below them!
 
Tony,

These discussions are really interesting--soemthing a little more like solving a puzzle than recommending a color for one of your MGBs. Please keep us informed on how you solve the problem.

A sketch of your garage layout and the "second story addition" would help too. We engineers are not so good with words--we need design drawings to conceptualize in 3-dimensions!

Good luck,
Steve
 
Steve...I'll try to figure out how to do a line drawing on my computer...better yet, drop by & see it for yourself!
 
That's a heck of a drive just to do some free engineering work
driving.gif
 
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Chuck Cougill:
That's a heck of a drive just to do some free engineering work<hr></blockquote>

Yea, Chuck. And my wife might even get a little perturbed if I bought an airline ticket to Huntsville, Alabama, to look at a garage--even if I told her it is the world's largest MG garage!

cheers.gif

Steve
 
Aw, guys....well, guess I'll just rely on my friend, Anthony Stone!
 
Aloha Tony,

You have an interesting dilemma, too many cars and not enough square footage. I'm sure there are many like me that are envious. Your storage solution of going vertical is a god solution.

Since you prefer to use wood I would recommend you consider using engineered wood, a glued laminated product for aleast the major post and cross beams. Dimensional lumber is weakened due to knots, checks and other natural defects and can be inconsistant in its load bearing capacity. Engineered wood products are designed with a tested load capacity which should give you peace of mind if you are under the rack and for the cars stored there. An added advantage is that these glulam products is they are dimensionally stable(don't shrink or swell with humidity) and are often not as bulky as an equivalent dimensional beam. I'm not a salesman for this stuff, I guess I'm watch to much HGTV.

Good Luck with your project and be safe.

Safety Fast,
Dave
 
Dave...thank you! &, I used that stuff for the beams when I removed my garage rear wall for the addition! They carry all the load of my 2nd floor...I'll run by the place here in town where they make them, give them my ideas & let their engineer figure what I need....&, they're not much more expensive than regular lumber!
Sometimes we don't see the forest for the trees!
 
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by MGTF1250Dave:
they are dimensionally stable(don't shrink or swell with humidity)<hr></blockquote>

Tony,

Does Alabama have high humidity? Never have to think about that here--we just buy a lot of Chap Stick.

iagree.gif
If you have a company there that makes glu-lam beams, Dave may have the best possible solution to your problem. Especially if they can make columns as well as beams. And you can't beat free engineering!

Steve
 
Tony,
Think past the envelope. Get a few really strong but small air balloons. The weather survey kind. Put one under the hood, one inside, & one in the boot. Fill with helium. Et voila.
Sorry. Had to (try &) add a little humour to your dilema.
 
Tony, just for fun, run this past your daughter the barrister to see what she thinks
wink.gif
....and make sure you have a good umbrella policy and understanding insurance guy.
 
Hey, Graham...around my place any humor possible is a needed item...that's why I look forward to Mickey's little jokes!
 
Looking back at the origional statement of your purpose, I see a problem. If you are going to use a ramp then the cars will scrape bottom when they get to the top of the ramp and roll onto the flat portion of the raised platform.
How about an air-pistoned lift platform? Maybe on rollers?
 
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