Home Built Bus Lift
I bought two 8 Ton Heavy Duty Long Ram Hydraulic Round Bottom Jacks from Harbor Freight and want to build a lift for my bus projects that lifts the front or the back off the ground.
I was thinking a 10 feet, "I" beam across and underneath the bus, behind the front tires or in front of the back tires, touching or maybe bolted to the frame underneath.
From there I can't decide how to build the lift. I likely will use twin 12 ton jack stands before getting under the bus for security. I'm lifting these on dirt; it won't be cement so I need to spread the load well, though it is established, rock embedded clay dirt.
The simpler and sturdier the lift the better. It does not have to be practical for a commercial garage; I could spend time assembling if necessary, and since it's custom to my buses it could be bolted onto the frame.
I do arc weld (no professional but have a certificate from high school) and have a wet (pumps lubrication to the cut) metal band saw to cut up to about 9 inch metal.
I almost always over design. Too sturdy is fine. Wimpy is not acceptable even if it costs extra to be too sturdy.
Any design suggestions would be wonderful, even what size, "I" beam it would take to easily support the bus. The design can't require specialized parts.
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