Any Builders in/around Hertfordshire? Garage Roof Truss mod for 4 post lift

[rockits]

I have recently set up a smart trainer bike without tv currently at the end of my garage, brilliant exercise. Was just musing putting a TV stylie version today so following your thread for interest.

Good work. My theory was I am not going to cycle on the road and need to exercise more as 1-2 hours 5 aside football a week is not enough. I know it is hard to keep motivated so with the smart trainer it keeps it varied and interesting especially with VR. I went for a Tacx Flux S and bought a Voodoo Marasa Hybrid bike.

I intend to use Zwift. Seems decent and with VR allows you to do a mountain ride and race against others. The smart trainer simulates inclines as well.

Once I get it set up I'll start a new thread as we have one going on the Sports Maserati forum now. Some far keener cyclists out there more than myself.

 

[Darrell]

I’m still cycling to work although I finish tomorrow until 2/1/19.

We’ve just moved so I leave the house at 6.15am to cycle 1.6 miles to the station followed by a 4 mile ride from West Hampstead to the job at Euston. 4 times a week I’m now cycling from home to the gym which is a 3 mile round trip. I need to lose my gut!!

Sorry for the thread hijack.

 

[rockits]

I’m still cycling to work although I finish tomorrow until 2/1/19.

We’ve just moved so I leave the house at 6.15am to cycle 1.6 miles to the station followed by a 4 mile ride from West Hampstead to the job at Euston. 4 times a week I’m now cycling from home to the gym which is a 3 mile round trip. I need to lose my gut!!

Sorry for the thread hijack.

Great work. Just scares the bejesus out of me to cycle on the road these days. I'm going to be doing it only for exercise firmly in my garage [emoji6]

 

[mattc]

Great work. Just scares the bejesus out of me to cycle on the road these days. I'm going to be doing it only for exercise firmly in my garage [emoji6]

With you on that! Was in a cycle club 30 years ago as teenager and we'd think nothing of cycling the A38 to weston super mare and back from Brum. Not a cat in hells chance would (could!) I do that in a day now!

 

[mattc]

So I am buying a concept 2 after xmas

 

[rockits]

So I am buying a concept 2 after xmas

Nice one....wife wants a cross trainer. I had a concept tower in old house before my son come along and took over the gym for his bedroom [emoji6]

Also weirdly after Andrew Marr's incident I was banned from getting another rower. I have a heart rate monitor for the Tacx Flux S I have.

 

[rockits]

Well I am temporarily setup until garage is finished and permanent solution is in place.

Didn't realise how unfit I was so might be a long road back to recovery!

 

[rockits]

The new addition has arrived [emoji6]

 

[Wolfie1]

Awesome

 

[rockits]

Getting there! Hopefully can get it all finished this year. Got garage doors to replace with roller doors and want to extend the garage to the side a bit.

 

[Smart320]

Think building and fitting out your lovely garage would be more expensive than buying a house here!

 

[rockits]

Where in the world is that? I might sell up and live like a king there.

Certainly we are a little way down the food chain this neck of the woods.

We have a conservative MP taking off/landing in the farmers field over the lane and plenty of Premiership footballers dotted around these parts. All far wealthier then little us.

 

[bob6600]

The new addition has arrived [emoji6]

Me likey very much! Any details/link as to where you got this from?

 

[rockits]

Me likey very much! Any details/link as to where you got this from?

It was from Equipment4Garages in Hertfordshire. I bought my 4 post lift from them as well. The products are solid but their customer experience is far from perfect. I have used them as they are local and have been around a while. Also the products seems solid as safety is my primary concern. Both lifts are substantial and have mechanical locks.

Last year they turned up to my old office address in Hitchin instead of just outside Potters Bar where I live. Even though they were clearly told the address. This year as I knew it was a problem previously I made sure they had the right address and weren't going to go to the wrong address again. We don;t even have the Hitchin office any more! Guess what.....yup they went to the Hitchin address again! Comical. Luckily it is only about 20 odd miles away.

The disappointing thing for me was not the products at all but the advice that goes with it. I ordered a castor kit to move the 4 post lift initially not really thinking about how much actual space you need to use it. The lift needs to be raised of course to move it and that extra height meant I can't move it as it would foul on the main steel I added down the centre of the garage.

Then I ordered a jacking beam for the 4 post lift. No mentioned that the manual non-air version you can;t use on lower cars as there is not enough clearance to pump the arm as it hits the underside of the floor of the car. Never used it and can't use it for that reason.

The 4 Post lift ramps are manual so you need to move them in place rather than ones that are attached to the lift similar to the scissor lift. Not a problem but they are crazy heavy and I put my back out the first time I used them. I asked if there was a lighter option. They said yes some aluminium ones. I ordered these at £252 for the pair! They are clearly not OEM and fabricated by someone who must have had their eyes closed and never welded/fabricated anything in their life before. Rubbish quality however they did the job. Used them twice and they are massively bowed in the middle due to poor design and fabrication. They won't change them or take them back.

Then had a similar issue with the scissor lift as it is 110mm high at rest which is not an issue on most cars but sports/lower cars especially shorter wheelbsae ones it is. The first car I put on (TVR) didn't even clear the platforms fully let alone allow clearance to add the rubber blocks. I asked if there was a solution. Yes, I was told. These:
E4G 286 | Extension Ramps | Lift Accessories | Equipment4garages

Now these are just some formed chunks of rubber at £480 for 4!! I ended up buying these that work fine and allow the TVR to sit higher with more clearance to get the blocks on:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00FMT7SRC/?tag=amazon0e9db-21

The Volvo XC90 was fine on the scissor lift but I did need to use the extensions as it was longer. Worked fine and made it easy to change discs and pads all round on the XC90.

I would have thought they would mention these little details. I now know there is a bit on their website about low height/clearance vehicles. I didn't know when I ordered the lift and they didn't mention it. They also didn't mentioned about the issue with the ramps weight or the jacking beam.

Their products are good IMHO but their staff training and information is poor at best. As long as you ask all the questions and do your own research first before buying the products are good. It is just the details that make such a difference. In all fairness they did take back and credit back the castor kit I never used. However no credit or return for the jacking beam I can't use (£480) or the ramps £252) which is poor IMHO.

There are lots of different lifts with different quirks and if I bought again I might have spent more time on the little points that might have affected what lifts I bought. Feel free to ask any questions if you need further info.

 

[Wolfie1]

See when you drive a car onto the 4 poster, drive the front wheels of the vehicle onto blocks on the ramp to give you that little bit more clearance to use your jacking beam