Lifting car with forklift, use Jacking rails?

[Rickycardo]

My company designs and builds custom conveyor equipment. We are building a custom transfer to move exotic cars in a dealership in California. We will be testing it in our factory and I've been asked if I would offer my car for photo and marketing of the finished transfer. My Mustang is the most exotic car in the company.
Thing is I'd need to lift the car onto the transfer using a forklift without damaging the underside. Would a set of jacking rails work for this or should I make a special set for lifting the car. I'll be driving the forklift and have full access to a steel factory (I'm the boss) to make what I might need. Any other issues I need to watch for?

Sponsored

 

[Anthony 05 GT]

If using a forklift it would be ok to lift on the jacking rails or the pinch welds. I would use some wood blocks against the rails, have the forks spread as wide as possible and make sure the weight is distributed evenly. Also, if using fork extensions to reach the other side of the car keep in mind, fork extensions reduce the weight capacity of the forklift. I personally would lift it about 5'' off the floor and go to each end of the car and push hard on the bumpers repeatedly to test the stability before raising any higher also to make sure the weight is distributed evenly.

I wouldn't try to move the car very far for obvious reasons. Don't raise it beyond a couple of inches at all until you are right where you need to be, then raise it and move forward very slowly. Any forklift can have a component fail and cause an issue at any time and cause a problem you don't expect. I've been a forklift technician for 35 years, mainly electric and propane powered equipment is what I specialize in. Lifting a car is not serious if the weight is within the forklift's capacity, but a car is long and you want the weight as evenly distributed as possible. Take your time and be safe.

 

[Rickycardo]

Thanks. I've been thinking about making a custom set of jacking rails that would have clips that capture the forks to hold the car in place. We have a Clark 6000# with 72" forks. My plan is to drive the car up even with the transfer, lift it a total of about 18" then move it straight ahead onto the transfer. My other concern is making sure I don't get too close to the door or mirror with the mast. Some kind of foam protection will be needed.
I know many guys wouldn't risk their car for a stunt like this but I like the chance to showcase my car with our equipment. It's work and it sucks sometimes but in the end we make some really cool things.

 

[Fatguy]

Use jacking rails. Full length old school heavy metal ones that extend down below the pinch rails. The fork lift operator is the most important part of this, if he picks it up the wrong way no matter how much foam you have the mirrors or doors are toast! Sliding the other way could damage the car by sliding off the forks or simply turning too fast.


Personally I wouldn’t let them touch my car. Even an experienced operator regularity messes up, but they are pallets or bins and not your car...


(Don’t ask me how I know...)

 

[RichBrew]

My company designs and builds custom conveyor equipment. We are building a custom transfer to move exotic cars in a dealership in California. We will be testing it in our factory and I've been asked if I would offer my car for photo and marketing of the finished transfer. My Mustang is the most exotic car in the company.
Thing is I'd need to lift the car onto the transfer using a forklift without damaging the underside. Would a set of jacking rails work for this or should I make a special set for lifting the car. I'll be driving the forklift and have full access to a steel factory (I'm the boss) to make what I might need. Any other issues I need to watch for?

I don't really have anything useful to add, but if you pick up a Mustang with a forklift, I damn sure wanna see pictures!

 

[Coyote Red]

As a certified forklift operator in the past I realize the usual forks on a warehouse forklift aren't long enough to reach the other side of a mustang, also it will be front heavy to a point so be careful to position the lift accordingly. I want to see pic's of this odd
lift job.

 

[Anthony 05 GT]

He said he's got 72'' forks on a 6000 lb capacity forklift. Make sure the forklift's ID plate shows it was built with 72'' forks. The plate should show actual capacity with a load center. The load center is exactly half the length of the original forks. For example, if the ID plate shows the weight capacity of 6000 lbs at a 24'' load center that means it came with 48'' forks. When you replace forks with longer ones that greatly reduces your lifting capacity.

 

[Hadelson]

He said he's got 72'' forks on a 6000 lb capacity forklift. Make sure the forklift's ID plate shows it was built with 72'' forks. The plate should show actual capacity with a load center. The load center is exactly half the length of the original forks. For example, if the ID plate shows the weight capacity of 6000 lbs at a 24'' load center that means it came with 48'' forks. When you replace forks with longer ones that greatly reduces your lifting capacity.

Anthony 05 GT is spot on. The center starts from the base of the mast or Load Back Rest where the forks attach. Your lose 200lbs of lift capacity the 1st inch the load is centered off the LBR with the weight loose increasing exponential the further out from load center the car is placed on the forks.

 

[Rickycardo]

We ordered this fork lift with 72" forks and the ID plate does say 6000# at 36". And I'll be the forklift operator so I have no one to blame but me if it all goes wrong. If this doesn't work the next step would be the 7-1/2 ton overhead crane. But I don't feel like building a cradle for the car to fit that.

 

[Cobra Jet]

So curious...

If you’re needing a forklift (or possibly crane) to do what you’re doing in getting the car into the special cradle or transfer conveyor, how would the Customer move their own inventory?

Why wouldn’t ramps to the platform work - meaning have a set of removable ramps be integrated into the transfer conveyor design... drive the product (car) up onto ramps and onto conveyor, remove ramps and store them into or onto the transfer conveyor via an implemented storage area or compartment.

?

 

[Roger Blose]

Be smart about this project and go rent a Mustang for the day so that you will not have a possibility of wrecking your own car. Take out the insurance on the rental so that you can relax if any damage should occur .

 

[Rickycardo]

When the project is completed the transfer will be installed into the floor with decking in place so the vehicles can be driven onto the transfer. In our plant the transfer will be sitting on the floor at about 18" top of roller height.
We manufacture custom conveyor equipment for huge projects. We handle 30,000# buses for Gillig Bus, Hydraulic valves for Caterpillar, Electrical transformers for Cooper Power, even steel slabs from the furnaces for US Steel. I'm confident we can do this without damage I just want to check for anything I might miss. Besides, the owners agreed to pay for any damage to my car. But I still aim to avoid that.

 

[GMB Racing]

why not just use ramps like a trailer My trailer bed is 22" up and I use 10 ft ramps to load the mustang on it

 

[Rickycardo]

Good thoughts. we'll look into ramps when the project is nearer completion to see it that's more feasible.

 

[Anthony 05 GT]

As long as you are within the lift's capacity and pick it up correctly the forklift will do just fine. As I stated before, get it up a few inches and go to each end of the car and try repeated on/off pressure to test the load. You will easily be able to tell if one end is more heavy by how the load reflexes. As long as the load is secure the forklift will do it's job. Slow and easy is the key to no mishaps.

We use 2 forklifts and 2 chains to turn forklifts over onto the front of the mast so the bottom is exposed for electric drive motor removal on some trucks. The younger techs watch with their jaws dropped and even though we've done this many times we always take it slow and easy with a couple of spotters watching chain angles. It's a sight to see.

Sponsored