MrOnBicycle posted:

Quicks-jacks are really nice to have, especially when needing more room underneath.

That valve cover looks amazing!

Mr-Spain posted:

Man I'd like some Quickjacks.

Imperador do Brasil posted:

I have the quickjack 5000 and it’s pretty perfect for my low-ceiling garage. Gets the car about 24” off the floor by the sill rails so you have perfect access to suspension, exhaust, engine etc. and you can disconnect the lines and put them away against the wall when you’re done.

Mr-Spain posted:

Man I'd like some Quickjacks.

While the motor is getting rebuilt (and this will probably be a whole thread after I deal with wallet truama) I wanted to refinish the stock LS3 valve covers. The castings are really, really bad and I'm pretty sure they are made out of recycled beer cans. Wanted to go to the krinkle coat direction with a little bit of polished metal accent. This was my first time using that krinkle coat stuff and it's easier to use than I thought.

First up, modify the GenIV valve cover so it'll accept the oil cap directly instead of that ugly elbow. I have to use a funnel anyways. For these covers you need to grind off a tab in the casting an smooth everything out and it'll screw right back down (or just buy an aftermarket cap as I later found out).


Smooth down all the mold release lines, cover edges and the entire casting as they are so bad. You can see where the tab was removed in the cap hole here.


Clean machined surfaces to desired finish.


Mask up.


Paint. I first sprayed two complete however not heavy coats of etching automotive primer. After that I applied the hi-temp krinkle finish. About the only thing that you need to do here is apply a much heavier coat in alternating directions, with around a 5 min pause between coats. The coat will be so heavy you'll be almost terrified it's going to run. It won't. Then put it in the sun or hit it with a hairdryer or heatgun to get it started.



Unmask. I'd do this about 3-4 hours after so the paint is able to seperate cleanly. Also, and I'm adding this to the list from here on out with this paint, is to cure it in an oven at 200f for an hour. It helps cure the krinkle finish and also helps the etching primer bond.

With all the hardware and whatnot;

ThirstyBuck posted:

Anyone here use a mid-rise lift?

Such as https://www.bendpak.com/car-lifts/mid-rise-scissor-lifts/md-6xp/

I nearly went for a set of quick jacks but I still wanted something that would get me higher off of the floor. I have a 10 foot ceiling so I have room to go higher but not two post lift higher. It seems like a good middle ground apart from obstructing some of the center section under the car and needing to build a platform around it.

Galler posted:

I have no experience with those or with Max Jax but they're another option for a not full height lift. Max Jax likely requires a bit of concrete work but doesn't obstruct the bottom of the vehicle and might be easier to tuck away.

Motronic posted:

I was never clear on the use cases for those. Can't pull the transmission, probably can't drop a motor either, can't do exhaust. It's like a very expensive lift for changing tires and doing suspension work.

opengl posted:

Car-adjacent (hey I tow it with my car!) just wrapped up a new trailer build for bike hauling duty.

Last year I was running a little 4x6, it was just barely long enough for my 390.



With plans for a bigger track bike and wanting to be able to haul my other bikes should I need to, I sold that and picked up a 4x8. It was cheap because it came with a boat and nobody wanted to buy both. I was able to sell the boat pretty quickly so I'm only into the trailer for $100. I like these little utility trailers, they're nice and low so loading isn't sketchy, and light too which is important since I tow with my old Vibe.



It was a bare frame, no floor which is what I wanted anyway so I could build it up just how I wanted. Not in bad shape overall, just some light surface rust and as usual for used trailers, junk wiring and lights.



Stripped off the lights and wiring and gave it a quick wire wheel/spray bomb



Rebuilt the coupler (which was also junk and barely worked) and added a jack



Rewired and new LED tails/marker lights



New deck on, went with 5/4 pressure treated deck boards. Used carriage bolts at the front and rear and wood to metal screws at the crossmembers



Wrapping up: bolted down a wheel chock and plenty of e-track so I'm not married to any tie down points



Made the inaugural run last night picking up my new track bike, it towed great and the bike was rock solid



I still have a few little things to tidy up but it's more or less ready for track season.

ThirstyBuck posted:

I see them come up used for around $1500 bucks which is about what a new set of quick jacks would run. I’m getting old and hate laying under anything anymore and that’s enough height to scoot around underneath without being totally supine.

So maybe the use case is me - grouchy enough to pay more to sit up.

Motronic posted:

I was never clear on the use cases for those. Can't pull the transmission, probably can't drop a motor either, can't do exhaust. It's like a very expensive lift for changing tires and doing suspension work.

Steve French posted:

Similarly car adjacent and much less nice, I finally got the kick in the rear end I needed to make my cheapo HF trailer actually capable of hauling things so I can do so when my camper is in the truck, when a friend a few miles away needed my snowblowing help. Registered (pro tip: go to the DMV during a blizzard and you can get in and out in 7 minutes) added some single e-track slots, then added some snowmobile specifics after I was done using the snowblower.







I’m also more or less winging this so if anything looks horribly awry or stupid don’t be shy about saying so.

I also drove this other car a bit in/after said blizzard and have not washed it.

ThirstyBuck posted:

Anyone here use a mid-rise lift?

Such as https://www.bendpak.com/car-lifts/mid-rise-scissor-lifts/md-6xp/

I nearly went for a set of quick jacks but I still wanted something that would get me higher off of the floor. I have a 10 foot ceiling so I have room to go higher but not two post lift higher. It seems like a good middle ground apart from obstructing some of the center section under the car and needing to build a platform around it.

Motronic posted:

I was never clear on the use cases for those. Can't pull the transmission, probably can't drop a motor either, can't do exhaust. It's like a very expensive lift for changing tires and doing suspension work.

Galler posted:

I have no experience with those or with Max Jax but they're another option for a not full height lift. Max Jax likely requires a bit of concrete work but doesn't obstruct the bottom of the vehicle and might be easier to tuck away.

Powershift posted:

I can get the toyota about 2 feet up pretty quickly. Drive onto ramps, jack up the rear up to it's max, and then jack the front up.

The Lincoln takes a bunch more work because when the front is on stands the back bumper is nearly touching the ground.

opengl posted:

I actually almost got one of those HF trailers before the one I bought popped up. I've heard they're a bit of a wet noodle unless you weld them up, confirm/deny?

Darchangel posted:

Not to mention the front crossmember of rear axle are like 3' from the end of the car... Good luck having room to move the handle. :P

opengl posted:

I actually almost got one of those HF trailers before the one I bought popped up. I've heard they're a bit of a wet noodle unless you weld them up, confirm/deny?

Darchangel posted:

Little bit, yeah. There are a few different weight classes, too. The biggest gripe I have is that they are 4' x 8'. Exactly, since they are designed to use a single 4x8 sheet as the deck. That means that if you have sides and a tailgate on it, hauling more 4x8 sheets is a pain in the rear end. The one I used to borrow, the friend that owned it ended up spacing the supplied stake pockets out about 1/2" with wood blocks, and just leaving a small gap between the sides and the deck all the way around. Not only allowed 4x8 sheets, but you could sneak a tie down through the gap and hook it on the frame down low for shorter stuff with the sides on.

Powershift posted:

4.5 feet.

It's 19 foot long car with a 10 foot wheel base.

My solution was obviously 5 foot long jacks.

Steve French posted:

I have only towed it empty and with a ~300 lb snowblower on it, and that with a lifted Bronco. I have no idea based on that experience, to be honest. It seems reasonably sturdy right now with the 3/4" plywood bolted onto it, at least for any load I plan to put on it (mainly the sled)

I got the beefiest one, so that might have something to do with it. I haven't put sides on it, and don't plan to, so have no direct experience but they are at least on the sides of the trailer so they should fit 4x8 sheets if I put up sides as long as they weren't built to the inside of the stake pockets, though probably a tight fit.

heffray posted:

Simple things 2 days before leaving town for my first track weekend with the car:
LS engines love inhaling oil via the PCV on track, so I installed a Moroso catch can. Reasonable(ish) price, and a well put together kit with no surprises.

heffray posted:

C5 Stuff

heffray posted:

Full Collapse posted:

I didn't think a car could pass Cali Smog with a catch can?

Powershift posted:

Free is always the best price. I scrapped the plan of all new parts on my toyota and have been able to save just about everything so far, except rubber bits of course.

Luckily it was just pentalobe and not security torx plus like BMW likes to use.

Imperador do Brasil posted:

Then it was just a matter of very simple disassembly and a bit of ultrasonic and a pipe brush followed by some compressed air to dry.

Suburban Dad posted:

Another dumb fastener I didn't know existed. Why?!?

NitroSpazzz posted:

What ultrasonic cleaner do you have and how do you like it?