Detailed Building Guide

For a

Motorcycle Table Lift

INTRODUCTION

The following pages will assist you in the construction of your Motorcycle Table Lift. You will

find this a great addition to your garage; it can be used to lift your motorcycle, scooter, lawn

mower etc. It can also be used as a movable work bench.

This guide is just that, a guide. You can make any changes that will make your lift a better

product e.g. you might decide to use aluminium checker plate instead of marine ply as I have

detailed. You might also decide not to use castors and have it stationary. As previously stated

please use this guide to make the lift you require. The jack base and jack lift items in this guide

are to fit my floor jack. You need to purchase the jack you intend to use before making your

steel cuts. You may find you have to make minor changes to my guide so that your jack fits

properly.

You need to have a steel cutoff/chop saw. This is not something that you want to try with a

hacksaw. You will need a good welding machine, mig or stick. Do not try to gas weld this

together with a torch. You will need an electric drill with a 13mm chuck, a drill press is best and

the correct size drill bits. I have used 10mm category 8 bolts. A 3mm drill bit for the pilot holes

and 10.5mm drill bit for the bolt holes. I used a framing square to assist in setting up the pieces

before welding and a G clamp and grips to clamp the pieces whilst drilling the pilot holes.

Again this is just a guide. Please make any changes that you feel will improve your table lift.

Please practise your welding before you attempt this project in order to be competent.

Steel that must be Purchased

One 12 metre Length 50 x 50 x 6mm Angle Iron

One 12 metre Length 50 x 50 x 5mm Angle Iron

One 7.5 metre Length 50 x 50 x 5mm Box Section

One 7.5 metre Length 30 x 30 x 3mm Box Section

One 0.34 metre Length 40 x 40 x 3mm Box Section

One 0.26 metre Length 80 x 80 x 6mm Angle Iron

Nuts and Bolts that must be Purchased

8 @ 10 x 90mm Category 8 Bolts for Lift Base and Top

4 @ 10 x 110mm Category 8 Bolts for Safety Latches

12 @ 10mm Nyloc Nuts

32 @ 10mm Flat Washers

2 @ 1metre Lengths of 10mm Stud Iron

8 @ 10mm Nuts for Stud Iron

2 @ 25mm Category 8 Bolts for Ramp Bracket

Accessories

2 @ 75mm Fixed Wheel Castors

2 Ton Trolley jack

1 @ 760 x 2430 x 19mm Marine Ply for Top of Lift

1 @ 500 x 1500 x 19mm Marine ply for Ramp

Cutting List

50 x 50 x 6mm angle Iron 4@ 2330mm, 2@ 660mm, 2@ 135mm, 2@ 115mm, 4@ 60mm,

2@530mm,

50 x 50 x 5mm angle Iron 12@40mm 4@ 2330mm, 2@ 760mm, 2@50mm 1@410mm

30 x 30 x 3mm box section 4@510mm 1@545mm 4@460mm, 2@680mm

50 x 50 x 5mm Box Section 1@540mm, 1@420mm, 2@190mm, 2@812mm 2@812mm, 2@125mm, 2@75mm, 1@293mm 1@525mm, 2@ 100mm, 2@120mm (only required if you are adding the Lifting Frame)

80 x 80 x 6mm angle Iron 2@130mm (only required if you are adding the castors)

40 x 40 3mm box section 2@170mm (only required if you are adding the Lifting Frame)

This colour is material needed for the Base of Lift Frame

This colour is material needed for the Top of Lift Frame

This colour is material needed for the Front Upright

This colour is material needed for the Rear Upright

This colour is material needed for the Two Safety Stops

This colour is material needed for the Lifting Frame for Moving the Lift

This colour is material needed for the Ramp Bracket

Motorcycle Lift

Drilling the Holes

Drilling the holes needs to be pretty close to the actual dimensions in the plans. If you do it in the steps

described below you can be off just a little. The important thing is to make all the holes line up for the

bolts, because of the length of the pieces. Lay the pieces out in proper order and measure them all from

the same end.

Lift Base Frame- 4 Pieces

Clamp two 2330mm x 6mm angle iron pieces for one side together and measure 180mm from the end

and 19mm down from the top edge, drill a 3mm pilot hole.

Measure 1220mm from the centre of the hole that you have just drilled and 19mm down from the top

edge, drill the second pilot hole.

Ok you have one side of the base pilot holes drilled.

Take one of the drilled pieces and clamp it to one of the 2330mm pieces that is undrilled. Drill through

the existing pilot holes into and through the undrilled piece of angle iron.

Take the other piece of angle that had previously been drilled and clamp it to the last piece of undrilled

angle iron. Again drill through the existing pilot holes into and through the undrilled piece of angle

iron. These pieces will be a mirror of each other. Place the base plate pieces to one side.

Lift Top Frame- 4 Pieces

Clamp two 2330mm x 5mm angle iron pieces together and measure 762mm from the end and 19mm

down from the top edge, drill a 3mm pilot hole.

Measure 1220mm from the centre of the hole that you have just drilled and 19mm down from the top

edge, drill the second pilot hole.

Take the other two pieces of 2330mm angle and do the same to them.

.Lift Support Uprights – 4 Pieces

Measure 12.5mm from the end and 25mm down from the edge (middle of the 50mm square tube). Drill

a 3mm pilot hole. Measure 785mm and drill another 3mm pilot hole. Then measure the distance

between the two pilot holes and drill a pilot hole at the centre (halfway at 392.5mm).

Drill the other three pieces the same and then place the jack upright pieces to one side.

Lift Safety Latch Uprights – 4 Pieces

Measure 20mm from the end and 15mm down from the edge (middle of the 30mm square tube). Drill a

3mm pilot hole. Drill the other three pieces the same and then place the jack upright pieces to one side.

Now Drill all the Pilot Holes with a 10.5mm Drill Bit.

There are now just a couple of small pieces that require drilling at this time. The Ramp Bracket drill

with a 10.5mm hole as per drawings.

To mount the Front Wheel Bracket drill four holes to suit the castors that you have purchased.

Motorcycle Table Lift

Laying out the pieces, welding and Assembly

Before we start I want to talk about a couple of steps that are very important.

The first is the construction and welding of the Floor Jack Support and the Lift cross Member. I have

designed this to be super strong. Please pay attention to detail in this section.

The other is the table height when your table is in the down position. We want the lift to go as low as

possible and still be able to slide the floor jack under the table. Please see information that

accompanies the photos of the Lowest Table Height Stops. Tack these pieces in last when you are

testing, with no plywood on and before you do the finish welds. This will allow you to check

everything whilst it is still possible to change it without destroying all your hard work.

The first piece you should layout and weld is the rear jack lift upright. Take a look at the detailed

photo. Tack weld the jack lift cross member first as per drawing. Lay two of the 812mm uprights on a

flat level surface and tack weld the cross member 320mm up from the bottom bolt holes of the uprights

as per drawing. Use a square to make sure you have everything lined up correctly, the bottom of the

pieces should be even and the cross brace should be straight across. Tip- purchase a couple of lengths

of threaded 10mm stud. Use these to hold the uprights in position with nuts and washers whilst you

tack weld it.

Use the Rear Jack Upright to line up and hold the rear of the Long Base Rails of the lift. This will

allow you to square the Front Cross Member and tack the Long Base Rails to it. Assemble the Floor

Jack Support section and tack it in place.

Assemble the Top Lift Frame and tack weld it in place.

Bolt the Safety Latch Uprights to the Front Uprights, use a 12.5mm spacer between them.

If everything has gone as planned your Lift Top frame without the plywood/checker plate should be a

little over 215mm.

You should now have all the parts tacked in place. Go back and finish any welds that have not been

completed. It is best if you disassemble the lift and paint the components individually. Once dry

reassemble the lift and bolt the Top Plywood/checker plate. Bolt on the Ramp and it is now finished.

Top of Lift Frame

Materials for Base Lift Frame

50 x 50 x 5mm angle Iron 4@ 2330mm, 2@ 760mm, 2@50mm

30 x 30 x 3mm box section 4@510mm

10.5mm Holes for

Front Uprights 19mm

down from bottom

edge

2430

2330

1220 762

760 440

Use level ground and an engineer’s

square and tack weld this frame

together. The view in the photo is

from on top.

I have used the 4@ 30 x 30 x 3mm

box section to strengthen this frame

and also to bolt the aluminium plate

to. I have not put any location

measurements on the photo for

these. This is because depending on

the length and material of your top

you will position these where it best

suits your table.

In this next photo, you will see 2@

50 x 50 x 5mm angle iron. These are

for fixing the Ramp to the Lift. They

need to be angle down so the ramp

slopes down to the ground. The

height from the top of the Lift to the

centre of the holes will be

determined by the thickness of the

material that you use for your ramp.

Strengthening

support bars for Lift

Top material 30 x 30

x3mm box section

2@50 x 50 x

5 angle iron

drilled10.5m

m

350

Base of Lift Frame

540 60

60

2330

810

940

10.5mm Holes for

Front Uprights 19mm

down from top edge

10.5mm Holes for

Rear Uprights 19mm

down from top edge

1220

180

Lowest Table Height

Stops for Rear Uprights

Lowest Table Height

Stops for Front Uprights

530mm long

brace

760

50 x 50 x 5mm

box section

50 x 50 x 5mm

box section

Close up of Base Jacking Area

420

115

240 x 660 x 5mm plate

420

190

180

10.5mm Holes for

Rear Uprights 19mm

down from top edge

60

60

2@ 50 x 50 x 6 x

135mm angle

iron

50 x 50 x 6 x 60mm

angle iron. Rear upright

stop

50 x 50 x 6 x 60mm

angle iron. Rear upright

stop

90 90 75

150

2@ 75mm fixed

Castor Wheel

Materials for Base Lift Frame

50 x 50 x 6mm angle Iron 4@ 2330mm, 2@ 660mm, 2@ 135mm, 2@ 115mm, 4@ 60mm, 2@530mm,

50 x 50 x 5mm box section 1@540mm, 1@420mm, 2@190mm,

80 x 80 x 6mm angle Iron 2@130mm

50 x 50 x 5mm angle Iron 12@40mm

330

The Safety Latch Stops, 12@ 50 x 50 x

40 x 5mm angle iron, are welded as per

photo commencing with a 90mm gap

from the inside of the Front Cross

Member box section. I tack on the 6

Stops for the front Latch and once the

Lift is assembled I raise the Lift and put

the front Latch in each of the 3 height

positions, making sure the Latch is

taking the weight of the Lift and not

the Jack. I then lower the rear Latch to

the frame and tack the Stops for the

rear Latch tight up to the box section of

the rear Latch. So that both the Front

and Rear Safety Latches bear the

weight of the Lift.

Front and Rear Uprights

545

12.5 12.5 392.5 392.5

10.5mm holes drilled

through box section 25mm

down from the top edge.

Please use 2 lengths of 10mm stud

iron with nuts and washers to hold

the frame together as seen in the

photo on the left.

Both the Front and Rear Upright

require the same holes drilling in

them. Therefore the picture on the

left is an image of what both

Uprights will look like before the

centre cross member is added.

Materials for Front Upright

50 x 50 x 5mm box section 2@812mm

30 x 30 x 3mm box section 1@545mm

Place the lower edge of the 30mm box section 315mm from the bottom of both uprights. Please use an engineers square to make everything square and tack weld it in the centre of the 50mm box section (10mm from both edges). Remove the 2 lengths of stud iron and use them to set up the next 2 lengths of 50mm box section ready for welding the Rear Upright .

Materials for Rear Upright

50 x 50 x 5mm box section 2@812mm,

2@125mm, 2@75mm, 1@293mm

Please tack weld the Jack Lift Cross Member using a flat surface and engineers square. Once finished this is going to be weldedto the 2 uprights, please see the next page.

812

315

545 75 75

125

293

320

Place the lower edge of the Jack Lift

Cross Memberbox section 320mm from

the bottom of both uprights. Please

use an engineers square to make

everything square and tack weld it in

place. Remove the 2 lengths of stud

iron.

I have included this photo so that you

can see the position of the Jack on the

Jack Lift Cross member whilst lifting.

When the Lift is in the full down

position the Jack does not want to be

fully under the cross member, it needs

to be only half way under. Once the

Jack starts to lift the member moves

into the well of the Jack and it will then

look like the photograph on the left.

The Jack I have used is:-

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/sho

p/product/details/clarke-2-tonne-

diy-trolley-jack-ctj2b

The 2 Castors used are 75mm Fixed

Rubber and can be found here.

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/sho

p/range/guid/7246A7C3-21D8-

4642-BA26-CB37125FBB77

Material for Mounting Castors

80 x 80 x 6mm angle Iron 2@130mm

The Frame needs to be on level ground

(not as in this photo). The wheel need

to be positioned so that is touching the

floor just past the end of the Lift frame

and pressed firmly into the ground and

then tack welded in place. Check that

the angle iron is level before fully

welding. Use the Lifting Frame for the

Lift to check that the weight of the Lift

is on the wheels once lifted.

Safety Latch

140

460

20

10.5mm hole drilled 20mm

down right through and in the

centre of the uprights 20

680

Use a 12mm nut with a

10mm washer on either side

as a spacer

10 x 110mm cat 8 bolt

with washers and nyloc

nut

Materials to make One Safety

Latch

If you are making two Safety

Latches as I have done in the

photos of my Table Lift , then you

will need to cut twice the material.

Material for 1 Latch

30 x 30 x 3mm box section:-

2@460mm, 1@680mm

For each Safety Latch you will need

2 spacers, one for each Lift Upright

leg.

2@ 10 x 110mm Cat 8 bolts

8@ 10mm washers

2@ 10mm Nyloc nuts

2@ 12mm nuts

I have blanked off the ends of the

box section. This is not necessary,

you can leave it open box section I

just did it like this for better

appearance.

When you want to lower the Table

Lift you will need to take the

weight with the jack so that the

Safety Latch is free to move. The

Safety Latch then needs to be held

in the up position whilst the Table

Lift is lowered using the Jack. I

have used a piece of chain around

the leg which is then placed onto a

bolt drilled into the Lift Upright.

Once the Lift is lowered all the way

the chain holding the Safety Latch

can be removed from the bolt.

When lifting the Table Lift with the

Jack the Safety Latch can be left

free and it will ride over the Safety

Latch Stops as the lift gets higher.

Lifting Frame for Moving Motorcycle Lift

525

100

120

100

Materials

50 x 50 x 5mm box section:-

1@525mm, 2@ 100mm,

2@120mm

2@ 40 x 40 x 3 x 170mm box

section. Grind this section down

until it enters the 120mm long

section and then weld it securely

from the inside with 100mm left

protruding.

Tack this frame together but don’t

fully weld until you make sure that

it slides smoothly in and out of the

main Base Frame.

You can now move the Table Lift

around by lifting up the rear end of

the Table Lift with the Jack. The

wheels fitted to the front end of

the Lift will now come into contact

with the floor and the table

becomes fully manoeuvrable.

Please note I do not recommend

moving the Table Lift whilst the

motorcycle is on the Lift.

433

Materials for Ramp Bracket

50 x 50 x 5mm angle iron :- 1@410mm

Two 10 x 25mm bolts are welded onto the

Bracket 350mm apart. These need to

match up with the holes in the Lift Top.

It is then bolted with 6mm coach bolts to

the Marine Plywood Ramp.

Ramp

You can see on this photo how the Ramp is

positioned for putting the bike onto the

Lift. The Ramp can be whatever length suits

your Lift and what space is available to you.

The Size of my Ramp is 1500 x 500 x 19mm

and it is marine play.

I always remove the Ramp before raising

the Lift.

Material for Stops

50 x 50 x5mm angle iron :- 4@60mm

Lowest Table Height Stops

There are 4 of these in total, 2 for the Front

Upright and 2 for the Rear Upright.

This is to be done without the Bike and

Aluminium Plate on for viewing ease. I raise

the Lift with the Jack, I then jam the Lift

with wood at the lowest height that I

believe I can remove the Lifting Jack from

the Base Jacking Area. This height is the

lowest height and I need to weld the Stops

in place. One at a time I angle the stops

over so that they sit in the space parralel

and tight up to the Uprights. I then tack

them in place. I remove the wood and raise

and lower the Lift and check the positioning

before fully welding.

410

250

350

Rear lowest

Table Height

Upright Stop

The height of

the Lift in this

position is

215mm

Once you are happy with the function of your Lift you can dismantle and fully weld all parts, then paint in the

colour of your choice and reassemble.

Place the material that you have chosen for your Lift on top of the Lift and securely bolt in place. If you have

chosen to use Marine ply the size should be cut to 2430 x 760mm You can have this cut to one peice at a wood

yard.

The final approximate heights of the Lift are below.

Lowest Height position = 215mm

First Raised height = 360mm

Second Raised Height = 600mm

Final Raised Height = 750mm

To save on time and cost there are several you can do :-

Gather together several small offcuts of marine ply/checker plate to make up the total length for the top.

Do not add the Castors, this will also mean you do not need the Lifting Frame. The downside to this is it then

makes moving the Table Lift around more difficult, although these items can be added to the Lift at a later date.

To save time you do not need to cap the peices of box section like I have done, it serves no purpose other than

cosmetic.

If you require further information or photos please contact me with specific details required.

Please take care in how you construct this Lift, please feel free to modify it to suit your needs.

I always use both Safety Stop Latches and leave the Jack in place when the Lift is raised. It is Belt and Braces.

Always strap the bike firmly to the Table Lift.

Disclaimer: I will not be held responsible for the construction of your Lift. You build it fully at your own risk, be

aware this is a dangerous peice of equipment and should only be bulit and used by a compitant adult.

I hold the copyright for these Plans.

525

Notes:-