Root’s Speed Shop-We Have Lifto!

So both posts of the MaxJax are leveled and bolted down. Proceeded to hook up the electric hydro pump and start filling the resivour for the called for 9 quarts. Somewhere past 7 it overflows and I have a little mini spill. Not too bad, but I realize the 9 quarts must account for the volume in the cylinders and lines too so I plug in the pump and hit the power button. There’s a reassuring whine from the electric pump, no movement, but I can hear gurgling of fluid when I stop the pump. Just needs to get that fluid through everything, and running the pump some more the platforms finally start moving, and do some boingy action. Must be the air in the system. The fluid in resivour indeed has gone down, so I add fluid to top things off. It’s moving slow so I figure I should add the extension arms for some added weight and load to aid in bleeding the air. So I hit the release lever. I’m intent on watching the platforms lower and neglect to notice the growing oil puddle that has formed on the floor around the base of the pump. What I didn’t realize was with the air was taking up volume so too much fluid was returning to the resivour and backing out the fill cap. Oops, doing my own little BP here! Run to frantically scatter newspaper around to soak it up.

Once I take care of that little crisis, I hook up the arms and run the pump again to partially raise them and open the bleed screws. Just takes a few moments and then I run the lift through a full cycle. It works, we have lift! Next comes the true test, I pull the new FX into position. It’ll be the test mule since it’s the lightest. A little jocking the car around and the arms are in position. Raise the arms to contact and so far so good.

The moment of truth, I hit the pump and watch the body start to unweight off the tires. I stop to double check for everything is looking, and it’s looking good!

Time to go for it, hit the switch and within moments the car is effortlessly off the ground. Everything looks solid, I continue on to the mid-lift level. The garage roof height prevents full lift.

But even at this height I can see working on the car will be so much more pleasant.

I pull out the impact gun and all four wheels are off in a flash. Ah, this is going to be quite sweet! After dinner, since the FX came to me with new brake parts in the trunk, I decided to change the rotors and pads out. Derek soon shows up and in a matter of a couple hours all four are done. Yes, having your own lift is something of a luxury, but man, this makes life so much nicer. Like when I got the air compressor, it’s something that you could manage without, but once you have it it makes things so much easier and pleasant. It’s so nice being able to sit in a chair and work on the car. No rolling around on the floor anymore. Definite thumbs up! There were some issues brought on with avertised spec being 4″ thick concrete, but the provided anchors require thicker. But once those issues were taken car of, this works well even if I can’t get maximum lift with my garage height.