advice wanted on mounting a chain lift

[Moto]

I just picked up a 1 ton chain lift from Harbor Freight for $39.95, with a coupon. (!) I plan to use it to lift nothing heavier than 1000 pounds, namely my motorcycles in whole or part.

I would like advice on how to mount it through my garage ceiling. I've got 2x6 joists spaced 16" apart, with composition panels about 5/8" thick nailed to their bottoms, forming the ceiling.

Plan A. My current plan is to use a steel plate, say 5/16" x 3" x 8", bolted to the sides of a joist and protruding through a slot cut in a ceiling panel. A 1" hole in the end of the plate, leaving up to an inch of material all around it, would be where I'd hook the hoist. I suppose I'd attach the plate to the joist with three or four 1/2" bolts with nuts and washers, bolted through its thickness.

Plan B. Another possibility would be to put a beam over two joists and have a long eyebolt (10" at least) hang down through the ceiling. This would have the advantage of supporting the load on two joists instead of one. But I worry about finding an eyebolt that long that is rated for lifting. And I also worry about the long eyebolt being bent forward and back with loads that are not perpendicular to the ground.

What say the gurus? What's the best way to proceed? Thanks for your help in advance.

Moto

[Scud]

I am fortunate to have a massive cross-beam in my garage so I got to pop a couple heavy screw-eyes right into it.

For your situation, what about cutting some of the 3/4 panel off to accommodate about a 50 inch beam that could be attached to four of your 2x6s? That could spread the load out quite well. It's hard to advise without actually seeing the situation, but there's one idea for you.

[Guzzistajohn]

I would use double uni-strut spanned over at least 3 ceiling joists like this
https://www.google.com/search?q=double+unistrut&biw=1301&bih=593&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiG4qjH4tfJAhXI6CYKHWlJAx8QsAQILA

Lag the strut down to the top of the joists from above

And insert 1/2 in. strut nuts into the strut like these
http://www.garvinindustries.com/clamps-and-fasteners/strut-fittings/strut-nuts/snwo1213?gclid=Cj0KEQiAqK-zBRC2zaXc8MOiwfIBEiQAXPHrXjGht-4ueAZXoCX8YsWf1us4ufTKHOIGqPMvq0AmPGkaAuQ-8P8HAQ
There's a nice video on strut nut usage here


and lock down a square washer with a jam nut on 1/2 threaded rod and drop the rod down to your chain lift and bolt it down with lock washers.


Do you have Fasenal in your area? they have all the stuff

[old as dirt 2]

I would sister 2 more 2x6's to your existing one you want to attach the hoist to. Full length of course. this will give you a beam that would be capable of handling the load. then install a u-channel plate over the three 2x's to change below the ceiling so you can put a long bolt thru each side and hang the hoist from that. this will not compromise the beam by drilling holes in it.

[lucian]

Not enough info given to give a appropriate solution. What is the span of the 2x6 ceiling joists?Is there any existing load above?  Bolting a plate to the side of one joist is not a good option for lifting 1000 lbs. I would place a beam of 4x6 or steel channel across at least four joists and hang the hoists in the center bay with a loop of chain around the beam and a shackle. Hanging the hoists in the bay between the center two joists will allow you to raise the hoists up in between the joists if you need or want the extra lift height. You could also install king ties above from the ceiling joists up to the rafters . Over kill is a good thing here.

[canuck750]

We need more information, what is the overall span of the 2 x 6 joist, how is the joist fastened to the rafter above and at what spacing are the joists and rafters connected. Hanging a load over 100 lbs off a 2 x 6 is a no go. You must distribute the load over many joists. The garage roof is probably designed to support around 50 lbs per square foot, the ceiling joist is only designed for 30 lbs or so. I had my garage attic trusses designed to support 52 lbs per square foot. I hung a 4" deep steel I beam below the attic joists in my garage from 4 joists and spread the load on each joist over a 3 foot length.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Where's that picture of Mr. N and the garden tractor when you need it..

[screamday]

Another option, if hoisting is a temporary thing and not permanent, would be to put a 4 x 4 post on each side of the load you are going to hoist. Run the posts from under your joists to the floor. The posts can be temporary and easily stored when not in use. I've done this before when hoisting engines from cars. It's been a while since I've done this but I think we added and extra joist to the existing joist so the width was the same as the post. Worked for a temporary hoisting solution.

[Moto]

Not enough info given to give a appropriate solution. What is the span of the 2x6 ceiling joists?Is there any existing load above? 

We need more information, what is the overall span of the 2 x 6 joist, how is the joist fastened to the rafter above and at what spacing are the joists and rafters connected.

I went back up to check. The joists span the 14ft width of the garage without any support from the rafters. There is no load on the joists, except the ceiling panels, of course.

All of the comments have been extremely helpful. I was probably headed for a bad decision,  if not a disaster.

I'm wondering if I should scale back my requirement, since I really don't need to lift whole motorcycles. (I have a Handy Lift to raise them for most work.) Lifting the back of a 550 pound Griso would be load of less than 500 pounds, so long as the front wheel is supported. Any comments on how things would change if I limited the load to 500 pounds?

I may rethink exactly what tackle I really need, too, since the 1-ton hoist is not a very convenient thing to use above the Handy Lift, which would be the usual set up.

But the ideas already offered will help even if I scale back.

[lucian]

Spanning across four joists minimum with an appropriately strong beam (4x6) or steel  would suffice. I would also add  king ties from joist to rafter vertically close to the beam near mid span on the four joists used. 2x6 lumber  spiked with multiple 16d nails or better yet bolted would do.

[Tom]

Where's that picture of Mr. N and the garden tractor when you need it..

That's exactly what I came up with when I opened the thread.  My suggestion would be return the chain hoist and take the credit for an engine hoist cherry picker purchase.  More stable and no chance of pulling your roof down.

You'd be changing the structural integrity of your place.  Permited?  Insurance coverage?

[bmc5733946]

I have that chain fall.  I use a 2x6 about 3ft long to span between 2 of my roof trusses set on 2ft centers, I wrap a piece of chain around the 2x6 and hang the chain fall from that.  I have lifted some pretty heavy things with that rig, regularily I lift the rear of motorcycles that are on my Handy Lift.  The heaviest thing I've lifted was well over 600lbs, while that was hanging I checked the trusses for deflection using a level and found none, I have since assumed that I'm safe but I keep listening for imminent failure.  I know I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer!! 

Brian

[Rough Edge racing]

 I used chain falls , chain and cable "cum a longs" in construction many times and often is risky situations.... Never trust these things so do not get close after it's lifted unless it's secured with chains or suitable straps...

[Zoom Zoom]

I took a 4X4 across the trusses. One end rests on the sill at the top of the wall and I have an upright 4X4 that I position at the other end when I need it. (It does not stay there all the time.) In the center, I put a chain around the 4X4 and that truss. The hoist is attached to that chain, and a nail keeps the chains hung over toward the wall until needed. It is all very simple and works well. Being able to remove the upright keeps the space available for the everyday stuff.

John Henry

[LaMojo]

An easy way to modify the structure to carry the extra load would be to make a truss of your existing ceiling and roof joist by adding chord members and a extra chord member at the point load.   Just to be on the safe side I would  also make two other trusses either side where your hoist would be centered and span the three trusses with 2-2x6s bolted together as a continuous beam and install across the ceiling rafter (on top of bottom chord of the truss) next to a chord member.   The existing ceiling joist will more than carry the additional shear at the double plated wall joist bearing.  Use lag  bolts to attach the chord members.

[canuck750]

A 2 x 6 spanning 14 feet will support little more than itself and the ceiling it was designed to carry. When you tie the joist to the rafter you are not really reducing the span in half but you are creating a truss provided the connections you use to the tie are adequate. Regardless a point load of 500 lbs from the bottom chord of a 2x6 is not safe and if the 2 x 6 has knot or similar anomaly the bottom chord will fail.

You need to reinforce the 2 x 6 joist or better yet I would add 2 - 2x8 joists, nailed together, in two locations four feet apart and then bridge these double joists with 2 - 2x6 as the main carrying member. I don't have my wood framing span charts with me and I no longer do much design in wood but I have been at this for 36 years and you don't mess with heavy things suspended from wood.

[Tom]

Somehow, I think an engine hoist is cheaper and an easier solution and IIRC it's "come-along".

[Zoom Zoom]

A 2 x 6 spanning 14 feet will support little more than itself and the ceiling it was designed to carry. When you tie the joist to the rafter you are not really reducing the span in half but you are creating a truss provided the connections you use to the tie are adequate. Regardless a point load of 500 lbs from the bottom chord of a 2x6 is not safe and if the 2 x 6 has knot or similar anomaly the bottom chord will fail.

You need to reinforce the 2 x 6 joist or better yet I would add 2 - 2x8 joists, nailed together, in two locations four feet apart and then bridge these double joists with 2 - 2x6 as the main carrying member. I don't have my wood framing span charts with me and I no longer do much design in wood but I have been at this for 36 years and you don't mess with heavy things suspended from wood.

Just curious. It is evident you know what you're talking about. What do you think about the way I'm doing it? (See my post above.) Should I consider additional support? I have been using this for a long time, but if I'm tempting fate, I'm certainly willing to beef things up.

John Henry

[blackcat]

Somehow, I think an engine hoist is cheaper and an easier solution and IIRC it's "come-along".

Yep.

[Chuck in Indiana]

The main problem I have with a hoist is you have to have whatever you are working on under it.  <shrug> I work on a lot of different things in different places, and a cherry picker has always done the job.

[Tom]

It also works on (God forbid it) cars.  :-(

[pyoungbl]

We all have different garage/joist/hoist arrangements but I'll throw in my thoughts.  Like OP, I have a Handy Lift to get the bike up to working height.  On almost all operations I can then use a scissors jack to get the engine/frame/whatever up off the Lift.  It's really nice to have the extra security provided by a chainfall from the rafters.  When in doubt I'll rig the safety chain from the rafters (using a chain fall) to the bike frame.  I have a 2" steel pipe running across 4 rafters to spread the load.  That pipe has a 4" loop of 3/8" rod welded as an attachment point for the chain fall.  Granted, OP has installed a ceiling on his rafters so he can't move the pipe around like I can, to get directly above the part I'm stabilizing.  My point is that the chainfall mechanism need not lift the entire load if it is set up just for stabilization.  All the cautions mentioned still apply.  I'm particularly impressed with the suggestion to use crutches from floor to rafter on either side of the actual load.

Peter Y.

[canuck750]

Just curious. It is evident you know what you're talking about. What do you think about the way I'm doing it? (See my post above.) Should I consider additional support? I have been using this for a long time, but if I'm tempting fate, I'm certainly willing to beef things up.

John Henry

Depends on the make up of your truss and the truss span etc. if your 4x4 spans across at least four truss chords it may suffice. Lifting 500 lbs with the point load distributed to four trusses is likely OK.