Sled Lifts...Why is the cost so high

W

whitedust

Well-known member
Lifts not mass produced & lots of liability if it collapses not something you want to cut corners in design. Don't know about this lift.
 
Z

zimmbob

Member
I've wondered the same thing. I saw that one on Amazon too. Could always get that one and check it out to make sure it's solid, and improve it if needed. I just can't justify double the price for seemingly the same thing. They look the same. And no one advertises some sort of strength or quality difference. As a layman when it comes to metal work, I have nothing to go off of.
 
D

dab102999

New member
They are pricy so I decide to build my own. Found a couple of long jacks at a swap meet for $10 for two. Figured there is a good place to start. Tried lookin for salvage steel to use but to close to new cost so I bought new. Went with 1 x 2 thick tube. I work tool and die so get a little break on it from work. By the time I got done with steel, jack, shoulder bolts and a couple of things to make it a little more rigid then the ones you can buy and with no casters on it. I am still at almost $150 into it. So yea I saved money. And was able to machine and cut everything for free. If you aren't able to you can see an added cost on that. Still have the second jack but no ambision to make another one. Saw a nice one at the snow show made by the same guy that makes the easymover. Next bit of extra cash and I am buying one of his. It was like $250 at the show.
 
M

maximumpsi

Member
I just bought the same lift from Korky's in St. Paul, MN, yesterday, and we put it together last night. Seems good so far. All four wheels are casters and you can raise and lower it with a drill and socket. They still have Hay Days pricing on as of yesterday ($210 w/wheel kit): www.korkys.com/category_s/60.htm
 
E

ezra

Well-known member
not a lift but I have A electric hoist from harbor freight under $125 use it all the time.in fact the sled has the back up in the air now.it will lift the fr no prob.makes track swaps a breeze.used last week to pick the fr of the lawn tractor up so I could change blades sitting on a chair.I put a anchor on the floor so I can suck the front of the sled down when doing things like chaining the shocks down for racing.best tool I have in the shop
 
6

600hoic

Banned
Go to one of the snowmobile shows. I bought one at the Novi, Mi show 2 years ago for $180 with wheel kit. I couldn't have built one for that.
 
L

lvr1000

New member
Second the snow show. Got mine a few years back for $159 with the wheel kit. A friend of a friend was negotiating for 5 units for his race sleds. I interrupted and said, "I think you actually need 6". Took mine with so no freight.
Extremely handy.
 
N

nytro_rtx

Active member
i have built 1 like the 1 in kb97z's link. i have been using it for years and it works great. am building another like it for a friend right now. i will have quite abit less then $100 into making it. i'm going to build myself another one also but am making it out of aluminum & putting an electric jack on it.
nytro
 
R

reaper969x

New member
I have been building these for some friends as well. By the time it is all said and done 200.00 is a decent price without casters. However if something should fail and hurt someone then 200.00 is not enough, LOL. Aluminum and electric, now your onto something, nytro
 
D

dale_58

Guest
I used (4)roller blade wheels .on the lifts I made works great.
 
S

skidude67

Member
I have built several based on the plans np900sb references. With a good (USA Made) jack the materials are about $100. The last one I built has an hydraulic ram in lieu of the jack and I use a air over hydraulic pump with it....works awesome.

One word of caution....the Ski Doo Rev XP's do not fit very well on any of the lifts I have seen including the ones in the plans listed above. I am going to build one specifically for my XP.
 
S

skidude67

Member
reaper,
Yes Revs fit fine, but the XP's not so well.


kb97z,
The biggest problem is that the running board supports are not "high" enough for the XP's due to the way the belly pan transitions to the running boards. It is a small issue that can be fixed with vertical extension on the running board supports. Basically the tunnel support tubes hit near the footwells in lieu of towards the back of the sled and this makes the sled unbalanced on the lift.
 
K

kb97z

New member
Thanks!! I will adjust accordingly. I just wrote the check to the high school. 33 bucks. Sure I need a jack yet and it won't have wheels but these costs work for me. I will post pics when finished.
 
K

kb97z

New member
Almost there

33 bucks to high school ..35 for jack..6 bucks nuts bolts washers..75 bucks total..lots of hours eh but I'm in da garage
 

Attachments

  • DSC03961.jpg
    DSC03961.jpg
    38.5 KB · Views: 107
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top