In detail: do-it-yourself slipway for body repair description from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.
A slipway is a special device (platform) that is designed for body repair and restoration of the original body geometry using the application of multidirectional forces. A high-quality factory-made slipway is quite expensive and it is not advisable to purchase it for small-scale and rare bodywork. You can do it yourself, and the price for a homemade slipway will not be so high.
Before starting work on the manufacture of the slipway, it is necessary to complete its drawing and calculate the amount of required materials. The platform should look like a rectangle (or preferably several) made of a metal profile with a section of 50 × 50 or 70 × 40 (the thicker, the better). The optimal length is 2000 mm, the width is equal to the width of the car's wheelbase.
Why is this width chosen? In general, it is possible to manufacture a slipway with a width equal to the width of the vehicle's wheelbase. Or smaller than it, but with the execution of "branches" from the frame, on which the clamps will be attached. The first method is preferable due to the location of the clamps.
In the middle of the platform, it will be necessary to weld a stiffener from a similar metal profile. In the process of work, additional metal will be required, the amount of which is difficult to calculate at the initial stage of work.
After the calculation of the required number of metal profiles is completed, it can be ordered on a special base or use an existing one.
To ensure the functionality of the slipway, it will need to be equipped with good hydraulics - a kit with a tonnage of up to 10 tons will do.
Video (click to play).
You also need to remember that the slipway is of two types: stationary (that is, installed in a specific place without the possibility of movement) and mobile (equipped with wheels and adapted for storage and in an upright position). If the second option is chosen, then you also need to purchase a set of wheels: 4 or more - for the frame, 2 - for the power rack.
The frame is assembled by welding. That is, skills in working with a welding machine are necessary.
First of all, a rectangle is assembled from a metal profile of the calculated length and width, exactly in the middle it must be reinforced with an additional profile. The assembly of the frame is carried out as the future owner of the slipway sees fit. Perhaps he will want to additionally strengthen the longitudinal sides of the frame, possibly the transverse ones. There is no definite principled position on this issue.
To increase the stability of the car on the slipway, in its corners it is necessary to weld heights that will prevent a possible exit of the car.
The next step is to install fasteners on the longitudinal sides of the frame. Fasteners are clamps with jaws that are required to securely fix the car frame when exposed to loads. There can be no strict place for fixing the fasteners, they must be able to move along the entire length of the frame. Making clamps with your own hands is also possible, but if they are freely available, then there is not much point in this, since a homemade clamp will cost about the same as a factory one.
This is followed by work on the installation of the power rack. The Power Strut is an upside-down L-shaped device that also needs to move throughout the frame and lock securely wherever you go. You can make not one, but two power racks.
Giving the slipway an aesthetic appearance.This stage consists in the usual painting of the slipway.
Well, at the end of the work, the homemade slipway is equipped with those repair devices for the sake of which it was created: hooks, chains, hydraulics.
The homemade slipway is ready, its use will help to carry out those types of body repairs that were previously possible only for auto repair shops, and the ways of its practical application can be seen in various videos.
VIDEO In case of severe accidents, the car receives body deformation. A defective housing affects fuel consumption and handling. A body with a broken geometry will not be able to protect passengers in the event of a repeated accident. A body repair slipway is a necessary tool for repairing a car.
The body straightening jig is a device for carrying out body repairs. The stand is designed to straighten out serious damage to a car, and is equipped with fasteners that allow you to pull the body, as well as change the shape and size of some elements. A slipway is used to repair serious damage to the car body.
All types of slipways have an identical operating principle. To eliminate the deformation of the body, it is fixed to one or more areas that need to be straightened and straightened. Further, the master, using the drafting device, applies force and straightens the damaged parts of the case.
Simple slipways for body repairs are equipped with one exhaust device. Complex fixtures have several exhaust mechanisms.
There are 4 types of devices: floor-standing, rolling, frame and platform.
The rolling stock is used for body repair of various types of cars. It is equipped with devices that allow you to secure the car without flanging the sills. Rolling slipways are convenient to use in confined spaces. Due to this, the device is used in garage conditions.
Rolling equipment must not be used in the event of distortions and changes in the body geometry.
Do-it-yourself floor slip for body repair is a compact and effective equipment for restoring a car body in a garage or workshop. If there is no need to use a pulling mechanism, then the rails are used for other purposes.
The frame slip belongs to the professional type of exhaust mechanisms. The main difference from other types is that frame fixtures have a complex design.
The exhaust mechanism allows you to repair different car models. The machine is fixed to a frame that is highly durable. With the help of a force directed in different directions, the body deformations of mild and moderate severity are pulled out.
To save space in a workshop or garage, as well as to facilitate the process of restoring the car body, they purchase body repair stands equipped with a lift.
The platform slipway for body repair is a complete professional equipment. Devices of this type are used to straighten damage to the body of any car, including frame SUVs.
The design of the pulling mechanism consists of special rails and an entry bridge-base. The car drives into it on its own, or it is pulled in there if the car is not on the move. The platform is equipped with various devices and fastening mechanisms that securely fix the vehicle on the slipway.
Platform devices have hydraulic metal stands, a winch, power and pull-out units. The beams of the device allow you to effortlessly move heavy structures in any direction. The platform leveling stand has a telescopic scale, with the help of which accurate calculations and measurements are carried out.
The disadvantages of the platform exhaust mechanism include large dimensions and high cost of equipment. It is used in large car maintenance services.
Making a homemade body straightening slip will save you money as they are expensive. When designing, you should take into account the dimensions of the future fixture for car repair and create a drawing of the device. It can be ordered from specialists, or you can find it ready-made on the Internet. Depending on the type of the exhaust mechanism, the set of tools and materials that will be needed differs.
To make a mobile body straightening device yourself, you will need:
From a profile with a thickness of more than 4 mm, you need to create a frame with dimensions twice the dimensions of the machine.
The structure is reinforced with cross members and corner pieces. The cross members will fix the car. Exhaust mechanisms are also attached to them.
To make the structure mobile, four wheels are attached to the bottom.
To be able to lift the car onto the frame, a gangway is constructed. On the one hand, they will have a special plug, and on the other, a removable section necessary for lifting the vehicle.
The design is equipped with a bench vise or special clamps. They are needed to securely fix the machine.
VIDEO
In order for the structure to serve for a long time, it is covered with a layer of primer and painted.
When designing a straightening stand with your own hands, the channel is concreted, and also reinforced with cross members of a rigid structure. The optimal material for creating a "stationary" is a metal profile with a section of 40 by 80 mm. The length is determined depending on the dimensions of the vehicle.
Further, along the perimeter of the frame, four fasteners are installed, which are designed for the vice clamping the machine. They move perpendicular to the channel, thanks to which damage of any size can be repaired. The car is installed on a body repair stand using a jack: first, the front of the car is raised, then the rear. In the garage or auto repair shop, you will need to mount the special eyes required to attach the chain.
To facilitate the process of raising the car, a homemade lift is used. It is done using a winch and a special platform.
A slipway is a necessary equipment for do-it-yourself body repair. The device removes damage to the car body. When self-restoring the machine body, the exhaust mechanism is also necessary.
We are talking about a device used when performing work on the repair of an automobile body. Such equipment allows you to correct its serious damage, change the size and configuration of some elements. The desired result is achieved through the use of multidirectional forces acting on a well-fixed machine. Factory equipment is quite expensive, it is much cheaper to make a slip for body repair with your own hands.
The principle of operation is the same for all devices. To restore the geometry of the body, it is fixed on one or more sections of the slipway. Then the car mechanic, using a pulling device and applying force with the help of hydraulic devices, pulls out the deformed elements. If a slipway is made in the garage with your own hands, then this is, as a rule, a simple system that has one exhaust mechanism. There are several of them in the factory equipment.
There are four types of structures in total, each of which is used in certain conditions. Some types of equipment can be made by yourself. How are the slipways used today characterized?
They are distinguished by the possibility of using them to restore the body of a wide variety of cars. The devices available on the slipway allow you to fix the car without flanging the sills.The rolling equipment is compact, so it can be used in a confined space - that is, it makes sense to make a slipway for body repair with your own hands in order to install it in the garage. The disadvantage of this equipment is that it cannot be used in the presence of distortions and changes in the geometry of the body.
It assumes the presence of a rail along which the retractable devices move. This design helps to carry out repairs of varying complexity, since the mechanisms move to any point in the slipway. Pros of outdoor equipment:
relatively low cost;
operational installation;
small footprint;
ease of manufacture: you can make a do-it-yourself floor slip for body repair;
if necessary, you can remove the retractable devices and use the floor (the rails are at the same level with it) for placing equipment or other purposes.
The downside is the inconvenience of measuring individual body elements and its overall geometry.
VIDEO It uses a metal frame on which the machine is secured with chains. Despite the fact that such slipways are used when straightening not too severe damage, structurally frame equipment is more complex. The body is fixed at the required height and in the required position by means of clamps, and the deformed part is straightened by chains connected to a hydraulic power device.
To simplify lifting, auto frame slipways are often used in conjunction with scissor lifts. The advantages of these designs:
access to the car underbody and various elements located below;
the ability to perform body work at different heights.
Frame slips do not take up much space, however, they cannot be used to correct serious deformations, since the number of pull-out points is small. Therefore, it makes sense to use such structures during straightening and other simple damages.
The most popular are platform or frame structures. This is due to the simplicity of their manufacture, compact dimensions and relatively large functionality. Finding suitable drawings on the Internet today will not be difficult. The best option is to measure the finished factory slip and focus on its design. The main requirement here is the dimensions, which must correspond to the area of the workshop or garage. The recommended dimensions of the slipway are 4.5 × 1.85 m. Externally, this is a structure where one frame is inserted into another.
You will need a welding machine, a hydraulic device, a grinder, a drill with drills, a spray gun or paint brushes. From the materials you need to purchase:
profile pipe 40 × 80 mm (calculate the length in accordance with the drawing, taking into account the lintels) with a thickness of 4 mm;
metal for making scarves (thickness 4 mm);
clamping devices (you can buy factory ones, but if this is not possible, then how to make them yourself will be described below);
bolts, nuts;
primer;
plain or powder paint.
First, the outer frame is welded from the profile, then the inner frame is attached to the finished structure. It is necessary to boil from above and below, turning the structure over. Do not forget to use gusset reinforcements in the corners of the structure to increase its rigidity. When in doubt about the strength of the frame, weld a pair of crossbeams in the middle. When the frame is ready, you need to attach the legs to it from below in order to adjust the horizontal position of the device. To do this, you can use bolts 15 cm long and 24 nuts, which are welded at the corners of the structure. If you want, instead of hardware, install wheels - you get a movable slipway. This makes sense if you have a perfectly flat floor or if you put the structure on rails that are in a strictly horizontal position.
If it is not possible to purchase ready-made clamping clamps, then they can be made independently from the railway platforms, by means of which the rails are attached to the sleepers. Cut each of them in half and weld metal onto the inside, which, with the help of a grinder, cut into diamonds. Leave the outer side as it is, so that when installed on the car sills, their outer side is not damaged. Also weld a 4 mm thick plate onto the inside. This is necessary so that the clamping part evenly fixes the threshold and does not warp.
VIDEO You will need 1 cm thick steel. Cut rectangles 200 mm wide and 350 mm long. Weld vertical racks with a height of 300 mm to the resulting sites, do not forget about triangular reinforcing jibs made of the same metal. For the manufacture of upper clamps with a length of 200 - 250 mm, it is best to use fragments from KAMAZ springs 1.5 cm thick. Holes for fastening bolts must be burned in them.
VIDEO Align the frame straight to the level to keep it level. Further:
attach the uprights to the frame with bolts and nuts;
set the height with a level: paws should be on it;
focusing on it, weld the clamping clamps.
The last stage is cleaning the structure from rust, priming, followed by painting.
Here you can use factory hydraulic devices or a homemade mechanism. In any case, the capacity should be 1.5 - 2 tons. To fasten the pulling structures, use a strip made of a channel and installed on the frame of the slipway. To ensure that the pulling mechanism and chains can be positioned anywhere, drill holes in the frame around the entire perimeter of the structure.
If you prefer a do-it-yourself rack design, it is better to use a tower device. Although heavier than other varieties, it provides uniform traction throughout the entire height.
Using a standard hydraulic pump is not the best solution. It is much more reliable to make such a unit from a jack with a lifting capacity of 8 tons. We'll have to modernize the central cylinder, replacing it with a suitable tube. This is necessary to increase the volume of the liquid to be poured by 300 - 400 ml. Make a breather in the upper part of the jack near the fitting (you can use a grease gun bent at 90 degrees). And to make it more convenient to work, instead of the bypass bolt, for which you need a key, install a “butterfly” that can be turned off by hand.
To do this, place a slipway under the vehicle in need of repair. Raise one side with jacks. Now, using the adjusting screws, adjust the feet to the thresholds, lower the machine onto the clamps and tighten them well. And so with the other two paws. The jacks can be removed.
Self-production of the slipway is an economically profitable business. In addition, it is not so difficult to build a structure, adhering to the above recommendations, especially if you have the skills of a locksmith and a welder. In addition to the multiple difference in price compared to factory samples, you will soon be able to justify your expenses: body repair is a rather expensive service.
On our forum, and on the forums of our friends, auto repairmen, questions about the manufacture of a slipway for body repair in our garage constantly pop up. Many people try to do it with their own hands, but sometimes new knowledge is required, solutions to possible mistakes, and you have to look for help from your colleagues.
Usually, two versions of homemade slipways are considered: mobile and stationary (concrete floor).
In this article, I tried to compile useful information, from our forum, including: tips, drawings, photos for making a slipway and give an impetus to those who are not yet fully confident in their abilities and are afraid to start making it on their own.
Here is such a slipway made by our member of the forum Yevsey.
The design of the light and mobile Finnish slipway Autorobot micro A was taken as a basis.
The main materials used in the manufacture of steel are channel # 10 and # 12.
Below in the photo are the main nodes of the slipway.
An important detail of the slipway is the grips of the rapids, a kind of vise. For their manufacture, sheet steel with a thickness of 16 mm was used. The width of the sill grips is 150 mm, the tightening bolts are 12 mm, and the bushings are 14 mm. The springs were used from the classic Vase valves. The jaws of the grippers are made of a metal rasp.
To work with this slipway, hydraulics from a set designed for 10 tons are used.
And here is the actual scheme itself with the dimensions of the slipway.
To simplify the work, special stands were welded with the car entering them in front or back, and it became easier, as well as much faster, to bring the slipway under the belly of the car.
This construction of the slipway has the ability to put an adaptation to pull it down. To do this, you need to modernize it a little by placing a slide roller under the chain links.
Cons and pros of this do-it-yourself slipway design. It may be worth considering them if you repeat this or a similar design.
There are only two sill grips and there is no height adjustment.
The lock for turning the boom horizontally: there was iron 5 mm, you need at least 10-15 mm.
During operation, weaknesses began to emerge, which were strengthened.
The length of the telescopic boom is in principle excessive, so it can be made shorter.
How to hook the car to the thresholds from below with these grippers if they do not have a flange, for example, a BMW type car? To do this, you will need special adapters that cost quite a lot of money (there are homemade options).
Both a plus and a minus can be considered the mobility of the slipway and the ability to turn it in different directions, but in a small garage, there will be a problem with movement.
General impressions of Evsey (the author of the project) from working with his slipway:
In general, beauty, the car is dead on the slipway, the hydraulics pulls extremely easily, as if you were not pulling iron, but cardboard or paper. Before that I used an ordinary winch, so I can compare and say that this is heaven and earth. The slipway has established itself as a real hard worker, the score is 5 plus, very mobile and reliable.
You can read the details and discussion of this design on our forum here.
As one of the options for a small homemade slipway for use in a garage, below in a video from Boris AvtoDok, where he talks in detail about his design.
VIDEO
In the second video, the mistakes that were already revealed during the work, how he fixed them and what alterations he made.
VIDEO
And now, we smoothly moved on to the stationary slipway, or, as it is also called, the floor one.
If I had originally built this garage for body repair, then I would have concreted the channels along the entire length of the inspection pit, and to these channels I would have anchored the grips for the sills of the car. And the traction boom would also be attached to the anchor fasteners.
What is the most important thing in the slipway? The most important thing is that it is possible to securely fix the car and even then it can be pulled in any direction, of course, if the construction of the slipway allows.
I cannot offer any drawings for such a slipway, becauseI don’t have my own, but for every master, if the slipway is not purchased, but made with his own hands, then it was made according to the principle of his vision of the situation (tasks to be solved, source materials, garage size, finances and other "wishes").
Basically, these are channels welded and embedded in concrete with a cut for fastening various devices (grips of thresholds, "tower").
The construction of a homemade floor slipway in the video from Ivan from Nizhny Novgorod. Three-part video.
Part one - general design and budget.
VIDEO
Part Two - Benefits.
VIDEO
Part three - Drawings and full layout.
VIDEO
If you are going to make a floor slip with your own hands, then approach this issue thoughtfully and purposefully. Throw in a sketch depending on the size of your garage and the proposed work, decide on a list of necessary materials, think about how and where you can save money.
It will not be superfluous to get acquainted with the various designs of homemade slipways, of which you can find plenty of them on the Internet. And take the best from them, taking into account the mistakes and shortcomings - learn from other people's mistakes!
How to make a body repair slip at home?
Homemade slipway, pros and cons of the device
What is needed to create a slipway
How to create a slipway with your own hands, step by step
A "slipway" is a special device presented in the form of a platform for repairing the body of vehicles in order to restore their original geometry. The desired result is achieved by multidirectional forces that act on a firmly fixed vehicle. A high-quality factory slipway is quite expensive, therefore, to perform various repair activities, some motorists resort to creating such an assistant on their own. As practice shows, such a solution is cheaper than a ready-made version.
A slipway is an equipment that can be used both for repairing passenger cars and for eliminating breakdowns of large vehicles, you just need to choose the right type of device. So, for today, there are three main options for stocks.
platform slip for body repair is distinguished by its versatility , as it allows you to perform a variety of types of repairs. The main component of such a product is a hydraulic device, and its advantage is that the damaged part of the body can be pulled out in all directions. In addition, the range of repair interventions is also expanding due to a reliable fastening system. The main disadvantages of platform slipways include their overall size.
Floor slipway for body repair, it provides for the presence of a rail in the floor along which the retractable mechanisms move.
The frame structures are based on a metal frame where the machine is fixed with chains. In most cases, such equipment is used during minor repairs. From a constructive point of view, frame slipways have a more complex device and have special grips for securely fixing the machine body in the required position and at a certain height. The body is secured in the slipway using special clamps, while the damaged part is pulled out by chains extending from the power device.
The main advantage of such slipways is free access to the underbody of the vehicle, its constituent parts, as well as the ability to carry out all work at different heights. Like the previous version, frame devices do not take up much space in the garage and are characterized by mobility. The main disadvantage of this type of slipway is the lack of the possibility of leveling complex defects, which is explained by the limited number of drawing points. It is this fact that led to the fact that the scope of the product is limited to simple repair work and straightening of light damage to car bodies.
The last two options are rarely found in ordinary workshops, since they belong to the category of professional equipment. Such devices use a very complex database and measuring equipment, but if you need to perform body repairs in your own garage, then you can create a not so complex device yourself.
All types of slipways for body straightening, including those made by hand, are capable of developing an effort from 1.5 to 5 tons , thanks to which the device is perfect for use on all types of cars (video procedures are easy to find on the net).
First of all, you need to find suitable drawings that will not be difficult to find on the Internet. After that, the preparatory stage begins, which includes the selection of the necessary tools and materials. In particular, the creation of a homemade slipway for body repair will require metal profiles (used to create the base of the structure), longitudinal profiles for posts, metal corners to strengthen the structure, a welding machine, bolts and nuts, fastening mechanisms, primer, powder paint, spray gun, hydraulic devices, powerful chains and hooks.
To fix the vehicle on the slipway, you need to develop a fastening system, or simply follow the directions of the selected drawing. It is best to make fasteners with the ability to change the height.
After all the materials have been prepared, you can proceed to the direct manufacture of the slipway. First, thoroughly degrease all the elements and cover them with a primer. You can also paint the parts with powder paint right away, although this action is often postponed until later.
At the next stage, the metal corners are welded to the base profile, and then the longitudinal part, which plays the role of a stand, is also welded (in addition, you need to fasten the profile with bolts). After that, power and retractable devices, chains and hooks are installed.
The thickness of the metal profile (or, as it is also called, the channel) must be at least 4 mm, and the finished frame must be 1.5-2 times larger than the dimensions of the serviced machines. For greater rigidity of the structure, the frame is reinforced with metal corners, and this can be done either with the end sides or with the entire structure.
Several cross members must be welded across the frame, which will give the slipway even greater rigidity. In addition, it will be possible to attach a drafting device to it or fix a car.
In order to make it possible to easily move the frame slip, it is recommended to weld the wheels to it. The power struts, through which the pulling force is created, are attached to the holes drilled in the frame (they are made as needed).
In order to ensure reliable fixation of repaired cars, you can use a locksmith's vice, but it is better to purchase special clamps.
Another important point is the size of the do-it-yourself slipway. So, for example, frames with parameters 180x80 cm are placed between the wheels of the vehicle for its entire length, but with its help it will not be possible to correct significant damage, although it is quite suitable for repairing thresholds, struts or other similar parts.
In order not to be mistaken in your decision, the geometry and dimensions of the structure can be borrowed from ready-made, factory models. Some are ideal for garage work.
Now you know how you can independently and without large material costs make a slipway for body repair right in your garage.
VIDEO
We all know that repairing serious damage to the body without a slipway is quite difficult. But if the workshop is small, then it is difficult to pull the cost of a branded slipway. This material is for those who still intend to perform complex bodywork with relatively low equipment costs - now do it yourself no problem.
I have worked with various straightening systems in due time. From super modern to regular garage mortgages. When it came time to think about making a straightening system on my own, my choice fell on a floor system. Well, firstly, saving usable space and secondly, the reality to bring the plan to the end.
The frame was taken as a basis from the factory slipway, purchased from the closing service station. There was no additional equipment for the frame, so it was sold to us almost at the price of scrap metal - that's why make the slipway yourself it will be not only interesting, but also profitable.
After going through many possible options, I decided to build on the Canadian WEDGE CLAMP slipway system. I liked it for its simplicity and reliability. Since the purpose of the numerous holes in the frame was not known, it was decided to weld on the back of the nuts for attaching various body attachments.
Further, the frame was concreted into the floor, naturally pre-positioned ideally at the floor level.
Around the frame, at an equal distance, 18 pieces of square pipe were concreted (later it turned out that 12 pipes could be dispensed with). In which the loops for fastening the chains were welded, so that with two chains it was possible to fasten the tower anywhere around the car.
Clamps are ordinary, purchased in a specialized store. The brackets for fastening to the floor are welded: the stand is made of steel round timber with a diameter of 30 mm, the base is sheet metal 10 mm thick and the whole structure is reinforced with scarves made of metal 8 mm thick. At the base there are slots for adjusting the width of the car.The tower was made from a channel and a 14th I-beam.
And finally, I will note that I am not a professor of technical sciences, and it is quite possible that somewhere I did not quite clearly express my thoughts. Ask questions in the comments. What is not clear - I will explain, additional photos will be needed - I will post it.
And the most important thing is that I am not in any way claiming the “Best slipway system” award, I just shared information on how to make do-it-yourself slipway ... Look at another author's version of a homemade slipway. This is for those who love to criticize someone else's work so much, and do not share their best practices 🙂
P.S.
Video (click to play).
PS. PS.
