Best way to jack up DC

[ddthomas2]

What is the best, fastest, and easiest way to jack up a DC to change blades? I have seen pics of people jacking them under the front roller, but I am afraid this might damage some of the deck suspension parts. I also have seen "dollies" that lift the mower by the front lip of the deck, but I have the same concern. We sometimes run the mower up on the tailgate of the trailer or a curb. This works OK, but I would like to get it a little higher. I do not have a convenient place to lift it from above such as with a hoist. Help????

[DC Service]

You can jack it up by the front bumper,but be careful the unit does not roll off the jack.I would also recommend using jackstands before you get under the machine.If you use an A frame jack you can get it up high enough to do any maint(deck scraping changing blades etc.) Good luck! :)

[mowon]

I found out that my jack won't go up high enough when you use the bumper.
You could use car ramps. I never tried them. What I do is drive up the trailer ramp with half the mower hanging off the edge.

[Rich DTLC]

I use the trailer tailgate, works great for me. I can quickly change blades out in the field if necessary this way. When I get around to building a shop, I'll have something else to do it with then, a chain hoist or a lift.

[Fine Lines Lawn]

I use a floor jack to jack them up under the front roller then place a jack stand under the front frame right behind the bumper. The floor jack then moves on to jack another one up.

[leadarrows]

I have a chain host. I use a nylon strap on the front bumper and host the front up. I pull my DC slightly past center of the chain so when I pull it up it doesn't try to pull it forward. Works really well for me. I got the chain host at an auction for $35.00.

[Lpweve]

I've been using a High-Lift jack under the front bumper for a number of years.
It works better on the round bumper than the new square one which is closer to the frame but it did work on an XT3200-72 that I demoed last month.

http://www.hi-lift.com/casting.htm

[philip]

I put my front two caster wheels on my trailer gate then i take a ol jack and put that under the gate and raise it up and then it can take the mower up to about 3 feet and that is high enough to do anything u want under there.

[DanK]

All I can say is that there is something in final stages of protoype. It will be SAFE, STABLE, STRONG, and give plenty of room to work under. It may have other features. It will be a SYSTEM....so to speak. Maybe it will be available by next season. It is not my product and wouldn't feel right to tell any more than what I have. I will update you as I am told that I am allowed. ;)

[DC Service]

You can also have someone stand on the rear bumper to offset the weight of the machine and pick up the machine by the front bumper and slide a jackstand under the frame.Or a metal milk crate under a front tire. :D

[PROMOWER]

Superjack by ballard Ind. 2 seconds and your DC is 2 feet off the ground, no clearance issues, can get a 3 blades off with nothing in yor way!!!

[2manymowers]

Superjack by ballard Ind. 2 seconds and your DC is 2 feet off the ground, no clearance issues, can get a 3 blades off with nothing in yor way!!!

I just looked up the website. No price listed. How much ?

Thanks,
TMM

[PROMOWER]

I think they retail for $285.00 don't know if you can buy direct or have to go through a dealer. JOHN

[DanK]

That's a motorcycle jack, right?

[GrassGuy]

Jungle Jack made by Jungle Jim. http://www.junglejimsap.com/

[cclllc]

I use a chain hoist.If you have a garage I would get one.It has been one of my best investments besides an air air compressor.I just took a 6x6 timber up to the attic and secured it to the joists cross ways of course and secured a short chain around it to hang the hoist on.I had to cut a 4 inch hole in the ceiling also.DuH.I got the hoist from harbor freight for around 35 bucks.I think it is a 2 ton hoist.I make sure to wrap the chain around the frame for safety and not just hook it somewhere.I used to use a jack stand but it was too dangerous because I would turn it on it's end and manually lift the mower onto the ramp.It was killing my back.

[cclllc]

Here's mine.

[lbilawncare]

We use an engine hoist that we put an air powered ram on. We hook it to the front bumper and it gives us plenty of clearance to scrape the deck and change the blades without actually getting under the mower.

[Lawngodfather]

3 ton floor jack...

Way overboard..............................

[DanK]

Anyone see the DC bumper/jack, the DC lockdown (for trailer), and the rolling version of a shop type jack (DC also, but may make adapter's for other mowers) my Father-in-law demonstrated at the EXPO DC setup? It was extremely well received and was asked if hundereds were available for immediate shipment. He's in the CAD stage right now to get the mass manufacturing specs down on paper. Patent Pending.

[Rich DTLC]

I saw some of his stuff at the outside booth. I could see some use for a jack at times.

[DanK]

One thing that may be a possibility is that it may become standard on the DC and it will be investigated on doing the jack in stainless to resist corrosion. The stainless would be nice looking also, but we are trying to keep the price down. So it will depend on production cost.

For those who do not know, the jack mentioned above bolts in place of the stock smallish bumper. A receiver is also mounted to the frame in front of the battery. That is where the jack's (both models) attach to DC. For those not as familiar with the DC's it may not be so easily noticeable that the stock bumper is gone and the Bumper/Jack is in place. It is noticeably thicker. BTW, not sure if that is the final name. If it even has one. That is just what we have called it.

[Crabgrassman]

Hey Dan, don't tease us, fess up a few pictures. Oh yeah, it has to be stainless, my current bumper is stainless.

[DanK]

Hey Dan, don't tease us, fess up a few pictures. Oh yeah, it has to be stainless, my current bumper is stainless.

Sorry guy, i guess it is a tease. Thing is, the camcorder the pics are on are in Ky. I am stationed in WPAFB, Oh. Basically Dayton. I think Tim may be able to put a pic on the internet, assuming he is ready to, but I don't know how to put it on the forum. New to that. I'll try to remember to mention it to him in a few weeks when I go back down there.

The bumper/jack would look especially good in stainless, I would just worry if that would jack up the price too much for some and price ourselves outta the market. One thing, this jack is stable (we have shook the hell outta it trying to demonstrate to DC it holds up) and will jack it up til the chopper hits the back bumper to the ground. It will make plenty of clearance for changing blades and cleaning.

The shop jack's best home would be best for...shops. But it too has been tested in the dirt to show stability. Some will question why the use of a 3 ton ram that's about a couple of feet tall. Simple. It was the only thing we could find, already produced that would raise the DC enough to get that great of clearance. Overkill is a plus for the safety factor too I guess. The shop jack has a fixed angled handle at the top and two large wheels to make it easier to roll over irregularities in the ground and concrete. Again, I apologize that this is the best I can do right now. I will keep everyone posted.

[pols497]

I welded a female receiver onto the front part of my frame and that is where I install all my different attachments like a fert spreader and a 25 gal sprayer and a 5 gal bucket to pickup trash on the fly. I also built a articulating stand that goes into the receiver at any location I'm at and I stand in front of the mower with just a little throttle and the lift catchs on the concrete or the ground and stands right up to the point that it breaks over then I set the break and kill the engine and all I have in my way is 1 piece of 2 inch square tubing on the ground. Easy to work around and get underneath and replace blades or whatever you need.

[Fine Lines Lawn]

Pols, we'd love a picture please.

[DanK]

Just a small update...

The final CAD drawings are being made for the two jacks.

[pols497]

Pictures are forthcoming soon

[daren_r]

I have seen people mount hydraulic jacks to the front bumper. I don't own a dixie but rather a Gravely. They have a good set up on their hydraulic lift decks. They have a jack that plugs into a small receiver on the side of the deck. once you lock in place, start the engine and then hit the lever to raise the deck. gets it maybe a foot or so off the ground. Enough to get under it if you have a short impact wrench or want to power was under the deck. Maybe Dixie should look into somehting like that?

[Blades]

I finally got around to modifying my floor jack to jack up my DC. I used a plate from an old jack and welded a 1/4 x 2 inch "A" frame 11" tall to it. Works Great!!!

[DanK]

The site is under construction so please ignore the Hobby topics because it's a pre setup template his host provides. Go to the "About Us" page to read about Superior Systems, Tim, and why he disigned the "Dixie Lift". More info will be coming soon and I will update this thread when able. To find out more, feel free to call Tim at (270) 358-0401 www.superiorsystems1.com

[Blades]

some pics would be nice. :headscra:

[DanK]

some pics would be nice. :headscra:Yeah, sorry about that. We tried and all we get are the white blocks with red x's so far, same for the nav bar on that page too. :headscra: We aren't web gurus and will have to get the host to walk us through the problem. We'll get right back on the horse soon. Again, I apologize, but I promise that this is a product that anyone will enjoy having. It will lift the DC with lots of clearance, stability, safety, and convenience.

You will have the jack with you wherever you mow. If you get some twine rapped up in the blades out in a field, it'll take you less than a minute to jack up the DC in the middle of nowhere. :) No need to go back to the truck.

When you are ready to load up, ride the DC onto the trailer (open trailer right now), line the Dixie Lift's hitch up with the lock, push up on the Dixie Locker's handle with your hand or foot and let it back down. The D Locker will lock the DC into position. The Dixie Lift and Dixie Locker work together as a system.

I got the prototype from Tim and I love it. I line it up,lock it in place, then set the DC brake and jump off the mower. Too easy.

I'll pass on to Tim about the urgent need to post pics. I understand, I'd want to see it too. I'll keep everyone updated. Later

[DanK]

Here's some pics.

[DanK]

Here is the Dixie Locker.
Call Tim at Superior Systems for more information. (270) 358-0401

[PROMOWER]

Lockdown is a good idea, unfortunately the Pro-lockers are the choice of LCO's in our area beause of this ONE BIG FACT: The rider is the last machine to get loaded on the trailer. All the walk behinds go first. If you have multiple riders, the last one is the one that need to be tied down. Cut grass for over 10 years before I became a dealer. Guys are too lazy to unload the walk behinds to get the rider!!! Put a couple of the same principle jacks on for customers(on Bobcats and Dixies) using a swing down trailer hitch bolted to the front bumper. Swings out of the way when not in use, flip it down and jack it up. Have also set up some Dixies to lock by the scalp roller bracket on the left side of mower, off the side of the trailer, again because the riders go in the back of the trailer(at least in our area)

[DanK]

We are prototyping the rear loaded rider lock down, Tim says.