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CMW E-Lift -- My take on lifting for emergency tire repair

scard

Well Known Member
Advertiser
Those of us that travel much have all thought about what we need to fix a flat away from home. Of course we all carry the requisite tools, but lifting the airplane is a tricky part. This is my lift solution for those emergency cases. It isn't appropriate for normal everyday maintenance, and I still use a wing jack in the hangar. There are a lot of ways to skin this cat. I think I've seen most of them, but this is what gives me some piece of mind when far from home at that desolate fuel stop that had the cheapest fuel, but looks like you just landed on the face of the moon without a soul in sight.

It consists of a lift shaft, a steel bracket bolted to U-403 via some new CNC solid aluminum spacers, and a steel foot with a thrust bearing in the bottom. The bracket is plugged, top and bottom, to keep terrestrial gunk out while hopefully never in use.

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We've made a number of these to spread around and have a few left from the last batch if you're interested here. This only works on round gear legs that use Vans U-403 brake flange, which means 4, 6/6A, 7/7A, 8A, and 9/9A, refer to Vans drawing C2. Pictured is for tricycle gear and we have a different bracket for conventional gear.
 
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order

According to your website you are Out of Stock.

Please put me down on your list as 'wanting to purchase' the next time you make a production run.

Bill Hempel
 
Your website states there is plenty of clearance within Vans standard pressure recovery wheel pants. Have you had an opportunity to test fitment with Vans original one piece wheel pant? Thinking RV-4 application. Looks like a great product! Steve
 
Just an idea but looks like you could thread a short piece of the same threaded rod into the bottom of the axle / flange adapter part and use a floor jack for regular wheel maintenance. The problem with a floor jack has always been no place to support the cradle. But , still great " off the grid" wheel jack idea.
 
Does not work on the 8? Just the 8A correct?

Correct, it will work on the 8A but not the 8.

Your website states there is plenty of clearance within Vans standard pressure recovery wheel pants. Have you had an opportunity to test fitment with Vans original one piece wheel pant? Thinking RV-4 application. Looks like a great product! Steve

We haven't had an opportunity to test fit the E-Lift with an original one piece wheel pant.
 
Successful Launch

Thank you so much to our VAF family for the incredible response. We sold out in just a few hours, and then the emails starting flowing in letting us know there is still plenty of interest. If you want to be sure to get product with the next run, please send an email to [email protected] and include whether you'd need a nosegear or tailwheel version.
 
How much does the entire kit weigh?

Everything shown (minus hardware) weighs 1.5 pounds. Of that, you can choose to easily leave 3/4# on the ground with your fully stocked tool bag if you know you aren't going far.
 
E-Lifts are back in stock!

We've been busy at Card Machine Works and have been delivering E-Lifts to those that previously expressed interest and a few who contacted us in the meantime because they were in the middle of a tire change operation and it was the perfect opportunity for an install. Now we have a good supply ready to ship for those that have been waiting patiently.

There are nosewheel and tailwheel versions, fitting 4, 6, 6A, 7, 7A, 8A, 9, and 9A.

The order page can be found here: https://elift.cardmachineworks.com/product/e-lift/.

Additional details and information: https://elift.cardmachineworks.com
 
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Flat insurance

I was a lucky buyer of an E-Lift from the first run. I’ve been concerned about how I/we would change a flat at a remote location. I’ve installed the E-Lift on N174RT a hope/think/except that the E-Lift along with a spare tube and tools to replace a tube will mean that flat tires are a thing of the past for N174RT. It took me about an hour (plus parts cleaning time) to install the E-Lift. I’m very happy with the E-Lift.

The parts for the E-lift are beautifully made. The kit is very complete. As you expect if you who know Scott and Tanya. The E-Lift uses a coupler with ACME threads to distribute the lifting load across more area. The spacer is CNC’ed and should provide more strength than the original individual tubular spacers. The red caps that that I originally received have been replaced with 3D printed, threaded parts. Theses are to keep the threads in the coupler from collecting grime. The attached picture shows the E-Lift holding one tire of N174RT off the ground.

https://elift.cardmachineworks.com/

Background: You may have seen a picture of people lifting Rosie's RV-6A to change a flat during one of his Carribean trips. Scott was present and managed to avoid being in the photo. I don't know if this started him thinking about a way to safely lift the wheel of his -9A to change a flat in the field or if another event got his brain working on a solution........

After Sandy and I woke to a flat main tire while camping at 88AZ, Grapevine Airstrip we REALLY wanted a light jack to carry to places that don't have services. Grapevine is ~50NM flight from Phoenix. 2 hour drive. Grapevine is in a beautiful, remote location. There is NOTHING at Grapevine except a porta can and firewood. Rosie rescued us “on his way” to a formation clinic.

Soctt and Tanya have become good friends since being our flight lead for the 2017 Rosie trip. I've been poking at Scott for most of that time since then "what do you think of this particular solution for jacking an RV in the field?" most of the time I've gotten, something like "not really what I want". One link I sent finally got a "that's interesting and similar to what I've been thinking about for a while”. Not long after that he sent a cad sketch of what has become CMW E-Lift.

When Scott said he was making the first E-lift's I said I wanted a set for my plane. I paid full retail for the E-Lift. At the time I did not know what level of finish the jacks would have. I guessed they might be John Deer green like a stake puller Scott made for me. I did not know CMW would put them into production. I highly recommend the E-Lift.

Regards,
 

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Customer Install

Another one of our customers sent us a picture showing their install of a CMW E-Lift. It was time to replace tires before an upcoming trip, so they took advantage of a perfect opportunity to install an E-Lift.

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What do people do in a desolate location for airing up the tire once changed?? I like this jack solution and will order- but need to know the best and lightest solution.
 
What do people do in a desolate location for airing up the tire once changed?? I like this jack solution and will order- but need to know the best and lightest solution.

Look at what the bicycle/motorcycle set use. I have used bicycle hand pumps and small 12v pumps. You can skeletonize one of the 12v pumps to reduce it's size and weight.
 
What do people do in a desolate location for airing up the tire once changed?? I like this jack solution and will order- but need to know the best and lightest solution.

A super lightweight small bike pump. Weighs almost nothing, no power or wires, and just works. It is pretty cheap and easy to prove in the hangar.
 
What do people do in a desolate location for airing up the tire once changed??

.

I carried a bicycle pump for years. Recently a visiting friend introduced me to a lightweight micro air compressor. Charges from a USB port and could inflate a car tire on a single charge easily. Takes 5-6 minutes to fill main tube to 40 psi on 1/4 charge.
 

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When Scott said he was making the first E-lift's I said I wanted a set for my plane... At the time I did not know what level of finish the jacks would have. I guessed they might be John Deer green like a stake puller Scott made for me...

Regards,

It might be a little off topic, OK maybe A LOT off topic, but this is a result of a call from Roy needing a custom tool. You know, we work in tenths (of thousandths) around here, but due to limitations the measurement we received was oh about the size of a thumb. A little more prodding for a slightly more decipherable measurement, add a couple random scraps of 4130 tubing and a scrap of square steel tubing milled to just the right size, and of course a coat of protection known as John Deere Green. Yes, there is plenty of steel around the shop that is coated in the green goodness.

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I carried a bicycle pump for years. Recently a visiting friend introduced me to a lightweight micro air compressor. Charges from a USB port and could inflate a car tire on a single charge easily. Takes 5-6 minutes to fill main tube to 40 psi on 1/4 charge.


That's neat Vlad, where did you get it?
 
Other manual options

Couple possibilities that are not like a traditional full size hand pump, or classic, arm wrestle, carry along bike pump

Zefal smart pump - folding feet, and by using tube within a tube, (Extends out when operating) the storage length is shortened, ~ $20, less than 2 pounds

Stompump - small foot operated, ~$70+. 4”x4”. 13 oz.


With these you don’t have to worry about making sure the battery is charged in the portable pump,..... ( one read to charge every two weeks)
 
Link?

Include a link to where this is available?
I carried a bicycle pump for years. Recently a visiting friend introduced me to a lightweight micro air compressor. Charges from a USB port and could inflate a car tire on a single charge easily. Takes 5-6 minutes to fill main tube to 40 psi on 1/4 charge.
 
It might be a little off topic, OK maybe A LOT off topic, but this is a result of a call from Roy needing a custom tool. You know, we work in tenths (of thousandths) around here, but due to limitations the measurement we received was oh about the size of a thumb. A little more prodding for a slightly more decipherable measurement, add a couple random scraps of 4130 tubing and a scrap of square steel tubing milled to just the right size, and of course a coat of protection known as John Deere Green. Yes, there is plenty of steel around the shop that is coated in the green goodness.

Ok, I guess it was inevitable... CMW E-Lift steel bracket parts are NOT finished in John Deere Green, but are all powder coated a near perfect color match to Vans white weldament parts :). Case closed, no mystery.

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It has been interesting to watch CMW E-Lift sales distribution between tail dragger versions vs. nosewheel. I felt sure we would sell more of one than the other. As they continue to ship weekly, so far, I'm not seeing a clear pattern.
Our stock of these is now pretty stable while the RV community demonstrates that we're a pretty balanced bunch :).
 
It seems tis the season for people to have their airplanes apart with the wheels and brakes off. Maybe it is condition inspection time across the country. We sure do appreciate the CMW E-Lift orders!
 
Another super easy E-Lift install. The CMW E-Lift continues to ship at a pretty consistent pace. Tail draggers (conventional gear) are winning by about 15% :).

We got a pile of parts back from powder coat the other day. It seems that our friends down under know something about the need for self sufficiency, given the distances that an RV can cover in the outback. There are quite a lot of these out in the world in some very distant places. We appreciate every order.

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E Lift for the RV-10?

Any chance you will make an E Lift to fit the RV-10?

Thanks
 
Another batch of CMW E-Lifts are on the shelf. I believe I've contacted everyone that was on the waiting list. After servicing those that were waiting, there aren't all that many left, so get them while they last or get on the wait list at [email protected]

May you never have a flat tire out in the world, but if you do...
 
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