Baller Marco Posted March 29, 2014 Baller Share Posted March 29, 2014 Looking to buy a 12 volt motor for my Hewitt cantilever lift. My neighbor just installed a Boat Lift Boss, but it seems to be really slow. http://hewittparts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25&products_id=31 This lift replaces the wheel and mounts right on the center bolt that the wheel attaches to. Does anyone have feedback on which 12 volt lift works best on manual lifts with a big turning wheel? It seems like the ones that mount on the outer edge of the wheel might have a mechanical advantage over the center mount ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller thager Posted March 29, 2014 Baller Share Posted March 29, 2014 Don't even bother with the outer wheel units. PIA and easy to steal. If you need it to come up quicker add another battery. In my case, I plug in to the boat battery at the accessary power plug to augment. On my Hewitt it only takes a little over a minute on a single battery. Mine is an Extreme Max Boat Lift Boss. Buy a quality deep cycle battery and add the solor charger. I used a Coleman 7 watt solar with built in battery regulator. Never had to take the battery out to recharge it. Always was ready to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller skihacker Posted March 29, 2014 Baller Share Posted March 29, 2014 I've used a lift mate for a few years now. Motor with a rubber pulley that drives the wheel. Works ok but not awesome, found it works a little better with a dedicated battery mounted to the hoist instead of a long chord plugged into boat battery. I use a solar charger to keep the battery charged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Waternut Posted March 29, 2014 Baller Share Posted March 29, 2014 I was too cheap for those expensive custom built motors from Hewitt. I bought an electric hoist from harbor freight and some ATV cogs from northern tool and rigged up a chain drive to the inner portion of the wheel. If you don't have power at your dock and need 12v, you could use an ATV winch instead. I have roughly a 1:1 gear ratio but you could buy whatever you want. The big wheel is already a reduction drive. If you really want to be ghetto, someone sells an adapter that you can use a cordless drill to raise and lower your boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Zman Posted March 29, 2014 Baller Share Posted March 29, 2014 What @thager said - don't waste your money on the outer wheel unit. Go with Lift Tech. Excellent unit, and my 120 volt unit is plenty fast. Just a few minutes to install. Only cost me 640 with kit and shipping. They do make a 12 volt version as well. I have a craftlander vertical lift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Marco Posted March 29, 2014 Author Baller Share Posted March 29, 2014 Thanks for all the input. It sounds like the direct drive unit is the way to go. Which is a better quality unit, the Lift Tech or the Boat Boss? Thanks for the ghetto option @Waternut . I'm not very mechanically inclined, so I'll probably go the easy route and buy one ready made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Marco Posted March 29, 2014 Author Baller Share Posted March 29, 2014 Thanks @ bananaron - email sent... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giddyup Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 i have the lift tech on my hewitt vertical lift, if you run it as 24volt it doubles the speed, i had been 12 with two batteries switched to 24volt, don't go any other way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtallweed Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 @skihacker what about the lift mate did you find " not awesome" . Does the rubber pulley turn the large wheel without slipping ? I do not need something fast. It just has to work. My motor would be 120 volts. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Waternut Posted March 30, 2014 Baller Share Posted March 30, 2014 Trust me...you don't want slow. For the first month or two, you'll be plenty happy that you aren't cranking the boat up by hand. Then after that, you and your crew will start getting impatient. Next thing you know, you're the only one left on the dock with more gear than you can carry in one trip. My crew is pretty good about not leaving me hanging but it can happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Marco Posted March 30, 2014 Author Baller Share Posted March 30, 2014 Yeah- I'm pretty much sold on the Lift Tech with the 24V option. I don't have enough patience to spend 2 minutes cranking my boat up. The youtube video showed it lifting a 5000# boat up in 35 seconds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller 6balls Posted March 30, 2014 Baller Share Posted March 30, 2014 Lift tech is an easy install as well. Mine is a two bolt process which is nice cuz in MN I take it off and store it inside for the winter, then put it back on in the spring. I actually have a shore commander but the unit looks nearly identical to the lift-tech. At "the swamp" we have a rubber wheel on the big wheel set up...better than manual cranking but not nearly as nice as the lift tech. Funny how when I was 30 y.o. I didn't mind manual lifting at all...was so happy to have a boat lift and I could run that sucker to the top in no time. Now I'd be gassed half way up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Marco Posted March 30, 2014 Author Baller Share Posted March 30, 2014 Yeah, I use to look at it as a good arm workout to end the weekend. I'd try to crank the thing all the way up without resting. Now I'm over it. Good advice on removing it for the winter. I'll definitely do that to spare it the harsh Colorado winters (although not as harsh as MN). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Waternut Posted March 30, 2014 Baller Share Posted March 30, 2014 Man clearly I'm a wuss. I couldn't crank mine completely out of the water without stopping in my late 20's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Fine409 Posted March 30, 2014 Baller Share Posted March 30, 2014 @bananaron - I'll shoot you an email as well about that Lift Tech! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtallweed Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 What is the time to raise a vertical lift with a wheel drive verses direct drive? (almost full travel) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller 6balls Posted March 31, 2014 Baller Share Posted March 31, 2014 @bigtallweed won't be able to formally time it til ice out but we have a lift with each system...the direct drive is WAY faster. We use full travel as we put the boats as high as possible under the canopy for protection---windshield frame about an inch from canopy frame. Both are same model vertical lifts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtallweed Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 @sixballs, thanks for the feedback. Aside from being much slower does the wheel drive work correctly and not slip ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller 6balls Posted April 1, 2014 Baller Share Posted April 1, 2014 It doesn't slip with the appropriate tension on the bungee holding it against the wheel unless the big wheel is damp with dew or rain in which case it can slip some. A quick towel on the wheel usually solves that issue. We were not aware of a direct drive 12V when we got it, and are pleased with it over manual winding. We keep a solar panel trickle charge on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countymountie Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 I have the 24 volt Liftech. It's definitely the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller Marco Posted April 2, 2014 Author Baller Share Posted April 2, 2014 I ordered it yesterday. I spoke with Dave, the owner of Lift Tech who was awesome. He got me dialed in with everything I need. Thanks @bananaron for the connection! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtallweed Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Anyone with a vertical lift using there boat now can time the seconds pre foot of lift on a wheel lift, direct drive or side winder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baller jimski Posted April 6, 2014 Baller Share Posted April 6, 2014 @bigtallweed I have the lift tech 12v with a dedicated battery and a solar charger on my lift and it works great not sure about the feet per sec it is a little slower my buddy has the 24 volt twice as fast and also works great I can time it or you can come check it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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