FEATURE - Flatout Lifting elevated creeper

Photos: Courtesy of Three Point Classic

Ask anyone who’s spent years working on cars, either professionally or recreationally, and they’ll tell you it’s no good for your back. Carmakers do plenty the ensure the comfort of occupants in their vehicles, but that doesn’t extend to those who service them!

If you work on cars a lot, you’ve probably already got a wheeled creeper and if you work in a garage or service centre, you’ll most likely have a hoist as well. They’re both great and make working under cars so much easier, but what about when you need to work OVER cars?

Flatout Lifting has the answer in the form of ‘The Elevated Creeper’.

A Creeper – but Taller

While it’s not a new idea, The Elevated Creeper works on the same sort of principle as an underbody creeper, but offers some key differences.

Originally developed by Nomad Manufacturing in the USA, The Elevated Creeper was designed for easier access to the engine bay in high-riding SUVs and full-size pickups. With these sorts of vehicles becoming increasing common on Aussie roads, The Elevated Creeper makes a lot of sense for our market, too.

Where this product differs from others is its design. Most existing overbody creepers consist of an elevated platform to take your upper body weight, but still require you to bend over, thus putting strain on your back. The Elevated Creeper still has this platform for your torso, but adds a swing-out lower section that raises your legs, so you’re lying prone.

It’s an innovation that makes a significant difference in terms of comfort and the ability to work on a vehicle for extended periods without back strain.

Now in Australia

Three Point Classic, a chain of specialty automotive service centres in Queensland, first became aware of The Elevated Creeper a bit over a year ago. They bought a few units for use at their four outlets and the mechanics took to them immediately.

“We liked them so much that we talked to Nomad Manufacturing about getting distributor rights for Australia,” explained Heath Johnson, Group Parts Manager at Three Point Classic.

Beforehand, Johnson says the service staff at Three Point Classic were standing on tyres, drums or crates in order to get up high enough to work on 4x4s and other raised vehicles, so using The Elevated Creeper is obviously much better from an OH&S point of view.

“We’ve got a couple of older guys here and they now have no dramas with their backs,” Johnson added. “It’s been nothing but positive.”

To serve as official Australian distributors for The Elevated Creeper, Three Point Classic established ‘Flatout Lifting’ and have found many customers for the product in the past year. Johnson says its usefulness doesn’t start and finish over the engine bay, either.

“For spray painters, it’s good for doing the roofs of vehicles. Rather than trying to climb up over a couple of cartons, you can be literally over the top of it.”

The unit is height adjustable, stable, sturdy and can hold up to 158kg, so Johnson says if your mechanics have been on the pies, The Elevated Creeper can handle it!

In the short time it’s been on the Australian market, The Elevated Creeper has proven to have applications outside of automotive, too.

“Boeing bought a few to use on their planes,” Johnson explained. “I’ve seen units used for farming and on production lines. Queensland Rail are using them for locomotive and rolling stock servicing, too.”

The local response has led to requests for additional features, too, like a tool tray. Johnson says these are in development and will likely be offered as optional accessories in the future.

Other future developments include a larger-wheeled version for use on dirt floors.

Access and Convenience

Johnson says The Elevated Creeper is a workshop tool that will pay for itself many times over in terms of worker health and wellbeing and will deliver great benefits in the long run.

“If you’ve got mechanics who are a bit older, or just in general, you are going to be saving their backs, as well as giving them better access to what they’re working on.”

That access is important, as removing the requirement to be clambering onto a vehicle removes the potential for damaging the vehicle, too, from scratching paint to breaking plastics and bending soft-metal components.

The Elevated Creeper is available exclusively from Flatout Lifting, priced from $1,640 (incl. freight).

The Elevated Creeper is available exclusively from Flatout Lifting, priced from $1,640 (incl. freight).

To see a video of the creeper in use and to find out more, call 1300 811 978 or go to: flatoutlifting.com

The Elevated Creeper - How It Works

When packed away, The Elevated Creeper is no larger than a conventional underbody creeper, so its impact on workshop space is minimal.

There are no hydraulics or electrics to complicate things, all the steel is powdercoated and the contact points are padded.

Setting up The Elevated Creeper is easy, too.

1. Start by locking the rear wheels in place, then fold out the lower ladder section.
2. Unstrap the main post that holds the upper ladder and padded top. Fold them out.
3. Fold out the handle which helps pivot the upper ladder. This locks in place with a lynch pin.
4. Fold the padded top out so it’s horizontal. The main post that this and the upper ladder section attach to can then be adjusted to achieve the desired working height – from 1.2 metres to over 2.0 metres.
5. Use the handle to rotate the upper ladder section up, then fold the lower ladder section against the main post.
6. Unlock the rear wheels, roll the creeper into the desired position.
7. Lock the rear wheels, climb the ladders and, standing on the lower rung of the upper ladder, place your body weight on the padded top.
8. Push down on the handle to help raise your legs.
9. Once prone, lock the handle in place with the sliding bolt under the padded top.
10. Start working!