OK, Just got the OK from wife to install a two post lift in my garage! :thumbup:

The question is which one should I get? I have a 4+ car garage with an extension at one end which will be the space for the lift as shown below. This space measured 14' wide and 9' tall. I thought 9' was a pretty tall finished ceiling but most two post lift I seen are taller than 9' and use 220V. I am looking for a 120V two post lift that are less than 9' tall. Any suggestions? I will clean up all my crap and move it into mooty's garage before install lol



Maxjax is interesting but I want something beefier that can do this

 

Lucky man, I tried to get the blessing and I got a look and knew what it meant.

 

 

i think you need earthquake insurance with two-post lifts.
go with four-post.

 

Definitely go four post. Buddylift is down the street from me and I have heard goodnthings about them.

 

LOL

No earthquake here at Rocklin

I heard good stuff about the backyard-buddy 4 post lift. They even come with wheels so you can move it around and double as a trailer lol

problem with 4 post lift is how do you jack up the car so wheels are off the platform for brake and suspension work

 

sliding jacks. check this out.

http://www.directlift.com/Pro-Jack-3500-P45C18.aspx

 

Winner^

 

Nice. So you need two of them that adds up to $1K on top of the 4 post lift. Backyard-buddy has something similar but operate on hydraulic and cost $1500 ...ouch

What 4 post lift do you have in mind?

 

Quick question. Are you buying this for storage, service or both. If it is only for service then you might actually be better off with the 2 post. Something I did not think about when you first posed the question.

Here is Bendpack

http://www.bendpak.com/car-lifts/four-post-lifts/

They make 2 post lifts as well.

Here are the Backyard Buddy Lifts

http://www.backyard-buddy.com/

 

The Backyard Buddy is made here in Ohio, USA. IMO it is the best 4-post lift available.

For my application I use a 120VAC 2-post asymmetric lift. I am doing more "wheels off" stuff and even though that can be accommodated with a 4 post configuration it requires a bit more effort to achieve.

If you go 2-post (asymmetric or symmetric) I will share with you a few issues to consider so you can avoid the consequences of ignoring them.

First make certain the area you install the lift in has a floor that is level. This may seem obvious but not for the reason you may think. The levelness of the floor will not prevent you from installing a 2-post lift (just use shims unless the floor is grotesquely out of level). The problem is if the floor falls away to the entrance of the garage (as most do) the arms that lift the rear of the car will be higher than those in the front. If the grade is too steep from back to front you will probably need to drive the front wheels up on ramps so the rear arms can clear the bottom of the car (particularly if it is lowered like most track cars are). Avoid the need for ramps if at all possible because it makes it more complicated to position the car properly each time you lift it.

Second, make certain you know the minimum height of the lift's arms. Not all lifts have low profile arms. Go to your local P-car dealer and see what they use. My dealer uses BendPak lifts because their low profile arms are sufficiently low to lift sports cars.

Third, make certain you know the quality of the concrete of your garage floor. Most reputable lift manufacturers will spec the concrete required to safely support their lifts (not only the concrete mix but also the thickness). Don't assume that your residential garage floor will necessarily be able to meet the correct concrete spec and safely support the lift.

My garage was custom built to accommodate a 2-post lift. I wanted the floor to have a grade ample enough to drain liquid to the floor troughs built into the floor. Unfortunately the grade created the problem I described above that requires me to drive up onto ramps prior to lifting the car. We did properly spec the concrete and after nearly 4 years and hundreds of lift operations (we have 7 vehicles that I service routinely) we have had no degradation of the concrete to which the lift is mounted.

Good luck with your search. I have benefited from many of your posts and I know you will enjoy the utility that a good lift will bring to your workshop.

 

i like either bendpak or directlift. i haven't mentioned any of this to my wife yet. remember all that crap on one side of my garage? i'm going to lift them high so no one can see. that's what i'll tell her.

if you're going to install the lift yourself, make sure to plan well how to handle shipping. the delivery guy is not going to unload your 1500-2000 lbs shipment off his truck for you and he is not going to wait for you to unload it piece by piece. at least that's what i've read.

 

LOL

mooty told me we can store our crap in his garage

You will be amaze what couple Ben Franklin can do to help unload the lift. In my case, no amount of uncle Ben will get these lift up my driveway

 

It's for service and DIY so two post lift will be better ... but having extra storage space will be awesome too!

Excellent suggestions and appreciate your feedback!

I have no clue as to the depth or strength of my garage floor concrete. One thing I know is that my house is build on a hill and the custom home builder had to dig into the bedrock and drill super deep post to anchor the house (Rocklin got it's name from having tons of rocks underneath the soil when the last glacier melted around the Sierra). I hope he exercise same care when he pour the concrete. My garage floor is pretty flat and I think I am OK there. I will have some garage lift co come out and check my concrete first before I buy any 2 post lift.

What is the name of your lift that use 120V? I could not find nay that use 120V online

 

I just went down this road. Dave Shedlock, Workshop Depot, 1-877-533-7524 (Workshopdepot.com) was great to work with.

2 post requires bolt in and must have *at least* 4" thick concrete to anchor to.

4 post doesn't have to be anchored, but believe me you *WILL* want to anchor it.

4 post for storage and work. 2 post for work.

Use a professional installer who will also handle delivery. Don't even think about trying to receive the shipment unless you also have a forklift in your garage.

Install is a 2-3 man job.

110v/120v is available for custom spec (I did it). The drawback vs 220v is lift is slower to raise due to less motor rpm's. I am fine with my speed.

Some lifts need a compressed gas source to activate the safety catch releases. I use a quick disconnect fitting and my nitrogen bottle.

PS- I bought a WalMart scissor jack for $29. Can use jack stands either on the ramps themselves of if you buy the sliding jack tray option.