while at 53sled's wedding this weekend we got into a conversation about lifts. and someone is getting quoted now as saying, "you haven't really made it in life until you've got your own lift" so who here has a lift? what do you like, what should you look for, how much do they run, and how easy are they to install four post/two post pros and cons
I have been tossing this around for 2 years...yeah i know time to get off my ass and make a dam decision..i think im going with an asemetrical lift 2 post. 1 reason more room to get around it. not having to run into 2 more posts. Need a good floor for a 2 post. (i got it) 2. less shit on the floor. 3. you can do wheel and tire work and suspension work because its basically hanging. and 4. if you get a good one and it lifts high enough you can put another car under it (when its up) ..oh and 5. under body work is not restricted by the lifts frame work like a 4 post would be. I have asked a bunch of people i know that have both..the guys that have 4 post wish they bought a 2 post asemetrical...the guys that did buy the 2 post lifts love em..I look at it this way. If you are buying it to build and work on your cars the 2 post is the way to go..if you are buying it as a car storrage rack than the 4 post works good for that. personally I think you get more bang for your buck with a two post asemetrical lift..my 2 cents
I have a 4 post alignment lift that is still waiting on me to install in the garage. Once that's done it's on
I had a buddy that would let me use his 2 post... He died, and they sold it off, I am sad... I am sad that he died too.
Von Fink hits the nail on the head as far as styles to consider. Installed mine a year ago. Got it from Greg Smith Equipt in Delaware http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Atlas-Pro-12-Two-Post-Overhead-Automotive-lift-p/tppro-12.htm Toughest thing to do was wait overnight for the concrete sinkers to firm up. Installation of mine was a two man job,sure its the same for most and took a day and a half. Need to have competent electrical skills to tie the motor into your fuse panel. Its great .Greg Smith also does the installs for around $500.00 which I thought is a deal. Course I"m the cheap kinda guy with skills. Oldmics
My father built himself a drive on lift out of angle iron and 10x12's. It is safe and uses a crank from a boat trailer and uses scissor action to lift it, he has been using it for years but only lifts his little British cars with it, it even has a lock system and it only cost him nothing all of the materials were either fished out of a scrap pile or given to him. He didn't build it because he can't afford a real lift, he just likes to engineer things and test himself.
I bought an Eagle 4 post lift about 10 years ago. It wasnt that popular back then for a home owner to have one. I got a killer deal. I got the wide based one so as not to damage doors etc. Also it doesnt obstruct the opening of my bay door. The cost was $2700 delivered. 15,000 lb lift .I assembled it myself with just an engine hoist. Took about 2 hours. I can stick a car under and on top with a 10ft ceiling. Best tool I ever bought!! It was also the cheapest way to gain one more parking space. Eagle also sent me a 20 gallon oil drum/funnel free.
I had a buddy I used to do work for here and there. he was moving and didn't want to pay someone to take down his old lift and move it to his new shop so he gave it to me for $150.00 that he owed me. his shop was across the street from mine so I just unhooked the wires, put it on wheels and rolled it over. I have been spoiled now. I worked at a shop for a while with no lift and rolling around on the floor with the car on tiny jackstands sucked big time. mines a 2 post with the cables going underneath. if I were going to go out and buy one I'd get one with the cables going overhead for 2 good reasons the cover over the cables is about 2.5 inches high, so if you have a low car it is a bitch to get it on the lift because the arms are 2.5 inches higher than they need to be. I've had cars where I needed to jack them up to get them on the lift. another thing is if you are putting a car that does not run on the lift you need to push it over this giant bump in the floor. if I were installing this lift in a building I owned I would sink it into the floor so it is all level. lifts rock... especially now that I am becoming an old fart.
my ideal shop will have a two post for all those reasons. my ideal shop will also have a 4 post lift! good for the quickie stuff like oil changes or a quick undercarriage check without the effort of getting some cars on a 2 post., just drive on and you're set. also good as a frame table of sorts, and doing some chassis work where you want the suspension under load or at ride height. now if only i could afford my ideal shop!
i have a greg smith 4 post and wouldnt want a two post. I can move my car around the garage with one hand when its on the lift with the wheels on. thats very handy.
I have had a 4-post Backyard Buddy for going on 15 years and have used it probably 3-4 times a week on average over that time. I've never had any problems with it, feel very safe under it and if I was going to buy another one, I'd buy the same model.
I guess I've made it then, I'm finishing up the install of the hoist I bought over x-mas. I got a used Rotary 9,000 lb 2-post hoist from Roush. They closed a building they had in Ohio and have been selling them off on their evilabay store. Used price was 1400, cash & carry. Installation was easy, although the hoist came basically assembled so the base of each tower was heavy. A cherry picker or some way to lift the bottom end is a must. Standing the towers is job for 2 strong people. The rest is easy. I prefer the frame contact over the drive-on due to the extra freedom to move around under the car. Hate all the ducking a drive on requires, a pain to deal with wheels & tires, and all the space that a drive on takes up. Also, my shop must serve double duty as my wood shop, a drive on would kill that idea. That said, my next shop (in my dreams) will have room for a drive on for those occasions when one would be convenient. Scott.
I am selling my house right now and my new place will have a lift, so I am trying to get up to speed on what to look for and get a decent one without getting raped. Prices seem pretty fair consider how useful they are. I mean it's hard for me to justify a $2500 Snap On tool box, but spending the same amount on a lift is a no brainer for me.
i bought a 4 post from a muffler shop that was closing i like better than a 2 post for setting up the chasity and doing body repair work the car sets like would on the road
If you have a car without a full frame, its not good to hang a subframe car for long durations on a 2 post. Cant do exhaust work or trans work as easy on a two post. I think they both have their place but I prefer the 4 post as its not that hard to lift a corner of the car to do brake work etc. In a perfect world you'd have both. But I think a 4 post 1st and a two post 2nd. And you park a car under a 4 post with no problems. You can stick pans between the rails to catch drips from dripping on the lower car. A 4 post just seems sturdier for wrenching on when you are under it. You also dont have the bracing in the middle of the undercariage getting in the way. Its wide open.
I HAVE A BEND-PAK 10,000 POUND 2 POST. IT WORKS GREAT.. I AM LOOKING INTO A 4 POST 'CUZ I'M LAZY. IT'S NICE TO JUST DRIVE IT ON FOR OIL CHANGE, STARTER AND TRANSMISSION WORK
I agree with the others opinions above, there's pros and cons to both. The drive on is nice for oil changes, minor inspections and such, however if it doesn't have the lifts in the middle for lifting the car you are limited to what you can perform. With a 2 post, once the car is in the air the whole undercarrige is open making things like trans r&r, rear end r&r, exhaust and such alot simpler. In my days of twisting wrenches, I'd have taken 2 post over drive on any day...
i bought a 4 post 7000lb capable lift from Central Hydraulics in Indiana. Came nicely packaged, but needed a forklift to get it off the truck. However, once set on my drive way, i was able to motivate my retard strength and install it myself (i was so excited, i couldnt wait for a friend to come and help...) In a nutshell, easy and quick to install. I love it. For undercar type work, im convinced it cuts 1/3 of the time of out the mix. Laying on the cold, dirty floor sucks anyway... -scott noteboom
my shop came with an in ground unit from a gas station great for everything but transmission work I'd like to have a second lift for what this one can't do
We have a four post from Direct Lift. It's awesome. Took an evening to set it up with 2.5 people (neighbor helped awhile.) And it's nice to drive a car on and up she goes.
I have a four post Autolifter (they went belly up but are like a Backyard Boddy) I prefer this style with the 4" square tube post as its very stable and can be easily moved around. I move mine outside when I want to pressure wash or sandblast the bottom of something. I used it as a scaffold with 3/4" plywood on it to insulated the ceiling of my garage and I'll use it again to panel the ceiling. I have bought another 3000 sq. ft. shop building close by (4 miles from my house, it's heated and my current storage building with the lift isn't now) and I'll will move it over there when the weather gets nice. I would like a two post lift in certain circumstances too because I'll have the room to dedicate a spot to bolt it down over there. Backyard Buddy is the nicest lift out there IMO but if money is an issue the Direct Lift drive-on lift is OK but I'd bolt it down. Bad news thing is I think its made in China. Buy American if possible, we need the jobs! Here is a thread on the Hemmings blog about 4 post lifts. http://forums.hemmings.com/viewtopic.php?t=47
Right now I'm using a two post Manitowoc lift (9,000#)that I've had for about 10 years. love it. Installed it myself with a help of a bobcat to lift the main posts. Never had a problem yet with it. It picks up a 1948 Packard hearse with no problem which I think is the heaviest car I own. I will admit that I'm going to be buying 4 more lifts that are going to be 4 post probably from greg Smith this summer. Those will be used for storing cars on but the two post still will be my main lift to work under. Only drawback with the 2 post is you need to be careful with the balance of car and what you take off and put on. Saw one at farm and fleet and knew the guy had it balanced wrong and when he removed the back wheel, the truck fell of front wards into their wheel alignment machine.He had the arms together and under the box only. But if you got the arms spread apart and balance right, they are safe.
my wifes dad had a shop that went south so her brother and i each got a lift for $500 best deal i got in a long time.
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