4 post lift
- Thread starter Gregg
- Start date
If you pay attention to the big city newspapers, you will get a listing of the auctions in the area. The auction section of the Atlanta Journal Constitution even gives auctions around the country, Chicago sometimes even. Just went to a Ford dealer that went out of business, They had 32- 2 posters that went for $600 to $800 apiece. All were 9000 pound capacity units. Most had adjustment for lowering the top for low clearance ceilings(only one adjustment). The only four poster was a gargantuan unit for alignments that I doubt would have fit in any garage except a double, and you would lose the use of the second one. You can find all sorts of equipment when a garage closes the doors. They have welders compressors, hoses, and some tools. Go to one sometime. They are generally held during the week which makes them usually accessable to guys in the trade or recyclers. Pay attention to the prices and you can get a feel for how much to bid. Don't get carried away or you will pay more than retail. Have seen that before. Beware of any auctions held on a Sat. I couldn't bring myself to get one of the lifts, but did get a computer, keyboard, mouse CRT and laser printer for $25.
Bill
Bill
Bill you make an excellent suggestion. I have a client who owns a gas station and is looking through the trade magazines for me. Only problem I have found is that since it is commercial equipment it is generally too large for my application. Wish I had a bigger garage. Missed out on a 12k lift from a local muffler shop. Lift went for $800.00. Anyone looking for a lift and doesn't want to spring for the cost of a new one and is friendly with a mechanic might ask him/her what trade magazines they subscribe to and if you can get the copies when he/she is finished with them.
I dont have a lift at home, but when I worked in a Ford shop I loved the 2 post lifts that you would move the arms inwards to the car once you drove the car in. That way I did not have to worry about it being low and hit anywhere on the car. It was always stable, I did auto transmissions and had to take them in and out for overhauls.
Just my 2 cents.
Bill
Just my 2 cents.
Bill
Ron, regarding the balance during engine removals, it's not a big deal really - most cars have engines that come out the top so you don't have the car eight feet up in the air anyway. Two exceptions which can cause some anxiety are 911 engine removals and ferrari V-8 removals - both come out the bottom so you do in fact have the car elevated. However, if the posts are securely bolted into a thick slab (I'd suggest 8 inches minimum) and you have bracing at the top as your friends suggest then it's all really pretty stable.
You might be surprised how many friends will want to use your car lift, particularly if you have friends with 911s and V-8 ferraris (which require a lift for removal). Better have the garage fridge well stocked with cold beer.
I went through this same discussion on the board at Ferrarichat.com, and was invited to see a few 4 post lifts that someone had installed side by side. The cheap lift was around $1800 and looked pretty shaky. The other one he had was a Backyard Buddy which was much better designed and built much better. The All American Lifts are made by former employees of Lift masters I think. Earl is a really nice guy that works there. I actually ordered one there and then cancelled the order the next day. ACLIFTS.com also makes a collar over post design called the AC07-Titan. It is priced in between the Backyard Buddy (most expensive) and the All american lift (least expensive). Brad Davies is the contact person at AClifts. The only downside that I read regarding the All American lifts is the finish is painted instead of powdercoated. As noted above, the two post is more common in commercial applications, but also is less stable when doing large component removal / installation.
BT
BT
Ron -
I have one of the AC lifts from Brad (ACP-7000) with 220 volt motor. Got it a few years back, and had them install it since they were somewhat local. He was going to do a demo unit that was for a trade show, but he ended up giving it up at the show, so he did a good price for the lift and install. I did like the round posts with internal slides. It also does come with nice aluminum ramps. One other thing is that he would make the lift most any dimension, so if I wanted it a different length or width he said he could do it without any problem.
Doing suspension work is not a problem as you can get a heavy steel slider the fits between the rails for jacks and such. I think they are available for most that I looked at. I also got the floor rollers for it which I don't think I will ever use.
I have not bolted my lift down, but still may do so as it does wobble when raising it up, but that is just me being over cautious.
I looked at the 2 post ones and for anything less then the heavy duty commercial units just gave me an uneasy feeling. I had the cement poured in the garage with high strength and extra thick to support what ever I put in, but the 4 posters seemed better for the home garage.
Not sure if late to the thread, but that is what I have.
Sandy
I have one of the AC lifts from Brad (ACP-7000) with 220 volt motor. Got it a few years back, and had them install it since they were somewhat local. He was going to do a demo unit that was for a trade show, but he ended up giving it up at the show, so he did a good price for the lift and install. I did like the round posts with internal slides. It also does come with nice aluminum ramps. One other thing is that he would make the lift most any dimension, so if I wanted it a different length or width he said he could do it without any problem.
Doing suspension work is not a problem as you can get a heavy steel slider the fits between the rails for jacks and such. I think they are available for most that I looked at. I also got the floor rollers for it which I don't think I will ever use.
I have not bolted my lift down, but still may do so as it does wobble when raising it up, but that is just me being over cautious.
I looked at the 2 post ones and for anything less then the heavy duty commercial units just gave me an uneasy feeling. I had the cement poured in the garage with high strength and extra thick to support what ever I put in, but the 4 posters seemed better for the home garage.
Not sure if late to the thread, but that is what I have.
Sandy
Looks like all the pros and cons of two posters and four posters have been pretty much covered. Like most things, I think it boils down to personal preference. I certainly do like the two poster for suspension and brake work - not having ramps in the way is very convenient. Two posters can be made to be very stable, it just takes a little more work and planning than a four poster (which can be pretty much just assembled and set on the garage floor). A thick slab with appropriate length concrete bolts and some top bracing will make a good quality two post very stable. The top bracing can be easily tied into a roof beam or steel rods can be used, it's not difficult, but again, it does take some engineering and time over the four post. I'll post a couple pics of my two and four post lifts.
I have a 4 post lift. It is called a wheels free lift as it has two steels that run the length of the lift and they slide side to side. Therefore you put them in the centre of the car as you drive on, raise the lift normally, and then move the steels outwards so that they are where you need them to be, pull a locking lever at each end of the lift to lock the steels to the posts, lower the lift and now the car is supported by the chassis sitting on the steels (I use small blocks of wood to pad the chassis) leaving the wheels and suspension uncompressed and free to work/dismantle.
With this lift I can play with single seaters, vintage or modern cars as it covers the whole range of jacking points. Plus it cost £500 to buy and £750 to have the system refurbished and the lift professionally installed.
The external ridge height in my workshop is 4m (13ft). The ceiling is pitched and has 8 inches of insulation. I get full lift with regular cars on the lift plus also when the front and rear clips on my 40 are open. I had the floor dropped when the workshop was being built to enable full lift but also to give me a totally flat run on to the lift ramps. Now very low ground clearance cars just roll on easily. The lift is off centre to the workshop so that the power column doesn't puncture the external roof covering.
The picture below is not photoshopped but shows you can store 2 cars on the lift easily. The red car is on the two steels mentioned above, just under the tyres and not the chassis. This picture was taken for fun as I wasn't storing a car with its wheels on a narrow beam long term. We worked out that if we had had a third 40 to hand, with the top car at full lift on the steels, the second car on the normal ramps, we could have got a third 40 in underneath! However bit short on 40's to play with that day.....
With this lift I can play with single seaters, vintage or modern cars as it covers the whole range of jacking points. Plus it cost £500 to buy and £750 to have the system refurbished and the lift professionally installed.
The external ridge height in my workshop is 4m (13ft). The ceiling is pitched and has 8 inches of insulation. I get full lift with regular cars on the lift plus also when the front and rear clips on my 40 are open. I had the floor dropped when the workshop was being built to enable full lift but also to give me a totally flat run on to the lift ramps. Now very low ground clearance cars just roll on easily. The lift is off centre to the workshop so that the power column doesn't puncture the external roof covering.
The picture below is not photoshopped but shows you can store 2 cars on the lift easily. The red car is on the two steels mentioned above, just under the tyres and not the chassis. This picture was taken for fun as I wasn't storing a car with its wheels on a narrow beam long term. We worked out that if we had had a third 40 to hand, with the top car at full lift on the steels, the second car on the normal ramps, we could have got a third 40 in underneath! However bit short on 40's to play with that day.....
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I would just like to thank Malcs for his bravery in parking his 40 beneath mine .. nothing to do with the safety and security of his 4 post lift !... just at that time my car was doing it's level best to drip oil from a new and exciting place every time we cared to look at it !!
But then it may have just been a cunning ploy of malcs to get me to wash and wax his car for him !!!
But then it may have just been a cunning ploy of malcs to get me to wash and wax his car for him !!!
I have a Rotary 2-post assymetrical lift and thus far it has been problem-free.
I planned for the lift when building the house and it sits on a footer that is 8" thick. Very solid, and easily lifts the small race car, or my 6000 lb Touareg.
I park my S4 or Touareg in this stall every day. Occasionally I will use it as a parking lift and keep a car up high while parking another under it.
-Will
I planned for the lift when building the house and it sits on a footer that is 8" thick. Very solid, and easily lifts the small race car, or my 6000 lb Touareg.
I park my S4 or Touareg in this stall every day. Occasionally I will use it as a parking lift and keep a car up high while parking another under it.
-Will
I have a roll up door in my garage with a 2 post asymetrical arm lift. I have never been sorry for my decision for the 2 post but do see where a 4 post might be ok. I just didnt want to get my car on the lift only to have to jack it up to get at the wheels or suspension. I have a 12' ceiling with a 8' tall door. I had to install a longer track and 2 additional panels so the door went high enough to clear a car when it was on the lift. The local overhead door companies should be able to supply anything you need. A longer door opener track was also required but the local Lowe's had the parts.
Wayne
Wayne
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