Two Post or Four Post Lift?

I'm building a new garage and want to put a lift in. What do you guys like - a 2 post or a 4 post? The 4 post is movable but the 2 post seems to make it easier to work on a car. I want to use it for working under the car but also want to be able to store a car over another car for potentially a longer period of time. Love to hear your thoughts - The garage is going to be 30'x50' with three large bays and a work area in the balance. Thanks

 

[StuartB]

Go four post as a two post supports under the chassis, your fuel tanks in the case of a GT40, with a four your on your wheels, plus, I`ve never seen a car fall off a four post..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

I have a two-post and it works great - I lift my GT40 off the frame/pan, I use hockey pucks at the lift points, this way I clear tanks and body panels. It allows for wheel/suspension work on the GT40 and my other cars.

 

[Scott]

4-post, hands down! (and probably cheaper too!) Scott

 

[Hershal Byrd]

I have the two post lift. It's been in my shop for three years now. I think it was the best choice. It was not bought specifically for the GT. I use it to do maintenance on all my vehicles including the GT. another point is that I too can lift a car and store another beneath it. I just can't move it around. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
You really need to look at your own personal needs and decide from there. If storage is your objective then the four post may be the right choice. If you work on lots of cars then the two post is probably a better choice.

Hersh /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

As Hersh said, it kind of depends on what you're going to do with it. I installed a two-post last year and wouldn't trade it for anything. It allows me to do suspension and brake work with the wheels off for total access, and I have a couple of tall jackstands that I can use to compress the suspension if need be. I've had everything from my Cobra to an F350 crewcab dually pickup on it with no problems--

 

I have a four-post AutoLifters - great for stacking cars and working on them.

If I'm doing wheel or suspension work, I use the following procedure:
- Raise the car up on the ramps
- Place 4 tall jackstands under the car inside the ramps
- Drop the car down onto the tall jackstands
- Place 4 short jackstands on top of the ramps
- Lift the hoist and remove the 4 tall jackstands

Works great! Regardless of the type of lift you purchase, make certain you check the cabling and pulley system EVERY month for wear, stretch, etc. Safety first!

Brad

 

I have 4 post, the same exact brand as photo above. I have it in a one car garage and I like it a lot.

Brad, make sure the pulleys on your Autolifter are steel. There was a tred here about cast Plastic pulleys. Auto lifters will send you steel ones free.

 

I have the Pro Park 7 4 post lift. I purchased it mainly for storage so both the cobra and GT40 can be stored in the garage. As for working on the car it lifts 6 ft high, has a jack beam to lift the wheels up, 3 trays to catch any drippings to protect the car below, can be bolted down, or on 4 HD castors and beams be moved around. It runs on hydraulics using 100 volt wall plug, the power unit can be bolted to the unit or on the wall. It has 3 ft steel ramps as well as both front and rear guards to prevent the car from rolling off the runners. It's all black baked enamel paint. All the above is included in the price. Over all a great purchase and having the only lift on the block a good converstion point. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[ QUOTE ]
Brad, make sure the pulleys on your Autolifter are steel. There was a tred here about cast Plastic pulleys. Auto lifters will send you steel ones free.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the heads-up on the plastic pulleys. Mine are indeed plastic; I'll contact AutoLifters ASAP.

There are a lot of lifts out there. Anyone considering purchasing a 4-post model should at least look at AutoLifters. I've found this unit to be troublefree and built like the proverbial outhouse. (No connection between myself and AutoLifters, just a happy customer).

Brad

 

[Nathan]

I have a four post from BEND PAC made in Santa Paula ,Ca.
Don't know how i survived before. It's a 12,000#
Nathan /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Malcolm]

I am picking up my four post lift next week. It is a Bradbury unit. I did think about 2 post and they certainly are more popular than 4 post now in professional garages. However Wendy has a Lotus 51 which is a 1968 single seater so where to put the contact pads if I had a 2 post lift? So suggesting is that you also think about what other cars you could get in the longer term future and will a 2 post lift cope?

My four post lift is a wheels free one which means that it has fixable parts so that when the ramp is lowered the car stays up and so I can take off suspension parts as if it were on a 2 post. Best of both worlds?

And the guy selling it to me also put me in touch with a professional fitter and reconditioner of lifts plus threw in a rolling road brake testing machine for nowt! All this for less than the cost of a pit!

How could I say no?

Malcolm

 

[James]

Lucky man!