Tom 328

So my garage is getting a new floor starting next Monday, and while talking to a friend, it dawned on me that perhaps I should consider pouring the slab to accommodate a lift. Any suggestions for the best thing to pre-accommodate a lift?

I can't do one of those multi-level car storage lifts, but just something to get the car off the ground so I can work on it. Thoughts?

kjr914

Search here, since lifts have been discussed a bunch of times. Search terms: lift, MaxJax, garage concrete floor, scissor lift, garage journal (check this latter website, since it gets mentioned every time someone talks about lifts or garage builds.....its garage ****.).

coreseller

This is what I did:

https://rennlist.com/forums/993-foru...ssor-lift.html

It works great and was not too hurtful money wise.

If I were to do it again here is the route I would go except I would purchase a mid-rise lift:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=228116

That would probably run $2k to $3k more than what I spent but IMO the ability to drive straight over the runners daily and not have to deal with a somewhat cumbersome hole would be worth it.

Magdaddy

depends on your budget really...I did what coreseller above did, but without the fancy stainless framing of the opening.

Atlas mid rise from Greg Smith eqpt was relitively cheap

Very easy to use, car is off the ground at eyeball height is under 5 minutes. Simply makes basic maintenance on these cars a breeze, awesome for cleaning and detailing also.

Still say it's some of the best Porsche money I ever spent...besides my rennlist membership naturally.

lopro

defiantly a must have for this car. Now is your chance to pour the floor so you may as well make it work for a scissor

P-daddy

Perfect opportunity now to pour your new floor and presink a hole for your lift while your at it. Save you the time and money later on.

lopro

less jack hammer work later too

jhg41977

I have the Atlas lift, it has been a great addition to the garage for a pretty reasonable cost. We re installed my engine last night using it. Roll the engine and transmission under, lower the car and bolt it in. (Slightly simplified but you get the idea)

H.H.Chinn

Verify that you have sufficient headroom for the desired lift. You may need to bump up the ceiling structure of the garage over the lift area.

kjr914

A very good reason to do this before the pour...at least here in SoCal, they are using tensioned slabs with high tension cables running through the concrete on a grid, so you can't just open up a hole in the floor to put in a scissor lift or randomly drill for bolts in the floor to put in lift. You probably know if this is the case with your soon to be concrete floor...

Tom 328

Thanks everyone. Super helpful. I'll discuss with my contractor (after approval by my partner of course

IXLR8

If it is a bolt on lift like a MaxJax or similar, I would pour a slab at least 6 inches thick with 32 MPa concrete. And to get that minimum 6 inches, I would choose to pour 8 inches.

If a scissors lift, I would do as Magdaddy and some other Rennlisters have done. Its more work, but worth it in the end.

coreseller

You do know that the stainless makes for much more effective lifting.....

Magdaddy was a huge help when I did mine, thanks again Joe. I'm sure he was starting to get annoyed with all the questions I hit him with.

IMO preplanning before the concrete pour is much less work vs. cutting an existing slab / floor to accommodate, next time I build a place I will be that much wiser

I've used my lift probably 4 times in the past month, very much a worthwhile addition......

chaoscreature

If you don't have specific plans I would do as IXLR8 mentioned. Pour thick and then you can bolt whatever you want down, where ever you want it.