rjtw

I am starting to look into one of those nifty four-post garage lift systems like I have seen in some garage pics posted here -- very nice. What are the best systems? What modifications to your garage are required to install them? Any problems with interference with the garage door in a standard garage size?

Thanks!!
Rick

MarkRobinson

check eBay. there's a company outside of Dallas that sells quite a few: $1795 I think. For about $2200 or so, they're delivered & installed. Most all the information you'll need to know is on their auctions: garage height, clear door space, 110v, etc.

Mark

hacker-pschorr

For the ebay challenged:

http://search.ebay.com/4-post-lift_W...Q2dpostQ20lift

rjtw

Thanks for the replies. Has anyone installed a particular system and liked/disliked it?

Gretch

Worth, two post, love it.

MarkRobinson

my buddy as a few in his garage now:

Bill Ball

I have had one of the $1795 Greg Smith 4-post lifts with the optional sliding hydraulic jack for about a year.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-F...15299838QQrdZ1

Makes me happy each time I go out and push the button and lift the car into the air. No more long nights lying on cold concrete with the bottom of the car inches from my nose.

Delivery requires a forklift. I see they offer residential delivery for $30 extra, but you STILL have to provide the forklift ("necessary equipment"). I had to rent a U-Haul car trailer and go pick it up at a trucking terminal and unload it when I got home. The thing literally weighs a ton and unloading it was a royal pain using my engine hoist and other makeshift equipment to get it off the trailer and into the garage. Even broken down and unloaded, getting it into the garage is a challenge as the ramps must weight 500 lbs each. Assembling is not that hard. I finished the whole process of pickup and assembly in one day.

I see one of the other vendors (Callahan) says they offer local delivery and installation. I would check that. They may still require you to provide the forklift.

The lift is slightly too tall to clear my standard swing-up garage door. I have it positioned to the rear of the garage, so that is not an issue. However, it would be nice to roll it outside with the included casters, but the door prevents that. A roll-up door should not present this problem.

I'm using the lift with 8 foot ceilings which means I can only get up about 1/2 way. That's enough to work comfortably sitting on a rolling mechanics stool - better than standing actually.

There are better lifts that have sturdier post lock mechanisms but they cost at least $1000 more, such as this nice one ($4250)
http://www.backyardbuddy.com/

This is considered a hobbiest lift. Used with usual care it is perfectly safe and sufficient for home use.

2-post lifts are inherently wider, a problem in a standard garage if you want full use of the stall next to the lift. Most 4-posters are about 2 feet narrower and fit in well enopugh to allow full use of the other stall(s). 2-posts lifts are better for wheel-off work. That's why I bought the rolling jack. I can get the wheels up and off that way.

bdstott

I'm also looking for a 4 post lift. Here's some links I came across, but I can't speak from experienc since I haven't bought yet.

http://www.completehydraulic.com/cl08000cs.htm
http://www.alphaomegaeq.com/cart_hig...ion=&offset=50
http://www.americanautomotiveequipme...1661/index.htm
http://www.targetlifts.com/assets/pr...B/t4s47ib.html
http://www.asedeals.com/lifts2.html
http://www.americasprideonline.com/?ppcsource=adwords
http://www.superlifts.com/sr7h.html
https://www.gregsmithequipment.com/c...products_id=28
http://www.stallionequip.com/?src=overture
http://www.directlift.com/auto_lifts/propark7.html
http://www.pacetools.com/vss7000spec.php

Mine is going in a new construction, so I inquired about the concrete requirements. The general response was that you need 4" 3000psi concrete.

HTH

Bill Ball

Brian:

Almost all of these are the SAME lift sold by different vendors (Greg Smith, Direct Lift, Superlift, Alpha Omega, American Automotive, Target Lifts, ASE Deals, Pace Tools ) or extremely small variations (Complete Hydaulic claims 8000 lbs).

hacker-pschorr

Damn it - 102" to my celing joists - no way I can fit two 928's, even with my track car lowered 5" in there.

rjtw

Thanks all for the great links and information.

Bill -- thanks for the particularly detailed explanation. This is extremely helpful. Did you bolt yours to the garage floor? (and if so HOW?) At least one of the vendors advertises that their 4-post systems need not be bolted down, and can even be moved around on castors (Greg Smith shows castors too). While this sounds like a great feature, I am in California and am worried about the thing falling over if there is an earthquake!

Thanks
Rick

just bill

Northern Tool advertises a Rotery 4 post for $1299(?). American made too.

Bill Ball

Rotary brand is usually expensive...that must be an error. Will look at it.

Rick: The Greg Smith lift has bolt holes, but I did not bolt it. I'm sure that would be more secure, but I've seen no indication of instability. The lift is not that flimsy. There is a video produced by the Backyard Buddy people extolling the virtues of their $4250 lift and showing terrible flimsiness of a competetive rack that LOOKS a lot like the rack I have.
http://www.backyardbuddy.com/videos/bbudyy/Wide.wmv

However, the lift I have is FAR studier than the rack that Backyard Buddy is panning. That looked like it was made out of sheet metal.

I live in earthquake country too. I imagine a helluva quake could possibly rock the lift enough that one of the safety latches might release, but you still have the 14000 lb cables.

Bill Ball

I located that and clicked on the link
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...28&R=200310528

--- that's the INSTALLATION CHARGE for a 4-post lift.

Fogey1

My garage has only an 8' ceiling. OTOH, that level is made by a 12" I-beam, so I've given thought to this or a winch. Obviously, I'd have to fab a lift frame, but Porken's lift bars are a start if I go that way. probably a unique situation but comments are welcome.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=2211
3 TON 10 FT. STANDARD LENGTH LIFT CHAIN HOIST $99.99**

There are also these. I'm kind of tempted by the drive-ons, since they'd fit:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=91315
6000 LB. CAPACITY SCISSOR LIFT
Raise cars or trucks 56'' $1299.99*

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46604
6000 LB. SCISSOR LIFT WITH HYDRAULIC PUMP
Raise cars or trucks 39'' $959.99

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46299
7000 LBS. TWO POST HYDRAULIC AUTO LIFT
$2199.99

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=33795
2 TON AIR ONE END FRAME LIFT
Saddle height range: 11" to 36" $399.99