If you lift on the jack points (which is what you should be doing whenever possible) it doesn't really matter which style you go with. I prefer the asymmetric lifts because they allow more room to open the doors. But as long as you're careful, I don't suppose it matters too much.

 

Looks good, Warren,

Please tell me a little more about the delivery process, getting it off the truck and into the garage. They say "You're responsible for getting it off the truck."

Then about the erection rigging for installation.

I'd be interested in those stories from anybody. I have visions of disastrous difficulty in both stages.

 

Just one word of caution.

Mr. Bock (993 Board) and local Porsche guy had his lift push his car into the roof of his garage - lift didn't stop when it was supposed to and it crushed his 993 roof. His 993 has been in the shop for over a year (bought a Ferrari to drive around in the mean time though). Last I heard the lift company wasn't taking responsibility like you would expect.

Watch your car and have your hand on the switch/power cord when raising.

 

STUCK MOTOR:
Yeah, the motor switch contact can stick, particularly if you cycle the switch a lot. The manufacturer cautions you not to cycle the motor off-on faster than 2 seconds. I had mine stick on once after I cycled it too fast. Mine is 110 plugged into the wall, so I just pulled the plug. Only happened once. I'm carefull to rest the switch between cycles.

DELIVERY:
Something of this size usually will not be delivered residential UNLESS you have a forklift to off-load it. I don't have a forklift, so I rented a Uhaul open (car) trailer and picked it up at the local freight terminal about 10 miles a way. They forklifted it onto the trailer. My 4-poster weighed about a ton as shipped. I disassembled the shipping unit into separate parts that I unloaded with my engine hoist and a bunch of dollies. The ramps were probably 600 lbs each and rather cumbersome to handle, but my son and I managed with some struggling to get it all unloaded and into the garage in a few hours.

 

DAMN I wish I was cool and rich like all of you guys. Maybe someday I to will have a Lamborghini to park under my Dodge durango.

 

Having read a number of threads on self-installed lifts from a number of boards on the web, if/when I ever pull the trigger on a lift, I'll find a local dealer that offers installation. For a few hundred bucks I think it'd be worth it.

Of course, I only have 9' ceilings, a post-tension rebar-concrete slab that can't be cut, and garage doors to deal with. I'm stuck with looking at mid-rise scissors like the MD-6XP, or the Mohawk HR6A. However, the looming 'big' job on the '90 will be the torque tube at some point, so while we're dreaming, I'd prefer to splurge for a Mohawk USL-6000 http://www.mohawklifts.com/consumer/usl6000.php

or perhaps an Ever-Eternal EE-6501:
http://ever-eternal.en.alibaba.com/p...ssor_Lift.html

I'd be on top of one of these in a heartbeat if there were only a US distributor. There are a few M3 guys who tried to set up a group buy but it never materialized.

Has anyone ever done a torque tube job on a Bend Pak mid-rise scissor lift?

 

Great input all around!

I didn't think too much about getting it off the truck besides finding a local neighbor / friend who has a forklift to help lift the unit out, then I would cut the straps and crating off of it, and use a combination of a winch, pulley and hooks to lift one end into place. I figured drilling would take some time but with my 1/2" 120v dewalt hammer drill it should get the job done.

Man, the 220 volt lift unit will DEFINATELY have a plug to prevent an "overlift situation" from happening. That would suck!!!

I think I will call them on Monday and change the order to Asymmetric, I just called it in on Friday afternoon so I am pretty sure they didn't ship it yet.

 

You can buy a relatively inexpensive 220V 2-pole disconnect switch, maybe at Home Depot (for air conditioner duty) or at an industrila electrical supply store. Get one that has a locking 'OFF' position and you can secure the lift saddles up high when you aren't using them, secure in the knowledge that your kids or neighbors or whoever won't accidentally drop them on your car. Plus that takes care of the welded-contact problem that Bill describes.

If there was any chance at all that the motor switch would stick, I'd have a mag starter in there in a heartbeat. The risk of damage to life and property is way too great to risk using a cheap switch. JMHO, of course.


My new garage is all set up for a lift, wiring and plumbing is in, lighting and extr wiring are in, 8" reinforced slab underneath. I just haven't pulled the trigger. I guess if the trans had to come out to do a torque tube, I'd be hard pressed to decide whetjer I wanted to do it myself on a new $2.5k installed Bend-Pak lift, or just hand some money to Greg Brown and pick it up from him in a week. There was a time when I would have been able to more easily justify a lift; now it's easier to justify having the heavy work done by experts, or just go out and buy a new car. Old age (and marriage...) is setting in on me...

 

I put in a 9,000lb asymetrical lift and it clearly needed to be loaded on to my trailer with a fork lift, but.. if you cut the bands, the individual components can be moved by two people and set in place without signfiicant problems.

Rod

 

You've got a 928. What do you need a Lambo for?

 

I agree about the professional installation IF they will deliver as well. The delivery and unloading is by far the worst part, unless you have a forklift. Assembly wasn not hard at all.

I have 8 ft ceilings. So, I can only get the cars wheels just shy of 4 feet off the ground. However, that is enough for me to sit on a rolling stool under the car and work comfortably. Beats the hell out of being on your back on the floor.

The TT is probably just as well done on the ground with tall jackstands unless you have tall jacking tables to raise and lower things. With scissor lifts you have to get one that has wide open center access, like the Mohawk you link above. Most scissor lifts have obstructions there.

 

When installing the power cord to the lift motor, just add an in-line kill switch (the red "hit here" button) If nothing else, it takes away some fear factor.

Incidently, if there is anyone in the local area looking for a 2 post lift, I am selling mine.

 

Warren,
I've got a Mohawk System 1, and it's never had an issue in 8 years, but the very reasonable cost of this one has me considering another one..... Wow, what a great price....! Thanks for sharing.....!
I was going to suggest putting rubber edging on the posts to protect your doors if you ended up getting a symmetrical lift, but I see you're getting an asymmetrical.....
I had mine installed, but arranged an auto wrecker for standing up the masts...... Charged me about $30....
Best,

 

After measuring, I found to have 8'11'' on the ceiling and the lift towers are 9' 3''. Fortunately I have 24" centered roof trusses so I will need to cut squares out of the mdf board to make the lift towers fit. Sounds like I will be able to get the car just shy of 5 feet off the ground. That should be enough, but I have plans to order a good rolling work cart and I have some rolling work chairs I can use to sit on while working from underneath.

I like the idea of a red push button double-pole STOP switch hooked to the lift. I am going to have to hunt around for one. Maybe at home depot?

 

Commercial electrical store will have them. Just tell them what you want to do and they should be able to get you the right ones.