What's the best shop lift to get

[Larry.sisk]

Guys taking a pole on what truck hoist , two post four post etc. etc . Is the best all around for the buck

[69SWB4X4]

I have a Challenger 9000 lb 2 post in my shop. lifts everything from my lawn mower to my truck... I like the drive over plate as opposed to a top rail because I am not limited by anything overhead when lifting my 4x4.

[randy.powell]

The best lift depends on your intended use...

I have a 4 post Bendpak because I use it for maint and storage (i.e. - one up on the lift, one under)

Very pleased w/the quality of the Bendpak - very stabile, don't even have to anchor it to the floor unless you want to. Made of American steel!

Each version (2 post - 4 post) has it's pros and cons... Only you can determine that.

Either way - you're gonna love having your own lift! Best $2500 I ever spent!

B/R,
Randy

[Lattimer]

Go to GarageJournal.com and do a search and a lot of reading. Tons of info, pics, etc. there to help you decide.

[Larry.sisk]

We'll it seems like the lifts with the arms that hold the vehicle would be better than the ones you drive onto the steel planks , looks like it would allow you to get to more chit, really wanting the experienced users opinion so that I can get my mind made up and start working toward that thanks for the replies already. "Don't let what you can't do keep you from doing what you can do" boy wish I could live by those words.

[hugger6933]

I got one off E-Bay. It was like $1499. I drove to the guys warehouse [he has some rented in different places all over the country. He was/is based out of FLA I think] that was less than 70 miles from me in an industrial park. I had talked to him on the phone before pulling the trigger and that help set my mind at ease so I did it went and got it . I put it up my self with one of the guys working for me and my brother and his son, took less than half the day. I had a small problem and it was probably with me wiring the thing not the lift itself but he sent me new parts right out and next day aired them if I recall. I talked to him again and he told me not to worry and said if I was still unhappy in 10 days or 30 days or even 60 he would send his crew that did installs in to take it out and put what ever competitors lift I wanted in my shop. I haven't had another problem. The first thing I did with it was to change a Suburban body out and we were just about ready and it was lunch time so all the crew went to town I stayed behind, when they got back they were amazed to see that I was ready to start building a front on that Sub and changed the body by myself. That was unheard of or not thought of before this lift. The next best thing about it is one man can change a truck bed, and on a full sized truck even with a forklift it was more comfortable with a minimum of three before. Jim

[hugger6933]

Oh I guess it would help to say mine is a two post is that wasn't clear

[69SWB4X4]

I worked as a dealership tech for over 35 years... for my money..The one I posted is perfect for me. But.. as mentioned.. do some searching and decide on the lift that best fits your needs and space.

[Larry.sisk]

Oh I love your lift, I'm sure that one would make me happy , I was just wondering I saw a couple on here that you just drive on and I wanted to know the pros and cons of them all,this forum is awesome for learning,you can discover mistakes before you make them ...... Sometimes.

[nlped]

I'll be putting a 2 post lift in my shop. I've had both, and a 4 post is nice some times, but 9 out of 10 times the 2 post gets the job done better and surely doesn't take up as much room. If space isn't an issue, nor $$$, heck get both

[Larry.sisk]

Thanks for the help , I wish money wasn't an issue as it is when the garbage mans comes I tell him to leave two bags.

[Zackarymc]

I work for snap-on selling equip. I can tell you what the difference between the 3k price lifts and the 4k lifts. Its china steel or American. Also china hyd pumps and pistons on the really low buck ones. Make sure you buy a certified lift. that should be #1 on your list. Your standing under it

[Zackarymc]

I work for snap-on selling equip. I can tell you what the difference between the 3k price lifts and the 4k lifts. Its china steel or American. Also china hyd pumps and pistons on the really low buck ones. Make sure you buy a certified lift. that should be #1 on your list. Your standing under it

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by Larry.sisk

I was just wondering I saw a couple on here that you just drive on and I wanted to know the pros and cons of them all,

the 4 post drive on lifts are the easiest to use, they also take up the most floor space as the hoist is always big
they are best for oil changes, exhaust work and stacked parking
unless you get the x-members and jacks you can't work on suspension, brakes or even change a tire

2 post lifts are more versatile IMO unless you specialize in doing exhaust
old trucks take a lot of blocking to get them up on a 2 post due to the frame being 6 inches above the body
once up in the air the whole belly of the beast is exposed for working on
without a vehicle the arms fold and take up minimal space or they can be removed with a pin

[Larry.sisk]

Man thanks everyone for responding , I think with all the feed back from you all I'll go with an American made two post when the time come if any of you would like to let me know what brand, mod. Number where you purchased and how much you paid I'll be dialed in , thanks again.

[PGSigns]

Find who sells to the car dealers in your area. They tend to have used high end lifts like Rotory from time to time for a good price. If you are not in a hurry they do come up for sale.
Jimmy

[Larry.sisk]

PGSigns, Jimmy thank for the info, never thought of that angle ,when I do buy one I'll be better off with all this good info than if I would have already bought one and regret it thanks again .

[69SWB4X4]

Or find out who services the lifts for the car dealer.. If they use a company which most do.. That company will probably have a used one or two..

[vin63]

Originally Posted by randy.powell

The best lift depends on your intended use...

^^^This…I have a 4-post lift because I need it for light maintenance/fabrication projects and parking/storage. Also, mine has casters, so that I can move it around the shop.

[72bbblu]

Sorry for the length of this post, but I thought I'd provide as much info to you as I can.

I have a four post I purchased from Greg Smith Equipment (gregsmithequipment.com). I've had mine for about five years now and it has performed flawlessly. The comparable model they sell today is the Atlas Garage Pro 9000 lb combo with the RJ45 rolling jacks. I chose this lift because it is wide and long enough to handle anything I'm ever going to own. It also has a higher lift height so when storing a vehicle below, I'm not really limited on what will fit. It comes with a pair of 4500 lb rolling jacks, jack tray, drip trays, casters and wheel chocks.

It's not inexpensive at just over $4k and it is an Asian made lift. They make no bones about it's origin but seem to have strong control over their ISO9001 manufacturing process. I did a considerable amount of research before I bought and found that not all Asian lifts are crap.

Even BendPak now has a global manufacturing presence. Here is a quote from their website on manufacturing sites. 'At BendPak, we ensure that our offshore manufacturing is no different in approach, standards, quality, inspection or packaging from our domestic production'. Face it....almost everyone does it. On the plus side, you can find an ALI certified lift from BendPak within about $500 of the Atlas so if certification is that critical, then you have that option. I spoke with Greg Smith and they are working ALI certifications now and have started with their two posters. They have one 10k ALI certified lift and several others are in testing. Not all BendPak lifts are ALI certified, but most of their single width 9k 4 post and 9k 2 post units are.

Even if you don't buy one of their lifts, go to their sites and have a look at their FAQ's. They have some good info to help with your 2 post vs 4 post decision.

The reasons I got a 4 post are:
1. Space was not an issue for me
2. I did not want to anchor my lift. I have five bays available and the caster system allows me to move my lift around the shop. I can easily roll it out into the front parking lot. It's going to come in real handy when I start spraying gunk and power washing 43 years of built up grease and dirt off the underbelly of my '72. I'd much rather do this outside on the gravel than in my wash bay with drains.
3. I store a vehicle on my lift almost all the time. Usually it is my '68 Corvette Roadster. The best points from which to support this car is its suspension/LCA's. If supported from the frame as would happen from a two post lift, the entire vehicle would eventually begin to sag and could cause stress cracks in the fiberglass. This particular chassis is probably one of the worst for this tendency because it suffered from a loosey goosey frame structure in the first place, but many vehicles might suffer from this to some extent if hung for extended periods by its frame. They are just engineered to be supported from their tires. I normally use the rolling jacks under the LCA's to lift about 90% of the weight off the tires to prevent flat spotting during extended storage.
4. I'm paranoid so this reason is likely unfounded but it was a reason none the less. If I have a vehicle like my truck on a two post lift, all the heavy stuff is in the front (engine, trans, cab, etc.). The posts are anchored in concrete and so the bolts in the floor are what is keeping the unit 'balanced'. I was always concerned that an anchor failure could allow the lift/vehicle to tip to the heavy end. Best case scenario, it only destroys the stored vehicle....worst case...well you know. I don't know that I've ever heard of this happening, but it was on my mind. With a four post, the weight is supported at the corners and so short of complete unit failure, it isn't going to fall. Buy a quality four poster and this is very unlikely.

Down sides to the four post:
1. Accessibility to all the good stuff. I currently have my '72 C10 on the rack and am doing all the basics you would do of a vehicle that has been sitting for almost 5 years. Fluids, brakes, etc. I have the rolling jacks under the suspension so I can do the brakes, so right now I cannot get the rolling oil/lube drain to the rear diff to change the lube. No biggie....I'll just wait until done with the rear brakes, put on the tires and then roll the jack out of the way. easy peasy. As long as you can leave the tires on the vehicle, you will have complete access to the underbelly. You can lift from the frame if needed...I did my 4" Jeep TJ suspension lift while frame lifted and could get to everything I needed.
2. It does take up more room....but not as much of an issue as you might suspect. I currently have it in the center of the front three bays. When I pull in one of the adjacent bays, the rear columns are within about 2 feet of the walls which separate the garage doors and so are not in the way. The front columns are generally past where the front of the incoming car stops. When the lift is fully up, I normally just snug the other vehicle up against that front column and then it sort of just becomes a part of the cars footprint....I can walk under the lift rails because they are almost 6'4" in the air. When I open the doors of any of the three cars, the posts are not going to get banged.

So net is, I don't see any real down side to a four post lift as a casual home wrencher. But that being said, there are reasons why most commercial garages use two post lifts. They are in high turn over, short term use environments and need immediate access to every part on the underbelly. In their environment, the lack of front/rear columns is a BIG plus. They rarely have single vehicle on their lift for more than a few days so long term storage is not an issue. They never need to move a lift because they have a lift in every slot.

One thing I consider a huge benefit with a two post is the ability to lift a body off the frame. There's just not an easy way to do that with a 4 poster. It can be done, but not as easily and not without removing the engine/tranny. If someone has figured this out, I'm wide open to suggestions!

I hope this has helped.

[GVDobler]

I worked in several gas stations in my teens. They all had a center pole lift inside and the drive-on was always outside. You couldn't do all that much on the drive-on but change oil and a few small tasks.

We had one collapse and kill a guy in Lincoln Ne about 1960. Only one I've ever heard about, but they make me nervous nowadays. I hold the wrench while someone else goes under. Ha guess I'm just getting old.