Above Ground lift questions

[richard2717]

Ok
I am looking into getting a lift for the garage to make things much easier on my failing body. Over the years I have never been much impressed with the 2 post lifts. That said, I stopped at Greg Smith Equipment last Friday just nosing around with the intention of buying a blasting cabinet. Well, I never made it to look at them since they had the lifts assembled and on display.

The 1st one to catch my attention was an Atlas Garage Pro 9000 4 post lift.It comes with a jack tray, caster kit and three plastic drip trays and they want $2695 for it. It says I can put my K3500 Dually on it.

After looking it over pretty good I went over to the 2 post lifts ( even though I had already crossed them off in my mind) and the 12k post lift they have set up truely looks like the sturdiest lift I have come across in a long time. It comes with truck adapters and is extra wide and extra tall for $2795 and I could lift my one ton bucket truck with it or my cube truck

Having actually never used either style I would like to ask everyones opinions on the two styles. I am from the old school of my dad that had two frame racks in a 4' concrete pit that u just drove on. Thats not an option now even though I still have one of the racks.

Here are a few answers to some of the questions I know will be asked.

Plenty of room in garage for either style.
1) it's 40x 60 in the main roomwith a 20x 40 addition on one end and a 24x 35 on the other end.
2) Ceilings are 16' so height is not a problem
3) Concrete in the main door area is 10" fiberglass reinforced 3000#
4) All other areas are 6-8" thick. THis was done because of my crane trucks I sometimes work on in the shop.
5) 200 amp electrical service
6) I have bobcat with forks, and a scissor lift so assembly is no problem
7) I will be picking up anything from my wifes Buick Rendevous to my cube truck or my dually but mainly will be using it for my Blazer and panel projects.
8) It will not be an everyday lift, maybe a couple times per week at heaviest

I realize with the 4 post I would still need to buy a rail jack to get the wheels off but I want the safest option as well.

Thanks
Richard

[ETsC10]

I have a medium duty Direct Lift, 2 post (HR-8000).
Granted, there's been a burb on it...but it did look a tad scary.
It's been trouble free, they are very cheap and easy to install;
especially on less than perfectly level floors.
You obviously need a heftier option.

2-posts are easier to park between (with the 2 less posts
getting in the way) plus their ease of leveling on install, etc.

I do, however, believe the 4 posts are better when comparing
load stability. As you mentioned, each offer their own
accessibility problems.

Personally, I would stay with a 2 post...but much larger like
the one you viewed. As stable a foundation as you have,
a 2 post would surely work well.

Sounds like you have a great space for whatever you decide on.
Keep us posted on whatever you decide!!!

[jhaymon]

ive got challenger lift. it's a symmetric 2 post. i think thats pretty much the same thing ET has and i put the f-250 on it all the time and it hasn't fallen on me yet. i guess it's a good one. I've got a 4post backyard buddy as well. the four post is hell to work with. i use it mainly for storage so i can 2 cars in the same bay.
u should be able to find a deal on them. i found a ton when i was looking for mine. ended up getting both for 3g and it didn't look like they were ever used.

[richard2717]

Well I think I have decided to go with either the 12k or 15k 2 post Atlas lift. I just dont want to take up so much floor space with the 4 post and i cant see the casters on it holding up. Hopefully in the next week or two I can go up to get it, then comes the fun of installing it.

Richard

[chevy_mike]

Nice. I definitely think 2 post lifts are more versital. You can do all types of suspension, trans, rear end type work AND makes it really easy to pull a body off a frame should you ever needed to. About the only downside is you can't park two cars in the same spot but it doesn't sound like you are looking to do that.

Good luck and congrats!

[BR3W CITY]

IMO a 2 post will do pretty much anything you want. We used a 2 post to service all of our fleet vehicles, which were FULLY loaded e350 service vans. Usually over 800-1000 extra pounds or more in back. Very stable even with a monster of a vehicle like that.

The thing that made the biggest difference was
A. the arm length
b. the jack-point "feet" or whatever they are called.

I'm not sure if our lift was wider or had longer arms than standard, but it seemed like for many "normal" sized vehicles, the arms had to be adjusted WAY out, probably a little farther than I'd like with a big heavy vehicle.

For the "feet" they were screw-in height adjustable and removable. They made a couple styles you could replace it with, one being the flat pad, another being more of a "frame rail" shape that cupped the rails.

[ebfabman]

Originally Posted by chevy_mike

Nice. I definitely think 2 post lifts are more versital. You can do all types of suspension, trans, rear end type work AND makes it really easy to pull a body off a frame should you ever needed to. About the only downside is you can't park two cars in the same spot but it doesn't sound like you are looking to do that.

Good luck and congrats!

Yes you can park two cars in the same spot....at least a car under a truck....

[Billett]

what brand of lift is ^that? it looks a bit shorter than most of the ones I've seen... might just be the picture though

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by Billett

what brand of lift is ^that? it looks a bit shorter than most of the ones I've seen... might just be the picture though

I would also be curious what lift it is. ALso how is the slave side post is controlled? All the two post lifts I have seen are connected at either the top or the bottom but this one appears to have neither.

Richard

[ebfabman]

Mohawk system 1 10,000 lb cap. Made in the USA.

[brokenspoke]

I have a Bend Pac 9000 extra tall and wide.....4 post...I'm glad I bought a 4 post..I'm getting too old to crawl under it to adjust the arms every time i put my truck or car on it

[ETsC10]

Originally Posted by brokenspoke

I have a Bend Pac 9000 extra tall and wide.....4 post...I'm glad I bought a 4 post..I'm getting too old to crawl under it to adjust the arms every time i put my truck or car on it

Very good point brokenspoke. Probably the things I like least about the 2-posts is, as BR3W CITY mentioned, the insecure looks when the arms are extended way out (there's got to be a heck of a lot of forces involved) and having to unlock the locks individually from side to side.

[78bronzechariot]

I just installed a used Rotary 9000lb lift in my shop. Been waiting years for this moment. You can't go wrong with getting a lift for the shop.

[richard2717]

Well I finally got me a lift. 2 post 9000lb Duro lift. local guy was moving and was selling to the bare walls. picked it up for less than a grand and it looks and works like new. put my sons car on it tonight and it worked flawlessly. will post up pics in the morning.

[richard2717]

Well not a Blazer but its still GM lol

Can't believe I waited this long to get one. had to fix my boys car exhaust last night and I must say I was able to do the whole job without getting mad or dirty from crawling

[richard2717]

Put the dually on the lift and I am still not convinced I like it. It is a 9000lb lift and it seems to be stable ( I still put the support stands under front and rear) The thing I noticed is that if I start from the ground and go up to where I need it, everything is fine. If I stop part way up and try to get it going up again it wont go unless I drop it back down to the next lower lock or all the way back to the floor. It doesn't do that with the smaller cars.

[ETsC10]

That doesn't sound right.

[truckdude239]

I use 3*challenger lifts. They are symmetric 2 posts at work all the time never had an issuse

[richard2717]

After looking into it further I think I have found the problem. I will need to change up some things then try it again with the dually. I never really paid it any mind when I took it down at the P.O. shop. He had 12 gauge wire run to the motor so I assumed everything was good I hooked it into my exhaust fan circuit which is also 20 amp 12 gauge wire. I just got reading the plate on the motor and it is 22 amp max draw so it is a wonder the breaker has not tripped with the heavy load of the dually. I am going to run some 10 gauge wire wit ha 30 amp breaker and that should take care of the problem.

[richard2717]

Got tired of cleaning the bike on the old craftsman floor jack. Made me an adapter for the lift so i can lift it up higher and be able to stand while I clean or work on it. $5 worth of scrap metal, 30 minutes of time and now i sit puzzled why I did not do it 2 years ago


.

[Hardworkinguy]

The Mohawk is the ultimate lift.

In my shop,where I work on cars every day,I have 2 Rotary lifts. One is 11 years old and is a 10,000# asymmetric lift,and the other is an antique symmetrical lift with the drive-over hump on the floor. I will have another asymmetrical one within the next couple years,and it will probably be a Mohawk. I prefer the asymmetric design so I can open car doors without the post being in the way. It may not be a problem in a DIY garage,but it is better for efficiency when this is what you do for a living.

Beware of the cheap lifts,especially the four post lifts that are under $2000. Make sure any lift you buy is Automotive Lift Institute certified. Otherwise,before buying a cheap-o lift, just watch a few "auto lift failure" videos on youtube and rethink that decision.

http://www.autolift.org/

[wahl4m]

just bought an advantage 11000 # lift-4 post it is made in china BUT IM VERY IMPRESSED WITH IT ! need to get it shipped to me & installed,i looked it over very close and think its a quality unit !! i did ck on a backyard buddy -made in usa -but about 2000.00 more and there is a 8 week wait- now i can do some of my projects w/o setting the 2 post arms/my knees are not what they used to be! plus was worried the grandkids might get hurt around a 2 post lift ?? there was an incident not too far from me awhile back-slid forward off arms and about bit a young teen !!!!! all this is just my 2 cents worth !2 posts might be right for you ? mike

[Hart_Rod]

what's the lowest ceiling height you can use with that lift?

[Custom 68]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

what's the lowest ceiling height you can use with that lift?

It really depends on how high you want to lift your vehicle. I say that because my buddies camaro doesnt require nearly as much height as my tahoe.
I have a four post and love it. I had 10 foot ceilings in my shop but had enough room above to raise the ceiling in the area of my lift. I can now get my Tahoe high enough to walk under it. I know there are advantages to both types, if I am doing brake work I need to use a jack on the included tray to raise it off the platform and can use jack stands then raise the entire thing up where you want it.

[68panelman]

Originally Posted by ebfabman

Yes you can park two cars in the same spot....at least a car under a truck....

Not to hijack Richard's thread, but do you keep your truck up like that for long periods of time?
I recently got a certified 9000# two post for that reason and have my truck up and wife's car under, it's resting on the locks. Didn't want a four post as i want to use it for lifting cabs/rears and such. Need to pull the rear tires for clearance. Am I playing with fire here?