Who here has a lift at home?

[stateofidleness]

I've convinced my dad to go in on a lift with me (he's got the space for it, im in an apt. )

The only ones I've ever really seen "retail" are at Harbor Freight, and while I trust them for "throw away" socket sets, I don't trust my life to a car above my head on one of their lifts.

I did a quick google and found "Challenger Lifts" and emailed them about the "CL4P9X Home Storage 4 Post Lift" (http://www.challengerlifts.com/CL4P9.shtml) which looks exactly like what I'm looking for.

I'm looking to spend no more than around $2,000, pretty much set on a 4-post (seem safer and can be used free-standing), and I'd like the ability to still be able to take the wheels off while it's on the lift (like the challenger above).

Anyone have lifts at home, or have gone through the same search process? Any tips or hints to watch out for when lift shopping?

Thanks fellas!

[stateofidleness]

Just found this one (although it's a 2 post). Removes doubt about whether it would "work" with the Box

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200386167_200386167

Lifts like this one, do they need to be bolted to the ground? I'd like one that does not require modification of the concrete floor, but these just don't "look" safe...

[MN 986]

Check out gesusa.com for lifts (no affiliation). I bought a BendPak 4 post lift from them a few years ago and it works great. My 3 car garage now holds 4 cars!
The Danmar lifts are a little cheaper and similar quality. Not sure you can get a good 4 post lift for less than $2000, but these guys had lowest pricing and great service for what I was looking for at the time.

[Jager]

Another member of this forum (thank you Paul) turned me on to this company: http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Atlas-TD6MR-Portable-Scissor-Lift-p/attd-6mr.htm

[stateofidleness]

oh man! I think I found my lift! http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=XH-PRO8000

I'm assuming you have the scissor lift you linked to?

I'm not even sure how I'd accept delivery of that 4 post lift??? 53' foot trailer delivery means you'll probably have to meet up in a parking lot somewhere with your own trailer (simple enough), but how would I coordinate the transfer from the big rig to the small trailer?

[Cloudsurfer]

Are you desiring a lift for added car storage, or to work on the car? A four post lift is for car storage or for an exhaust shop. If you want to work on the car, you'll find it virtually useless.

Any two post lift needs to be bolted to the floor, and you must have concrete that is of appropriate PSI and thickness. If you want to work on the car, you really want a two post lift, but with a car like a Porsche, you can get away with a scissor lift, but they are useless for any "normal" cars (BMWs, S2000s, Audis, etc) for anything beyond working on the corners of the car, as the scissor mechanism blocks access to the driveline.

[stateofidleness]

i like the stability of a 4 post lift and the advantage of being able to store 2 vehicles if I choose. The added clearance underneath is a plus (can't get that with a scissor lift)

I don't want one I need to bolt to the floor, so 2 posts are out.

Scissor lifts block too much access for floor jacks and bodies than a 4 post lift. How is a 4 post lift worthless?

[Hawke]

Got a two post lift, no floor plate and assrimick arms.

Allows you to get out of the car without hitting the door, and takes up less floor space.

As far as foundations go and bolting, there is nothing special needed. Normal concrete strength and thickness are OK.

I park the Porsche underneath, and keep either the Formula Ford or Lotus above.

Just remember, that most two post lifts are designed for front engined cars. Porsche being midengined has a different centre of gravety, so it can get unbalanced.

If you lift fiberglass cars, just remember that you must lift by the chasis, otherwise body up on the lift, chasis on the ground.

If lifting Formula race cars, the shorter front bars are usually not long enough, so some extension is needed.

[Mark_T]

I haven't bought a lift yet (next year's budget) but I'm going to go with the Max Jax Portable:

http://www.princessauto.com/car_hoists

It is reasonably priced, more than adequste in its lifting capacity, and can be unbolted from the floor and wheeled away when not in use. Plus (big plus actually) it can be operated on a 110V circuit. Most people don't have 220V in their garage.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by stateofidleness

i like the stability of a 4 post lift and the advantage of being able to store 2 vehicles if I choose. The added clearance underneath is a plus (can't get that with a scissor lift)

I don't want one I need to bolt to the floor, so 2 posts are out.

Scissor lifts block too much access for floor jacks and bodies than a 4 post lift. How is a 4 post lift worthless?

My scissor lift blocks almost nothing on a Porsche and can be used on almost any flat concrete surface. Plus it works in a garage with a normal ceiling height and has wheels so it can be moved when there's not a car on it.

[stateofidleness]

One other reason I like the 4 post lift is that I also have a 914, which as we all know, lives on the lift

I'd like to be able to have two cars in at the same time if I need to.

The scissor lifts look really functionally smart, but are you ever nervous about front to back balance? Also, my dad would like to be able to work on his F150 if he needed to, so there's a need for some "common ground" on the lift to be able to accommodate the Box, the Teener and the Truck.

[Paul]

Front to back stability is great, it's solid as a rock front to back and side to side. It can also easily lift a full sized SUV.

That said you can lift any car on any arm type lift and have it fall off the front or back of the lift if too much weight is on one end. The lift stays put, but the car does not. The key is to maximize the distance between the front and rear arms to minimize the lever arms of the weight in front of the front arms and behind the rear arms. Using the stock jack points has worked well for me.

It uses 110V power.

[Paul]

Click on the watch video:

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Atlas-TD6MR-Portable-Scissor-Lift-p/attd-6mr.htm

[Benjamin]

That's good info Paul, I appreciate the photos. I am trying to decide between a two post and scissor. Do you recall approx how much it was for shipping? Also, I don't have a forklift or anything like that, how did you get it off the back of the truck when it arrived? What do you do for storage when it's not in use?

Benjamin

[Ghostrider 310]

In one of life's ironies, I had free access to a professional shop including four post lift, every imaginable tool and two young gun ASE mechanics in the next room in case things got hairy. My legs didn't last long enough to go on that 986 repair journey but I would have liked it, in the same room is an old Camaro and an original mini.

[jcb986]

Had mine up on a 2 post Bend-Pak just a few weeks ago. No problem with lifting and working. I would own a scissor lift if at home though.

[rdc8118]

I've got a scissor lift. Beware thought they aren't all equal. the first one i looked at the specs posted on the web said the arms would extend to a maximum 63 inches wide. I measured my boxster and bmw and the lift would do both. When i got it delivered and set up the arms would only extend to a maximum width of 54 inches so I couldn't lift the bmw with it.

When I called and complained they said the specifications were subject to change. I felt I was misled. I bought the unit as opposed to their competitors based on the specifications listed on their website. They did take the unit back and I picked one up from another vendor. Theirs had the same size frame but longer arms and did fit the bmw. Moral of the story: online specifications are worthless and subject to change whenever it benefits the vendor.

[SoK]

Originally Posted by MN 986

Check out gesusa.com for lifts (no affiliation). I bought a BendPak 4 post lift from them a few years ago and it works great. My 3 car garage now holds 4 cars!
The Danmar lifts are a little cheaper and similar quality. Not sure you can get a good 4 post lift for less than $2000, but these guys had lowest pricing and great service for what I was looking for at the time.

Have a pic of your garage? How tall are the cielings?

[MN 986]

Originally Posted by SoK

Have a pic of your garage? How tall are the cielings?

Sorry, I don't have a picture, but my ceilings are 11 ft.

[jrj3rd]

I have a max-jax portable 2 post lift in my garage with 8 1/2 foot ceilings. Love it. Was one of the first buyers and highly recommend it. MaxJax Portable Two Post Lifting System by Dannmar.