Level 4 post lift

[brota]

Hello
I am installing an inherited 4 post lift.
I am not planning on bolting it to the floor. I have about 2 inches of slope front to back. I was talking to the lift company today and it was suggested to use paver blocks under the two lower points to bring the lift up to level.
I do not have adjustable rest points so I would like to level it abit.

Has anyone heard of using pavers for this?
Any thoughts/concerns?

Thank you
Brian

 

[ronr80]

Sounds dangerous to me , I have a 4 post and it was never bolted down until I drove a rear wheel drive corvette on it and it slid 4 feet , kind of scared me so yes maybe use the blocks to shim it , but I'd bolt it down , just for safety . R

 

[garagelogician]

Hello
I am installing an inherited 4 post lift.
I am not planning on bolting it to the floor. I have about 2 inches of slope front to back. I was talking to the lift company today and it was suggested to use paver blocks under the two lower points to bring the lift up to level.
I do not have adjustable rest points so I would like to level it abit.

Has anyone heard of using pavers for this?
Any thoughts/concerns?

Thank you
Brian

I would want to use something more substantial/durable than a dry cast paver.

 

[LXCam]

No way would I use a paver. I have the same problem with mine and used fender washers. You could also use the washers and dry pack under the pad with non shrinking grout too.

 

[brota]

Thank you I will try to get some this steel plates made

 

[lakeroadster]

Hello
I am installing an inherited 4 post lift.
I am not planning on bolting it to the floor. I have about 2 inches of slope front to back. I was talking to the lift company today and it was suggested to use paver blocks under the two lower points to bring the lift up to level.
I do not have adjustable rest points so I would like to level it abit.

Has anyone heard of using pavers for this?
Any thoughts/concerns?

Thank you
Brian

Don't use pavers. Whoever told you that should be fired.

Bolting it down may be required and not an option. They are all designed differently, follow the manufacturers written specifications.

You can often find the instructions online. If you can't, post up the manufacturer and model data here and perhaps one of us has the same lift.

 

[brota]

it does not need to be bolted I do know that.
I think it is a tuxedo fp7k or ms-7000

 

[2lt1chevy]

I used 12 x 12 floor tiles and plywood , been in place 7 years , no problem. Not bolted down.
Ken

 

[brota]

how thick did you need to go?
what was on the floor the wood or tile?
I would like to see a photo
Thanks
Brian

 

[Bobf]

I have basically the same lift (8k) and I have it outside my detached garage. I have not bolted it down so I can easily roll it around. The detached garage has an apron which it sets on, and just slightly more than the 2 degree slant they say is max. I haven't had any problems with it moving around, in fact I just checked it the other day and the measurements between the legs are still within 1/4" of the dimensions called out on the print. Heaviest I've put on it so far is our 49 Chevy PU with late 80's suspension etc.

 

[brota]

I have had a 4000lb 55 chevy on it when it was in another garage.

 

[bobabuee]

shim with steel plates get some 1/8 bar stock level the lift by stacking bar stock were sits level measure thickness then get the foot print cut out of of solid plate you could shim with plywood to find your thickness that you would need too.

 

[brota]

would you do the front too?

 

[wssix99]

Has anyone heard of using pavers for this?

The silence on affirmative replies here means that most who have tried this have either not survived or are no longer able to type...

 

[c39er]

2" thick cut out solid hard rubber blocks bolted to the lifts leg plate.

That's what I'd use to help lift from sliding around.

Though I'd bolt it down using built up plywood under the low side.

 

[brota]

2" thick cut out solid hard rubber blocks bolted to the lifts leg plate.

That's what I'd use to help lift from sliding around.

Though I'd bolt it down using built up plywood under the low side.

I like the 2 inch rubber idea , now to try and find it.

 

[garagelogician]

I like the 2 inch rubber idea , now to try and find it.

Might have to stick two layers together to get the full 2", but every kind of rubber material you could ever want is available here: https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-rubber-sheets/=18feyxy

 

[rburke65]

Why can you not pour a grout pad under the area for the post(s) that is out of level? Big time heavy duty industrial machinery is leveled with grout.

 

[brota]

Why can you not pour a grout pad under the area for the post(s) that is out of level? Big time heavy duty industrial machinery is leveled with grout.

The garage floor is on a slop 1/8

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

If you use paver bricks that are large enough to cover the entire base plate why do you all think they wouldn't they be strong enough for a lift? We use paver bricks all the time to hold stuff up although haven't used one for a lift...i haven't had one crush down yet at all and find them incredibly strong...besides They are strong enough for roads, driveways and parking lots and have never heard of them crushing down due to weight


I dont know how heavy this thing is but it looks pretty heavy and the pavers are holding up... unilock website rates their pavers up to 12,000 lbs depending of course on different products



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[brota]

That is a good point.
I just wanted some opinions.
This makes a lot of sense.

Thank you

 

[wssix99]

If you use paver bricks that are large enough to cover the entire base plate why do you all think they wouldn't they be strong enough for a lift?

If this was an acceptable thing to do, why would it be acceptable to guess-engineer this when the manufacturer doesn't list this as an acceptable shimming option?

I dont know how heavy this thing is but it looks pretty heavy and the pavers are holding up...

If someone were to install a lift in this yard, they would still remove the pavers and pour pads for the lift to sit on.

If there's an impurity in one and it cracks, it's no big deal if its laterally constrained as a part of a paving system. If the same were to happen under the leg of a piece of machinery, bad things would happen.

 

[Ditch]

Seriously?
apples and oranges

If you use paver bricks that are large enough to cover the entire base plate why do you all think they wouldn't they be strong enough for a lift? We use paver bricks all the time to hold stuff up although haven't used one for a lift...i haven't had one crush down yet at all and find them incredibly strong...besides They are strong enough for roads, driveways and parking lots and have never heard of them crushing down due to weight


I dont know how heavy this thing is but it looks pretty heavy and the pavers are holding up... unilock website rates their pavers up to 12,000 lbs depending of course on different products



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Stuart in MN]

If you use paver bricks that are large enough to cover the entire base plate why do you all think they wouldn't they be strong enough for a lift?

There are paver blocks and then there are paver blocks...their strength depends on what concrete mix was used and how they were formed. Some are probably pretty strong, the cheap ones from the big box store are probably not as strong.

 

[PoorOwner]

Most people have similar slope the garage, this basically gives you around 1/8" per foot so water does not go towards the house. Unless the lift spans whole 20' (unlikely) it may even have less than 2" difference. All they do is adjust the lock ladders.

 

[wssix99]

There are paver blocks and then there are paver blocks...their strength depends on what concrete mix was used

Strength is not so important here. The design of a lift (and that rig transporting the ship section above) translates only a handful of PSI to the ground. Dynamic, thermal, and other issues would be larger concerns for what is being porpoised.

 

[brota]

Most people have similar slope the garage, this basically gives you around 1/8" per foot so water does not go towards the house. Unless the lift spans whole 20' (unlikely) it may even have less than 2" difference. All they do is adjust the lock ladders.

Mine are welded to lift and not adjustable


Thanks