Overhead 10k lift decision, low height edition.

[wondo]

I will start by saying I do not have the most ideal garage for what I want but run what you got right? I have an attached 2 car garage below the master bath and my wife's closet. In the past year I've been putting a ton of labor into the fleet (engine drop, trans rebuild, rear main seals, axle rebuild, on top of the typical stuff) to the point my wife suggested just getting a lift before we build the barn (2-3 years out). Height is the fight here though. I have about 138" from the concrete before I hit floor joists (running perpendicular to the lift) that span 6' between 2 I-beams. Putting the lift where I want will just miss the I beams and be in a spot that I can notch a little out of the joists above if needed and still be code compliant but will still not have room for most overhead lifts.

The lift be used for all sorts of vehicles from small cars to my cclb diesel truck so 10k is the minimum lift I want
I have come up with a few options
-atlas apex 10
-atlas platinum pvl 10
- challenger SA10
-American Custom Q10

Cant tell the difference between the two atlas lifts besides color, challenger has a slight advantage with arm reach, and just found the American Custom supposedly made in america for the price of the other two brands. All are around $3k +/-$200, 10k, ALI rated, and 3 stage front arms. They are all pretty close on paper. Is there a reason not to let the lowest price win? Are there any other lifts I should be looking at?

I started my search for base plate lifts but I'll already have to work from a rolling stool so the base plate will be that much more frustrating I assume. Maybe it's not that bad though?

Really looking forward to ordering one soon as I need to pull the engine out of my truck but it would be damn nice to just lift the cab. I'm just taking my time because the $3k for a lift is a lot of dough so I want to be happy with it for a long time.

 

[JeepJohn62]

I'm happy with my Atlas 10K baseplate I installed last year. If I had a taller ceiling, the clear floor would be nice.

I made due with a 10ft ceiling. Even my f250 can be brought up about 4 feet , so it is much more workable.

Can you find an overhead that will fit in your space? If it can fit between joists, it could be an option. I noticed the Derek Weaver brand also had some decent deals.

Best wishes.

Sent from my SM-A102U using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[pbon]

I had an Atlas baseplate lift due to 10’8” height before hitting 2nd floor joists. I liked it for the 6 years or so I had it. Tight from car door to post. Angled posts would be better. Or a wider lift. And my cars were not wide — biggest was 2008 BMW 535xi. If you have the money and don’t need high capacity the Mohawk A7 is nice and can be installed without a floor plate if hydraulics are buried.

 

[finn]

Frankly, if there are plans for a barn in a couple of years anyway, I would hold off until it is built, or, preferably, pull the build forward an then get a lift without a baseplate.

Two years isn’t very long, in the scope of things.

 

[tff]

When I built my garage recently, with a lift in mind, I was almost ready to pull the trigger on the Challenger SA10. My two 'fun cars' that i probably will use it most for are a Porsche 944 and Boxster. I then checked the arm lengths on the SA10 and the lift points on these two cars (with 50:50 weight distribution) and found that the arms collectively were not short enough to lift these two cars, that have short wheelbases, at their lift points. (I think the rear arms were the problem).
I ended up getting a Rotary SP010... which could accommodate these cars.
So my suggestion is to check the min and max arm lengths, based on the CG of your cars, to make sure they work. Whether you set-up the lift symmetrically vs asymmetrically also impacts how all this works out.
Probably too tall for your application, but the SP010 height is at 11' 8"... slightly better than the traditional 12'. It's been great for me!
Good luck.

 

[Jking24]

If the biggest thing your gonna put on it is a diesel pickup truck. You don't need a ten thousand pound lift i the curb weight of those trucks is no where near 10k and any lift certified for 10k is required to lift 1-1/2 times the rated weight. I have a 8k and it lifts crewcab long bed tucks with ease. Only issue i have ever had is my lift is asymmetrical so positioning them can be a challenge sometimes. If you know your never gonna have anything bigger a larger lift just makes racking the smaller stuff more of a pain. I don't recommend buying any more lift than you truly need. And for what it's worth im a mechanic

 

[wondo]

JeepJohn62
The lifts I mentioned are all overhead lifts that will fit. You nailed it getting something a few feet off the ground makes a huge difference.i checked the deck weavers and would be a contender if I decided to go baseplate

Pbon
I wish I could pony up for a mohawk but it's just not in the cards.


Finn
That was my original plan. If I can squeeze in the lift I want in that space into my garage for now I'm only punishing myself now as this isnt for hobby work.


TFF
I'm no stranger to that issue I just sold my C5 vette a few months ago. I had to drive on planks and use hockey pucks on the lift arms because the pads were too far out. I'm willing to do the same unless I can find something with lower profile arms that will fit.


Jking24
My truck loaded with tools and gear is always over 8k on the scale. Diesel trucks are hella front heavy, even a stock diesel pickup is probably be close if not over 2500# on each front arm. I have a 9k rotary at work and have used it to lift before to lift that truck but it feels a lot less stable than with a half ton racked.

 

[Wsidr1]

I too have the Atlas BP-10000. Close to 5yrs now. Ceiling joists/truss locations helped me make my decision.
The BP has only been in the way occasionally. I just take the cover up and lay wood down and roll the trans jack on the wood.
I went and picked mine up from Greg Smith Equipment. FYI: they want space to turn a tractor-trailer around and a fork truck on-site before they will deliver.

 

[wondo]

I too have the Atlas BP-10000. Close to 5yrs now. Ceiling joists/truss locations helped me make my decision.
The BP has only been in the way occasionally. I just take the cover up and lay wood down and roll the trans jack on the wood.
I went and picked mine up from Greg Smith Equipment. FYI: they want space to turn a tractor-trailer around and a fork truck on-site before they will deliver.

How high is the floor plate? After years of lowering transmissions with my trans jack then sliding them off to a pice of cardboard to slide out from underneath, I could deal with for that lol. My concern is I will only have enough height to work from a rolling stool so moving myself around in that area would be my concern maybe modifying a stool with some big ol pneumatictires would solve that problem. A baseplate lift would be pretty turn key installation wise vs opening up my finished ceiling to accommodate the overhead bar and uprights.

 

[JeepJohn62]

I'm guessing 1-1/2 to 2". Its a hefty plate. My floor slopes slightly for drainage. The pad for one support is elevated to provide level action to the opposite side. So one side of the floor plate sits higher.

Clear floor would be nice. But it is workable and the right choice for me.

Sent from my SM-A102U using The Garage Journal mobile app