Deciding on best lift for my purposes

[TheDoge]

I am working with an architect on designing an expansion of my existing garage. When we had the house built we wanted a covered patio so we went with the 3 car garage option and had one of the bays made into a patio so we have just the 2 bays for vehicles. The expansion will extend the area for all 3 bays outward for parking for 3 vehicles. I am going to use one of the new bays for my wife's parking and construct a hallway to segment the rest of the garage off from her section. This is for dust control and to have another sound barrier between the garage and house. The existing ceiling height in the garage is just 8'. The plan for the 3 new bays is to have 12' ceilings and I am working with the designer to see how much work it would be to raise the existing ceiling in the 2 bays to 12'. I will be using the garage for working on classic vehicles and repair on our newer vehicles. I am looking at the 4 different types of lifts, 2 post, 2 post that can rolled out when you need it, 4 post and single post. Of course I will not have as much room as I would like so I am trying to figure out the best type of lift to go with. At first I was going to go with the 2 post lift bolted to the floor. This will eat up a good amount of floor space. I have also considered a 4 post so that I could either get an extra car in the garage or just raise the one car and have room underneath. A single post is also an option I am open to. The moveable 2 post is an option but I believe the max height is 6' so I would have to use one of the reclining work seats for most things done underneath the car. One of the things I do not like about the 4 post is that I would have to use a jack in order to work on anything that requires the wheels to be removed. At this point I am looking for feedback on what others have experienced with each type of lift.

 

[66Caprice]

Vault the ceiling in the 12 foot bays you are adding the make the door wide enough to roll a 4 post out of and get a 4 post. that way you can roll the 4 post outside anytime you want.

 

[cvairwerks]

Paragraphs man.... Too hard to read without any breaks.

 

[Yankeefarmer]

I have a 4 post lift because I was finding it increasingly difficult to get up off the creeper and floor when working on vehicles, so the thought of positioning multiple lift arms with a 2 post was not appealing. The disadvantage of having to use a bridge jack is, IMO, offset by the ability to work under a vehicle when the vehicle’s weight is compressing the suspension.

Younger guys might not see the concern about positioning lift arms. But someday they might get to experience it first hand.

 

[firebirdparts]

I'm still young when it comes to lift arms.

I guess you have to decide what kind of work you want to do. If it's maintaining a show car, I think the 4 post will win. The big advantage of the 2 post is when you do brutal stuff. Taking powertrains out, dropping the subframe, taking the cab off a superduty, picking up a lathe off the trailer. That's 2 post work.

 

[dave*99]

Read the lift specs carefully. My 2 post Rotary SPOA10 is a bit over 12' and my ceiling is 12'8"

This will probably turn into a long thread as the fans of 2 post and 4 post lifts will extoll the virtues of each. I have at one time or another done every possible job you can think of on a car. I used to track a car and that required a lot of prep work on suspension and brakes. Easy work on a 2 post. I don't store cars on my lift. I'm a fan of 2 post.

I currently park my truck in the lift bay. Since I back the truck into the bay, the lift posts are not in the way entering or exiting the vehicle. It's a 4 door truck and all doors clear the lift posts.

This unit should also be part of your research.

Rotary Two-Post Auto Lift (10,000lbs.-Capacity Inground Electric Hydraulic) - R-SL210-TA

10,000lbs.-Capacity Inground Two Post Lift

standardus.com

 

[CraigStu]

A 2 post eats up floor space? Look at a 4 post, it must eat up 10X the floor space. By far a 2 post is the most universal for working on cars. When the 2 post doesn't have a car on it either push the arms toward the other post or raise the lift for the max floor space.

 

[Skellyii]

This will probably turn into a long thread as the fans of 2 post and 4 post lifts will extoll the virtues of each.

Yep.

 

[finn]

I have both.

Crawling on the floor to set the arms on the two post gets old fast, especially as you age. The posts are in the way of opening the doors, and lifting a lwb crew cab is sketchy, at best.

A four post with a bridge jack is best if you can only have one.

 

[ScaldedDog]

What's your budget like? If it'll fit within it, consider an in-ground "0-post" like this:

SL210 | Rotary Solutions

Since 1995, the Rotary Smartlift® has been the #1 choice for dealers to increase their shop’s productivity and profitability. From every angle, Rotary designed the Smartlift to maximize space, increase technician productivity, and lower the total cost of ownership, ultimately resulting in higher...

rotarysolutions.com

The only thing they are terrible at is parking one vehicle beneath another. Otherwise, they have all the advantages of a two-post, but without the posts.

Mark

 

[sz0k30]

I'm 77 and another guy that didn't used to have an issue with getting on the ground to position the lift arms on my 2-post lift. Now it's a real pain, cause I just can't get down & up without something to help. But at my age I can't justify swapping it out for a 4-post.

 

[djbmw]

I have both.

Crawling on the floor to set the arms on the two post gets old fast, especially as you age. The posts are in the way of opening the doors, and lifting a lwb crew cab is sketchy, at best.

A four post with a bridge jack is best if you can only have one.

You dont need to crawl on the floor - use an inspection mirror on an extendable arm and push the pads into place with your foot. If you're always lifting the same vehicles then you can also make marks on the floor for wheel position. This way you wont need to extend your arms (just leave them at the previously correct length).

 

[dave*99]

Maybe this?

 

[finn]

You dont need to crawl on the floor - use an inspection mirror on an extendable arm and push the pads into place with your foot. If you're always lifting the same vehicles then you can also make marks on the floor for wheel position. This way you wont need to extend your arms (just leave them at the previously correct length).

Inspection mirrors don’t work with bifocals.

The foot method is clumsy and ineffective. Push the arm to your best guess…too far and get on your knees. Not far enough? Rinse and repeat

I’ve had my two post for years. Do you think I haven’t tried all these “tricks”?

A four post doesn’t require any of this. Tomfoolery.Just drive the vehicle on the ramps.

 

[575cat]

Opinions ? and were off , 50pages later hahahaha

 

[CraigStu]

The other issue is cost. All lifts are pretty low tech but a 4 post has X times the amount of steel so you have to pay for it. Then you get to buy bridge jack(s) for $1k to $2k each.

 

[Codyboy]

I have both.

Crawling on the floor to set the arms on the two post gets old fast, especially as you age. The posts are in the way of opening the doors, and lifting a lwb crew cab is sketchy, at best.

A four post with a bridge jack is best if you can only have one.

Can you go more in to detail on the LWB crew cab and why it would be sketchy?

 

[mikedodge]

What kind of work do you plan on doing and how often would you actually use it? I prefer 4 post because it's a lot easier to get a car on and for most jobs I don't need the wheels off. Get the jack for it so that you can when you need to. I also like 4 post that they're movable.
4 post is also more usable for storing a car on.

2 post they're going to be in the way of getting in and out of a car parked there regularely. Then again 4 posts can make it inconvenient to get around cars too.

4 post is the one that takes up more space. Walk around any shop that has both types and its the 4 post that's most in the way.

 

[finn]

Can you go more in to detail on the LWB crew cab and why it would be sketchy?

Overhang

Much more stabile on my 11k four post than on my 10k asymmetric. Plus no climbing around the posts to squeeze out of the cab.

 

[kbeefy]

Can you go more in to detail on the LWB crew cab and why it would be sketchy?

Gets to be pretty far from end to end. I have an extra wide lift and can fully open CCLB doors on the lift. Standard width 2 posts have you squeezing between the post and the cab to get in or out.

 

[Sumboodie]

I've never considered a lift because id need a big one (my trucks are around 9-10k lbs empty) and it's much easier for me to work at the ground vs overhead.

10k diesel they say needs like a 15+k lift... so 6, 7k area... which is more than one of my trucks even cost!

If i get to the point I can't move around much, I doubt I'll be working on stuff. Half the reason is because I can do better work and not pay $150/hr labor.

 

[c39er]

I used to use a 2 post rotary working on many 145" classic cars.
It was a 10,000 lb lift.
I found it was always critical to position the cars in the right spot as the arms had limited areas to contact the frame...IE spring brackets, fuel lines etc.
Also you cannot swing the arms once lifted as the arm safety locks prevent readjustment once lifted a bit off the floor.
Long WB cars car rock a bit on theb2 post lifts...you really need adjustable post stands under the vehicle at each end for safety if you feel too much rocking.
If you're older...tired knees...extended 4 post with rolling jacks.
Roll the car on, up it goes.

 

[dave*99]

Also you cannot swing the arms once lifted as the arm safety locks prevent readjustment once lifted a bit off the floor.

You can move the arms on my Rotary 2 post by pulling up the release ring. It disengages the locking teeth.

 

[Cairo94507]

I have had a 4-post and 2 mid-rise scissor lifts. I find the mid-rise scissors better for doing normal car maintenance. I can still drop an engine out of my Porsche if I wanted to. My mid-rise is sunk into the floor so it is not a trip hazard when down. I have great under-car access. At my age, I am not building from the ground up.

 

[finn]

You can move the arms on my Rotary 2 post by pulling up the release ring. It disengages the locking teeth.

Same on my BP 10k. Pull the ring and the arms rotate without lowering the carriage, without the chassis sitting on the arm, of course. Still a pain compared to the four post.

Still a lot of overhang with a CC 8’box Dually.

A couple of good support stands, at least one at wash ends do wonderfully at stabilizing things, though.

Amazing how much a single cab short bed pickup is, although I still use the stabilizers.

 

[joebass3]

I think it all depends on what you plan to do in your shop. If you need a place to store a classic car or just do minor things like oil changes, a 4 post lift may work for you. I retired recently after working on cars my entire life. When I built the garage at my house, it was a no brainer. In my opinion the only option if you want to seriously work on cars is a 2 post lift.

 

[carlaisle]

Depends on what you want to do and your concerns. If you want/need to remove a body from a frame you need a two post lift - end of discussion. There are other ways, but if you want it to be quick and easy, that's the only one. The posts on an above ground two post lift are never not in the way. If you have space to spare, this is irrelevant to you. The in-ground Rotary style linked above is only handicapped by the lift arms always protruding above the floor when fully retracted. They are far less obtrusive than the above ground two post, but still always there. If you will never need to remove a body from a frame, you have other options.

If a clear floor is important to you, an in ground scissor lift may be the ticket. If I bought a building that happened to come with a single post I'd be glad to have it, but I'd never install one new - difficult/impossible to do too many things that require access to the middle of the vehicle.

The in ground scissor lift and 4 post are the only ones you can drive on and go - everything else requires you to position the arms. Getting up and down from the ground 30 times/day may not bother you now, but at some point it may, so that's something you should consider. Another consideration is access will always be more limited on the four post (but better than the single post) - only you can determine to what extent that limitation is pertinent to your use and ultimate purchase decision.

Since you're building from scratch, I'll share something I saw one time I thought was very slick. Guy had a multibay back yard garage just for his hobby work. In one bay, he had a four post lift that was sunk into the floor so that in the down position it was fully flush. There was a spring loaded section of floor where the bridge jacks fit. He had some safety switches fitted so the lift couldn't be lowered beyond X height unless the bridge jacks were in the correct position. When the lift lowered all the way, they just pushed that spring loaded plate down. You could walk on it when the lift was up without even knowing its function.

 

[kngelv]

There is so much nonsense on this forum about 4 post lifts only being good for oil changes. I've done everything on a 4 post that you can do on a 2 post. I can also roll my 4 post anywhere in the garage or even outside on a nice day. Sometimes the posts and arms of a 2 post are actually in the way of what you are doing and the constant tweaking of lift points is a pain in the ***. The main downside of 4 post lifts are the cost. I have a lift, two rolling jack trays and a rolling air jack. I'm at roughly double the cost of a decent 2 post lift. They really hose you on the rolling air jack prices. If I had the room then I'd probably have both but with room for just one I'm very happy with the 4 post.

James

 

[Skellyii]

Since you're building from scratch, I'll share something I saw one time I thought was very slick. Guy had a multibay back yard garage just for his hobby work. In one bay, he had a four post lift that was sunk into the floor so that in the down position it was fully flush. There was a spring loaded section of floor where the bridge jacks fit. He had some safety switches fitted so the lift couldn't be lowered beyond X height unless the bridge jacks were in the correct position. When the lift lowered all the way, they just pushed that spring loaded plate down. You could walk on it when the lift was up without even knowing its function.

Damn!

I'd love to see pictures of that setup!

 

[dave*99]

 

[Dodgeboy2020]

I work on a fleet of close to 20 trucks (mostly F350 and F550) and chose to get a 4 post hoist with the bridge jacks. In fairness I no longer pull drivetrains out (short of drive shafts to change U-joints, but no engines or transmissions) and am very happy with my choice vs a 2 post. I can pull the truck in and have it up in the air in no time compared to a 2 post hoist (and those Fords have some challenging frame angles to try to set a 2 post on). If I need to do brakes or tires or anything like that I can have the wheels off the hoist in a matter of 2 minutes. Also nice about the 4 post is that it gives me somewhere to set the tires when I take them off so I don't have to dead lift them from the ground every time.

 

[carlaisle]

Damn!

I'd love to see pictures of that setup!

I have no pics of the place, but it was a very cool shop. Was built into a hillside, so it had a full basement underneath it, too. The ceiling was higher in the lower level, presumably because he had two bridge cranes in there.