2 post lift install ideas

[Squee_me]

So I have been lurking for a long time now signed up last week so I could start posting. For years I have been reading trying to take all of your permanent garages and make a temporary/transferable garage for myself. See I am in the military so it’s going to be some years before I have my own man cave but for the time being I have to do with what I have. Every 3-4 years I have to start over in someone else’s house and make their garage as close to my man cave as possible. I love being in the garage and it is killing me not being able to make one how I want.

Get to the point right…

So I am purchased a lift (Maxjax) and I have been crazy excited until this morning when my landlord changed her mind about having holes in her garage floor. So I know the answer that I am going to get most is get a scissor lift…problem solved. All my cars are small including a classic mini cooper which a scissor lift almost takes up the entire bottom of the car. It covers the rear suspension and the back of the engine…oil change… ya right. I know it light enough just lift it with one hand and drain the oil with the other but what’s the fun in that.

The point.

I have seen members cut out a 3’x3’ section of their floor and re-pour 5000psi 6” thick concrete to meet the requirements for a lift so this is where my idea comes from. Since my landlord doesn’t want holes and future ones might not either here is my question.

Is possible to make a square concrete block to mount the lift to?
Or
A thick steel (2”ish) plate from one side of the lift to the other?

I know that they both would raise the lift and there for I would need a set of ramps to drive up to get the arms under the car.

Basically is there any safe way to mount a 2 post lift (Maxjax) without making holes in the garage floor?

I know that this might sound crazy but I am just trying to work with what I have.
Thank you

 

[wssix99]

No, there is no safe way to do this for a reasonable cost.

The concrete slab acts as a beam to support the twisting of the lift as you put weight on it. You could have a steel frame fabricated that would give you a metal beam to mount the two jacks to and would wrap around the car, but by the time you do that, you could buy a 4 post lift. (A 4 poster is probably the best bet in your situation.)

 

[bobadame]

Can't you convince the land lord that you will fill the holes when you remove the lift? Sign a contract to that effect and put up maybe another hundred damage deposit as good faith.

 

[Squee_me]

No, there is no safe way to do this for a reasonable cost.

The concrete slab acts as a beam to support the twisting of the lift as you put weight on it. You could have a steel frame fabricated that would give you a metal beam to mount the two jacks to and would wrap around the car, but by the time you do that, you could buy a 4 post lift. (A 4 poster is probably the best bet in your situation.)

Thank you for the thoughts
The problem with a 4 post is its size and the mini barely fits width wise... well and all the other 4 post drawbacks.

Can't you convince the land lord that you will fill the holes when you remove the lift? Sign a contract to that effect and put up maybe another hundred damage deposit as good faith.

The landlord and I have gone back and forth since she changed her mind. I wish I had it writing saying I could because then I would just do it. I told her that I would cut a square around the holes, remove the concrete and then refill the square flush to the rest of the floor. That didn't work. Next I said I would do the same thing or just fill each hole by themselves and then paint the floor all on my dime. I told her all the benefits of an epoxy floor. Still no.

I could just wait until I move again to install it but moving so much it scares me that I will find the perfect house or the only one available to move into and they will say no too.

I love what a lift can do for me especially saving my back part because all my cars are lowered and bending over to work in the engine bay kills me by the end of the day.

Any other ideas?

 

[Jack Olsen]

Mid-rise scissor lift? They roll around so you can put one anywhere. Some only have crossmembers joining them together, which gives you more access.

There's also the kind that has two parallel platforms that go under the rockers. They don't go very high up, but I'd imagine you can't be sure you're going to have 12'+ ceilings always.

 

[Zeke]

You don't need 2" steel plate, but you are on to something using plates joined and with outriggers to support the posts while sitting flush on level concrete. Yes, it may cost a bit, but you will be able to set up and use your lift anywhere you can find a solid level surface.

I think this idea is particularly suited to the Maxjax.

 

[Squee_me]

Two things wrong with a scissor lift. 1. Its not a 2 post. lol and 2. Some are too long.
My mini's wheelbase is about 80" and from the front of the rear tire to the rear of the front tire is about 61".

I need something like your lift table that your would with.

I guess its more the fact that I like the Maxjax over a scissor lift.

 

[Squee_me]

One thing that I thought of after looking at Mr. Olsen's lifting table was if the weight was off it could tip forward or back unless I made the plate crossmember pretty wide.

 

[Squee_me]

Any other ideas before I have to give up?

 

[3x9RT/SE]

4 post,and buy the deck kit to make it a full platform,remove the ones that your tires are'nt on once up there to do your service work.

 

[wssix99]

Any other ideas before I have to give up?

"Sometimes its better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission..."

If you drill the holes for the lift, what's the worst that could happen? The "damage" you'd have to pay to repair would be less than you'd spend on some special contraption to make it work and odds are that your landlord will never know or notice. You can always cover the holes with something to hide the fact that they are there. Maybe use one of the floor grid systems, etc. and then remove the grids that cover the holes when you need to use the lift. Slick.

 

[bobadame]

You could move. Find a more understanding landlord.

 

[Squee_me]

"Sometimes its better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission..."

If you drill the holes for the lift, what's the worst that could happen? The "damage" you'd have to pay to repair would be less than you'd spend on some special contraption to make it work and odds are that your landlord will never know or notice. You can always cover the holes with something to hide the fact that they are there. Maybe use one of the floor grid systems, etc. and then remove the grids that cover the holes when you need to use the lift. Slick.

I wish I would have never asked now but now that I have I know that she is going to look at the garage before I leave. As far as the grid system, I'm not worried about her seeing it while I live here. She lives in FL and said that she will come and inspected the house before I move out. As far as "damage" goes I can see her pulling some S*&$ saying that to bring it back to normal they would have to pour another slab. Which I would fight but I'm not interested in dealing with her after I leave.

You could move. Find a more understanding landlord.

I am looking at another place to move into this summer but my family doesn't want to move since the military will be moving us the summer of 2012

As much I don't want a scissor lift I think I am just going to go with the Atlas TD6MR

 

[rpmgroup]

Wish I had a picture of my old outside hoist. I used a 2 post hoist with the chain in the bottom frame and found 2 4 inch square tubing 10 ft long, which I attached to each side of the hoist. they were attached with 4 ft on the front side and 6 ft to the rear, this keep the hoist very stable. even with a full size truck on it. used it outside for pressure washing, welding and body removal.

 

[rpmgroup]

this hoist was never bolted down and i moved it around the yard.

 

[tatra]

wasn't there a portable knock down hoist that ran off an electric drill?............someone maybe remeber the name and post a link ?..........seemed perfect for small cars and sounds like the solution for a man on the move........pricey tho..........

 

[Jack Olsen]

Here's a possibility. It won't eat up a lot of room, is rated for 6000 pounds, and is portable. Lifts the car 72" up.

$2,300, and it runs on 110v.

http://stores.ebay.com/Metro-Lifts/_i.html?_fsub=8333630

If there were a way to put that pillar underground, I'd buy it for myself.

 

[Squee_me]

Wish I had a picture of my old outside hoist. I used a 2 post hoist with the chain in the bottom frame and found 2 4 inch square tubing 10 ft long, which I attached to each side of the hoist. they were attached with 4 ft on the front side and 6 ft to the rear, this keep the hoist very stable. even with a full size truck on it. used it outside for pressure washing, welding and body removal.

I knew there was a way to make it work without mounting into the floor. Wish you had pictures.

wasn't there a portable knock down hoist that ran off an electric drill?............someone maybe remeber the name and post a link ?..........seemed perfect for small cars and sounds like the solution for a man on the move........pricey tho..........

Any one know of this such amazing lift

Mr.Olsen you got me all excited! lol but that lift is too tall for this house. Might work in other houses that I move into but right now I only have 99 1/2 inches.

Any one have any opinions on the Atlas TD6MR???
Thanks

 

[mobetta]

just do it and pay up out of your damage deposit. fact is the holes are not detrimental to the slab strength. some floor patch before the final move out inspection, park a car over it, i bet she never knows.

just my opinion.

also- how about a few free oil changes for the landlord to sweeten the deal????

 

[BLUBAYOU]

Mr.Olsen you got me all excited! lol but that lift is too tall for this house. Might work in other houses that I move into but right now I only have 99 1/2 inches.

Thanks

This was the option I was going to suggest. Don't you have room between two joists/trusses to fit the post in the ceiling?

Personally, I would just bolt the MaxJax down and get to using it. I'm sure you can find documentation somewhere about concrete fillers that will be stronger than the original concrete. She won't be able to convincingly argue in court that you need to pour a new floor for her if she can't prove the floor is now damaged beyond repair. Any concrete repair person would simply patch the holes anyway. Think of the concrete floor like drywall or any other surface in the house. Those get patched whenever there's turnover. If you leave nail holes in the wall you aren't expected to pay for new drywall, are you?

I would patch with a super high strength concrete filler and maybe consider painting or epoxying the whole floor "for her" since it was dirty/stained or some other BS. She's not going to strip the floor coating off to see if you repaired holes.

The last option would be to find a local friend willing to house your lift where you can install it until you move. They can use the lift, you can use their space. Maybe even a neighbor would be into this....

 

[Squee_me]

Both good ideas but I guess I just think about if it was my own house and I didn't want a renter to do something.

so AGAIN any opinions on the Atlas TD6MR?

 

[tatra]

found it...........
http://www.ezcarlift.com/

 

[Challenger lifts]

A portable mid-rise lift is a great way to increase the productivity in a shop. It’s like having a service bay anywhere, indoors or out. The motor on these mid rise car lifts is conveniently mounted to a Heavy-Duty tow dolly, making it easy to move and operate on almost any solid surface.

Some great features of mid rise lifts include a sliding/rotating arm design with rubber pads, and low drive-over clearance.

Also, mobile car lifts provide the flexibility and convenience to lift any rubber tired vehicle, from small passenger cars (with special adapters) to the largest two and three axle vehicles up to 96,000 lbs, without pits, hydraulics, or compressed air.