2-post Lift Options/Advice

[blue2gnt]

Hello,
New member here and the folks over at Rennlist highly recommended I run some ideas by this crew to get some input on what I am trying to do. I recently moved into a new home and unfortunately downgraded from a 3-car to a 2-car garage, and am now looking at options for a 2-post lift that I can use for vehicle service but also come up with a solution to use it for storage. The Mohawk A-7 and System 1 will work, so I'm essentially looking for a more affordable option before buying a Mohawk (if there is one) because these are both over $11,000.

Garage specs:
- 224" wide by 256" deep (18'8" x 21'4") with an 11' ceiling. I intend to get on a ladder next week once I have it out of storage and see if the ceiling joists in my garage run parallel or perpendicular. If they run left to right that may open up some better lift options for me, specifically some from Rotary that are taller but very narrow.
- Concrete pour is 3000psi at 5" depth. Expansion seams are not in a place that is close to where posts will be anchored.
- I am moving the garage door upwards as far as possible without switching to side-mount motors. Hoping to get it around 16" or less from the ceiling with my Chamblerlain motor. This would easily allow storage of both vehicles stacked without adding tremendous costs. As long as the vehicle on top is reversed onto the lift, the door will tuck nicely over the hood with the lift at max height and the garage door open.
- I am removing the wooden shelving the previous owners have on the wall.
- Epoxy/Polyaspartic floor coating going down prior to lift install, once any concrete work that may be necessary is completed.

Goals:
- To be able to work on my 2009 Porsche 911 turbo, 2016 Porsche Macan S and 2004 Nissan 350z, as needed. Dropping the motor/trans on the 911 excludes all 4-post lifts from consideration.
- To come up with a solution (steel or wood) to also store the 350z for extended periods of time on top of the lift, on the tires, with the Macan parked underneath. This requires a minimum lift height of around 70". The Macan is 64" tall and the 350z is 50" tall.
- Prefer a lift with low pad height. The 350z has 3" of ground clearance at the side skirt, the 911 has 3.5" Might need to use blocks to get either one on, even with low-pro lift arms...

Challenges:
1) 11' ceiling. Again, may be able to go up into the space above if the joists run horizontally. If they don't, 2 added challenges:
2) Overall width. The lifts under 11' height all seem to be at least 132" in total width. If one lift post is right up against the wall, this puts the other post quite a ways past the midpoint of the garage. It leaves minimal space for the other car to be parked beside it. It works, but it's tight.
3) Minimum lift of 70" excludes the 125"-width Bendpak GP7-LC from consideration.
4) Building ramps to rest on the lift arms to allow long-term storage of the Nissan up top without suspension hanging. Have seen several solutions in other threads on here so that seems pretty straightforward if I build from wood or hire a welder but open to thoughts on this.

In the attached photo (excuse the curious cat!) the cardboard box represents where the lift post would be if it were 138" wide and mounted 90" from the rear of the garage. There is about a foot of clearance on the other side for the 911, so a 138" wide lift works, but is tight. 132" better. Narrower than 132" ideal.

Questions:
1) Are there any sub-11' lifts narrower than 132" in overall width, other than the Mohawk ones I mentioned above?
2) Is 90" far enough back from the rear of the garage to get either car on the lift forwards or reversed? My measurements say yes, if the post is dead center between the wheels. Hoping I got that right. If it needs to go farther than 90" from the back wall that makes minimizing the lift width even more crucial, since reversing the 911 diagonally into the garage is the easiest way to park it beside the lift bay.

Open to thoughts or suggestions. Lifts I am aware of at the moment that might work are below. Cost not an issue. Thanks!

Brand & Model:
Atlas BP8000
Atlas 9KBP
Bendpak XPR-9S LP
Challenger CLFP9
Direct Lift HR8000
Direct Lift Pro 9F
Forward BP9
Launch TLT240SB-R
Mohawk System 1
Mohawk A-7
Rotary ATO77*
Rotary SPOA10*
Rotary SPOA7-LPA*
Rotary RTP9
Triumph 11K
Tuxedo TP9KFX
Tuxedo TP9KF-TUX
Tuxedo TP11 KC-DX*

*These only work if the lift can go into the ceiling with no joist obstructions.

 

[slidehammer]

Just something to consider:

18'8" is pretty narrow for two cars and a 2-post. The column in the middle of the garage is going to be really in the way. All the time.

If you didn't have the requirement to store a 3rd car, I'd get an open-center full-rise scissor lift embedded in the floor. Expensive, but it doesn't eat up any width, and disappears completely when not in use.

 

[Bruce 993 SEA]

This^

 

[SmackinHondas]

I'd get an open-center full-rise scissor lift embedded in the floor.

OP said they wanted to pull trans/engine though. Might get in the way of that.

With a Mohawk (or similar) lift I would think you should be able to put the posts closer together and shorten the hydraulic equalizer lines.

You could probably get shorter cables for traditional 2 post lifts, and move the posts closer together.

 

[wssix99]

Welcome to the site. We've had a lot of similar threads lately, so I recommend checking out some of our recent discussions. As we've landed in those other discussions, a two post is not the best choice here.

(Full disclosure. I have both 2-post and 4-post lifts in my garage. So, I'm unbiased when I say living with the 2 post lift is hell and the 4 post lifts are much more versitile - especially if you are looking for storage and economy of floor space.

As mentioned above, a two post isn't going to work in your floor space. Even if you think you can fit the lift in (you can't), you won't have enough room to open car doors in the room. You also will need to keep a certain space from the wall. The two post lift legs cannot go up against the wall. (4-post lifts are not as limited because you don't need to bolt them down.)

D0ropping the motor/trans on the 911 excludes all 4-post lifts from consideration.

A 4 post lift with a rolling bridge jack accessory should work perfectly for you here.

Challenges:
1) 11' ceiling. Again, may be able to go up into the space above if the joists run horizontally. If they don't, 2 added challenges:
2) Overall width. The lifts under 11' height all seem to be at least 132" in total width. If one lift post is right up against the wall, this puts the other post quite a ways past the midpoint of the garage. It leaves minimal space for the other car to be parked beside it. It works, but it's tight.
3) Minimum lift of 70" excludes the 125"-width Bendpak GP7-LC from consideration.
4) Building ramps to rest on the lift arms to allow long-term storage of the Nissan up top without suspension hanging. Have seen several solutions in other threads on here so that seems pretty straightforward if I build from wood or hire a welder but open to thoughts on th2is.

4-post lifts solve all your challenges. As noted above, you cannot put a 2-post lift up against the wall due to the development of the stress cone around the bolts that secure the legs to the pad. (You need a cone of concrete around the bolt, plus some addational buffer before you get to the edge of the slab. The lift instuctions give specific measurements.)

2-post lifts are not suitable for storage. Some of the bolts in the slab are under constant tension and balance of the load is critical. Even when working for short periods of time, auxiliary tripod jacks need to be used in order to stabilize the load safely. (Obviously, you can't have tripods in the middle of the floor if you are storing underneath a load.) Leaving a load in the air on a 2 post lift for an extended period of time greatly increaces the change of failure and a fall.

 

[CraigStu]

You will have a really, really aggravating work area no matter what lift you end up with. If you put a post up against the wall it will be near impossible to get down to the floor to position the lift arms under the car. Every inch you move away from the wall to make that easier will make the other post more of a hindrance.

 

[blue2gnt]

A 4 post lift with a rolling bridge jack accessory should work perfectly for you here.

The problem with a 4-post (which I had considered) is that there is then a second post in the middle of the garage that must be avoided when pulling in, and that post being at the entry of the garage rather than the back makes it even more obtrusive.

The general consensus on Porsche forums is that a 4-post lift is too narrow between the runways for the motor to fit through when dropping it. I am looking at some Bendpak models now that state the runway gap is either 37" or 42" - I am not certain how the width varies but 42" is probably sufficient for an engine drop.

The BP HD9-SWX might hit the sweet spot - no obtrusive poles in the center of the garage, big gap between runways to do an engine drop, and bonus would be ability to store a fourth car on it. Only problem is the cost would be high once including all accessories and a rolling bridge jack

 

[slidehammer]

OP said they wanted to pull trans/engine though. Might get in the way of that.

You can drop conventional drivetrains with a scissor with an open center.

With a 2WD 911, you don't even need an open center.

 

[firebirdparts]

That's a narrower garage than we typically give advice for. A one-post lift would seem to meet all your requirements, but I wouldn't really want one. The Bendpak Grand Prix was designed for confined space problems, and is overall 125" wide, but the heights offered are unhappily too short and too tall. The 9'10" model would meet some of your requirements if you're short, but you couldn't park a macan under it. It would sure be nice if they made a 10'10" model.

I would hate to not use the full 11' height, though. If you were willing to shorten the cables, you could install a floor plate lift with whatever width you want. Something to think about.

If I were you, I would probably put a premium on using a Mohawk since they offer wheel adapters. But in my case I would not be really afraid to build a set.

 

[ace10]

An Advantage double wide will fit in that space.

 

[firebirdparts]

It's kind of an interesting question whether the engine can be pulled on the autostacker. That would be very perfect if it could.

 

[zkdiesel]

Have a mohawk for sale in Chicago used

 

[wssix99]

The BP HD9-SWX might hit the sweet spot - no obtrusive poles in the center of the garage, big gap between runways to do an engine drop, and bonus would be ability to store a fourth car on it. Only problem is the cost would be high once including all accessories and a rolling bridge jack

This would be a great option for storage. However, I think you will quickly get annoyed with it in your space. No matter what lift you have in your garage, you will need to duck to get into the main space and you'll be doing a limbo go open your car doors and get in. It will be extremely uncomfortable. I have 14' ceilings and that's the minimum my wife and I need to store vehicles on the top of the lift and comfortably walk underneath them. (Without ducking or hitting our heads.) If you have to squeeze 3 vehicles in there, I would try to space out a single wide 4 post lift (they make narrow models and wide models, so should be able to get whatever width you want). That way, you would at least have one space for a grocery-getter car that is always in-and-out of the garage.

In that space, no matter what you do - I don't think you are going to be able to get a one-size fits-all lift. As you point out, engine removal on a 4 post lift will have several challenges. 2 post lifts are not going to work geometrically.

A one post lift in some form may fit the bill. Something like this would eliminate your problems in the center of the room, but it still needs to be spaced away from the wall. (I don't think you have the floor space for it.) https://www.redlinestands.com/catal...98/kernel-single-post-auto-storage-lift-p-592

This lift would be an ideal accessory to keep in the corner: https://www.redlinestands.com/catal...-low-profile-single-column-6000-lb-lift-p-917 In a stowed position, you could park over the arms and keep it out of the way. When you need to work on one of the cars, you can wheel it out into the middle of the room and do whatever you want. This would also work as an accessory if you have a 4 post lift in the room.

^ No matter what you do, solving your lift problem will be "expensive," but that's a relative term. I expect the cost of getting a larger garage in the location you want to be is much more!

 

[Daenan]

A few pieces of information that might be useful.

I dropped and re-installed engine and trans using 4 post lift. Others have done this before, white car picture was my inspiration. It wasn't as sketchy as I was expecting, but still not ideal.

My current ceiling height is ~132" (with a light that steals an inch) and while I can technically fit the Macan stacked with 911, it's so tight that I opt for the shorter VW parking there. This lift could fit the 911 w/Macan combo fairly easily with 10.5' clearance. Specs for comparison https://www.babco.ca/Peak-408-P. I do need blocks when driving on forward.

911 FYI: My 997tt pipes started leaking a few months after I bought the car (of course)! A few others around the country were performing similar engine out "fixes". I'd suggest looking at pinning the cams while you're in there. Good luck!

 

[wssix99]

BTW - I'm impressed that the OP's Siamese cat behaves in the garage. Mine will not... and is not allowed in! (BTW - Cats love to climb on the lfits.)

 

[BertoBuckeye]

Another option to consider. Cost may be a factor.

Get a 4 post lift for storage, can be relatively cheap model. and get a Maxjack lift. You could set whatever width you want, AND when not in use you can cart it out of the way and use your garage a bit more comfortably.

 

[blue2gnt]

I dropped and re-installed engine and trans using 4 post lift. Others have done this before, white car picture was my inspiration. It wasn't as sketchy as I was expecting, but still not ideal.

911 FYI: My 997tt pipes started leaking a few months after I bought the car (of course)! A few others around the country were performing similar engine out "fixes". I'd suggest looking at pinning the cams while you're in there. Good luck!

Welding the coolant pipes is actually the one of the two jobs I am looking at having to pull the motor for in the near future. The other is to change the clutch and injectors. I will probably pin the cams while the motor is out for one of those jobs.

Your photo of the engine out on the end of the 4-post is something similar to what I saw yesterday of a guy doing the same job on a 964 so I think I can make that work using a 4-post.

You can drop conventional drivetrains with a scissor with an open center.

With a 2WD 911, you don't even need an open center.

Can't store the third car under a scissor, which is a requirement. Also, the turbo is AWD.

It's kind of an interesting question whether the engine can be pulled on the autostacker. That would be very perfect if it could.

I considered those, but don't believe any of them go high enough to get the Macan under them, which is the car going under whichever left is installed.

BTW - I'm impressed that the OP's Siamese cat behaves in the garage. Mine will not... and is not allowed in! (BTW - Cats love to climb on the lfits.)

He's only behaving because he's a ragdoll Looks like a siamese for sure but the litter were all ragdolls. He got some weird coloration for sure.

Another option to consider. Cost may be a factor.

Get a 4 post lift for storage, can be relatively cheap model. and get a Maxjack lift. You could set whatever width you want, AND when not in use you can cart it out of the way and use your garage a bit more comfortably.

I think this is what I actually landed on yesterday as the best solution. Bendpak HD-7 or HD-9, either of which has an option to be configured with 42" between the rails which should just be enough to get the motor out of the Porsche. I would add a MaxJax if needed but not even sure it is critical at this point.

Thanks for the input everyone!

 

[Scud67]

2 post lifts are used for storage all the time - mine certainly is, as well as most of the shops I have ever worked at (mostly dealerships). I absolutely love my Atlas 2 post - it is the BP9k. Made for "low ceiling heights". The posts are 9'3" tall. My ceiling height is 11'6" but most things I lift don't come close to that.

 

[ksully]

i have a very similar set up I am currently building with 11 foot ceilings. Not sure what I'm going to do. Been racking my brain for a solution. What did you end up doing????