2 Post Lift Positioning

[salguod]

My barn's been complete for about 2 years and I'm finally getting my lift installed. I've got an Atlas 9OHSC-SS coming Tuesday.

My question is where should I install it relative to the OH door? I don't want to have to pull cars in too far, sacrificing usable space behind the lift, but of course I don't want it too close to the door so one day I end up with a car I can't lift with the door closed.

This is my barn layout:

These are the cars I foresee being on the lift:

			H	W	L	WB	F OH	R OH	GC
1957	Cadillac	Eldorado	59.10	80.00	222.10	129.00	35.00	58.10	6.00
1960	Ford	Thunderbird	52.50	77.00	205.30	119.00	34.00	52.30	5.80
2001	Toyota	Tundra	71.30	79.00	217.50	128.00	37.00	52.50	11.20
1964	Chevrolet	Corvette	49.80	69.60	175.30	98.00	32.00	45.30	5.00
1998	Porsche	Boxster	50.80	70.10	170.00	95.10	38.90	36.00	4.13

The Eldorado and Corvette are my Dad's and my Uncle's, but may end up mine at some point, the others are my current fleet, minus the wife's leased Accord. The Eldo's rear overhang is massive, so that's the one I want to make sure I can get on the lift and close the door. Frankly, if it fits, I can probably lift anything else. And, of course, who knows what I might buy in the future.

The installer should be able to give me some advice, but I always like to come in informed. I am a bit limited in what I can do because of the construction of my barn. Between of the end of the garage door tracks and the relief cut in the concrete, I'm going to be between 12' and 14.5' from the inside of the closed door.

What are your thoughts on where it should be?

 

[no704]

Put the lift In the back center. Allows to have it ******* with inop vehicle on the lift. And room to pull axles on said vehicle.

 

[AC-WC]

Best suggestion I can give is pick your largest vehicle to determine how far in you should place it. Preferably 2 ft space front and rear of lifted vehicle. Anything smaller will be a blessing for room. If you store something in the back you can always lift the vehicle to access it.

 

[salguod]

Put the lift In the back center. Allows to have it ******* with inop vehicle on the lift. And room to pull axles on said vehicle.

I guess I should have been clearer. It's going inside the RH door, the question is exactly how far inside. I've already got the wiring above this area and there concrete is extra thick there too.

The area behind the lift is primarily storage for the mower and other stuff and there's another, smaller overhead door there to get the mower out too not shown on the CAD layout.

 

[pelletman]

Centered on the door, as far back as you can go, make sure you leave enough room in the front of the car

 

[salguod]

Best suggestion I can give is pick your largest vehicle to determine how far in you should place it. Preferably 2 ft space front and rear of lifted vehicle. Anything smaller will be a blessing for room. If you store something in the back you can always lift the vehicle to access it.

If I want it in the center of the Eldorado's wheelbase, that's a bit more than 10' from the door. The closest I can go is 12' because of the door tracks, so maybe that's the direction I ought to go.

But, I'm actually not sure how to position cars on a 2 post. Is the midpoint of the wheelbase where you should lift? If farther forward, then 12' from the door may not be enough for the Caddy.

 

[N_Jay]

What I am doing is centered on one door, and Just far enough forward to pull the nose of my longest car in close the garage door and still open the car doors.

 

[salguod]

What I am doing is centered on one door, and Just far enough forward to pull the nose of my longest car in close the garage door and still open the car doors.

Unfortunately, the longest car I imagine lifting is my dad's and not nearby to actually place in space.

 

[ericm]

But, I'm actually not sure how to position cars on a 2 post. Is the midpoint of the wheelbase where you should lift? If farther forward, then 12' from the door may not be enough for the Caddy.

The car's center of gravity should be centered on the lift. If it's a front heavy vehicle like a pickup truck or many front wheel drive cars that will likely be closer to the front wheels than the rear wheels.

 

[N_Jay]

Unfortunately, the longest car I imagine lifting is my dad's and not nearby to actually place in space.

You can usually find the dimensions on line.
If it is not a regularly parked vehcle it doesn't really matter

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I'd put it in the center. That will put the posts in front of or behind cars that are parked. Also give you room for working in front or behind a car on the lift without worrying about it.