2 Post Lift Question regarding level

[69FJ40]

I'm planning on installing a 2 post lift in my 2 car garage. the garage floor slopes from both sides of the garage to a drain in the middle. After arranging where I want the posts to stand, I put a laser level on them and determined that the left post (post closest to the garage perimeter) is 1.5 inches higher than the right post (located near the middle of the garage).

How critical is it to get the two post on an even plane? My plan is to purchase three 1/2" plate shims in order to equal the post heights. I'll also have to do some minor shimming to achieve plum posts.

Please comment. Thanks in advance.

 

[dennis111]

Good question--I am in a similar predicament with 1" difference. Some of it I hope to make up when I pour a new pad on the low side.

 

[nehog]

I think you are going to be OK with that solution. You may want to confirm it with the lift maker however.

 

[pattenp]

I have a Challenger 2 post lift and the instructions say “DO NOT shim more than ½” at any point”. Now I figure that restriction is using the wimpy plastic horse shoe shims that they supplied with the lift to plumb the columns. I don’t know if the same would apply if you were to use solid plates the size of the column foot print to raise the column 1 ½”. Obviously you would need to use longer anchor bolts to make up for the 1 ½” rise. You definitely need to check with the lift maker. Oh and the instructions do say to plumb and level the columns.

 

[pumalex]

some previous threads about the same subject.

I am still unsure of what i will do with mine, i am in the same situation.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65457&highlight=plumbness

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=86023

 

[Jvvmusme]

Use solid plates the size of the column foot print. Made of steel not pastic !

 

[Grape Ape]

Use solid plates the size of the column foot print. Made of steel not pastic !

This is exactly what I did. I just traced the baseplate of the post onto some cardboard and used it as a template to cut a dupilcate baseplate out of 3/4" steel plate.

 

[brownbagg]

mine was like that, I just grind some material from the high side footprint

 

[cwlo]

What if you were to add the height to the lift arm instead with a hockey puck or some steel shim? Any opinions?

Chris

 

[cubfarm 1]

We install lifts at work, the steel plate is the right way. When you drill the slab,go all the way through! If you ever want to move the lift you can hammer them doun.

 

[CarCrafter]

Some manufacturers like Rotary even have full size footprint shims available. Either that or you can make them out of steel. We ran into that problem at this shop with one of our lifts. The only challenge is you now raise the arms off the ground by that much and if you wanted to work on a car that is closer to the ground, with ground effects, it becomes an issue. For the most part, we really don't run into any problems with 3/4" difference, but 1.5 inches is quite a bit.