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2 Post Lift Questions before buying

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silentdub

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Mar 25, 2014
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I am looking at a 2 post lift and was wondering the pros and cons between the baseplate design verse the top plate.

The top plate is direct drive, but why would anyone want it as it will impede the height of the vehicle?

My ceiling is more than tall enough so height isn't an issue.

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Shop-EA#!Lifts&ea_c=2-Post-Lifts



Other than height restrictions, I am not sure why anyone would choose the overhead design.

Comments?

Any recommendations on where to buy?
 
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cuengineer

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I don't have one (yet), but have been looking at them for a while. I think the biggest advantage people see in the top plate version is that it does not interfere with vehicle travel on the floor, i.e. if the vehicle needs to be pushed there is no bump. Also, the top plate with ensure that the posts are held together structurally at the top instead of only at the bottom.
 
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HELLSUNICORN

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I have both. If you have the room get the one without the bottom plate. It makes it easier if you are using a transmission jack or anything that rolls on the floor. The plate gets annoying quickly.

The only down fall of the top plate that I an think of are tall vans or trucks with ladder racks. They limit how tall you can lift them.
 
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wild cowboy

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I have a Mohawk with "underground" lines - we made a small trough between the posts for the lines and finished it with a plate that is totally flush with the floor, with this arrangement, things roll on the floor perfectly due to no bumps, and there is nothing overhead either! :thumbup:
 
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silentdub

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ahhhhh. makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.

Burying the lines makes sense too, as I believe there was a lift in this location before and there is a little area that was filled in with cement..... maybe someone did the same thing.

The baseplate design uses Chain/hydraulic while the top post is direct drive. Any real advantages or problems related to this design?
 
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wild cowboy

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Mohawk lifts are pricey, but they are so overbuilt that they do not need the added stability of having the two posts connected - if I was buying a cheap Chinese lift, I would want some type of cross-member across the top for additional rigidity/safety .
 
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amolaver

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HELLSUNICORN said:
I have both. If you have the room get the one without the bottom plate. It makes it easier if you are using a transmission jack or anything that rolls on the floor. The plate gets annoying quickly.

The only down fall of the top plate that I an think of are tall vans or trucks with ladder racks. They limit how tall you can lift them.
Click to expand...

+1 worked on a few baseplate lifts and hate them. not being able to roll a transmission jack around underneath, never mind a toolcart or box, is a PITA.

i got the same or similar lift as Ign - a 168" (extended height) bendpak xpr-10a http://www.bendpak.com/car-lifts/two-post-lifts/xpr-10a-168.aspx i wouldn't mind if it would lift up another 4-6", but its been great. lifted everything i've tried including a medium duty (4500 kodiak probably right around 10K) no problem. lifts my 8500lb 3500 dually with no strain.

the extra height on that bendpak is intended to solve your question; it provides additional 'headroom', not additional lifting height. that is, the bottom of the vehicle is at the same height at max lift on the standard xpr-10a and the extended height version, but the top cross piece is 23" higher on the extended version, providing room for tall vans / campers / etc.

i would have loved a mohawk - they are, afaik, the best lift money can buy and hugely overbuilt. that said, they are 3x the price of a bendpak and its not worth it to me. the bendpaks and rotaries (and others, just the two i see most commonly) are the workhorses of thousands of shops, and i have zero concerns lifting and working under anything they are rated to lift (when properly installed).

ahm
 
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silentdub

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Okay, there is an option of an extension for the models I was looking at as well. Maybe I'll just do that then. Overhead with the extension. I maninly work on small cars, imports.

Thanks for the input.
 
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Ign

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You can solve a bit of lifting height concern with custom adapters, but you'll be exceeding the manufacturer's stated safe height of adapters and, of course, would need the beginning clearance under the frame to swing them into place (rarely a problem on trucks and vans). I made some custom adapters from stainless that are a couple inches beyond BP's recommendations, so proceed with whatever level of safety paranoia you have.
 
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wild cowboy

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silentdub said:
Okay, there is an option of an extension for the models I was looking at as well. Maybe I'll just do that then. Overhead with the extension. I maninly work on small cars, imports.
Click to expand...
this is what we did at my first shop, we had a Rotary 2 post with the extended height option, we had even large pick-ups and full size vans on it and I don't remember the top bar being an issue.
 
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Adam.C

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I'm tall- 6'7" with work shoes on. What should I do for a lift? Are there lifts out there that I could comfortably stand under? Or should I choose a low rise model and work from a rolling stool?

What do tall mechanics do?
 
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koditten

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My Atlas with the top plate has a bump bar. You contact it and the motor shuts off. It would take a lot of work to break the window.
 
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boosteddsm92

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silentdub said:
Other than height restrictions, I am not sure why anyone would choose the overhead design.
Click to expand...

The only time you would choose a base plate lift would be if there were height limitations. I would HATE to have a base plate in my way all the time.

wild cowboy said:
Mohawk lifts are pricey, but they are so overbuilt that they do not need the added stability of having the two posts connected - if I was buying a cheap Chinese lift, I would want some type of cross-member across the top for additional rigidity/safety .
Click to expand...
The plates that attach the columns do not provide any support. They are simply there to house the hydraulic lines. Baseplate lifts have no less support than overhead line lifts.
 
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DodgeMech

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Adam.C said:
I'm tall- 6'7" with work shoes on. What should I do for a lift? Are there lifts out there that I could comfortably stand under? Or should I choose a low rise model and work from a rolling stool?

What do tall mechanics do?
Click to expand...

My rotary 15k two post at work goes just high enough for a real tall guy to be comfortable under
 
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