2-post lift users, I got a question!

[Rocky Rotella]

Longtime reader, but first time poster.

I need a little guidance from those with 2-posts lifts and limited garage ceiling height. I’ve got a ranch-style home with an attached 3.5 car garage that measures 850 sq/ft, and a 4-inch thick concrete floor that’s reinforced with rebar. I’m considering installing a “short” 2-post lift with column height between 9 and 10 feet (non-crossbar-type) in the 3rd stall, which is nearly 30 feet deep.

At its lowest point I’ve got 11 feet of ceiling clearance. This does not, however, include the door or the opener. I’ve got a good friend who installs doors for a living and he suggested adding two panels to the door and then running it virtually flush with the ceiling. That would then push the opener back, placing it over the hood. So the door or opener wouldn’t likely be an issue, especially with a closed or partially closed hood.

With 126-inches or so of clearance (allowing 6-inches for the door IF I wanted it fully open while working on the car), do you think I’d have sufficient room to work comfortably under a typical Pontiac? I’m not sure if many Pontiacs are over 60-inches tall from the frame rail to the roof peak, but I’m around 75-inches tall, so I would ultimately need 70 to 75 inches of floor pan clearance.

I was hoping I could get some opinions on the working conditions with the possible lift restrictions mentioned. Any and ALL comments are welcomed!

 

[iiibdsiil]

If you are 75 inches tall, you will want a few more inches of height above your head. I've worked with shorter people then me under a lift, and it is no fun, but you can spread your legs a little to drop your height. You are going to WANT to be able to truly walk under the car when you are working under it without crouching. At least, I do. When you tilt your head, you aren't going to want the car right in your face, etc.

I would say 60 inches is probably a good estimate for most Pontiacs from frame rail to roof rail. I'm 5'8" and my shoulders are usually just about even with most roof lines I think, so subtract 9 inches for my head, and probably 5 inches for ground clearance, and that puts you under 60 enough to get that lift up a couple more inches for your head.

 

[fefarms]

I have a 10 foot 4 inch ceiling where my (portable) lift is now. I'm 73 inches tall, and the clearance with even small vehicles (Ford ******, for example) on the lift is not enough to be comfortable. I can get the job done, but I have to crouch, duck, and hunch over and it gets really annoying

I put a lot of work into another building (with a similar ceiling height) to put a "hole in the ceiling" to gain 3 feet more headroom so I could walk upright under a car on the lift. I'd say the first thing you need to do is figure out how to get the 6 inches back the door would otherwise occupy -- your 10' 6 is not going to be enough for you to be happy. THe full 11 feet might be enough for at least some vehicles.

 

[mikeceli]

I'm about 66" tall and have a 9'3" cieling. I too am shopping two post lifts. I know my garage is not the best for lifting, but I am so SICK of rolling around on the ground, trying to work on cars.

I'll be lifting a 2001 Corvette, 79 Trans Am, 94 Tbird, 88 Lincoln Mark VII and 2000 Ford Excursion(wont be standing under the Ford)!

PS: Rocky Rotella, good to hear you on this forum, enjoy your Pontiac articles, from Y84Bandit on TAC

 

[EZ SPEED]

I also am in the market for a 2 post lift. My ceiling height is 10’3”, so I need a low rise lift also.

I know this is a pic of a 4 post, but I was thinking that I can do just like this guy in the picture and use a stool to roll around on. It defiantly beats rolling around on a creeper !!!!!!

I was thinking about buying this lift . . . anyone heard good or bad about it?

https://www.americasprideonline.com/2-Post-Auto-Lifts/9,000-lb-Floorplate-2-Post-Auto-/-Car-Lift-AP9FC-1015188-1-1-.ViewProduct

 

[bmwpower]

I also am in the market for a 2 post lift. My ceiling height is 10’3”, so I need a low rise lift also.

I know this is a pic of a 4 post, but I was thinking that I can do just like this guy in the picture and use a stool to roll around on. It defiantly beats rolling around on a creeper !!!!!!

I was thinking about buying this lift . . . anyone heard good or bad about it?

https://www.americasprideonline.com/2-Post-Auto-Lifts/9,000-lb-Floorplate-2-Post-Auto-/-Car-Lift-AP9FC-1015188-1-1-.ViewProduct

That might work, but as soon as you need a steady footing for leverage, you will need something more stable.

The other problem I see, is that you're not as mobile on a chair as you would be if you were standing. Falling parts, etc. are harder to get out of the way of.

 

[tintoptexan]

Is 4" concrete thickness sufficient? Seems a little shy. Joe

 

[bmwpower]

Is 4" concrete thickness sufficient? Seems a little shy. Joe

Surprisingly, 4" is about all you need for most manufacturers.

 

[EZ SPEED]

Well, I ordered the 2 post lift yesterday.

I only plan to live at my current residence for about 3 more years.

Then I plan on buying another house and building a larger shop than the 24x36 with 10' ceiling I have now. My next shop will be at least a 30x40 with a 12’ ceiling.

I still believe that even with my lower ceiling that I have now, I will really enjoy the 2 post for the next few years.

I have been using a kwiklift (www.kwiklift.com) for the past 2 years, and it works great . . . but its time to step it up a notch and get the 2 post lift.

For my next shop I plan to have the kwiklift, 2-post and a 4 post

 

[toms73novass]

Surprisingly, 4" is about all you need for most manufacturers.

The mechanic that I use for inspections and if I were to need work done that I don't have time to tackle, has two 2 post lifts installed on 4" thick concrete (was the floor thickness that was in the building when he purchased it). They are used constantly for the last 15 years and never a problem.

 

[Rocky Rotella]

Thanks for the comments so far guys. I’m definitely taking everyone’s comments into consideration.

I spoke with my door-doctor friend and we spoke about removing the horizontal mount opener and adding a wall-mounted unit like a Jackshaft from Chamberlain. This would solve some of the clearance issue, and when/if additional clearance is needed, I can either close the door partially, or all the way.

http://www.liftmaster.com/cw/product_model/0,1064,uid-jmZxbWRpaGpsaA==_649-id-233,00.html

The types of vehicles that I’m looking at working under include our First and Second-gen Firebird models. If my measurements are correct, their low-slung roof-to-frame rail relation should allow us to work comfortably under them and on their suspensions.

Any additional comments are welcome/

P.S. Mike, if this happens you’d definitely be seeing the lift in HPP!

 

[Special55]

I have a 16ft wide door but the lift is positioned all the way to the left side. I was able to move my door opener to the right 4ft and that was just enough to get it out of the way. Not sure what your configuration is but this is an option and is acceptable by the manufacturer's installation instructions (Liftmaster).

Rich

 

[Ironcrow]

When I installed my lift, a Benwil asymmetric twin post, I thought I would want every inch of space possible under it. I designed the garage that way. And, by the way, that dimension should be around 13 feet, not the 12 feet mentioned by a previous poster. You want space for lights, rolled up doors and so forth. If you are near 12 feet, you'll be sweating every inch. If you want to lift any minivan or SUV etc, clear the rolled up door, and not poke a hole in the ceiling with the antenna...go for 13 feet.

That said, in practice I find that I lift my cars all the way up about 1/2 the time. If I'm working on, say, an exhaust pipe I want the car way up. And its nice to not stoop or hit my head (although the lift arms are 6 inches lower than the bottom of the car and are still a head bashing risk). But I am often working on something tucked up under the car farther, like a fuel filter or starter. In these cases I will relieve the stress on my arms, not reaching up as far, by lowering the car. Then I can stand with my head in a wheel well or in the transmission tunnel a little...have to stoop to get into my work space but more comfortable once I'm there...