2-Post vs 4-Post

[KevDawg]

Hey guys,

I'm doing some research on lifts.
I see lots of guys with 2-Post, 4-Post & Scissor lifts on this forum.

I personally was thinking about a 4 post for the added ability to use it as stacking parking.
But my question is.. using a 4 post lift.. say you want to rotate tires or do brakes... how do you remove wheels with a 4 post lift?
Do you have to jack the vehicle up on the lift and put it on stands?

I know Rookie question... this seems why a 2 post would be easier to me for working on vehicles.

Thoughts?
What lift do you have and why did you choose it?

Thanks in advance.
KevDawg

 

[mikeyr]

For the 4-post you get jack trays basically a nice chunk of steel that goes across the lift and you put a jack on it. Works great ! or you get some scissor jacks from the wrecking yard and jack up the car. In this pic you can see the jack tray under the rear axle along with the scissor jacks ($10 for 4 of them at the wrecking yard).

I absolutely love my 4-post its the very best but look out, its like politics or religion. There are very biased people on here toward 2post and some to the 4post. For me, they each have their strong points and weaknesses. I say a homeowner should not have a 2post unless he has way more room then a man should ever have in his garage, the 4post does everything the 2post does and more, YES I ADMIT some things are easier on a 2post, I admit it that is why I also own a mid-rise scissor. But a 4post does double duty as storage and in my cramped garage any tool that does double duty is the best.

Besides, having to do suspension or brake work is NOT something I do very often, I prefer to do it correctly the first time rather than do it on a regular basis.

And here is the Scissor...it just exists to save my back from being bent over all day.

 

[KevDawg]

Thanks mikeyr!
That answers my question well.
I appreciate the pictures as well!

 

[Matti]

You can also buy a sliding jack for a 4 post lift. If you look at most lift mfg's sites they show these as accessories. They are available with a manual hydraulic cylinder or powered by air/hydraulic. Basically they can slide back and forth between the ramps and they have arms that slide in/out to go under the lifting points. These lifts run $600-$1100 though. You can also get the cheaper sliding jack tray which uses bottle jacks.

I'm going with the 4 post lift as it can be easily moved because it doesn't need to be bolted down and comes with casters. The 2 post lifts must be bolted and the suspension hangs.

 

[HIRISC]

Like MikeYR above, I'm a scissor/4 post kind of guy.

Best way to get the wheels off w/ a four post (and the most expensive) is with one or two rolling bridge jacks ($1,000 ea). I have a BendPak HD-9 4 post and a BendPak MD-6XP scissor lift, so if I personally need to get the wheels off a car, I just use the scissor. Best feature of a 4 post - as you astutely pointed out - is that it's great for storage.

If you don't need the lift for storage, you have the width and height for one, and your floor is ready for it, then a 2 post is the most work-versatile (although, not really great for detailing due to the arms). You could 'store' a car with a 2 post, but opinions vary whether it's OK for the suspension to dangle.

I didn't buy a 2 post because I started with a scissor and realized that a 4 post (with the ability to stack a car) was a better fit for my needs than a 2 post. If I had a huge garage with no future need for more storage, and my garage floor was 2" thicker, then I might have considered a 2 post.

If budget and/or space and/or concrete fitness is an issue, then you can do a lot of work on car with a scissor lift - plenty of underneath access for most work.

Pics below - my four post, my scissor and the rolling bridge jack pic is from a Corvette Forum buddy named EJ who also has a BendPak HD-9

 

[KevDawg]

Thanks Guys for your info!
The Bridge Jack looks like the way to go... if of course your budget allows for it.
(or is could be the Yenko that's making that lift look so damn appealing)
I appreciate your info... I've got a while before making the purchase so I'll keep doing my research & homework.

 

[fxdlryan]

Thanks Guys for your info!
The Bridge Jack looks like the way to go... if of course your budget allows for it.
(or is could be the Yenko that's making that lift look so damn appealing)
I appreciate your info... I've got a while before making the purchase so I'll keep doing my research & homework.

I recently bought my 4 post lift. Here are some general points that helped me make my decision, your mileage may vary and there are some exceptions to these generalities:

I think a 2 post makes it much easier to work on a car. The 4 post probably makes it easier to store and stack cars. Parking under a car on a 2 post lift, you have to worry about fluids from the car on top, a 4 post can utilize drip trays.

4 posts can usually be moved around, 2 posts you have to determine the location and then it's more or less permanent. You can keep the 4 post close to the wall for normal circumstances but move it way from the wall if you have to pull an axle or something. While the overall footprint of the 4 post is greater, I believe the average 2 post lift takes more room width wise than the average 2 post. Most 2 posts also require more height for installation.

Rolling bridge jacks are offered for most 4 post lifts and/or jack trays for bottle jacks, I have both for my 4 post. They make lifting all 4 corners easy work and add flexibility for how I lift things.

Ideally, I think we would all like to have one of each, there are pros and cons to both, only you can determine the weighting factor of those pros and cons. I had people swear up and down that a 2 post was the only way to go and the samefor 4 posts. In the end, I made my decision and I'll live with it and it's limitations (until I find a good used 2 post lift on the cheap, )

 

[Aclifts]

The single post is another option, although it does cost more. The 4 post is the definte work horse with many options available.

 

[alkemyst]

it's true lift types are very dependent on what they are going to be used for...pretty much hard to avoid a 4 post for a stacked garage and the safety it gives.

However if you are storing temporarily and have a 'leaker' you can always attach a pan to the chassis itself.

 

[Aclifts]

Drip pans for the 4 post work great for those leakers

 

[HIRISC]

What is the width of those plastic drip trays? ^^^

 

[Aclifts]

38" between tracks

 

[HIRISC]

38" between tracks

Thanks

 

[krooser]

Two post lifts are service lifts... look at you local dealer and see what they use.

Four post are parking lifts with attachments available.

I can park a car under my two post with one car in the air so it also doubles as a parking lift... seems to be more versatile to me.

 

[35mastr]

I also prefer the 2 post lifts.They are alot more user freindly.

I was always banging my head on the 4 post rails and ramps.

If you need to step back to find that mysterious(SP) oil leak you will walk right into the side rails.

They are good for alignment racks,But thats about all there good for for me.

Plus you dont need the extra jacks.I have parked cars under 2 posts for 20 years and had never had one come down.Just make sure that you have it on the locks and you will be fine.

With all the shops and dealers closing up.I bet you could score one real cheap.Look out for the auctions as there will be many coming up.

 

[JOHNMAN]

I too like my two post. A 4-post would be nice to do alignment work on. Someday I may get one, but for now my 2-post will do everything (including alignments).

 

[HIRISC]

There are a lot of varying opinions on using 2 post lifts for 'long-term' storage.

I wouldn't personally store my cars on a 2 post for several months at a time - as I believe suspension was designed to be 'on-load'. A fews days, no biggie.

One opinion:
http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Articles.asp?ID=155

 

[SteveU]

I have a 2 post & like mine a lot. All it gets used for is working on vehicles rather than storage. Only time something sits on it is when I go in for parts or like the exhaust pipe breaking & dragging on the way home from the inlaws on thanksgiving day, car stayed up until the next morning when the parts store opened.

 

[ghlkal]

With all the shops and dealers closing up.I bet you could score one real cheap.Look out for the auctions as there will be many coming up.

Any suggestions on where to look for these types of auctions? I constantly scan my local papers, craigslist, eBay, but I think I'm missing where the commercials auctions are ...

 

[dawg]

your better off buying new.

hey who said its unsafe to store a car on a 2 post lift?
bendpak tech said otherwise.
I been storing my cars like this for 2 years now and no problems at all.
and they are locked in nice withthe big 2 post lift.
unlike the sheetmetal 4 poster lifts.

 

[ghlkal]

I been storing my cars like this for 2 years now and no problems at all.

Dawg, how much room between your right column and the wall? I want to push mine as close as I can ...

 

[mikeyr]

its not that its not safe to store on a 2-post, its that the suspension is NOT designed to be in that position for any length of time. You will be replacing bushings & shocks more often than you need to that is all.

 

[Vicegrip]

its not that its not safe to store on a 2-post, its that the suspension is NOT designed to be in that position for any length of time. You will be replacing bushings & shocks more often than you need to that is all.

I hear this from time to time but have not seen anyone put up real world data on this. Is it a "sounds right so it must me right" thing or is there real info on real damage caused?

 

[dawg]

Dawg, how much room between your right column and the wall? I want to push mine as close as i can ...

about 2 feet

 

[dawg]

its not that its not safe to store on a 2-post, its that the suspension is NOT designed to be in that position for any length of time. You will be replacing bushings & shocks more often than you need to that is all.

bah that is an old wives tale
ask any proffesional mechanic
its actually better to get weigh off the suspension and tires relax the springs and prevent flat spots on the tires.
besides all my bushings are poly urethane not oem rubber.

 

[HIRISC]

bah that is an old wives tale
ask any proffesional mechanic
its actually better to get weigh off the suspension and tires relax the springs and prevent flat spots on the tires.
besides all my bushings are poly urethane not oem rubber.

No flat spots on tires (at least radial tires)

 

[krooser]

Any suggestions on where to look for these types of auctions? I constantly scan my local papers, craigslist, eBay, but I think I'm missing where the commercials auctions are ...

I just looked at about 20 used lifts today in Pana, IL... about 40 miles south of Bloomington on US 51. There's a used equipment dealer there who has about 8 BenWil lifts...some US... some Japan from a GM dealer... floor plate model for low ceilings. He quoted me $12-$1400 dollars each. These are rated at 7K. Some are single pahse... some 3 phase. A little paint and polish and you'll have a nice lift.

He also has other used lifts and sells new Rotary lifts.

Brett... 217-454-4940

 

[ghlkal]

There's a used equipment dealer there

Thanks krooser. That's a ways away from me (looks like it's a fair distrance from you too)., but I'll give him a call.

 

[krooser]

Thanks krooser. That's a ways away from me (looks like it's a fair distrance from you too)., but I'll give him a call.

It'll cost you about $125.00 in gas round trip...and a full day.

This guy's been selling this stuff for a long time...sells all sorts of auto shop equipment... compressors, tire changers, hot water parts washers and such.

 

[jbarila]

Dawg,
What is your cieling height?
Thanks
JB

 

[KevDawg]

My garage is an attached 2 car with a bonus room over it.
So I've got a 10 foot ceiling height for the first 9 feet then 16 foot for the next 12 feet.
Its kind of akward but I think I can make it work.