4 post lift math problem with 10’4” ceiling

[svtrichie]

Potential new garage is 10’4” ceiling height so 124” total. Two fox mustangs are around 52” each. How thick is a lift and are the locks adjustable. How many inches does the lift need to get off the lock. I fugure it will be tight but think doable

 

[Daedalus]

Round numbers for an average 7-9k lift, the structure is about 4-5" thick, and locks are often 4" apart. Doesn't take much lift to get the locks out, just enough to remove the weight. Might look good on paper ("Hey, I've got a whole inch of margin!"), but man, that's going to be tight. Just imagine the stress level every time you're raising the lift and trying to gauge how far the roof is from the ceiling. The worst depth perception vision test you'll ever do. Hopefully the floor and ceiling are perfectly parallel and flat.

 

[wssix99]

Very tight. Here are the things people forget to measure for: (in addition to the deck thickness)

- Lowering distance. You will need to lift the load above a lock and then lower it. Plan for +1 lock distance above the top car for this.
- Lighting fixtures on the ceiling.
- Ceiling deflecting (bending down) under roof or floor loads above.
- Sloped floor. (The floor-to-ceiling measurement is different at the front, middle, and back of the garage.)
- Clearance for the garage door to open with a car on the top of the lift.

 

[05snopro440]

Very tight. Here are the things people forget to measure for: (in addition to the deck thickness)

- Lowering distance. You will need to lift the load above a lock and then lower it. Plan for +1 lock distance above the top car for this.
- Lighting fixtures on the ceiling.
- Ceiling deflecting (bending down) under roof or floor loads above.
- Sloped floor. (The floor-to-ceiling measurement is different at the front, middle, and back of the garage.)
- Clearance for the garage door to open with a car on the top of the lift.

A full lock distance is very generous to raise the car. Mine is less than 1/2" before I can disengage the locks fully.

 

[05snopro440]

So if both of your cars are 52" tall, you have 20" extra. However you don't only have to account for the thickness of the lift, but also the heights possible with the lift set on the locks. This link from direct tells you about that. Obviously lock heights will be different depending on the lift you choose.

But also you'll have to make sure of a few things:

1. You have a piece of tape on the lift left to see where you need to have the lift to get the other car underneath it and also the "don't lift pass this point" line.
2. Don't take so much pressure off the lift cylinder when in lock position that your cables droop and are lower than the runways of your lift.
3. Make sure that your garage door won't conflict with the space of the top car in storage position.

So once you figure out which lift you're leaning to, you can do the calculation and see if it will fit.

 

[wssix99]

A full lock distance is very generous to raise the car. Mine is less than 1/2" before I can disengage the locks fully.

Yea, but there is some fudge room in my calculus. Sometimes the load isn't balanced and not all legs are on the locks precisely the same. If one goes a little too far, the next lock is a great warning to stop.

 

[Furylee]

Potential new garage is 10’4” ceiling height so 124” total. Two fox mustangs are around 52” each. How thick is a lift and are the locks adjustable. How many inches does the lift need to get off the lock. I fugure it will be tight but think doable

That is actually the height of my shop. It works for me.

 

[whateg01]

Just let the air out of all the tires!

 

[Daedalus]

So if both of your cars are 52" tall, you have 20" extra.

yeah I can't maths. I'm on vacation!

 

[jmiller_2308]

A lot of good replies above and I'm in the camp that 10' 4" with two 52" high cars will be extremely tight.

I recommend you find a lift that you like and see if the mfg offers a calculator as per the one @05snopro440 recommended or at least talk to a representative of the lift to get the specific rail and lock numbers. The rail height and lock distances of your specific lift will tell you exactly how much room you will have left after parking the cars.

Be careful to ensure you have a bit more than a few inches between the bottom car and the bottom of the lift so that you don't scrape a roof or tear off an antenna or anything else. My friend scraped up the roof of a landrover that was just a bit taller than he expected due to tire inflation and the way the vehicle approached the lift. For myself, I was looking forward to having more room under my lift when my shorter corvette took the place of a taller 1936 Buick but what I didn't factor in was that the antenna on the corvette made it almost as tall as the Buick was so I'm still ducking under the rails. BTW: at 10' 4" with a 52" car and room to unlock I suspect you will also be ducking under the rails if you are working on something.

When you are that tight using @05snopro440 recommendation of putting tape or some other marking on the lift will help a bit with the anxiety you will experience as your car creeps into the ceiling or you try parking another underneath. I have used the tape method and I still cringe every time I lift my vehicle to that height. I had the help of a friend standing on a ladder to help me find that magic last lock that I could use while still being able to unlock and I'd suggest you do the same.

I am impressed that @Furylee makes it work in his same sized shop. You should ask him how tall his cars are and how much clearance he has left at the ceiling when unlocking.

 

[DPSMarkT]

This may help:

Ceiling Height Calculator

www.forwardlift.com

 

[ronr80]

I have the same height , and all works fine , but can't put a SUV on top and get full height, R

 

[firebirdparts]

For a 2 post lift you just have suspension hang. Are you considering that at all?

 

[whateg01]

Did you read the title of the thread?

 

[Furylee]

My 64 Fury is 56” high. I stood on a ladder as I raised the car to get it within inches of the ceiling. I then adjusted the locks so it sets on them. The 58 Belvedere is 57” tall. I have to drop the antenna into the fender. I have about an inch and a half when I back it under the 64. I just do this to store them for the winter. Just came back from the shop after putting them away for the winter. I did the tape thing (bought some arrows on Amazon).