4 post lift side rail

[TX63CONV]

After years of my wife complaining of having to park on the driveway, I am looking very seriously into a 4 post lift.

I have a small garage--22' by 20' wide. I am concerned about the wife getting out of her car and dinging my mustang parked next to her under the lift. One thought was to bolt a piece of steel to the front and rear post on that side at door level.

Has anyone thought about this? Is is possible? I am going to check out some lifts locally pretty soon and will ask them but thought I would raise the question here.

 

[TX63CONV]

anyone have any thoughts or reason I couldnt do this?

 

[sublimate]

No real reason you couldn't do it. You'd need to make sure that the bolts don't interfere with the carriage that rides inside the posts.

But it seems like an inelegant solution. It's going to cut into your already small space and make it hard for her to open her door and for you to work on your cars or even move around.

Why not teach her to be careful instead?

 

[msgross]

put some bumpers on the edge of her door or make a wooden wall to set beside your mustang...

 

[TX63CONV]

Thanks for the ideas. I agree it would cut down on space and I figured I would have to be mindful of the mech inside the column.

I wonder if I could get strong magnets to hold it up. I guess I will wait and see how much room there is once it is installed before I do anything.

 

[Theruse]

two simple solution. Put the lift on the right side of the garage, so when she opens the drivers door she can only hit the wall. If you can't switch, buy a 3'x6' piece of flexible covering (like a clear vinyl floor runner). Connect it to the side rail with snaps. Put snaps on the lower piece of rubber. this way you can either snap it off completely when you don't need it or let it just extend and hang down when the lift is raised.

 

[Matt M PA]

Or get a double wide lift to put both cars up so your wife has the whole width of the garage to park in...

 

[workhurts]

If you aren't bolting the lift down, I'd be a little concerned about the metal bar. My lift like to walk a tiny little bit and the posts move (since it's not bolted down). I can't imagine it being a problem but if the post wants to move ... I'm letting it move.

How often do you use the Mustang? If not often, then you can get something to protect just the door. I'm sure they sell door guards .. etc. or heck, roll down the window and throw a blanket or towel over the side.

You can also equip her car with little rubber gaskets that form over the edge of the door that should protect your car from scratches unless she's wildy swinging the door open.

Depending on how you install the lift, you could always cheat a bit to the left if you had to.

If you can't switch the location of the lift, make her park in reverse