4 vs 2 post easy question

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

Not looking for pors/cons of each type of lift. Just what I hope is a simple question.

What can you do on a two post lift that you CAN'T do on a four post lift ???

 

[walrus]

What can you do on a two post lift that you CAN'T do on a four post lift ???

Walk around the lift easier

 

[brownbagg]

anything with the wheels as in changing, brakes, coils, leaf spring. oh you can still do with a four but you have to jack up and then that ramp be in the way

 

[Art From De Leon]

Exhaust systems are much easier on a two post, working on drivelines, removing transmissions and clutch jobs work better on a 4 post.

I was lucky in the first shop I worked at, to have one of each.

 

[APEowner]

I once worked in a shop where I had both a 4 post and a 2 post. Most of the time I preferred the 4 post with two trolley jacks. But there were two things that really required the 2 post. Dropping the complete cradle out of a front drive car or picking a disabled car directly off the roll back. I've also used the 2 post for pulling cabs of trucks (common practice with the current Ford Diesels) and pulling bodies of project cars.

 

[stangkid14]

in short, 4 post are for storage, 2 post are for working. Obviously you can work on a 4 post, but nothing like a 2 post

 

[ebfabman]

why can't you store with a 2 post?

 

[mikeceli]

My shop stored cars on our 2 Benwil 7000's 2 posts, every night for 9 years.

 

[Kevin54]

why can't you store with a 2 post?

A lot of people don't want to use a 2 post for storing as everything is "hanging" as in your springs, shocks, and such.

 

[brownbagg]

thing I hate about my 2 post, I have to get on my knees to line up the lifting arms.

 

[Tscott]

How about the best of both worlds. Mohawk lifts have a number of options to solve these problems.

http://www.mohawklifts.com/consumer/system1.php

Options available:
http://www.mohawklifts.com/consumer/lift_options_2post.php

I do not work for Mohawk, but I plan to buy one. The wheel adapters in the second link turn it into a storage lift, and the speed lane option eliminated the need to adjust the pad locations. They cost more, than most, but as I see it with the right options you can have 2 lifts in 1 for less than the cost of both.

Tom

 

[UPSHIFT]

Not looking for pors/cons of each type of lift. Just what I hope is a simple question.

What can you do on a two post lift that you CAN'T do on a four post lift ???

The only thing I can think of is with a 2 post you can remove the Body from the Chassis.
The Job time is the difference, any wheel/Brake work done using a 2 post would save time in a shop environment. For a hobbyist (not concerned with making a profit) they usually purchase a 4 post as you can get more for your buck (Service/Storage on 4 post vs. Service only on a 2 post). Anyone with a Post Tension Cable Slap is restricted to a 4 post (CA/AZ area homes built in the last 8-10 years.) as it is not safe to drill holes in that type of Slab. Sorry, the pros and cons just fell out.

 

[APEowner]

Even working flat rate I don't mind a 4 post with trolley jacks for brake/suspension work. I'm not sure that it takes any longer to roll the jack into place than it does to mess around with getting all 4 pads in the right place on a 2 post. If you're working on trucks I'm sure it's quicker on the 4 post. Getting the pads and extension post on the frame rails without hitting running boards or steps can be a time consuming process.

I've used both and if I only had room for one in my home shop I'd get a 4 post with trolley jacks and just do body and cradle removal stuff on the floor. I would not get a 4 post with out the trolley jacks.

 

[krooser]

A lot of people don't want to use a 2 post for storing as everything is "hanging" as in your springs, shocks, and such.

I was always taught to get the weight OFF of the suspension when storing a car...

 

[krooser]

Not looking for pors/cons of each type of lift. Just what I hope is a simple question.

What can you do on a two post lift that you CAN'T do on a four post lift ???

I've used my two post to pull engines, load engines/transmissions into a truck/trailer, pull cabs and p/u boxes. It's easier to pull a complete rear axle with a two post as well as do suspension mods without having ramps in the way. Brake work is easier, too.

Two post are service lifts... most four posts are parking lifts that allow you to do some service work.

 

[mechamunch]

In my understanding, 2-post lifts are for constant work while 4-posts double as storage. You CAN get the same wheels-up goodness from a 4-post as from a 2-post with rolling bridge jacks like the BendPak stuff: http://www.bendpak.com/bendpak-products/4-post-bridge-jacks/

However, that'll add an extra step to your process and some components still won't be as easily reached as with a 2-post.

So, 2-posts are really good at doing ONE thing (work)...2-posts are really good at doing ONE thing (storage) and only pretty good at doing another thing (work). However, you get a lot more versatility out of a 4-post, and they are generally shorter so they do good in home garages.

 

[JerseyJim]

Just a comment about car storage with a 2 post... Beyond the suspension is the issue of the chassis itself when it comes to unibody vehicles. These things can really sag when you hang them too long.

On vintage Mustangs that I have had, the recommended way of installing an export brace (firewall to shock towers brace) is to raise and support the front of the car on jack stands positioned at the firewall. When the car is sitting on its wheels, the brace will not fit. The shock towers are too close to the firewall due to the engine sagging over time and pulling the shock towers in. But let the car sit on the jack stands just overnight and the front end will typically sag enough to allow the brace to be installed.

I agree that the best answer to lifts is one of each. For those of us who don't have the room and/or the money for that... The four post is probably the best and most versatile answer to both storage and repairs.