42x40 Garage layout with 2 post lift ideas

[drew_351]

I am starting to work on getting quotes from builders for a garage I want to put up. I originally started with a 40x40 layout with an 18' door and a 10' door on the front, figuring the 10' door would be the bay with a car lift in it. When talking with them, it sounded like it may not cost much more at all to go 42' wide. I then started to question if I could fit 4 vehicles across the garage instead of only 3, but then was trying to figure out the best placement for the 2 post lift. The attached design is what I have come up with so far.

Any ideas or changes to think about? Am I being too ambitious with squeezing in 4 cars across the width?

My goal here would be that I would have 4 vehicles easily to always park and drive out of the garage. I would have the 2 post lift out of the way from typical parking. I could put a car on the lift and if it was in the air I could still pull in a car. I do struggle with exactly how far in I should have the posts for the lift. I am looking at a 12k symmetrical lift (they don't make asymmetrical lifts that are 12k) and I don't know exactly where the vehicles will be positioned on the lift, if there will still be more behind the vehicle than in front or if it will be about equal. I also have some wonders on how much room I would need in front of the vehicle if I needed to pull an engine. But I guess if I needed to do that I could move my toolboxes and give myself an extra 2 feet.

I will also note, I would love to make the whole garage 2 feet wider so I could have an 18' door on both sides, but it sounds to be more expensive to go another 2 feet wider and at that point they would go to 48 feet wide since going 44' isn't that much less than 48' but I am not sure I would spring for the extra cost of all of that. I want to keep my funds so I can afford the 2 post lift!

 

[TurnipTruck]

I can tell you that having the two-post 28 feet in from the door is not enough to park a full size vehicle behind whatever is on the hoist.

 

[kngelv]

You are trying to put waaay too much stuff in there. I would stake out a 40' x 40' grid on your property and then park four vehicles on it plus simulate a lift and tractors. You need room all around a lift. A minimum of three feet in either direction just to work comfortably. Your proposed building is far too small IMHO.

James

 

[drew_351]

I can tell you that having the two-post 28 feet in from the door is not enough to park a full size vehicle behind whatever is on the hoist.

Thanks for that information. Well, then at least I can park something in front of the lift when it isn't in use, and I would not have a car there when it is in use.
Your lift looks to be a symmetrical lift, is that right? When you use that lift, is the posts always about half way right in the middle of the vehicle or where do you line it up typically? How much room do you recommend having in front of the lift?

 

[drew_351]

You are trying to put waaay too much stuff in there. I would stake out a 40' x 40' grid on your property and then park four vehicles on it plus simulate a lift and tractors. You need room all around a lift. A minimum of three feet in either direction just to work comfortably. Your proposed building is far too small IMHO.

James

Thanks James! I actually have done just that, and I do feel like I can fit 4 vehicles across the 42' wide dimension just fine, still with over 3' on the side where I would have the service door, and I can get in and out of the vehicles ok. Sure I can't open the doors all the way on the vehicles, but don't know why I would need to. I completely see how having more room could be great, but unsure it is absolutely needed. I guess I feel like it isn't worse than most parking lots I am in these days - but I do see what your saying cause I am trying to do the most I can with the space I think I can afford.

I put the lift towards the back of the garage to try and help ensure I would have room always in front of the vehicle, and on both sides at least up by the hood. I could see where by the back tires maybe I would need more room if I am doing brakes such, but I also figure I could pull other vehicles out of the garage if I need that extra room. I don't expect to always have a vehicle up on the lift.

 

[TurnipTruck]

Symmetric, yes.
I have axle-weighed many cars and trucks. The typical center of gravity for the cars I have weighed is the drivers lap/camshaft high for a muscle car and midway between axles for single and extended cabs. Rule of thumb. YMMV.
Most lift manufacturers publish recommended lift points.

No less than 12’ in front of the hoist. Engine crane? 16-18 feet.

 

[drew_351]

Symmetric, yes.
I have axle-weighed many cars and trucks. The typical center of gravity for the cars I have weighed is the drivers lap/camshaft high for a muscle car and midway between axles for single and extended cabs. Rule of thumb. YMMV.
Most lift manufacturers publish recommended lift points.

No less than 12’ in front of the hoist. Engine crane? 16-18 feet.

Thanks for all the info! I have extended cab trucks, so I am just guessing the center of gravity will be slightly closer to the front of the vehicle instead of centered between the axles, maybe more like the cars you mentioned with the drivers lap.

As for using a engine hoist/crane, maybe what I have setup then isn't too bad. I would be around 16' in front of the hoist if I would roll my toolbox away from the front. I guess if needed I could put a vehicle on the lift the opposite way and then there would be around 24' from the hoist.

I was also thinking about your example where you said you can't fit a vehicle behind the 2 post lift with it being 28' from the door. If you lifted the car into the air, then you could still pull in a vehicle if you needed to. It is just that the vehicle would need to be pulled out to then lower the car and keep working. I don't think there would be an issue doing that would there?

 

[kngelv]

I have a lift in a 19'6" deep x 17'6" wide garage. My lift is dead in the center. I have 30" benches down one side and 24" cabinets down the other. I have nothing on the front wall. With a 1998 Ford Ranger Supercab on the lift I have about 30" to the front wall and 26" to the door. The truck doors will open but not all the way. To pull a motor I have to roll the vehicle out of the way once I lift it because I have no room to move the hoist. Your proposed build is a little over twice the size. I don't see how you could fit all that in there. I just built a 24' x 24' second garage specifically for the lift and working on vehicles. With tool boxes, cabinets etc. I'll never park a vehicle in there thats not on a lift. If you actually plan to work on vehicles then you really need at least 21' - 23' in depth for the lift just for comfortable working space on a small truck or car. Anything F-150 size or larger would need more. What you imagine on paper is a lot different in real life.

James

 

[CraigStu]

I think you will be fine as is. Yep to pull an engine put the car on the lift backwards. How often will you be doing that? You can also put an eye in the ceiling or use a gantry crane and a hoist or come-a-long or chain fall. They take near zero room in front of the vehicle. We'd all love to have 15ft wide for every vehicle but we can't afford that, so compromise. Also you can easily drop to 3 vehicles permanently or temporarily. Pull them in at a bit of an angle and you have room to fully open all doors. Or stay w/ 4 vehicles. Park them so each pair has the passenger sides next to each other by backing one in. Now all driver doors have tons of room and the occasional passenger waits til the vehicle exits the garage.

 

[drew_351]

I have a lift in a 19'6" deep x 17'6" wide garage. My lift is dead in the center. I have 30" benches down one side and 24" cabinets down the other. I have nothing on the front wall. With a 1998 Ford Ranger Supercab on the lift I have about 30" to the front wall and 26" to the door. The truck doors will open but not all the way. To pull a motor I have to roll the vehicle out of the way once I lift it because I have no room to move the hoist. Your proposed build is a little over twice the size. I don't see how you could fit all that in there. I just built a 24' x 24' second garage specifically for the lift and working on vehicles. With tool boxes, cabinets etc. I'll never park a vehicle in there thats not on a lift. If you actually plan to work on vehicles then you really need at least 21' - 23' in depth for the lift just for comfortable working space on a small truck or car. Anything F-150 size or larger would need more. What you imagine on paper is a lot different in real life.

James

So the way I see it, the area where I am placing the 2 post lift basically is in a 40 ft stretch. I positioned it with 16' total in front of the lift, and 24' behind. I would normally park a car there when not in use, but with that car out I have the full length of the garage. Would you recommend more space in front of the vehicle than the 16'? I guess it will be 14' with my toolbax there, but I can roll that aside if needed.

 

[drew_351]

I think you will be fine as is. Yep to pull an engine put the car on the lift backwards. How often will you be doing that? You can also put an eye in the ceiling or use a gantry crane and a hoist or come-a-long or chain fall. They take near zero room in front of the vehicle. We'd all love to have 15ft wide for every vehicle but we can't afford that, so compromise. Also you can easily drop to 3 vehicles permanently or temporarily. Pull them in at a bit of an angle and you have room to fully open all doors. Or stay w/ 4 vehicles. Park them so each pair has the passenger sides next to each other by backing one in. Now all driver doors have tons of room and the occasional passenger waits til the vehicle exits the garage.

Great ideas if needed for angling cars. I also like the idea to eventually do a gantry crane or something else other than my floor engine hoist. I dont pull engines all the time, but it happens every once in a while so just want to be capable.

 

[ScaldedDog]

So the way I see it, the area where I am placing the 2 post lift basically is in a 40 ft stretch. I positioned it with 16' total in front of the lift, and 24' behind. I would normally park a car there when not in use, but with that car out I have the full length of the garage. Would you recommend more space in front of the vehicle than the 16'? I guess it will be 14' with my toolbax there, but I can roll that aside if needed.

You got me curious, so I measured where the lift is in my barn. (Mine is an in-ground Rotary, not a two post, but it basically behaves like a symmetric without the posts.) The short space for me is the back, and it's 13'6" off the back wall. My 19' Excursion will fit on the lift with about 3-4' to spare, but I'd have to move the stuff I store in the space to fit a longer pickup. Figure that the CG of your trucks are somewhere under the driver's seat, and calculate the worse case each way for how much space you need.

Also, mine is 22'4" off the front door, which is too close to park a vehicle if another one is centered over the lift. Keep in mind, though, that a vehicle that is sitting on the ground between the posts can simply be moved forward to back to allow the tandem space to be used for parking. You'd just have to move both vehicles to lift one up.

Mark

 

[drew_351]

You got me curious, so I measured where the lift is in my barn. (Mine is an in-ground Rotary, not a two post, but it basically behaves like a symmetric without the posts.) The short space for me is the back, and it's 13'6" off the back wall. My 19' Excursion will fit on the lift with about 3-4' to spare, but I'd have to move the stuff I store in the space to fit a longer pickup. Figure that the CG of your trucks are somewhere under the driver's seat, and calculate the worse case each way for how much space you need.

Also, mine is 22'4" off the front door, which is too close to park a vehicle if another one is centered over the lift. Keep in mind, though, that a vehicle that is sitting on the ground between the posts can simply be moved forward to back to allow the tandem space to be used for parking. You'd just have to move both vehicles to lift one up.

Mark

Good point, there would be room for another vehicle to park where the lift is located. I guess if they are both cars, you could store one car in the air up on the lift and pull another car under it, but that isnt my plan at all. I dont have that many cars. With the room between the 2 posts and the back wall/tool boxes I would expect a car could pull forward enough to maybe have the doors clear the posts when opening. But I guess I would need to measure that.

With the measurements you gave, and with my space between the lift and the back wall/tool boxes being more (about 14' to the tool boxes and 16' to the wall) I think it sounds like decent positioning. Partially wonder if I should give an extra foot or two and be safe. But I really don't want to if it isn't needed.

 

[sz0k30]

I am looking at a 12k symmetrical lift (they don't make asymmetrical lifts that are 12k) and I don't know exactly where the vehicles will be positioned on the lift, if there will still be more behind the vehicle than in front or if it will be about equal. I also have some wonders on how much room I would need in front of the vehicle if I needed to pull an engine.

One of the things good about a symmetrical lift is you can pull in a vehicle in either direction. so if you need to pull an engine, you just pull in backwards. That's how I use my 2 post, forwards or backwards depending on what I need to do, or what side of the vehicle I need for easier access.

With an Asymmetrical you can only pull in one way.