Car lift with no posts

[sparky67]

The town wont let me build bigger then 25x25. So I know I will need a way of storing a car on a lift. I've looked at the 4 post lifts but I dont like that I will have two posts in the middle of the floor I would need to work around even with the car up and out of the way. I see they make one post lifts which look like they would be much better but they seem very limited. I haven't seen one that I could use to service my F150 as well. Also I noticed that BendPak discontinued there model which makes you wonder why.

I am thinking they should make a lift that hangs from some I beams which could be supported by columns in the outside walls of the garage. Something like this:

 

[sberry]

You can do that with enough time and money.

 

[autonaut]

why not a single post lift in the floor?

Edit-
I see you have considered this..

This is one i am using.. The brand does not exist in USA, but im sure there are other vendors selling this type of lift.

I have made several dual exhausts on it. The lift arms are very handy. I just stick a broom across them, and the pipes can then rest on the broom while i wiggle them around doing some welding here and there(for mockup purposes)

 

[brownbagg]

bendpak makes a side post, kinda like a forklift

 

[sparky67]

bendpak makes a side post, kinda like a forklift

Do you have a link?
They list this one as discontinued.

 

[zkdiesel]

Do you have a link?
They list this one as discontinued.

My father has that as a strictly storage lift. Works well for him

 

[sublimate]

Sure, just takes money (as you can see by the cars below):

 

[ADSR]

Sure, just takes money (as you can see by the cars below):

umm.. more info on the cars please!!!!

 

[sublimate]

umm.. more info on the cars please!!!!

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/features/g4350/photos-the-glickenhaus-collection/

 

[ADSR]

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/features/g4350/photos-the-glickenhaus-collection/

wowowow!!!!

 

[LX-Markham]

I've looked at the 4 post lifts but I dont like that I will have two posts in the middle of the floor I would need to work around even with the car up and out of the way.

I had a similar problem. Solved it with a double-wide lift. I park my car in the middle, but you could park 2 cars on it, or one car and use the other side for storage.

Posts are on the outside, no posts down the middle of my garage.

http://www.babco.ca/Hobby-Parking-Storage-Lifts/BendPak-HD9SWX

 

[sublimate]

Also this:
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=247747

 

[admranger]

I had a similar problem. Solved it with a double-wide lift.

Nice!

 

[toplessHO]

Sure, just takes money (as you can see by the cars below):

wow I would be scared to death that one of those cables or something would fail and take out a $500K+ auto

 

[Shadowdog500]

The town wont let me build bigger then 25x25. So I know I will need a way of storing a car on a lift. I've looked at the 4 post lifts but I dont like that I will have two posts in the middle of the floor I would need to work around even with the car up and out of the way. I see they make one post lifts which look like they would be much better but they seem very limited. I haven't seen one that I could use to service my F150 as well. Also I noticed that BendPak discontinued there model which makes you wonder why.

I am thinking they should make a lift that hangs from some I beams which could be supported by columns in the outside walls of the garage. Something like this:

What type of safety lock would something like that use if a cable failed?

I have a 2 post lift ant the posts really don't bother me even when nothing is on the lift.


Chris

 

[600SL]

Do you have a link?
They list this one as discontinued.

I saw a 2 car version of that a while back. One post with one car on each side. Cant remember the brand.

 

[Anarius]

Lifts of this design usually have a self-engaging mechanical lock. Usually a "pawl and ratchet" type. They can be released pneumatically or manually, depending on that particular design. The locks will only allow about a 3" drop if a cable breaks, so no damage below. That said, if the cable breaks its a royal B*TCH to fix.

I've been a professional mechanic for many years, and I have only ever seen one cable break....that cable was from 1996, and was 18 when it snapped on a alignment rack that raises at least 8 cars a day, 6 days a week. For garage and casual use, I wouldn't sweat it for a second.

 

[alberto]

I think you are looking for something like this:

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3971820#post3971820

If you pursue it, please report back, as I have interest in this set up.

 

[justme-]

Contact any classic/collector car insurance agency and ask about liability and coverage for your vehicles on such a lift for storage... might be eye opening. There are lots (and I mean LOTS) of storage lift failures. Many of the lift companies even use examples in advertising. I'd never store such expensive cars on a cable lift - yeah it may only drop 3 inches if a cable fails in the right place, but if the cable fails after the brake/safety mechanism there's nothing to stop it before the car under it.

I'd also ask about the insurance to CYA since finding out your insurance won't cover it is no fun when your lift failed and the Mustang is sitting on top of your Explorer.

 

[JRC3]

How can you do that without any rafter ties/collars? What keeps your walls from spreading.

Awesome lift, brw.

 

[redmondjp]

How can you do that without any rafter ties/collars? What keeps your walls from spreading.

Awesome lift, brw.

I was going to say the same thing - and if there is a ridge beam, it doesn't appear to be supported on the end (other than by a single 2x4).

If there is no structural ridge beam supported on each end, rafter ties are necessary in order to keep side walls vertical.

This image shows the difference between the collar tie and rafter tie:

https://images.search.yahoo.com/ima...=yhs-mozilla-001&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001

 

[LX-Markham]

How can you do that without any rafter ties/collars? What keeps your walls from spreading.

Awesome lift, brw.

Top plate of the walls is capped with a pair of 10" structural steel channels on the side walls, and tied together with 3" angle front and back. Essentially, a big square steel frame along the top of the walls for the rafters to push against.

There are some collar ties, but they aren't structural, used them only to square off the top of the ceiling.

Retrofit was performed with the old trusses still in place.

 

[JRC3]

Top plate of the walls is capped with a pair of 10" structural steel channels on the side walls, and tied together with 3" angle front and back. Essentially, a big square steel frame along the top of the walls for the rafters to push against.

Ahh, it's hiding behind the deck of the lift in the pics. I've been kicking around a similar idea to raise some of my rafter ties past the 1/3 mark by.

*Edit*
Actually I think the steel channel and angle just looks like it's part of your lift in the pics.

 

[XAMfed]

Sure, just takes money (as you can see by the cars below):

wow I would be scared to death that one of those cables or something would fail and take out a $500K+ auto

add a 0 to those numbers. The red car he spent $4 million to have his $1 million Enzo rebodied.

 

[toplessHO]

add a 0 to those numbers. The red car he spent $4 million to have his $1 million Enzo rebodied.

hence the "+"