Greg Smith Lifts

[andgott]

I have been wanting a lift for a while- The 'novelty' of climbing under my cars/trucks for service wears off more and more each year. It would be NICE to be able to sit, or stand, underneath to work!

And, my wife asked me (unsolicited, I might add!) if I wanted one- Since it seemed like it would make working so much easier. Who am I to say no?

So I have been doing a little shopping. First of all, due to the setup in my shop and how I use it, I NEED something portable, so conventional two-post lifts were out. I looked at Max Jax, But I am not too happy with the lift height on them- Better than the floor, but I really want to have more clearance. It came down to four post, or one of those single post pallet-jack looking thingies.

After looking at and pricing various makes and models, I decided that the best value I could find was the Greg Smith lifts. We drove down to the showroom in Atlanta yesterday to take a look at them- Well worth the trip! Actually seeing them in operation, and being able to 'play' with them, was great. This place is a DANGEROUS toy store- Leave your wallet with the wife-

I was leaning towards the four post, and about 2 minutes of discussion with the sales guy finalized that decision. I had some worries about the safety of the single post, while I am SURE they are just fine if all precautions are taken, the four post seemed a lot sturdier, and it seemed that there was less that could go wrong. As the salesman said, Working at the top of a 50' ladder is perfectly safe- He personally just didn't feel safe up there. I guess I feel the same way about the lifts.

The model I am looking at is the Atlas Garage Pro 8000-

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Atlas-Garage-Pro-8-000

which is priced at $1995, complete with caster kit, ramps, drip tray, and jack tray. The only thing I might need to add is a rolling jack, but I'm not convinced that I need to spend the extra $700 or so on that, at least not yet.

So- Does anyone have experience with these lifts? Remember, I am very much a hobbyist, so it won't be getting heavy use on a daily basis. They are not far from me, so it'll be easy to pick it up, and service/parts are not far away. Are there any others that I should consider? Looks like I'm going to be able to finalize the deal in the next few weeks

 

[koditten]

I have a Gregg Smith 2 post lift. I love it. I should have got one 20 years sooner. You won't be sorry.

 

[Clevername]

Timely post, I was just checking these out on the web. Then I find out there is a store 5 miles away!

 

[tlmartin84]

How easy are they to move with the casters? easy for one man?

 

[tfalk]

A less costly option than the rolling jack would be getting a 2nd jack tray. I have 2 on my 10+ year old Autolifters 4 post and can't imagine doing some jobs without the 2nd jack tray. I also got enough drip trays to cover almost the entire bottom of the lift.

 

[03fan]

I don't understand the concept of drive on lifts. Most of the time I need to take tires off when using my lift.

 

[tdkkart]

Get the rolling jack, in fact I wish I had 2 of them for my 4 post lift. For things like tire rotations you need all 4 wheels up at the same time. Using bottle jacks in the jack trays would be extremely limiting if not impossible. Lifting one end with the sliding jack and then supporting with jackstands in the jack tray is doable but a pain.
2 sliding jacks would be ideal for most operations.

 

[grommit]

I have a Greg Smith 4 post lift and have had no problems for 8 years. I do suggest that you pass on the drip pans if they will give you credit. They broke within a year, replaced them with steel trays from auto zone, $10 each.
I wish I'd gotten the aluminum ramps, the steel ones it comes with are heavy, again they may give you credit. Also you'll want an oil drain can with funnel, so nice.

 

[joe_padavano]

I don't understand the concept of drive on lifts. Most of the time I need to take tires off when using my lift.

^^^This!

The only things you can do on a four post is change oil and maybe exhaust (so long as you can get the tailpipe over the axle. Never saw the advantage of a four post lift that required expensive additional jacks to actually let you work on the car.

 

[4495]

I've had a Greg Smith 4 post lift for some three years now. I use it mostly for storage. The one thing that I would suggest is that you have a dedicated 30 Amp outlet for the lift.

The lift works great.

 

[Clevername]

^^^This!

The only things you can do on a four post is change oil and maybe exhaust (so long as you can get the tailpipe over the axle. Never saw the advantage of a four post lift that required expensive additional jacks to actually let you work on the car.

What if you want to see your car at ride height so you can make suspension adjustments? I don't see how this can be done with a two post. Seems like I could pull a transmission with a 4 post.

 

[scotty t]

^^^This!

The only things you can do on a four post is change oil and maybe exhaust (so long as you can get the tailpipe over the axle. Never saw the advantage of a four post lift that required expensive additional jacks to actually let you work on the car.

that's total BS, i bought a four post for similar reasons as the PO, it is very easy to do any job you need to do. you need an assortment of small inexpensive jacks. bottle , trolley, etc. i've done control arms, brakes, ujoints, TIRES, exhaust, starters, rear axle brgs, dropped gas tanks, etc. all very easy if you have at least half a brain.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

My neighbor has 4 of those lifts in his garage, and he loved them. He uses them primarily for storage, though. I have a Atlas BP9000 2 post lift in my garage, which I also love so far. For the price, you really can't go wrong.

 

[69385vette]

I move mine around all the time. Very easy to do by myself.

 

[ryan77]

I agree with Scotty T as long as you have half a brain you can do anything, I have the Greg Smith 9k model so I can lift my super duty, and super low sports cars, I have done everything on my lift, pulled engines/trannys lifted bodies off cars, did total suspension swaps, I use it as a loading dock and long term storage, I can move it myself so it can also be scaffolding, the runway can be an advantage while the car is up there, I have all my tools on it and use a bottle jack against a breaker bar if I need leverage, the biggest perk is just drive on and hit the button, no crawling on your knees trying to find a good spot on the frame to lift from, and finding the balance point, I had a two post before and never felt safe under it esp when swaping rear ends and changing the center of gravity while it was on the lift, 4 post all the way for me!

 

[andgott]

How easy are they to move with the casters? easy for one man?

VERY easy. That is one reason that I wanted to check them out in person. I had no problems rolling it around by myself.

As for the 2 post/4 post debate, With the addition of jack trays there is nothing that you can do on a 2 post that you can't on a 4... The access might not be quite as great, but you can do it. As I mentioned in my first post, a two post lift is NOT an option for me.

I'm probably going to order one next month- I'll be too ******* with other things this month to do anything with it. I just checked the specs on the crate- It's 14' long, and it just so happens that I have a 14' utility trailer, so I'll be able to pick it up. I'm only about 2 1/2 hours from the warehouse/showroom.

For anyone who needs it shipped, they charge a flat $250 to anywhere in the lower 50. You DO need to have a forklift and/or loading dock available at the destination, so for me I'd have to have it sent to a terminal then pick it up from there.

 

[JJThrasher]

Drive on lifts can be great. Get two dedicated trolley jacks for it. I do heavy truck work on them a lot. Main limitations are pulling fuel tanks and fixing lines that run right about the lift where you have to reach over.

 

[ct03911]

I wanted a Smith lift. Drove 3 hrs from CT to NH to check them out.
I was very dissatisfied with the whole deal.
I ordered a lift from a local company and had them do the install.
No regrets. More money? Yeah. Maybe. Depends how you cost your time.

 

[glider]

I have had a Greg Smith 4 post for about 8 years with no issues. I would order a bridge jack also.

 

[mikegt4]

Once you get old enough to not work under your car at ground level your also going to have a hard time getting down low enough to look under the car through un-focused bifocal glasses to see where the lift arms are and move them into position. Then you have the problem of getting yourself up off the floor again. 4 post lifts some often over looked advantages in addition to the double stack storage argument. Don't ask me how I know these things.

 

[minytrker]

I have bought several lifts from Greg Smith, both 2 post and drive on lifts. All my purchases and dealings with them were top notch. Myself and several friends put all of them together and installed them. I am about to buy another 2 post and will be calling Greg Smith again. It really depends on what kind of work you're doing and what kind of vehicles you're working on which lift if better for your needs. I need a 2 post for alot of specific task that cant be done on my vehicles on a 4 post. However if it doesnt need to be done on a 2 post its always easier and faster just to drive on the 4 post.

 

[3798j]

Installing new spring shackles...you'll use it more (and like it more) with two rolling jacks.

 

[tlmartin84]

The thing that keeps hanging me up on the 4 post is pulling bodies off. A 2 post makes it much easier to remove hook up to the rotisserie, etc.

But that is only once in awhile, while oil changes occur much more frequently.........trade off's.

 

[moriboy]

I am very happy with my Atlas 4 post.
I bought the 14,000 lb one.



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[adwebinc]

I was seriously considering a Gregg Smith 4 post as hey have a warehouse here in Indy. I got a referral to a professional installation company here in town. I called the owner and told him it was between a GD lift or a Bendpak. He said they would install the Bendpak for me (they do mostly shops not residential), but they wouldn't touch the GS lift. He said they are horrible if there are warranty issues.

That's just one perspective, but I have read a lot of bad reviews online regarding that same issue. Sounds like there are a lot of very happy long time owners here though. So that's good!


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[gungatim]

that's total BS, i bought a four post for similar reasons as the PO, it is very easy to do any job you need to do. you need an assortment of small inexpensive jacks. bottle , trolley, etc. i've done control arms, brakes, ujoints, TIRES, exhaust, starters, rear axle brgs, dropped gas tanks, etc. all very easy if you have at least half a brain.

what about when you have to lift the body off/drop the front subframe for service? how do you swap out a rear axle?

not knocking them, lots of people are happy with them but I consider them more of a storage/oil change type thing than for doing lots of work. the shops I have seen use them for oil changes and of course alignments but have 2 post lifts for all the major work. would be a huge time waster to have to rig up jacks and trays and such to do tires, suspension, etc.

 

[gungatim]

Once you get old enough to not work under your car at ground level your also going to have a hard time getting down low enough to look under the car through un-focused bifocal glasses to see where the lift arms are and move them into position. Then you have the problem of getting yourself up off the floor again. 4 post lifts some often over looked advantages in addition to the double stack storage argument. Don't ask me how I know these things.

I agree with you there, but I have a couple tricks, for my vehicles (I have 8 in the family I service regularly) I spray painted in fluorescent yellow the attachment points under the car on each one. you can't really see it unless you are looking for it on the frame/suspension, but makes it easy to exactly where I want the arms to be. I also use those blue freebie led magnetic lights from HF, one on each arm. turn them on, drive in, swing the arms to position and lift.

 

[ct03911]

I have not read all the responses here. That can be a good thing. I very much considered a a Greg Smith lift living in Ct and they have a NH distributorship.
In the end I used a local lift company and am very happy.
I think it is a big job and one done better by a pro.
My 2cents.

 

[adwebinc]

I was seriously considering a Gregg Smith 4 post as hey have a warehouse here in Indy. I got a referral to a professional installation company here in town. I called the owner and told him it was between a GD lift or a Bendpak. He said they would install the Bendpak for me (they do mostly shops not residential), but they wouldn't touch the GS lift. He said they are horrible if there are warranty issues.

That's just one perspective, but I have read a lot of bad reviews online regarding that same issue. Sounds like there are a lot of very happy long time owners here though. So that's good!


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Edit... From my own post. After trying to use the $1200 POS bridge jack from Bendpak and dealing with their customer service rep who was a jerk today, I would retract my recommendation and regret not just going local to the Greg Smith here in Indy.


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[Stickboy]

I love my Atlas lift from the same store in Atlanta. They were super easy to deal with. Was in and out with lift loaded and strapped to the trailer (they even gave me a couple of ratchet straps) in less than an hour. I have used mine for virtually everything, engine/transmission swaps. Replaced floor pan on full-frame Malibu. Clutch job on FWD car (required removing transmission), rear cradle/suspension swap on a Mercedes and countless other things. I just completed a full refresh of my racecar, with installation of rear disc brakes being the last thing left to do. Already removed the old drum brakes, which required pulling axles on both sides. Easy-Peasy.

I DONT have a trolley jack, and frankly, don't feel like I've ever needed one. Between the jack tray (singular) and well-placed bottle/scissor jacks and stands, I've been able to easily access anything I've needed to (some things haven't cooperated mechanically, but it was no fault of the lift...If I never see another S-class Mercedes ball joint in my life, it will be too soon...but that is a story for another thread).


That said, I am NOT a professional shop or mechanic, just a hobbyist (and cheap-skate who likes to fix/maintain my own stuff) and the biggest benefit for me is storing a car on it and freeing up the lower bay for other uses when I'm not wrenching. Some of the other uses I never imagined are using it as a crane for loading/unloading the truck bed, and as an elevator to get things onto my 2nd floor mezzanine/pallet rack. The lift has been an absolute game-changer for me. I don't miss crawling on the floor one bit.

I will say I did not bolt mine down for about the 1st year, as I wanted to make sure it was exactly where I wanted it before doing so, and I did NOT like the feeling with it unbolted. It seemed to have a little play/sway to it, which was always unsettling to me. Once I bolted it down, it is ROCK solid and I feel very comfortable with it. Just set the car down on locks and dive to it. Good luck with whatever you decide. I can't imagine my life without the lift now.

 

[bandaidmd]

that 4 post takes up a lot of real estate with the posts and ramps, even thou it will roll theres still the issue of where to move it to. Thats the reason i went with the Atlas 2 post. Yeah its a pita sometimes to get the arms just right.......
I welded rings to the top of the arm pins to make it easy to pull them off and out of the way, usually only on the work area side of my shop.

 

[aka Larry]

I also have a 2-post lift from GSE, and I'm still very happy with it. IMO a 4-post is mainly good for car storage, but to each his own.

 

[andgott]

Thanks for all the replies. Some helpful info.

As for the 2 post/4 post question- I have already resolved that. Because of my shop situation, a 2 post is simply NOT an option. I have a large shop, but due to the layout and how I use it (I work on a little bit of everything- Not just cars/trucks!), I NEED to be able to move the lift out of the way. Yes, it'll take up some room still, but I can store a vehicle on it to save some space when I'm not using it.

 

[ryan77]

on my 4 post swapping rear ends was cake, I lifted the frame by bottle jacks on the runway, and detached the rear end, lowered the lift to the ground, rolled the rear end out, lifted lift to my pickup bed height, rolled new rear end off tailgate onto runway and right into position with no lifting required. you got me on the front sub frame removal, I may be able to figure it out if I had a need.

 

[Flipper88]

I have a Greg Smith Atlas BP9000 2 post and love it! Over all experience with GS was great. Good customer service and helpful on the phone with questions. Only down fall is the poor installation instructions. But putting them together is not rocket science. Me and my brother in law had it un packed up and working in 4 or so hours.

Only flaw I have found is with the “truck adapters” get a little wobbly when stacking them high. For instance my ’96 ford truck frame kicks way up in the back so I need to even out the load by using most the adapters on the back side. Haven’t had an issue but just not a great design in my opinion. I know Mohawk made one piece adapters in various lengths. Still trying to track some down.

But for the price I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase again!

 

[ms fowler]

Just when I think I have FINALLY decided the 2 post/ 4 post lift issue, along comes another thread.......

 

[R. Deschain]

I had two friends that went in with some other guys and bought a number of GS two-post lifts. One of them had ZERO trouble and has used his two-post almost daily for 6+ years. The other guy had a pump issue after 3 months and holy ****, the stories he has about their customer service are hair raising. He got fed up after almost 9 months and bought one retail, eating the cost. He is not a fan. I guess if you don't have any issues then your are good with a GS. I went with the Rotery, because of local service representation, reputation, and because or the shear number of them I have seen installed at local mechanic shops.

 

[adwebinc]

I had two friends that went in with some other guys and bought a number of GS two-post lifts. One of them had ZERO trouble and has used his two-post almost daily for 6+ years. The other guy had a pump issue after 3 months and holy ****, the stories he has about their customer service are hair raising. He got fed up after almost 9 months and bought one retail, eating the cost. He is not a fan. I guess if you don't have any issues then your are good with a GS. I went with the Rotery, because of local service representation, reputation, and because or the shear number of them I have seen installed at local mechanic shops.

That's the consistent feedback I hear. Great prices and if you don't have any warranty issues, then great value. I wonder if there is a GS locally and you can actually walk in and look them eye to eye if the "warranty" service issues go away?


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[GullsGN]

I have not read all the responses here. That can be a good thing. I very much considered a a Greg Smith lift living in Ct and they have a NH distributorship.
In the end I used a local lift company and am very happy.
I think it is a big job and one done better by a pro.
My 2cents.

If you are at all mechanically inclined installation is easy. I just finished installing my Atlas 9000BP with no problem. I only needed help with unloading and standing up the towers. And I have 2 artificial hips and steel rods in my back!

 

[SiGmA_X]

I had two friends that went in with some other guys and bought a number of GS two-post lifts. One of them had ZERO trouble and has used his two-post almost daily for 6+ years. The other guy had a pump issue after 3 months and holy ****, the stories he has about their customer service are hair raising. He got fed up after almost 9 months and bought one retail, eating the cost. He is not a fan. I guess if you don't have any issues then your are good with a GS. I went with the Rotery, because of local service representation, reputation, and because or the shear number of them I have seen installed at local mechanic shops.

I had the same experience with my pump. It never required replacement but the warranty was basically worthless. My pump can't lift under load, eg if the car is on the locks and starts under no load it lifts just fine. If its sitting on the cables/pistons it can't lift. Its been this way without change for about 5yrs - since maybe 3mo in.

I should add, I would buy it again because the price was/is very right. If I wanted to spend ~$4k+ I'd have gone with a Rotary, Bendpak, or Mohawk if I could afford it. Mohawk would always be my choice but they're expensive.