Installing a 2 post lift

[Beaner242]

My garage is 38ft deep. Im planning on a 2 post lift for my vehicles. My 08 Duramax shortbed is the biggest vehicle I'm planning on putting on the lift. I have the concrete guy putting a section of 8in thick concrete, about 6ft long and as wide as the bay where the lift is going to be. My question is how far in from the garage door should I put the lift? I was figuring 18 ft from the door is where my posts would be. Does this sound about right?

 

[jkeyser14]

My garage is 38ft deep. Im planning on a 2 post lift for my vehicles. My 08 Duramax shortbed is the biggest vehicle I'm planning on putting on the lift. I have the concrete guy putting a section of 8in thick concrete, about 6ft long and as wide as the bay where the lift is going to be. My question is how far in from the garage door should I put the lift? I was figuring 18 ft from the door is where my posts would be. Does this sound about right?

That really depends on how you are going to use the garage. If it were my garage I would put it further back so I could have a car on the lift at the back of the garage and pull a second car in behind it. However, if your ceiling is tall enough that you could park a second car under the lift then 18' in would be just as useful.

 

[sevensandeights]

I had this same question and called BendPak a few weeks ago. The answer depends on what style lift you are going to have - symmetric vs. asymmetric.

For asymmetric lifts, the posts will be located approximately where the hinges of the front doors are. So, measure from the hinges to the rear of the vehicle and then add whatever distance you want for clearance behind the vehicle.

For symmetric lifts, the posts will be located approximately at the midpoint of the vehicle. So, if you truck is 20 feet long then the lift needs to be at least 10 feet inside the door plus whatever distance you want for clearance.

For my 08 crew cab Duramax shortbed, I think I figured 17 feet and this gives me 2 feet of clearance behind the bumper and the garage door.

 

[Beaner242]

Thanks for the replys. I guess I should figure out the difference between the two lifts first LOL. Either way I have enough room on either end to work around. Hey Seven, any pics of your truck? Is it stock? This lift would have been real handy when I was putting my exhaust on.

 

[sevensandeights]

Totally stock except for a Buckstop rear bumper and a Curt class V hitch. I'm waiting for the warranty to run out before modding it too much!

 

[CUSTOMMANCAVES.COM]

I installed my BendPak 2-post asymmetric 11' in from the garage door (most of my cars are small(er)). Before installing, I went to the local tire shop and measured their installation...16' in from the garage door. They routinely lift full-size pick-ups & SUV's (although their lifts were symmetric, not asymmetric).

 

[rageracing]

I installed my 2 post symmetrical lift so that if I pulled my longest vehicle in, which is a crew cab 8' bed pickup I could still open the doors all the way. That way when I am working on a car if I need to get to the interior I just set it down and roll the car back or front and if I am just parking there I don't have to deal with the columns. I'm about 39' deep and have my lift columns about 22' of the garage door.