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Is it silly to install a MaxJax in a high ceiling garage?

abt12

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Aug 4, 2020
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MA
Buying a new house and it's got a damn nice garage (WAY better than my current cave that BARELY fits my Golf R). 3 bays, high ceiling, even has a high lift door for the final bay.

I was looking into installing a 2 post lift (for wheel swaps, suspension work, brake swaps, etc.), and through some research here came upon the MaxJax. While the extra height of a "real"lift would be nice, especially if I ever get a project car and want to pack underneath it, I'm not sure I want to deal with the post int he way of the 2nd bay all the time, especially since it would be on the driver's side. More specifically, I'm concerned that certain family members would open a door right into it :eek:

So, the ability to remove one post, shove it back up against the wall, and only pull it out when needed seems like a great option.

A 4 post would also be possible, but it seems like it would be much harder to do what I typically do to cars wheels-off work. Majority of work will be on smaller cars (my R, friend's Miata, some other autocross car in the future) and the occasional crossover (my wife's Outback or some other future small-mid sized SUV). Work would tend to be somewhat sporadic, so posts would tend to only be up 1-2 weekends a month.

For reference, here's the garage layout. My golf's outline is the large rectangle, MaxJax posts are shown with the two small squares (at 115in outside spacing), larger rectangle around them is a BendPak GP-7 for reference.

DclS7XXh.jpg
 
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u2slow

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Nov 20, 2011
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BC
On the plus side... if you had roof-racks with stuff, or bikes on top.... you wouldn't have to remove them to lift the car. :)

I had a 4-post briefly - bought as an impulse bargain. Only on setting it up did I realize how much space it was taking up. It was going to make my 2-car shop unable to fit a 2nd vehicle. I sold it again and found a 9k# 2-post that's going to suit my space and usage better.
 
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abt12

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Nope still not showing

hrm, imgur not playing nice today. Trying a different host...

bonus pic of the second and third bay (filled with old-owners stuff during the open house)

svBgeMDh.jpg
 

Jagmandave

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Overland Park, Ks.
I understand your concern with the post near the other bays, you can always just put some pool noodles or something on it to protect the car doors - that's not really an issue.

What I've found with most MaxJax owners is that they never take the posts back up once they're bolted down.......

With the ceiling height you have I would def buy a 2 post and not look back.....but if what you're doing doesn't involve a lot of exhaust or transmission work, a good scissor jack might be a better buy and would answer all your concerns, and not have to be moved each time when you're done with it.
 
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abt12

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Scissor lift is definitely a possibility too. Was worried it would make any work that required dropping the subframe super tricky though. And convincing the wife I need to cut the floor out of our garage for an in floor scissor (which I'd probably need given my ground clearance) is... Less than likely to succeed :)
 
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Ls1Lark

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Mar 18, 2013
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KCMO
A piece of info needed about your new house. Is it new to you? Or is the house brand new?
Depending on the house plan the garage floor becomes an engineered slab and all the dirt below the slab had been excavated and then replaced. This first settles over time and all you have for strength is the rebar span and usually. 5 1/2” thick slab essentially “floating” in 10-15 years

Find out the construction method of the new garage. This may influence your decision.

I went through this building my house. If I had wanted a 2 - 4 post lift I would have needed piers to support a 2 post.

What ever you decide enjoy the new garage. I, like you have a much larger work area than before.

That’s my excavated garage.

IMG_0662.jpg

Filled and strengthened

IMG_0825.JPG
 
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abt12

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MA
11 year old house built on the foundation of a much older (1960s?) house. The garage is definitely new foundation (essentially an addition). I'll pull the build plans if possible. MA requires 6" slab for garage so for any of the smaller lifts I'm considering I believe I'll be in good shape, but I'll see what info I can pull from the town records.
 

ScaldedDog

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Jan 15, 2008
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Sedalia, CO/NSB, FL
Have you thought about an in-ground lift? All the benefits of a two post, but no posts. Expensive to install into an existing floor, but can add significant resale value to the right buyer.

Mark

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Todd.Brock

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Jul 15, 2008
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Cincinnati
As a guy who has a max Jax that’s been under for a while because of buying a new house with 8,6” ceilings, I’d love to be in your situation, lol


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abt12

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MA
Have you thought about an in-ground lift? All the benefits of a two post, but no posts. Expensive to install into an existing floor, but can add significant resale value to the right buyer.

I've definitely thought about it, but the lift is coming out of the same fund as my weekend car would... Not sure I want to throw a few more G's at that!

As a guy who has a max Jax that’s been under for a while because of buying a new house with 8,6” ceilings, I’d love to be in your situation, lol

Here's the house I've been in for 8 years if it makes you feel better. There is about 6" of space in front of the car to the wall.
(1" to the bags of fertilizer etc.) The driver'sdoor won't even open to the first stop. The snowblower is 2" off the car and 1" off the door's light beam. I only bother putting the car in when it's going to snow heavily.
aWETDeu.jpg
 
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