Maxjax vs 2 post lift

[maddog2424]

Hey everyone,

I am getting ready to put a 2 post lift in for my race car. However, my garage is not an ideal setup and I've never used a lift before. I'll avoid the details to keep this short, but i can install a full height lift, but can lift the vehicle 5'10" to 6' maximum. I am 5'11"

So the question: How high above your head is an ideal height for a 2 post lift? In my situation, would it be better to go with a maxjax lift or install a full lift and lift the car up to 6' or less with the potential to use the full height of the lift later in life after raising or removing the 2nd floor and an i-beam? Thoughts?

Thanks!!!

 

[CamMark]

There are options available for mid-lift and low-clearance other than maxjax. Nothing against it specifically, but for the sake of the decision making process I would lump "a lift with a rise limit that prevents overhead contact" and "a lift that maximizes available overhead install clearance" into two categories. "Low" and "High" if you'd like. After you have picked, then you can look for what is available in that category and find what fits your budget and other requirements best.

For the High category, you buy once, install once but, must be careful of overhead clearance every time you lift something until the time comes to remove the obstructions.

The Low category removes the risk of overhead contact and offers most of the improvement over floor jacks and jack stands as the High category. But like you mentioned you may want to upgrade in the future especially as ergonomics become more and more important.

To me finding solutions for the High category like adding limit switches until you can clear the obstructions seems more sensible. It probably wouldn't be so terrible to sell the Low lift when you're ready to upgrade. But if you can get away with not needing to...

It would depend somewhat on your planned use, but for me I thought of the "highest" case scenario which would be a pickup with a camper shell or a full size SUV raised high enough for me to stand under upright with a welding hood on and comfortably tack something overhead. I ended up picking a 2-post with a 74" overhead clearance at max lift. I'm 5'9"

 

[CraigStu]

I'd go 2 post all day long. Think suspension, tire, brake work, all you need is to get the rotor to a comfortable chest height. Your 6ft should allow that or very close. Some under car work can get done w/ you sitting on an adjustable height stool on casters. 6ft should allow that too. You don't mention what car or anything about ceiling structure but often modding the bottom of 2-3 trusses can allow a car roof to stick up a bit higher in between other trusses. Heck if you have some type of roadster w/ just a windshield, and if your trusses run the correct way, all you need to do is cut the drywall out between 2 trusses to fit the windshield between them.

 

[gizardlizard]

I wanted a 2 post bad, so I made it happen. I only had 11’ 7” of head room to work with so I cut out drywall between trusses and re framed and drywalled. I have 6’ of clearance under my Toyota Tundra and sequoia which works for me. The lift would go up another 4” but I can only do that with cars. Another dynamic to think about though: the locks on the lift engage every 4 inches. You can manipulate WHERE you want the locks to engage by the use of adapters and threaded adapters. Otherwise, you might be 4 inches lower than your maximum you are capable of. In this pic, you can see how I boxed out between trusses.

 

[Jason280]

Not sure on the new MaxJax lifts, but my older one will lift around 48"...and up to 4-6" more with spacers. I'd love to have another potential 2' of clearance, although I have gotten very used to doing most everything sitting on a rolling seat. The big thing for me, though, more than just height, is the higher clearance lifts typically have longer arms....which means you can get the columns farther apart. On most *small* vehicles, doors aren't too much of a problem. But I would gladly trade an additional 1-2' of lift height for an additional 1-2' of width (at least for the stuff I typically work on).

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

Hey everyone,

I am getting ready to put a 2 post lift in for my race car. However, my garage is not an ideal setup and I've never used a lift before. I'll avoid the details to keep this short, but i can install a full height lift, but can lift the vehicle 5'10" to 6' maximum. I am 5'11"

So the question: How high above your head is an ideal height for a 2 post lift? In my situation, would it be better to go with a maxjax lift or install a full lift and lift the car up to 6' or less with the potential to use the full height of the lift later in life after raising or removing the 2nd floor and an i-beam? Thoughts?

Thanks!!!

Do you anticipate moving in future? Might at some point you have a different garage with higher head room?

 

[240sxguy]

I have a maxjax, in a dumpy garage with a fairly low ceiling height. It will barely lift my car to the top lock. Would I rather stand up? Yes. The problem is that I am 6'2" and most lifts are too low for me to safely walk around under without bashing my melon anyway. I can say though that any lift is far better than none!

In the future we will likely rebuild that garage, and at that point it will be made taller. If that never happens though. I'll be just fine.