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Tire width... On lift.

SteveKimbell

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Oct 11, 2025
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I'n brand new to this site and hoping someone will give me the benefit of their own experiences. I recently bought a 4 post car lift and the car running platforms/tracks are 18'' wide. I have a Porsche 911S and the stock tires are a little wider therefore even when the car is driven perfectly straight and parked part of both rear tires are over the edge of the Running platforms. My questions are: Is it possible to somehow extend the width of the Running platforms? Also, has anyone added an 'aftermarket' guide/safety edge/bumper to prevent the car going too far over on either side?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
 
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Gutman

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Watching. I've got a similar issue with a lift that was in the shop at my house when we bought.

I'm considering bolting some 3" or 4" angle to the sides of the runways to extend the width. Looks easily doable. I'm also considering more modification, such as just widening the lift by extending or replacing the cross-rails, but that'd be further out and more involved. It's on the to-do list, but not quite there yet.
 

sz0k30

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Wait a minute. Are you saying that a Porsche is wider than just about any car & truck ever made and too wide for a typical 4 post lift?
 

ALinCarolina

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I don't understand either. Are you saying the rear tires are over 18 inches wide so they hang off both sides of the runways? If so, I wouldn't worry about it. If they are hanging off one side then do you know that one runway is moveable?
My truck tires are usually close to the outside edge but if I moved them out then I would need to move them back in order to get my aircooled VW on it. Saves time and trouble.
 

Yankeefarmer

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Like @Gutman says, you could bolt 3” angle onto the sides of the runways. There’s a photo in one of the lift modification threads here where a GJ member did it, painting the angle a contrasting color to the runway.
 

ALinCarolina

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OP hasn't clarified the problem but I am guessing that the instructions with his lift calls for bolting down both runways. I saw no reason for bolting down the "moveable" runway. Between my fleet of cars, trucks, and tractors I have to change the width. As a tip to the OP as a new lift owner, I keep two Harbor Freight dollies nearby. Raise the lift just enough to place a dolly under each end, lower the lift enough to elevate the runway, push it inward or outward, raise the lift to remove the dollies.
 

Byrdnyrd

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Raise the lift just enough to place a dolly under each end, lower the lift enough to elevate the runway, push it inward or outward, raise the lift to remove the dollies.

Brilliant!! I have a BendPak HD-9 and haven’t moved the runway because I thought it would be a hassle!
So you don’t have your movable runway bolted or even pinned?? I know Gravity is in effect, but…
 

Viper98912

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I understand what the OP is saying. Many (most?) 4 posts have the runways bolted down from the ends. There's mostly two types of 4 posts nowadays, "standard" and "wide". As cars and trucks have become bigger and wider over the years, any modern car (especially sports cars) now have an outer edge-to-edge tire width that exceeds the outside edges of the "standard 4-post" runways. I myself unfortunately have this problem, as the relatively-compact cars I had back in 2017 when I bought my lift didn't account for the vehicles I'd have today.

In the end, I haven't messed with it and just let the car tires sit just a little bit over. I normally only have one specific car on the lift, which fits mostly fine (tight, but fine), and the other cars are only up there when doing an oil change. So if the tires overhang a bit while just doing an oil change, I'm fine with it.

OP, if you look closely at your how your cables and pullies are setup, you may find that the location of the pullies may restrict you from being able to move your ramps, as they'd change the effective length of the cables, depending on which post they go to. So if you do decide to slide the ramps, take this into consideration. Also, if you do find a way to make it work, be weary of how many additional holes you're putting in your cross beams. You don't want to swiss-cheese it and end up with a weaker beam.

Also, in regards to the left/right angle iron to help guide your car in, be aware of your tire height, as bigger wheels/smaller tires means you may scratch the wheel if you rub up the angle.

Oddly enough, I've recently found myself parking my car backwards on my lift. I've found that while tricky at first, being able to steer while backing in has allowed me to do an excellent job of centering all four wheels on the lift. When pulling in forward, getting the rears centered was always tricky, but backing in is a much smoother straightening process.
 

kwb

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If the OP is concerned about the edge of the tire hanging off a bit while on the lift - It won't hurt anything. If like many around here that love overthinking and overkill, adding a bit of angle to the side where the tire lands when parked won't hurt anything.
As to not bolting down the movable ramp... Seems like that would make it easy for the lift to rack when moving it, if you are anchored to the floor and don't use the wheel kit that is a problem you already solved at the floor connection.
 

Yankeefarmer

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To clarify, those of us mentioning adding angle to the side of the runways are suggesting attaching it with the vertical leg down, bolted to the side of the runway, such that the horizontal leg is flush with the top of the runway.
 

Daedalus

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It would be terrible to "fix" something that's not a problem by potentially creating a different problem (e.g., by weakening the shear wall of the runway with a bunch of stress risers drilled near the top edge).
 

LXCam

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I’m beating his tires hang off on the inside. And if his lift has the channel for supporting a rolling jack or jack plate, the angle iron solution isn’t one.

OP, like several others have suggested, just slide your floating ramp over. Mine has never been bolted in place which makes for an easy adjustment when needed.
 
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LX-Markham

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LOL, while I don’t disagree LX, wider is better…
But the ramps are 18” wide…. And the tires are wider? That’s a big *** tire!
tracks are 18'' wide. I have a Porsche 911S and the stock tires are a little wider
 

logical

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I'n brand new to this site and hoping someone will give me the benefit of their own experiences. I recently bought a 4 post car lift and the car running platforms/tracks are 18'' wide. I have a Porsche 911S and the stock tires are a little wider therefore even when the car is driven perfectly straight and parked part of both rear tires are over the edge of the Running platforms. My questions are: Is it possible to somehow extend the width of the Running platforms? Also, has anyone added an 'aftermarket' guide/safety edge/bumper to prevent the car going too far over on either side?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Stock tires are 335mm wide or less. 18 inches would be a 460mm wide tire. I think the runways need to be moved apart not wider individually.
 

pbon

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May 14, 2017
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As others have noted, the cables and piston are under 1 runway and that one cannot be moved. The other runway can be moved. Bendpak has two bolt location options on at least some of its lifts. Probably you could drill holes to do the same on another brand of lift since the dead runway is bolted to the crossbar at each end.

I see no reason why you could not drill a 3rd hole for an even narrower mounting option on a Bendpak or make the optional hole for narrower mounting on another brand of lift.

As for the bridge jacks, if equipped, at least on the Bendpak, the mounting arms slide in and out to accommodate the runner mounting options. I have not tested to see whether the bridge jack arms can be pushed in even further for an even narrower runner mounting option. I have not studied other brand bridge jacks to see if they also have extendable bridge jack arms but have read that at least some do.

I see no issue with a small part of the tire temporarily being off the runner, but am not sure whether leaving it like that for days or weeks would be bad for the tire. The Porsche presumably has negative camber so the weight is coming down on the inside not the outside, but I am not sure how much of an effect that has.

Probably a piece of angle iron could be welded to the inside or outside of the runner(s) to widen or narrow the track slightly. If on the inside, it could interfere with a bridge jack but some measuring would give the answer.
 

Skyman

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If the lift isn't designed to have the runner position altered, I'd be tempted to solve the OP's problem by placing a steel plate of sufficient thickness and width where the rear tires will rest on the runners, and then rolling the rear wheels onto those plates. I'd probably also skin the undersides of those plates with a thin rubber sheet for traction to prevent their slipping on the runners.
 

jmiller_2308

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Shakopee, MN
Like @Gutman says, you could bolt 3” angle onto the sides of the runways. There’s a photo in one of the lift modification threads here where a GJ member did it, painting the angle a contrasting color to the runway.

I'm at least one of the members that modified my Advantage lift by bolting angle iron onto the side of the ramp. I followed directions from Advantage lift. If you are at all concerned about whether it is safe to modify the lift contact the manufacture to see if they can offer advice.

I posted the link above that shows the comments I got from Advantage lift as well as pictures of my modifications. Here is the link again.
 

sz0k30

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Sure would be nice if the original poster got on here to explain more. Pictures would be even better.
 

kngelv

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I'm at least one of the members that modified my Advantage lift by bolting angle iron onto the side of the ramp. I followed directions from Advantage lift. If you are at all concerned about whether it is safe to modify the lift contact the manufacture to see if they can offer advice.

I posted the link above that shows the comments I got from Advantage lift as well as pictures of my modifications. Here is the link again.
You did an awesome job on that. I have their Backyard Buddy Classic and I might follow your lead. I like that you painted it yellow and put the safety hash marks on it. Again....great job.

James
 
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