Using Shims for Car LIFT

[69CHARGERMD]

I have a 4 post lift, and notice a mild slope down in my garage floor. ( front to back )

If I could raise the 2 rear posts about 1/2", this should even the posts out.

It is not mounted down to the floor,,,but have been considering it,,,

What would be the best way to "shim" the 2 rear posts ?

Would a large "plate" ( the same as the foot pattern on the lift ) be the way to go,,and just mount this plate under the post ? ( if so,,,where is a good place to get some scrap metal and have it cut ? )

Would using small shims just on each corner of each of the 2 rear posts be ok ? (seems like this would not be as stable)

Eventually i would like to mount the lift to the floor,,,but dont want to do this until i address the "level" issues with the floor and posts....

thanks for any comments.

 

[ghnl]

Our garage floor also has a slight slope (I assume this is typical for garage floors so that any rain water/snow melt/etc is drained towards the door). I did not bolt down my four post lift nor did I shim the posts. It works fine. I marked the post's footprints on the floor with a chalk outline - they haven't moved despite many ups & downs. The locking 'ladders' and cables have enough range of adjustment to make the ramps level once they are raised off the floor.

But, if you really want to shim them, perhaps a piece of 1/2 plywood would work as a cheap test. If you decide it really needs them then you might want to find some 1/2" steel plate - maybe from a scrap yard or ask a steel supply company to save you a couple of cut offs?

 

[danski0224]

Chunks of metal, big enough to spread out the load a little and have the anchor(s) pass through.

Fill in the remaining gaps with cement grout (Cement-All with the blue lettering).

Done.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Do you need to have the lift level for some reason? If it's off by 1/2" over the length that won't affect its function.

You can shim it up if necessary. Steel plates would be ideal but a couple squares of treated plywood will do the same thing.

 

[69CHARGERMD]

Thanks guys,,,

It seems to function fine as is,,,just figured I should have it level as possible if i was going to consider bolting it to the floor.

I dont think i will be moving the lift around in the garage,,,or moving it outside,,,
Figured bolting it down would add some stability....

Do you think the treated plywood would be acceptable ? ( i know the steel plates would be ideal ),,,,might cut some treated plywood and see it it levels it off,,,and perhaps upgrade to the steel plates if the wood does the trick.

Thanks for the reply you guys....

 

[cruzn57]

my 4 post lift sits on a side to side slope, WHEN DOWN.
the reason I say when down ,is because I used the cable adjusters to
level the ramps as soon as its lifted! so it level front to back and side to side!
hope that helps.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Do you think the treated plywood would be acceptable?

I've had the lift in my garage shimmed up with plywood for years now with no issues. I did it to get a little more height underneath for parking two cars one on top of the other. If you think about it, the weight is spread out over a pretty wide area on those four big footpads.

 

[Jack Olsen]

I think treated wood is probably the ideal solution, since it has some compressibility to it.

Steel pieces will put spike loads on the concrete. Probably not a problem, but wood isn't going to cause any cracks.

 

[Zeke]

I think treated wood is probably the ideal solution, since it has some compressibility to it.

Steel pieces will put spike loads on the concrete. Probably not a problem, but wood isn't going to cause any cracks.

Then for 1/2" maybe aluminum on a hard rubber layer.

 

[ket-tek]

You've got an HD-9, you should be able to adjust the cables and ladder bars for the ramps to be level when lifted.

My floor slopes toward the bay doors over 1.5" along the length of the lift. I adjusted the ladder bars so that the runways are level when sitting in the locks, and adjusted the cables so that it lifted evenly. When the runways are all the way down they rack to the slope of the floor the over entire length.

I don't see the need to shim it as long as the runways are level when you rest them on the lock points.. But if so I would only shim if it is to be bolted down, I wouldn't do it freestanding.

 

[darkk]

Most garage floors are sloped for runoff. The lift will be fine, no problems should arise becaise of the slope. If I decide to mount mine to the floor, I'll have the local machine shop mill a set of sloped shim plates.....I'm **** about stuff like that.

 

[mrobins297aaa]

I would use washers at the anchor points and then fill the void under neath with grout.
Thats done all the time to get things like light poles and other things level.

 

[bgott]

I worked in a shop that had been a SW Bell parking garage. It had a pretty good slope to the floor for drainage. The racks were all heavily shimmed and they never gave any indications of wanting to pull the anchors, no matter how heavy I loaded them. However, standing up on that sloped, polished concrete floor when it was sweating from the humidity in the spring was an adventure.

 

[fred26t]

I did not bolt my lift down because someday I might someday want to re-arrange the garage and move the lift. Fred26t

 

[snowphun]

My floor slopes toward the bay doors over 1.5" along the length of the lift. I adjusted the ladder bars so that the runways are level when sitting in the locks, and adjusted the cables so that it lifted evenly. When the runways are all the way down they rack to the slope of the floor the over entire length.

I don't see the need to shim it as long as the runways are level when you rest them on the lock points.. But if so I would only shim if it is to be bolted down, I wouldn't do it freestanding.

1.5" is a significant slope, I have the same in my garage with an HD9ST. My runways are close to level, but the columns are not, the tilt is visible. My concern is how much tilt to the columns is OK? A flat shim would not fix this, I'd need sliver shaped shims at all four corners to get the columns properly plumb.

 

[Kev442]

I had my 4 post shimmed with a combination of solid concrete blocks, 2 x 8 chunks and plywood for 2 years prior to concrete. I stored a car on it, but did not wrench on it. Why wasn't I worried? Well, my entire house is shimmed by a piece of plywood on one end where my foundation meets the main beam!

 

[warrend]

I have mine sitting on plastic cutting board. The white, high density plastic style you find everywhere. they are cheap and come in many sizes and I found 1/4 and 1/2 thickness. I just cut about 1 inch bigger than the bottom plate on the leg.

Same idea as plywood, but you can wash out the garage and no problem getting wet, rot, etc.

 

[ptschram]

My lift has some 4X4s under one corner, 2X4s under another corner and a piece of 3/4" plywood under another corner.

Someday, I'll pour new concrete to level it out, until then, I'll replace the lumber when it gets worn out.

 

[Conn'swhiterose]

I have mine sitting on plastic cutting board. The white, high density plastic style you find everywhere. they are cheap and come in many sizes and I found 1/4 and 1/2 thickness. I just cut about 1 inch bigger than the bottom plate on the leg.

Same idea as plywood, but you can wash out the garage and no problem getting wet, rot, etc.

That's some good thinking there

Did you rough the srfaces up with a grinder or something to make it non-slip....the cutting boards I'm thinking of have a fairly smooth surface, although there shouldn't be too many lateral forces to contend with...

 

[warrend]

Nothing done to the surface...used them as is. They already had a texture to them....don't want the chicken to slide off!

Mine have been in place for 6-7 years. 1/2" thick on ramp end to make the lift level. Its not bolted down and have never had any issue with it moving or anything else. They haven't compressed/cracked or anything and cement looks good, so seem to work fine.

As others have said, there is no real need to level the lift....they work fine on a slight incline. I only leveled mine because I also do my vehicle alignments there so it has to be level.

 

[hilld]

I did not bolt my lift down because someday I might someday want to re-arrange the garage and move the lift. Fred26t

Use drop in anchors if you want to stay mobile with your lift.