Will I regret a lift?

[pbon]

I haven't done it, but have seen where the trick is to start with the car on the ground, under the lift. You now have two strong rails running above over the length of the car, one on each side, suitable for infinite attachment points for lifting straps, chains, etc.

I lifted a boat off a trailer with mine so the bottom could be painted. Wish I had a picture. My 4 post is the Bendpak HD-9XW so it goes up 7 feet.

 

[mmb617]

This is a trick question right? The answer is so obvious it has to be a trick.

I know I sure miss crawling around on the floor while working on my vehicles. That was always so much fun.

 

[finn]

I love my 10k Bendpack asymmetric Lift, but a 4 post sure would be great for the knees, and even on the wide setting, the doors don’t open wide enough on a full sized pickup for easy access.

Maybe it’s time to add a 4 post too.

 

[Fasthotrod]

I love my 10k Bendpack asymmetric Lift, but a 4 post sure would be great for the knees, and even on the wide setting, the doors don’t open wide enough on a full sized pickup for easy access.

Maybe it’s time to add a 4 post too.

I hear ya on the knees... I'm getting to the point that being down on my knees without any protection is just hell.

The cheap anti-fatigue pads from Harbor Freight have been knee savers.

https://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-anti-fatigue-foam-mat-set-94635.html

Cheap enough that I can throw them down and not worry about messing them up. If they get torn or covered in oil, just chuck 'em and get some more.

If you look closely, I've got them in front of the tool boxes, and a couple right there next to the lift so I can drop down and get those arms set in place.

Mark

 

[p00p]

As much as I wanted a 4-post, my space was limited & I wanted to have no issues opening a door should I need to do so. So I went with the BBAE iMobile Single Column Lift. Being that it is compact enough for its size, I could slide two in the same working area, whereas that would not be an option with a traditional 2-post or even larger 4-post.

 

[kap]

I don't think I've ever seen the words "regret" and "lift" in the same sentence on the forum. Once you have a lift available in your own garage, you're spoiled for life.
I recently sold my house with a smaller barn than yours and a lift. Moved to our retirement home and have an extra bay with 10' ceiling. I'll be looking to get a midrise lift.

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[PWC Repair]

"Will I regret a lift?"..........

...........said no man with a shop.....ever.

 

[346ci]

I regret not buying one 15 years ago.

 

[Farrier]

Have any of you guys had an Oh **** moment with your lifts? I've want one but I'm afraid of making a mistake.

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

Mark

So wick Atlas did you go with and how do you like it?

 

[firebirdparts]

I just came out of an office across the hall. The secretary here says her husband took a half a day off and he's installing a rotary he just bought used. It's the first time he's had a lift.

I said "Let me just warn you that he's going to be in a very romantic mood when you get home."

 

[boostnut]

Bought an advantage 4 post a couple of months ago, should have bought it a couple of years ago! Their 4 post lifts come with the caster kit, in just a few minutes I can be ready to move the lift to a different bay, outdoors.... no regrets, that's for sure.

 

[dagofast]

Have any of you guys had an Oh **** moment with your lifts? I've want one but I'm afraid of making a mistake.

Proper training/education should eliminate most of your concerns. And like with any tool, cultivating good, safe habits when using it.

But when it comes to mistakes, yes they do happen. Even to pro's who use a lift everyday. I'm not sure if I've seen more pictures and heard more about accidents with 2 post lifts than 4 post lifts simply because there are likely far more 2 post lifts out there than 4 post lifts. I chose a 4 post more for my physical limitations but the thought also occurred that a 4 post lift also seemed safer. JMO, I couldn't say with any authority if they are or aren't.

Needless to say, I strictly follow the procedures. I also trained my 24 year old son in the correct use but I still supervise. I've caught him standing there with his finger on the button raising the lift while looking at his phone instead of watching the lift like you should do. He got a GibbsSmack for that one.

My 9th grade shop teacher told us "Machines are wonderful servants. But they are very cruel teachers." Then he showed us the required safety films of guys getting clothing caught in lathes and fingers run through milling cutters and saws.
He repeated his phrase at the end. I've never forgotten it.

 

[pelletman]

You will regret not getting it sooner, so yes, getting the lift will cause regrets

 

[Coolabah]

I'm making the final arrangements for my garage and am to the point of a lift. The garage will be 30x50x12 with 2 10' doors on the 30' end. I have always wanted a lift as I maintain my 3 vehicles as well as my daughters vehicles as well. But, the thought of the lift being permanent and not being able to use the floor space for anything else is a bit of a concern.

I will probably park my truck (only an occasional runner) in it, but I still wonder if I will regret not having the ability of opening up the floor.

These were my concerns EXACTLY !
Also , I was not entirely sure how much I would use a lift vs the floor space permanently taken up.
I have a certain fear/respect of two post lifts
my personal, no disrespect intended to anyone, view of 4 post lifts is that they are great for parking 2 cars in the same footprint... otherwise (IMHO) why would you have one vs a 2 post??
...so , ended up going for a scissor lift. Great for my purposes , mounted 6" below floor level ie flush with floor when down. Floor is totally usable for ANYTHING when lift is not in use. Works for me (and Mr J Olsen) , anyway !
HTH and good luck with your decision. FWIW, I can't imagine life without a lift now !!

 

[jtbinvalrico]

I'll second a flush mount scissor lift....
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=383717

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[Falcon67]

I have a 24x40 with a 2 opst and no, no regrets what so ever. Really not a loss of floor space at all IMHO.

Have any of you guys had an Oh **** moment with your lifts? I've want one but I'm afraid of making a mistake.

No, because I take extra care in parking the vehicle, selecting the lift points, loading the vehicle on the lift and double checking said lift points, raising about a foot and testing for solid support (the shake test) before raising the vehicle. Once up, I also verify the locks. Care in use and keeping it clean and ready to go goes a long way to prevent problems.

 

[Jagmandave]

My only problem with a 2 post is not having easy access thru the doors, it can be a PITA to get in and out of one on the lift.

Having used all types of lifts at school when I was teaching I think the level with the floor scissor is the best, but even it has limitations. It's not good on pick up trucks for example - it's best on unibody cars but it can get in the way for some things on those too depending on the car.

So, probably the very best arrangement is one of each - a 4 post for drive on and storage ability, a two post for complete under car access and a scissor for ease of interior work!

 

[JRC3]

How about a midlift. I park a truck over mine every day. Throw a furniture dolly under it and lower it and it's very portable. It makes a great lift table and just an all round solid work table. You could park over it or keep it against the wall and elevated to table height and use it as a bench and then scoot it out in the open when it's time to lift a vehicle.

Great for unloading heavy items and working on stuff like mowers.

*Jackstands optional.

 

[rffiii]

I'm in the process of building a garage/workshop. It's 3 bays 36 x 32. I debated the 2 vs 4 post, finally settled on a 2 Post. (spent hours in here an online). Ultimately went with the 2 post. I then struggled with were to put to maximize floor space. I put it against the wall. I've only had it up and and running for a couple months, but no regrets on losing floor space.

 

[slowTA]

Have any of you guys had an Oh **** moment with your lifts? I've want one but I'm afraid of making a mistake.

I've driven onto my 4 post VERY crooked, to the point where I could have let a tire slip off the edge if I didn't stop and check. That made me get into the habit of double (tripple) checking when the first set of wheels get passed the ramps.

Other minor stuff, I've lowered my lift onto my rolling stool once, drove over a tool that I left on the runway, and a couple times 1 lock hung up when lowering.

In other words... "Don't be stupid, you *****!"

 

[Bigblockyeti]

Only if you get a Dannmar MaxJax.

 

[nealric]

These were my concerns EXACTLY !
Also , I was not entirely sure how much I would use a lift vs the floor space permanently taken up.
I have a certain fear/respect of two post lifts
my personal, no disrespect intended to anyone, view of 4 post lifts is that they are great for parking 2 cars in the same footprint... otherwise (IMHO) why would you have one vs a 2 post??
...so , ended up going for a scissor lift. Great for my purposes , mounted 6" below floor level ie flush with floor when down. Floor is totally usable for ANYTHING when lift is not in use. Works for me (and Mr J Olsen) , anyway !
HTH and good luck with your decision. FWIW, I can't imagine life without a lift now !!

I'm looking at a 4 post for a few reasons besides parking:
1) Less worry about concrete prep/quality
2) Stability, car won't come off due to unbalanced loading
3) Can be narrower than a 2-post (important for tight spaces)
4) Uniquely useful for certain work (i.e. certain suspension work and alignments where the vehicle needs to have weight on the tires)
5) Easier ingress/egress from vehicles parked in the space when not using as a lift
6) Easier for cars with difficult to reach or otherwise finnicky lifting points

There are of course certain jobs that can't be done on a 4 post (like pulling an engine from below), but for most common tasks, they give you the access you need.

 

[Coolabah]

I'm looking at a 4 post for a few reasons besides parking:
1) Less worry about concrete prep/quality
2) Stability, car won't come off due to unbalanced loading
3) Can be narrower than a 2-post (important for tight spaces)
4) Uniquely useful for certain work (i.e. certain suspension work and alignments where the vehicle needs to have weight on the tires)
5) Easier ingress/egress from vehicles parked in the space when not using as a lift
6) Easier for cars with difficult to reach or otherwise finnicky lifting points

There are of course certain jobs that can't be done on a 4 post (like pulling an engine from below), but for most common tasks, they give you the access you need.

absolutely ! I guess its a matter of what matters to you most. For me , the scissor lift fits all your listed points except for no.4....other factors such as parking etc were unimportant to me, plus a 4 post lift would take up more floor space than I was prepared to "give up". Just to be clear , AFAIK there is nothing wrong with choosing a four post or two post lift, just not the choice I made !

 

[slowTA]

One thing to note about a 4 post lift is that you need to plan on what your longest vehicle may be. My double cab, 6.5 foot bed pickup with 143.5" wheelbase just barely fits on my HD9 due to the length. The ramps won't lower because the tires are still on the flat part of the ramp.

So in that respect I kind of wish I went with the longer version of the HD9.

 

[dagofast]

One thing to note about a 4 post lift is that you need to plan on what your longest vehicle may be. My double cab, 6.5 foot bed pickup with 143.5" wheelbase just barely fits on my HD9 due to the length. The ramps won't lower because the tires are still on the flat part of the ramp.

So in that respect I kind of wish I went with the longer version of the HD9.

Even though my longest vehicle is a regular cab short bed pickup, I went with the XLT version of the Advantage SS9000 lift. Mostly because I wanted the 83" of clearance underneath but you just never know if someday you'll suddenly own a crewcab truck.

 

[HotrodHR]

Regret? Should've bought my 4 post sooner! Get the dollies and move anywhere you want. The real question is, with a 30x40x12 shop why you would even ask that question?

 

[geoffro5]

Biggest problem was the cost. $7,500 in Australia for a HD9 and rolling bridge jack + $150,000 for the building.

 

[boostaholic1]

4 post lift with a rolling bridge jack.
You can do fluid services, brake/wheel/suspension, trans removal, lower body/floor repairs plus you can stack vehicles/stuff for storage.

I get the suspension being unloaded, but not sure why a 2 post can't have a car on it and have a car under it for storage?
Ultimately a 4 post is "better" for storage, but for actually working on vehicles, I would think a 2 post is better. Then you could always "store" a vehicle under it.
I guess it depends if you spend more time storing or working on vehicles. I am not partial to either a 2 or 4 post. My .02

 

[Ron_J]

For those that have used the flush scissors lift, have you found any drawbacks? Seems like the flat surface would make it difficult to lift some vehicles.

 

[66Caprice]

Is the 2 post vs 4 post horse dead yet? I mean that poor thing has been beaten to a pulp!

 

[Jagmandave]

For those that have used the flush scissors lift, have you found any drawbacks? Seems like the flat surface would make it difficult to lift some vehicles.

You are correct, the scissor (Flat style) is best on unibody cars. On some frame vehicles, like pick up trucks, you just can't use it.

 

[SJW]

I get the suspension being unloaded, but not sure why a 2 post can't have a car on it and have a car under it for storage?
Ultimately a 4 post is "better" for storage, but for actually working on vehicles, I would think a 2 post is better. Then you could always "store" a vehicle under it.
I guess it depends if you spend more time storing or working on vehicles. I am not partial to either a 2 or 4 post. My .02

You can have a car on a 2 post and store a car under it. I imagine some would make the case that this setup is less stable than storing a car under a 4 post. There are plusses and minuses to all these setups.

If I were doing a lot service work and a little or no storage, I would get a 2 post.

If I were doing a little service work and a lot of storage, a 4 post.

If I were doing only storage, I would get a parking lift.

 

[Falcon67]

I'm looking at a 4 post for a few reasons besides parking:
1) Less worry about concrete prep/quality
2) Stability, car won't come off due to unbalanced loading
3) Can be narrower than a 2-post (important for tight spaces)
4) Uniquely useful for certain work (i.e. certain suspension work and alignments where the vehicle needs to have weight on the tires)
5) Easier ingress/egress from vehicles parked in the space when not using as a lift
6) Easier for cars with difficult to reach or otherwise finnicky lifting points

There are of course certain jobs that can't be done on a 4 post (like pulling an engine from below), but for most common tasks, they give you the access you need.

As a two post owner for several years in a tight building, I refute nearly all these claims.

No way I'd get half the stuff in the shop with a 4 post. And, I can stack the door car over the dragster for two in a single space.

 

[JRC3]

You are correct, the scissor (Flat style) is best on unibody cars. On some frame vehicles, like pick up trucks, you just can't use it.

You sure 'bout that? https://www.naautoequipment.com/High-Rise-Lift-Flush-Mount-p/attd-fm9sl.htm

 

[Jagmandave]

If you look closely at the pics of the truck you'll see they have a special adaptor across the flats of the lift - so yes, it's possible if you buy the right adaptors and use them......I should have clarified what I was saying. Straight out of the box, they don't work.

On top of that I wasn't comfortable using the cross bars, I'm sure they were fine but they made me nervous because of the way the frame rails kick up in the back. The variety of wheelbase lengths on trucks made getting the center of gravity right a chore too. I just used the two post when I needed to lift a body on frame vehicle.

 

[JRC3]

If you look closely at the pics of the truck you'll see they have a special adaptor across the flats of the lift - so yes, it's possible if you buy the right adaptors and use them......I should have clarified what I was saying. Straight out of the box, they don't work.

The exact same would be said about a 4 post when doing suspension or brake work on any/every car or truck.
_____________________________

Not sure why you 4 post guys say it's "the best" when further lifting for suspension and brake work is so full of effort, and even then with compromised accessibility.

 

[ScaldedDog]

OP, since you are building new, strongly consider an in-ground lift like the Rotary SmartLift. Though many will deny it, pretty much anyone who has a 2-post would rather have an in-ground version that works the same way, but with no posts.

Check out my house for sale thread in the classified section for pics. (Not soliciting, as the house is under contract.) We close on our new place on the morning, and I have the local Rotary dealer coming out Friday to see if we can put one in there, even though the floor is already in place. They are that good.

Mark

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[Bigblockyeti]

Mark, looks like a nice place and having a friend that recently moved from Englewood to the Asheville area, it looks like when you're ready to list around there, you price it high and be ready to move soon! That lift is very slick and while I'm still years out from building my house, that's what I want in my shop.

 

[Ron_J]

OP, since you are building new, strongly consider an in-ground lift like the Rotary SmartLift. Though many will deny it, pretty much anyone who has a 2-post would rather have an in-ground version that works the same way, but with no posts.

Check out my house for sale thread in the classified section for pics. (Not soliciting, as the house is under contract.) We close on our new place on the morning, and I have the local Rotary dealer coming out Friday to see if we can put one in there, even though the floor is already in place. They are that good.

Mark

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Thanks for the suggestion Mark. Definitely something to consider. Like I mentioned, new construction, so I have lots of options.

The only thing that I don't really care for is the fact that they still stick up above the floor surface.

I'm coming to the conclusion that there isn't a perfect lift for all needs, just have to find one that ticks the most ox my boxes.

I'll probably have my truck parked over the lift normally, and it isn't a daily driver. I suppose there wouldn't be anything wrong with a conventional 2 post lift. I have the room to situate it so when it's not in use, I can park so the posts are out of the way of the doors.