Ideas on Shipping Options for New Lift

[Danimal16]

I recently moved and have been investigating a new four post lift for storing a car. The geometry of the garage bay that I want to use has limited me to the Back Yard Buddy.

I have a good quote from them with one exception, the shipping cost. They want $1200 to ship to what they claim is the closest drop point 50 miles away. The shipper is the one the vendor uses.

Is there other options that I can use, such as contacting another shipper to pick the unit up and deliver it to my house

Understanding inflation but $1200 may have me looking for another lift.

[908/930]

Do you have a truck? i just rented a big trailer to pick up my 4 post.

[stevej37]

^^^ I just used a flat utility trailer for mine.
A small engine picker on wheels will do the rest at home.

https://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-capacity-foldable-shop-crane-61858.html

[greglepore]

What is unique about their lift? I just went to their page and they seem pretty generic.
Forget what I paid for shipping on mine, but they're not cheap to ship, particularly the 4 post.

I rented a box van for the final miles. They are friggin heavy to unload, figure several people of good rigging and a tractor/loader.

[stevej37]

^^^ I loaded, unloaded, and assembled my 4 post entirely by myself. (no other hands involved)
It's not that hard if you use the right tools.

I didn't have an engine lift hoist at the time...so I used a cable 'come-along' hooked to a 4X4 that straddled a few ceiling joists. Worked great.

[greglepore]

Yowesers. We had issues with the side with the cyl in it...Come along to a 4x is a great idea if you don't have drywall on the ceiling.

We improvised with 2 guys and a quick jack...

[stevej37]

^^^ My ceiling was unfinished at the time...since then I used 1" foil sided styrofoam panels to cover it.

[bleucamaro]

I've moved one twice with an open trailer, and enclosed trailer. Used straps to tie the rails to furniture dollys, then they just roll around, and are off the ground. For the posts, we used a hand truck to move around.

[911boost]

True story, I moved about two blocks away and instead of taking mine apart I lowered it until the wheels lifted it off the ground. Then proceeded to have a friend help steer it while I pushed it about a mile an hour with my old Buick wagon with the front of the Buick all padded. I can only imagine what my neighbors thought.

Got it to my new house and into the garage just fine.

The company I bought my four post one delivered it to the drop off and I used a trailer to get it to my house.

[908/930]

The runways are the hard item to move, I think about around 400lbs, I had a friend help me move those around.

[stevej37]

[QUOTE=911boost;11600515]True story, I moved about two blocks away and instead of taking mine apart I lowered it until the wheels lifted it off the ground. Then proceeded to have a friend help steer it while I pushed it about a mile an hour with my old Buick wagon with the front of the Buick all padded. I can only imagine what my neighbors thought.


The casters/wheels make a 4 post very easy to move. I've moved mine with one of the 911's on it. It needs a smooth floor for that.
My garage has 4 stalls and I've had the lift in every stall at one time or another.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Danimal16

I recently moved and have been investigating a new four post lift for storing a car. The geometry of the garage bay that I want to use has limited me to the Back Yard Buddy.

I have a good quote from them with one exception, the shipping cost. They want $1200 to ship to what they claim is the closest drop point 50 miles away. The shipper is the one the vendor uses.

Is there other options that I can use, such as contacting another shipper to pick the unit up and deliver it to my house

Understanding inflation but $1200 may have me looking for another lift.

You're in CA somewhere and where is FOB for the lift? Info like that will help. For instance, I might know a guy with a truck and not much money that might be able to rent a trailer and bring it to your garage.

[911boost]

Yeah they do make it easy to move I agree Steve. I have mine in the single stall portion of my 3 car because it has a higher ceiling.

[greglepore]

I moved mine about 10 miles-borrowed a deck over trailer with a winch, put it up on the casters, and just loaded it on the trailer.

[stevej37]

Pic of my 4 post just after assembly. 10ft ceiling. 10 years ago

[Nickshu]

BendPak shipped my 4 post directly to a lift service company about 75 miles south of me for free. Then for $600 the lift company transported it to my house and installed it. It was so easy. I was considering installing it myself but that deal was too good to pass up.

Two years later they did the same thing for me when I added 2 bridge jacks to the lift.

[Danimal16]

Originally Posted by greglepore

What is unique about their lift? I just went to their page and they seem pretty generic.
Forget what I paid for shipping on mine, but they're not cheap to ship, particularly the 4 post.

I rented a box van for the final miles. They are friggin heavy to unload, figure several people of good rigging and a tractor/loader.

The length of the tall lift is 168 inches, 6 inches shorter than Bendpak. I like their lockout system better and I like the closed tube vertical members (better for earthquake).

[Danimal16]

Originally Posted by Zeke

You're in CA somewhere and where is FOB for the lift? Info like that will help. For instance, I might know a guy with a truck and not much money that might be able to rent a trailer and bring it to your garage.

The unit would be shipped from Ohio to a terminal in San Bernardino.
I can get the item from San Bernardino and unload it at my house.
I am not up to date on shipping methods or costs that may be available that may be less than the shipping that I was quoted by the vendor.

[Danimal16]

All, thanks for all the input. All of the tools and help to get it from the local terminal are covered (well except for the Buick wagon). But it is my attempt to cut the cross country cost. I think that the $1200 may just be the going rate for freight (cost of everything is up and us retired folks gotta keep up with the current situation).

[Baz]

My last surfboard was shipped to me here in Florida from the manufacturer in California using Daylight Transport. It got here in 2 days. Right to my house.

No shipping cost to me.

Came over the road. The driver here said they get trucks from Daylight every day. Looks like a pretty big company and might be worth checking, Dan.

Daylight Transport

Good luck!