Question On Those Who Have Installed 4 Post Garage Lifts

[slow&rusty]

Guys - I am looking at buying a home and also purchasing a 4 post garage lift and use it with the existing 110/115V in the garage.
Some questions I have:
1) Measuring from the floor to the garage door in the opened position, how much height is required for a typical this install?

2) From a Google search there are lots of manufacturers out there, how do you separate the reputable ones from the cheaply made units? I noticed prices range from $1400 to well over $3,000..which is a huge price range.

3) Any horror stories, last thing I need to worry about is a collapse or a motor that does not stop. On other words I want to ensure that the car above or below will never be damaged. This is the part that scares me. Built in safety for me is worth paying extra, for example automatic shut-offs and steel pins in the legs.

4) I am interested in a lift that does not have to be necessarily bolted to the garage floor but can be free standing and rely on the static weight of the frame (and the car) to be steady.

For those of you with these lifts, what would you do differently (if anything)?
Many thanks!
Yasin

[cary]

I have a BendPak 2 post. But when I buy another one it will be a 4 post with wheels. That way I can move it outside to a poured level pad. Then I could steam clean the underside of cars. My .02c.

[dad911]

Wayne, I have an Eagle, front stops are only 2 bolts, easily removable, or they can be left off.

I have owned the Eagle for about 15 years. No problems.

Yasin - I have a 10'-6" ceiling, and with a 911 on top, it can be lifted full height. Garage doors need 'high-lift' tracks, so they hug the ceiling and clear the car. Std tracks that bend at the top of the door will be too low. As long as you have the ceiling height, the garage doors can be retro-fitted for a couple of hundred $$.

The motors stop as soon as you take your hand off of the button. The failures I have seen were when the operator continues to lower the car, and one of the safety catches did not unlatch. There are safety interlocks in all 4 corners, linked to a single latch. It is a simple matter to just watch the lift, and make sure all 4 corners go up and down together.

[porsche356a]

Guys - I am looking at buying a home and also purchasing a 4 post garage lift and use it with the existing 110/115V in the garage.
Some questions I have:
1) Measuring from the floor to the garage door in the opened position, how much height is required for a typical this install?

I just put a Bendpak HD9-ST in my garage last week. The interior height floor to ceiling is 11' 2". The door (open) has a ~5 3/4" drop. This is because I have a side mounted opener. A normal door with overhead opener needs ~13". I wouldn't recommend anything lower than 10' 8" usable, and that is with smallish cars (I have a 997 and 356 in mine).

With my set-up I can raise the lift to max height and walk under it. You could cram bigger cars under it if you needed to... I spec'd mine for 2 550 E Class coupes.

2) From a Google search there are lots of manufacturers out there, how do you separate the reputable ones from the cheaply made units? I noticed prices range from $1400 to well over $3,000..which is a huge price range.


By a better one. I got my Bendpak shipped with drip pans for $2620 out the door. Multiple safeties and certs, enclosed cables.

3) Any horror stories, last thing I need to worry about is a collapse or a motor that does not stop. On other words I want to ensure that the car above or below will never be damaged. This is the part that scares me. Built in safety for me is worth paying extra, for example automatic shut-offs and steel pins in the legs.


These things are rock solid. If you measure right, you'll never hit the ceiling. They have both air locks and cable snap locks. The most a car can drop is ~4". And that is only if you don't lower the lift properly into resting position.

4) I am interested in a lift that does not have to be necessarily bolted to the garage floor but can be free standing and rely on the static weight of the frame (and the car) to be steady.

I live in earthquake country, so I bolted it in. They have a bit of sway naturally. I'd suggest the bolt route for ultimate stability. They are designed either way though.

For those of you with these lifts, what would you do differently (if anything)?

Nope. These are great. Make sure you get a good installer though. You want this thing super level. It save on wear and tear and surprises. Also, I'd use a compressor for the airlock release rather than the accumulators they sell. The AC just works better. Measure everything many times, and consider a convex mirror or markers so you don't smack the poles when you park. Oh, and go with 220 if you can, but I know Bendpak will put a 110 if you ask.

Many thanks!
Yasin

[porsche356a]

Originally Posted by Wayne at Pelican Parts

Anyone know what brand of lift the Ferrari Elena is sitting on in the first photo? I need a lift with removable front stops. I plan to install one in front of some reinforced pallet racking and use it as a lift and elevator.

Wayne

Wayne - I think that is a Backyard Buddy.

[EarlyPorsche]

Does anyone own a 1-post lift? I have been thinking about getting a single post lift but the geometry just looks scary even though I know it is engineered to work.

[911boost]

Yasin.

I have a 4 post Greg Smith Equipment lift. Like you I did a bunch of research prior to purchaisng the Greg Smith (mine is the 7000 pound capacity one, or exactly like the two holding the Mustang and Camaro up in the second picture). I have removeable wheels on mine.

I think mine was in the $1,800 dollar range. If I was going to get a two or even one, I would have purchased a Bendpak, but since mine doesn't go up and down much (I use it to store my 1966 Mustang above the turbo), I wasn't too worried about the pump. Like all of them, I have stops welded to each post, it automatically engages the saftety stops as you raise the lift. The cables are only taunt when raising or lowering the lift.

There have a been a lot of discussions on the type to buy, but I know a few Pelicans have the Greg Smith lift like mine, and the only time I had to call the customer service, they were very frendly and helpful.

Now to answer your questions on height. My garage ceiling is only 10 feet tall. I have my lift on the thrid to highest safety stop, and the bottom of it is 59.5 inches up from the floor. There is 9 extra inches of clearance above my 911, but I needed it that high to be abloe to ride my Harley under it with the full windscreen on.

From the deck of the ramp to the ceiling, there is 57 inches. I also have the garage door with a side mount opener, so the garage door is only 5 inches from the ceiling.

Now, I have a 3 car garage that is shaped like an L. Its double deep on one side, and have a heater hanging from the ceiling in the back, so I have to place the lift in between the two garage bays.

Hopefully that answered your questions, and just let me know if you have any more.

Here is a picture, Ignore how messy it is, I hadn't cleaned up yet.

[911boost]

A couple more pictures.


Side mount garage opener.

[slow&rusty]

Wow..very cool Bill. Thanks for the informative reply and the feedback. I will look into the Greg Smith and the garage opener to the side (neat..BTW). The $1800 is right where I want it to be as well.

Thanks for all the feebback and replies gang!
Yasin

[MJHanna]

I have two lifts there is a huge difference between them, one is a 9000 lbs the other is 8000 lbs. look at the specs and the foot print. I'm glad I have the 9000 but its a large lift and I would be pushed to put two of them in my space and still be able to move around. One thing they affect is your lighting. With 2 cars up it really changes your lighting and how you have the lights located.

[stevej37]

Greg Smith lift w/wheels to move around. My ceiling height is 10 ft. Plenty of room for my needs.

[slow&rusty]

VERY NICE Steve!! Will look into the Greg Smith as well

[gt350mike]

Originally Posted by EarlyPorsche

Does anyone own a 1-post lift? I have been thinking about getting a single post lift but the geometry just looks scary even though I know it is engineered to work.

Purchase A Made In The USA Car Lift From SuperLifts.com - Car Lifts, Auto Lifts, Motorcycle Lifts and other Garage Accessories

When I was at Barrett Jackson last weekend this company had a two-car lift on display. The quailty appeared to be above par but I personally don't know anyone who has one of there lifts.

[wcc]

I got a Greg Smith lift. Check out this thread on details..

New 4 post lift!

[Bob Kontak]

Christ on a crutch. Research with focus on Greg Smith, BendPak and Challenger.

No critique of quality here.

Greg Smith is all Chinese.

BendPak 10k lift at/under $3,000 is Chinese. Challenger 10K a few hundred less - Chinese.

I cruise down to the big box tire changer - they have the Challenger CL series (10k and 12k) - has to be made in America, right? I price it out (10k) at $3,900 delivered. Go back to tire place to double check. Plate says Assembled in the USA.

I guess made in China is what my budget can handle.

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by slow&rusty

My God! I would take ANYTHING in this pic...

rjp

[Jim Richards]

OK. The ceiling fans are yours.