Home Garage lifts

[a3holerman]

Hi

Does anyone know of garage lifts that one might use in their own garage ? Ihave always wanted one but have never really seen one for home use. I am building a new garage and wouldlike to incorporate one to work on my not quite yet acquired Porsche.

Thanks
Tom

[Periokid]

http://www.eagleequip.com/index.html

I have one of their lifts.



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David

1988 911 Carrera Coupe
Leonoff Net

[radcon]

I know there are several different brands/designs out there in the $2-4K range for noncommercial use that have weight capacities sufficient enough to handle a car or light truck. I know that will be one of my first major purchases when I move back to the mainland. I see them advertised in a lot of tool company catalogs.

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'80 Targa

[JmuRiz]

Don't you need a special garage floor to install a lift...a certain weight rating or something? Not a problem if building a garage but might be w/ an existing one (not to mention you can make nice high ceiling too). What do you all think?

Nathan

[liskeard]

Check out this web site.

www.backyard-buddy.com

Enjoy ... Ted

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1980 911-SC Targa

[Mrdi]

Just a thought.
A garage floor could be built with an inspection area dug below the surface, with stairs leading down to the "pit". Not my idea of the best solution but certainly a solution. The home my parents owned when I grew up had a barn from an old orange grove that had several pits to service vehicles. They were covered with 2"x8" wood boards when not in use.I pulled a few transmissions out of my flat head Ford in those pits and they worked fine. By doing it that way initially you could put in the hydraulic later and still have access now.
Just think of all the old mufflers you could put down there.

[bhaubold]

Originally posted by a3holerman:
Hi

Does anyone know of garage lifts that one might use in their own garage ? Ihave always wanted one but have never really seen one for home use. I am building a new garage and wouldlike to incorporate one to work on my not quite yet acquired Porsche.

Thanks
Tom

Tom,

I don't have one as of yet. But, I always thought the two post type would be best for working on a car rather than storing it. With the four post type, removing wheels is like having it on the ground. You must use jack stands.

On the other hand, the four post leaves the center of the car in the clear.

A 356 mechanic in my area has a two post that seems to work well for them.

Bob

[kumma]

I was impressed with the installation a friend of mine has in his garage. its a rotary lift. http://www.rotarylift.com. He recommended it because its a 2 post system and its asymetrical so you can open the doors without fear of slamming them into the posts. It's on my list of things to do.

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Craig 73T in many pieces

[pwd72s]

Oh yeah! ...a pit with a water drain, or at least a sump pump! Would be great for washing a car's bottom. And I still have my old diving mask with prescription lenses. Hey guys, I'm only half joking here. "Grease pits" they were called, and still used by many of those fast lube places today. They work. Just added a new design feature to my "if I win the lottery" dream house.

[stray15]

I would recommend the Rotary lift mentioned above. We have them at work and they are very well designed work great. Not real pricy either.

[MarkY]

One of the advantages of a four post is that you can park a car underneath the car on the lift. Good solution for people lacking garage space.

[Doug Zielke]

I asked this very question about 2 weeks ago. Sent for some makers catalogs to see the specs. So far, I like the Eagle 4-post lifts. If they will clear your ceiling, they look like a good thing to have in the garage.

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'81 SC Coupe (aka: "Blue Bomber")
Member: SCWDP
Canada West Region PCA
The Blue Bomber's Website
"If it ain't broke...we'll help you fix it 'til it is!"

[howie944]

All things considered a lift is a wonderful thing to have. Even better if you are building your garage around one. But I'm sure there are a lot of us here that have the old standard two car garage and are hampered by the ceiling height. I can just picture creating a new "dormer" by raising the car too high (Not to mention the coupe to cab conversion that could be caused). What are the recommendations for lifts that will accomodate a low (normal) ceiling height?

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Howie
79SC

[JoeF]

I am using a Backyard Buddy 4 post lift.
I have a cieling height of about 10' in my garage. I can easily park 2 P-cars in one space. I have had normal height car and a P-car stacked also. A large car or suv would require more head room. You also need depth or length in the garage so you can put the lift deep enough in the garage to provide clearence for the garage door tracks and clearence for when the garage door is opened. Go on the Backyard Buddy web sight, the have a work sheet you can print out for measurements.

[piperpilotduane]

There are many lifts out there. I opted for a Ben Pearson 9000 Lb. 2 post floor lift. I only had 11 foot clearance and opted to get the model with the cables that run across the floor under a metal plate. Floor must be a minnimum of four inches thick. Mine was 5 1/2. Whatever you buy be shure it is ANSI certified. Your life is on the line every time you get under the car, an extra couple hundred dollars is expendable. You are not.
P.S. my lift was $3000.00 installed.

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Duane
'76 912E, '73 914,
& '76 VW BUS (ALL 2.0L)

[RoninLB]

I use a Snap-On mid rise lift in my small garage. It is made in Canada and they will not sell in US. It can be found used in service station type mags. $1000 is going price for an example. New they may cost $3,200 + shipping + tax

[Oldporsche]

There are several brands of lifts available on the internet. The Rotary brand lift is a very good one. These, believe it or not, are sold by good Auto parts stores here in the midwest. They come in all sorts of configurations. $2K-$5K.

Other brands come to mind, ie, Globe, Lincoln, etc. Bend-Pac is another brand that comes to mind with several configurations.

Your local lift dealer can specify the floor for use with your lift.

A two post will probaby lift will give you the most access to the car. There are types that can be used in shorter ceiling buildings. The four post lifts have advantages that are swapped off for the lack of workng access.

When looking at four post lifts, one should consider having all of the mechanism contained withing the posts.

Good luck,
David Duffield

[orbmedia]

This is the one to drool for.

Rotary Smartlift



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Visit the Virtual
PORSCHE Rennsport Reunion Tour

[ChrisBennet]

Of course I felt the same way about air compressors until I got one, but I just don't see the attraction of a lift for working on 911's. The engine comes out of these things so easy without one. (I can see how it would be nice for working on 944s.) I have a 2 car garage and a lift would just take up precious space and be in the way of opening car doors.
Pits are even worse IMO. You can't use a jack in the bay that has a pit, it collects Carbon Monoxide and fuel vapor if not ventilated and you have to deal with some sort of grate to cover it when you aren't using it. The neighbor has one and it did come in handy once for adjusting the rear suspension.
Grumpy Man


[This message has been edited by ChrisBennet (edited 11-07-2001).]