Garage lift for home use

[MiataSteve]

I am planning for a garage to be built in the next few months (finally!). I have been looking at specs for floor thickness and ceiling height, as I want to be able to store one car above the other. I looking at 2 post lifts so wheel and brake work can be done. Zoning and lot dictate a 14'-24'ish space, so no lifting the F250.

something along this idea... http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Atlas-BP8000


Any advice is appreciated.

[djsteviec]

I would not recommend that lift, as it is too low. At a 9' overall height, the bottom of the car will probably only be at 6' or so. I am only 5'6" and that would be low for me. Also, that type of lift can just raise to the top, without a safety to make sure you don't hit a low ceiling.

This type is much better- http://www.rotarylift.com/LIFTS/SPOA10/

The brand is really good, and all that we used at dealerships- but at least this type.

If you are building it, make it the way you want it and it should be now- rather than kicking yourself later.

That is just my 2cents.

[RPM]

Two posts recommend 6" slab I have a four post with drip pans for the car under 4" slab. I would recommend 12 foot ceilings.
One Idea I wish I had when I built would have been in the second bay, recess a scissor lift in the floor for the wheel work.

[962porsche]

in my shop I have a 10 foot ceiling I bought a lift when I 1st moved in to this place .
the 1st problem was finding a lift to fit under a 10' ceiling . the sheet rock covering the ceiling had to be cut out to get the extra 6" needed to fit the lift between the rafters .
I only found two lift CO's that offered a lift to fit the height I have .
to bolt the lift to the floor you need 12" thick floor I did not have a problem with the flooring as it is 14" thick .
the next problem was you can not lift the car all t high off the ground .
I had to work on a roller seat when under the car even on cars with low roof heights like miatas .
even with my diasio on the lift I could not pull my vw GTI under the diasio on the lift .
after 3 months I ended up just selling the lift as the lift posts were in the way of the work bay next to it and to get bigger cars in and out of my booth was a PITA .
you should have a ceiling height of 12' or more to really get good uses out of a lift .
my friend has a lift in his home shop he has a two bay garage and razed the roof height on one side of the garage making the garage look like a salt box design .
this worked with the town as the peak if the roof did not change just the pitch of the roof on one side of the garage .
from time to time I still need a lift so my friend down the road from me let me use there lifts any time I need to at no charge he will even tow the cars down to his place and back 99% of the time at no charge .

[cfossum]

Steve,
You need twelve foot ceilings, and the concrete thickness will be specified by local code. Here, I only needed 4" thick, but the concrete strength requirement was increased to 5000 psi from the standard 3000 psi (I hope those numbers are correct, I'm going by memory)
Anyhow, I strongly recommend a two post lift that is tied together at the top, that way they can't splay apart with the load and drop the car on you. I have an older 6000# Rotary
-Carl

Here is mine:

lift.jpg (67.61 KiB) Viewed 6554 times

[offcamber09]

Steve we have a lift, in storage,from the other shop. Let me know if you want to take a look. It is 11' tall.
-Scott

[breakaway500]

I am a big fan of the asymmetric two post design, as with this design most of the car is behind the lift posts and you can open the doors.A big plus in my experience. I work most every day with my lift,so I was pretty fussy when I bought my third lift. I went with this unit: http://www.eagleequip.com/product/MTP-9A.html Have had this one for 8 years and zero issues. Don't get one with a floor mounted equalizer setup as that damn plate is always in the way..especially when using a transmission jack. Watch your lift arm clearances as some of them won't go under a low/lowered car. Every now and then Eagle will sell these on Ebay with FREE shipping (freight). They are easy to set up and parts (if ever needed) are a phone call away. Happy shopping!

[jeffw]

I bought this lift:

http://www.garybloomsales.com/product_i ... ccfjahi400

and have had it for 2+ years now. It gives 6' clearance under the car and needs 10'6" ceiling height. I can put the miata all the way up (which we do for storage).

The floorplate lifts will work in lower ceiling spaces--the other style lifts will typically need 12-13'.

All of the chinese lifts are similar. Mechanically mine's been fine but the motor on the power unit failed at about 14 months (right after the warranty). I had it replaced with a US-built (SPX) unit and it's been fine.

I've got a friend (Dennis Hebert) that installs lifts professionally. He put mine in. I'd suggest talking to him:

http://www.hebertgarageequipment.com/

[jeffw]

something along this idea... http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Atlas-BP8000
Any advice is appreciated.

The other suggestion I was given when lift shopping was that it paid to over-buy a little. I've heard the 8000 pound lifts tend to be more obviously cheaply made compared to the 9k or 10k lifts.

[cfossum]

This:

Don't get one with a floor mounted equalizer setup as that damn plate is always in the way..especially when using a transmission jack.

and because structurally it makes sense to tie together the tops of each post.

and 7000lb American = 10000lb Chinese

[jeffw]

This:

Don't get one with a floor mounted equalizer setup as that damn plate is always in the way..especially when using a transmission jack.

and because structurally it makes sense to tie together the tops of each post.

If you have low ceilings, the floor plate lifts are the only choice.

I wish I could have gotten one without, but not enough height.

The floor plate is a bit of a hassle, but in my case I have room around the sides of the lift to roll things.

[breakaway500]

"and 7000lb American = 10000lb Chinese"

The only lifts I know of actually made in the USA are Mohawk, Mohawks are works of art. They are built like brick shithouses..but you will pay 4 to 6 times more for one than the offshore models.

It's more like $1500 American = 1 chinese car lift.


Although not a "stacker"...I also have one of these Mohawks...http://www.mohawklifts.com/wp/consumer/ ... /usl-6000/ It's mobile.You don't mount it to the floor,or anything. It's is very stable.It is versatile and can lift anything up to 6k.lbs. (I have had full size SUVs on mine) Expensive.I bought a two year old demo model (scratched up) for $1500 off sale prices...and it still cost me $4500..but worth every penny when I look back at how useful it has been to me. It is fully open in the center and you can do driveshaft/transmission/clutch/exhaust work,but it is tight. Other than that,it's a full rise, no problem plug and play alternative to post lifts. Except..you can't put another car under it..

[cfossum]

If you have low ceilings, the floor plate lifts are the only choice

Got that, but he is building a garage and has ceiling height flexibility.

[962porsche]

when it comes to how thick the floor has to be it's up to the lift CO to tell you what they want .
my 1st shop the guy from the lift CO came in a dropped a BF hammed on the floor and told me the floor was not thick enough and or the lift I was looking to install wanted a 6" thick 3'X3' pad under the lift posts .
the 2nd shop I had I drilled a hole in the floor and it was 3" thick the lift CO wanted me to do a 12" thick pads 2X2 feet .

[Bobc]

Both of my lifts came form Glenn Kurkjain at tool and equipment connection he is a COM member they are based in Mass, I bought a 4 post first and it has been used a ton even as a frame jig for my draq car 10+ years of use and then I bought a 2 post when we started to have to take cradels out of the vetts. He has always treated me very well and installed both. 888-594-7800 or tecequip.com
I have 13 feet over the lifts but the 4 post is mobile and I have had it set up under the 11 foot side of the garage.
Bob