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  • RussellH

    March 22, 2009 12:31 p.m. RussellH Reader

    Thanks guys. I do have a 7" circular saw I might give that a try or another thing I was thinking about was using those cable runners that look like speed bumps to cover the hoses. I think I've seen larger diamond plated type too for shop use. I'll have to look and see if something like that will work.

    Woody, that would work except you're in CT, I'm in SoCal

    WW, I can't believe I let this thing sit for almost a year...it's cool! I just have to clean up the mess in the garage, paint or VCT tile the garage floor for that clean look, a couple of more fluorescent lights then I'm all set.

  • sachilles

    March 22, 2009 12:50 p.m. sachilles Reader

    wait...you've had the lift a year, and you haven't installed it.......for shame.

  • RussellH

    March 22, 2009 1:22 p.m. RussellH Reader

    Yeah I know it is a shame. My garage was unfinished, I had to drywall it, paint it, build storage shelf, etc. Two, I thought it would be complicated to do the install, the lift is heavy, it's 850lbs, each ramp is 400lbs. I only weigh 160lbs but yesterday I just said screw it, enough is enough and finally got it all set up and working. It's almost installed as you can see my Integra's up in the air. I just need to bolt it down, maybe next weekend.

  • daytonaer

    March 22, 2009 1:22 p.m. daytonaer Reader

    I have used a corded 1/2" non-hammer standard drill for concrete before. Yes it takes allot of time, but you only have 6 holes?

    I spent maybe 30 minutes on one hole until I realized I had the drill turning backwards and the mason bit was doing nothing. Time for a lunch break. So pay attention to that.....

  • ww

    March 23, 2009 12:25 a.m. ww SuperDork

    Now that we're house hunting again, I can't wait to get into a new garage that's "just the way I want it" so I can outfit it the way I REALLY want it.

    My ideal is a 3 car garage with 12 foot ceilings and a pass through on at least one bay. Install 4 post parking lifts in 2 bays to stack 4 cars and put a 2 post service lift in the 3rd bay with the pass through. Technically, this would allow me to park 6 cars in the garage, but unless something strange came up, I'd keep the 2 post lift "open" for project work so 5 cars in the garage and 3 more parked on the driveway and at least 1 parked "behind" the garage, so 9 cars could "live" at home instead of being scattered around the SF Bay Area... Side parking would be cool too...

    We'll see how well our agent and my wife can fit all that under our budget...

    [edit] P.S. I just saw my "status" change. I guess it's appropriate that this post is the one that put me over the "SuperDork" threshold...! [/edit]

  • RussellH

    March 23, 2009 11:03 a.m. RussellH Reader

    Yep, I keep telling the wife, next house will have to have at least a 3 car garage. When you research the 2 post lifts you'll notice the stringent floor/concrete requirements. Also make sure you consult the building engineer if your concrete is post-tensioned. You're not supposed to cut or drill post tensioned concrete from what I understand.

  • Wally

    March 23, 2009 11:07 a.m. Wally UltraDork

    My wife was good about it. The first time the realtor drove us around, after two houses she asked what part of the garage requset he didn't understand.

  • Ian F

    March 23, 2009 11:21 a.m. Ian F Reader

    That's a nice lift. How high does it go? I looked at a bunch of lifts before deciding on the Pro 6MR. I would definitely like more chassis access, but for the price (about $1500) I'm happy. Plus, I can move it out of the way when it's not being used.

    http://www.directlift.com/pro6mr.asp

    Hammer drill: I have a corded SDS type made by Bosch. It has three modes: drill, hammer-drill, and hammer-only... which really comes in handy for breaking up concrete... or bathroom tile set into 2" of wall mounted concrete (what I bought it for).

    I will need to relocate my lift to my house/garage soon... and plan/need to recess it into the floor... that will be fun... rent: concrete saw... cut but friggen hole in my garage... dig out pit... pour gravel... drill a million holes into existing slab (at least I sure it will "feel" like a million...)... install rebar reinforcement... install conduit from pit to wall for hydraulic line... frame out lift recess... rent concrete mixer... pour concrete... give it a week or so to set... build trolly to lift the lift out of my truck and drop into the pit...

    I suppose another option would to just build a big-azz platform over/around the thing so I can drive over it... ..debating...

  • March 23, 2009 5:41 p.m. spitfirebill HalfDork

    Our Home Depot rents tools. I would also rent a gas powered saw and wet the cut. The dust is incredible.

  • March 23, 2009 7:28 p.m. SVreX UberDork

    spitfirebill wrote:

    Our Home Depot rents tools. I would also rent a gas powered saw and wet the cut. The dust is incredible.

    Nothing that can't be fixed with a hose.

  • Appleseed

    March 23, 2009 9:01 p.m. Appleseed Reader

    Or a new set of lungs.

  • joedapro

    March 23, 2009 10:00 p.m. joedapro New Reader

    a rotary hammer drill with carbide bit should do it. when you set anchors, spend a few extra dollars and epoxy them into holes. i am a licensed general contractor, for whatever thats worth. the other posters have provided sound advice as well. make sure you use a graded fastener, rated for stress loads as indicated in your installation manual. good luck. let us know how it comes out.

  • cwh

    March 24, 2009 8:33 a.m. cwh Dork

    +1 on the epoxy idea. I used that stuff several times for mounting steel gate hinges, (750# steel gates) and it worked great.

  • RussellH

    March 24, 2009 5:53 p.m. RussellH Reader

    I like your thinking...SDS/Hilti to drill 6 holes

    I don't need too much convincing to buy any kind of tool but seriously I'd rather not spend $400 for a Hilti to drill 6 holes. I see Horror freight has a SDS for $70 and apparently people have had good results with it but I'm still looking at it as a one time use tool for me. Could I get away with a smaller hammer-drill (non SDS) instead? The size of the anchors is 3/4" - if it was a little smaller I know I could get away with a hammer drill but 3/4" might be just that fine line between hammer vs. SDS

  • March 24, 2009 6:06 p.m. SVreX UberDork

    SDS will not drill a better hole than a chucked hammer drill.

    Both are hammer drills. One just hold the bits better.

    For 6 holes you should use the cheapest you can find. It MUST hammer.

    Rental is by far the cheapest, and you can then get a GOOD tool cheap and get the job done right.

  • RussellH

    March 24, 2009 10:21 p.m. RussellH Reader

    Just bought these:

    http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=36924-79992-PC65...

    http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=122219-353-HCBG2...

    and a 1/4" drill for pilot holes...$100 out the door.

  • Ian F

    March 25, 2009 1:07 p.m. Ian F Reader

    That should do the job... the only reason I bought an SDS drill is because I needed the "hammer only" function. Which is actually all I've ever used the drill for... and it was used for a solid 8 hours straight... it's been in it's case ever since...

    Got rental prices on a saw and mixer today. $52/day for the mixer... $79/day for the saw.. gas powered... insert Tim Allen grunting noises ..plus another $55/day for the blade... (or $10 for the disposable blade).

  • joedapro

    March 27, 2009 7:02 p.m. joedapro New Reader

    so hows it coming? good i hope. post your successful installation story. as i know you will succeed!

  • cwh

    March 27, 2009 10:17 p.m. cwh Dork

    And we want video of all the concrete dust!!

  • Appleseed

    March 28, 2009 1:53 a.m. Appleseed Reader

    Open up a blank word document. Looks exactly the same.

  • Dr. Hess

    March 28, 2009 8:41 a.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

    You might try calling a concrete company and see what they want/minimum quantity. Here, in Y2K when I built my shop, it was $55/yard and a minimum order of 3 yards, free delivery. It wasn't worth it to get a mixer and bags and do it yourself.

  • cwh

    March 28, 2009 8:58 a.m. cwh Dork

    +1 on what the good Doc said. I don't remember for sure, but a bag of mix is less that a cubic foot of concrete. Mixing and pouring it takes a good bit of time and HARD labor. The truck will back up, dump it, all you have to do is moosh it around. Much better.

  • sachilles

    March 28, 2009 10:55 a.m. sachilles Reader

    I built a pad for my mothers shed that was 10x14. My brother in law and I had two mixers going, and it still took us at least 4 hours. Hard, crappy work. No fun at all. I don't ever want to see a mixer again. EVER.

  • RussellH

    March 29, 2009 6:51 p.m. RussellH Reader

    How'd we get on the topic of pouring concrete?

    Anyways I did succeed. It took a bit of sweat and muscle but it wasn't too bad. I'm only using two holes (as opposed to three) as the lift is plenty solid even without any bolts. Since then I've put wife's '04 Accord and my '97 e36 on it (actually did some work on it) in addition to the Integra. Works great, even the wife said "that's cool" when she saw her car 2 feet up in the air.

    I just need to buy/weld a long hoist stand to stabalize one end of the longer cars like the Accord. They sell these things for this purposes but they're too long as they're built for the 2 post lifts.

  • Woody

    March 29, 2009 7:35 p.m. Woody Dork

    Dr. Hess wrote:

    You might try calling a concrete company and see what they want/minimum quantity. Here, in Y2K when I built my shop, it was $55/yard and a minimum order of 3 yards, free delivery. It wasn't worth it to get a mixer and bags and do it yourself.

    But don't forget, you need to take it all. If you only need 2.5, plan on digging a hole for the rest.

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