My Hypothetical Future-Lift...

93EXCivic wrote: I like the one post we have in the shop but I imagine an install on that would be "fun".

only slightly easier then a pit...

I called Bend Pak today to get one of the dimensions that isn't listed (though I suppose that I could have figured it out) and that was the actual dimensions of the posts. They are 5"x6". This is good to know, because it means that the 8" tubes that I had set up to represent the outside dimensions were giving me 3" less clearance on each side that I would actually have. This is an appreciable difference.

Seriously love the initiative to mock up your four post. That looks good. Your never planning on having a full size truck on the lift right?

jdbuilder wrote: Seriously love the initiative to mock up your four post. That looks good. Your never planning on having a full size truck on the lift right?

Possibly, so I pulled up the specs for my Hypothetical Future-Truck, too: a 2014 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab Short Box. Everything falls within the workable parameters of the lift, and since the truck is a new design for this year, they shouldn't change much over the next decade or so.

Since you have 3 bays a four post looks perfect. What's going on near the front?

jdbuilder wrote: Since you have 3 bays a four post looks perfect. What's going on near the front?

There is a snow plow and a door down to the basement. The plow may get moved to the center bay and I might put the compressor and sandblaster under the WRX banner. The lift bay is four feet deeper than the other two.

icaneat50eggs wrote: What are your reasons for a 4 post? They don't appeal to me, because you still have to use jacks to do any suspension/wheel/brake work

A couple points in favor of a four post lift: you can put them most anywhere since they don't have the support requirements of a two post lift (proper concrete thickness and strength) and they don't have to be bolted down so they can be relocated as required. They're very good for storing two cars one on top of the other as well. A two post lift is better for working on suspensions or brakes, but most manufacturers sell jack accessories for their four post lifts. I think it's also easier to put a car on a four post lift, you just drive it on and don't have to worry about getting it perfectly centered.

This video was important in my decision making process. Please note that I had the sound off on my computer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RjdfNQSf4DA

stuart in mn wrote:

icaneat50eggs wrote: What are your reasons for a 4 post? They don't appeal to me, because you still have to use jacks to do any suspension/wheel/brake work

A couple points in favor of a four post lift: you can put them most anywhere since they don't have the support requirements of a two post lift (proper concrete thickness and strength) and they don't have to be bolted down so they can be relocated as required. They're very good for storing two cars one on top of the other as well. A two post lift is better for working on suspensions or brakes, but most manufacturers sell jack accessories for their four post lifts. I think it's also easier to put a car on a four post lift, you just drive it on and don't have to worry about getting it perfectly centered.

I've been telling people this for years. The ideal would be to have both, but if you are only going to have one, a four post has more advantages over a two post than the other way around.

Greg Smith make a wide version for dual wheeled trucks

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/Atlas-Garage-Pro-9-000

bravenrace wrote:

stuart in mn wrote:

icaneat50eggs wrote: What are your reasons for a 4 post? They don't appeal to me, because you still have to use jacks to do any suspension/wheel/brake work

A couple points in favor of a four post lift: you can put them most anywhere since they don't have the support requirements of a two post lift (proper concrete thickness and strength) and they don't have to be bolted down so they can be relocated as required. They're very good for storing two cars one on top of the other as well. A two post lift is better for working on suspensions or brakes, but most manufacturers sell jack accessories for their four post lifts. I think it's also easier to put a car on a four post lift, you just drive it on and don't have to worry about getting it perfectly centered.

I've been telling people this for years. The ideal would be to have both, but if you are only going to have one, a four post has more advantages over a two post than the other way around.

While I don't disagree that the 4 post lift has the advantages noted, I do disagree that the 4 post is the one to buy if you are only going to have one. It depends on what you want to do with it. In my case, I owned a 4 post, left it in a house move, then bought a 2 post. I wouldn't go back to a 4 post.

But that's largely because I use my lift solely to work on cars, not to store them. The 2 post is much better for this purpose. If you want to stack cars, though, then the 4 post is definitely worth the compromise on the ease of access for working.

In reply to Basil Exposition:

This. All lifts are compromises. Which compromise is best depends on each user's situation. To make a blanket statement that says one style of lift is better than any other is B.S.

How many times do we have to have this effing discussion?

I also use my 4 post primarily for working on cars, and can't imagine why anyone would choose a 2 post over a 4 post. The only thing you can do better with a 2 post is suspend the car to remove tires and work on brakes. But I can lift my entire car off the ramps in about 5 minutes to do any kind of work that involves the wheels suspended. I have total access to any part of the car at that point, and the ramps serve as a workbench.
But in addition, I can do many things better than a 2 post, and some that I couldn't do at all on a 2 post, like alignments. I can also replace rocker panels, do exhaust work more easily, park, get in and out of the car more easily, put it on and off more easily (no arms to align while bending over with my bad back), it doesn't require floor reinforcement, the rack is portable, and I can do anything that can be done on a two post. So why would I choose a 2 post over a 4 post? There's no reason to. BTW, I was a mechanic for many years, and have used both types extensively. You may feel differently, and that's okay. But the bottom line is that a 4 post can do anything a two post can, but a 2 post can't do everything a 4 post can.

Ian F wrote: In reply to Basil Exposition: This. All lifts are compromises. Which compromise is best depends on each user's situation. To make a blanket statement that says one style of lift is better than any other is B.S. How many times do we have to have this effing discussion?

Nobody is forcing you to participate.

bravenrace wrote: I also use my 4 post primarily for working on cars, and can't imagine why anyone would choose a 2 post over a 4 post. The only thing you can do better with a 2 post is suspend the car to remove tires and work on brakes. But I can lift my entire car off the ramps in about 5 minutes to do any kind of work that involves the wheels suspended. I have total access to any part of the car at that point, and the ramps serve as a workbench. But in addition, I can do many things better than a 2 post, and some that I couldn't do at all on a 2 post, like alignments. I can also replace rocker panels, do exhaust work more easily, park, get in and out of the car more easily, put it on and off more easily (no arms to align while bending over with my bad back), it doesn't require floor reinforcement, the rack is portable, and I can do anything that can be done on a two post. So why would I choose a 2 post over a 4 post? There's no reason to. BTW, I was a mechanic for many years, and have used both types extensively. You may feel differently, and that's okay. But the bottom line is that a 4 post can do anything a two post can, but a 2 post can't do everything a 4 post can.

Damn these threads. I already have a pad lift (installed), two post (not intalled), and now you guys have me wanting a 4 post. I think with a 4 post I'd probably do away with the pad lift.

In reply to Cotton:

Is a pad lift the kind that has a flat surface that raises up, like an ATV lift?

And I can move my Maxjax out of the way and store it in a corner if I need to, don't have four posts and two ramps taking up valuable garage space, am not banging my head and knuckles on ramps, don't have to lift a car twice (which would require another $700+ to get a bridge jack or futz with a homemade bridge and bottle jacks like I did before with a 4 post), don't have to lean over a ramp to access a wheel, etc. I was even able to move this lift easily when relocating from one house to another, rather than having to leave the 4 post behind as I did before. So why would I want to go from a 2 to a 4? Although you are restricted by your imagination from understanding why others might make the choices they do, all this just illustrates that it is a personal decision based on individual circumstances and there are no generalizations to be had.

bravenrace wrote: In reply to Cotton: Is a pad lift the kind that has a flat surface that raises up, like an ATV lift?

It is. This is the one I have: http://www.rotarylift.com/templateProduct.aspx?id=718

@ Basil Exposition

Whatever. While I have an answer for everything you mentioned, I have no desire to argue with you.

In reply to Cotton:

Does that line up with anything you need to raise? I've been thinking about getting one similar to that for my low bay, just to get vehicles I'm working on up to a height where I can work on them without leaning over so much.

In reply to Basil Exposition:

BTW, I was expressing my opinion, not based on imagination, but a lot of real world experience. I was not stating a fact. I'm not sure why that requires a rude response like -

"Although you are restricted by your imagination from understanding why others might make the choices they do, all this just illustrates that it is a personal decision based on individual circumstances and there are no generalizations to be had."

Personal attacks usually don't lead to anything good. And you do realize that while you are scolding me for allegedly thinking everyone should think like me, you are doing the same thing? Just sayin'

bravenrace wrote: In reply to Cotton: Does that line up with anything you need to raise? I've been thinking about getting one similar to that for my low bay, just to get vehicles I'm working on up to a height where I can work on them without leaning over so much.

Yeah, you just use blocks to get the lift points where you need them to be on the pad. So far here is a list of what I've lifted with it:

84 diesel Blazer 4x4, 89 Suburban 4x4, 87 944 turbo, 60 VW bug, 88 Corvette, 02 Corvette, Austin Healy Sprite, 72 Firebird, and 72 4 door LTD. It's lifted everything like a champ. The low ceiling height is the exact reason I bought it. I'd need to make some modifications to fit a large lift in the same bay.

Woody wrote:

How did you manage to get that plate? almost seems fake.

Grtechguy wrote:

Woody wrote:

How did you manage to get that plate? almost seems fake.

I just saw it rolling down the line when I was in the joint and grabbed it.

It's actually a regular series license plate. Cool E36 M3 like that just seems to happen to me.

Woody wrote: It's actually a regular series license plate. Cool E36 M3 like that just seems to happen to me.

So what's the combination on your luggage? :)