Garage lifts

[denis4x4]

Backyard Buddy four post lift made in the USA here. Have seen some Chinese lifts that I wouldn't let my worst enemy use! Check out Garage Journal.....link to that site is at the bottom of this page

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by denis4x4

Backyard Buddy four post lift made in the USA here. Have seen some Chinese lifts that I wouldn't let my worst enemy use! Check out Garage Journal.....link to that site is at the bottom of this page

I agree, and if I was to buy a lift, this is the one I'd get. I haven't seen them lately at the swap meets, but the last time I did I was impressed with the quality, features, and price.

[Keith True]

I have a Challenger 7000 pound lift I bought years ago.I bought it because that was the make the local salvage yard used,and if it held up under them,well it would stand a nuclear blast.I really don't do much car work but it was getting harder to jump up and down all day when I did.Now I whine about having to bend over to set the pads.I would like to go to a 4 post,but when I do I will whine about the full length runners being in the way.When I first started I worked on three different lifts.A single post drive-on Gilbarco,it had it's drawbacks but they could be gotten around.A two post Weaver,with the rear post fixed that had a fork to grab the rear axle and a sliding front post to get the front end.You had to run two valves,one with each hand to make it go up evenly.Then I worked under an old lift that actually came out of a Model A era Ford dealership.Just a single post with two 4 inch I beams that you drove the car over.It worked good on the Model A's and the old Volkswagens the garage specialized in.

[CHuDWah]

Originally Posted by roccaas

This came up a few months ago, and now I cannot find the information posted back then.

There is a product that looks like two parallel drive on racks, they are connected with cross bars that are adjustable. The "front" end has a perpendicular bend 2 feet long. You drive the car on, use a heavy duty floor jack to lift the back end, and the car is 2 feet off the ground on stable legs. The cross members are made to allow bottle jacks and jack supports to lift car by the frame for suspension work. The whole thing can be broken down and stored out of the way, or you can just leave it on the ground and park the car on the rails.

Now what was the name of that system????

Sounds like Kwik-Lift, which is out of business - they can be found used.

Check out Automotive Lift Institute (http://www.autolift.org/), the certifying body, for info. Also, the various vendor websites, while slanted in favor of their products, have some good tips on what to look for in a lift.

[Doug in NJ]

I was looking at 4-post lifts at one point, and I knew that I would need a full 72 inches of clearance beneath the raised platform for my sedan to fit underneath it. Unfortunately most standard-size lifts didn't go quite this high. The "extra-long" models do, but they were much longer, and would barely fit in my garage.

My garage has a 12-foot ceiling with no columns, and no beams, HVAC ducts, etc. hanging down. It seems a pity not to have a lift in it...

Doug

[jr-41ford]

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I bought a 2-post Direct Lift, after using my brothers. I just use what I got with the lift for raising my Model A.

Here's a picture with the early 28 roadster, just after I installed it last year.

[tbirdtbird]

I had a Forward 9000 lb back east and installed a Forward DP10 asymmetric 2 post lift here in TX. It is 10,000 lbs and has 3 sizes of adapters, you'll get an A up in the air just fine, you can add any 2 adapters together. It seems they don't make 7000 lb lifts any more i have no idea why, unless you get one used; smallest seems to be 9 and 10 K.
The DP10 was 3K and another 500 install, this was 2 yrs ago. Worth every penny as far as I am concerned.

12 ft ceiling height is plenty of room. Many of the lift companies have low-overhead lifts available, also, I know Forward does. Forward lifts are certified, which is the only way to go. Beware the 1500.00 off shore brands

[ba49]

I just picked up a new to me KwikLift today. I had to drive 120 miles each way but it was worth it. When I got there the guy was trying to back out as he said he will really miss it, but really needed the cash. It is in really good shape. I got lucky and found it on Craigslist. They seem to sell really fast and don't stay listed very long. It will be perfect for my garage and way safer than jacks and jack stands.

[Cool Hand Lurker]

Don't go cheap. I have a Mohawk 9000 lb two post lift and the side columns are 5/8" channel. The cheap ones are a LOT thinner. I saw a video of a cheap two post 10,000 lb lift where they stacked 4x8 steel plates on the arms until it bent and collapsed. It collapsed at 15,000 lb and that is not nearly enough safety margin for me.

[Cool Hand Lurker]

Mitch, the photo of the adapters you have show that pipe was used. The adapters that came with my Mohawk are solid steel. I wonder if the pipe is strong enough. Anybody else have hollow adapters?

[Mitch//pa]

Those adapters came with my 10,000 lbs challenger lifts. They are stackable and rated to go with the lift. the other lifts i have seen are hollow also bendpack 10lb etc.. i dont think its an issue

[Jay's Model A's]

I have a 4 post "Eagle Lift" from Dallas TX. I think it has an 8,000 lb lift..It is all self contained, 120 volt pump on a post all hydraulics are under one of the ramps, about 10 lift locks( different heights) ramps are 18" wide.. I use it every day and have had it for over 5 years. I think I paid less than $2,500 W/frt.. Movable rollers as an option. Mine is bolted down. Big drive on ramps included. In the lowest position the ramps are about 6 or 7 inches from the floor.. Extremely reliable... Any questions please call. Jay @ 830-606-2806..

[jr-41ford]

When I use my 2-pole lift, I don't get underneath it until both "Underhoist Safety Stands" are in place.

I got mine at Harbor Freight.

[chiliman]

how about the back yard buddy four post any body have one they look great

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by chiliman

how about the back yard buddy four post any body have one they look great

See #21

[montanajohn]

I bought a Backyard Buddy 7000-lb 4-post after doing some research on design. What I like about their construction is that the posts are large square tubing that have rectangular slots cut into them, into which solid steel dogs are automatically inserted as the lift rises. At the chosen height, you ease-off on the hydraulics, and all the weight goes onto the dogs sitting in the slots. To lower the lift, you actually have to raise the lift a little to take the weight off, so you can extract the dogs (all 4 at once). It is a very safe design. No danger from hydraulic failure, and the square tubing can't spread apart and let your car fall on you. Cheap lifts, some if not most, have U-channel posts with welded tabs into which a ratchet (pawl) or cam engages to hold the weight. The channels can flex and let the pawls slip off, with disasterous results. In recent ads, it looks like one of the offshore makers offers a square-tube lift, but I can't tell for sure from the picture. I like the ability to store my '31 coupe in the raised position, thus freeing-up my shop floor. I did not buy the caster kit, but if I need to move the lift, a comealong works fine. I hope this info helps. My advice: Don't go the cheap route.