Two post lift opinions
 

I’ve been looking at 2 post lifts on Maxlift.com in the $3500 range. I’ve seen what appears to be the same one on Toptome.com at less than half that price. How can that be? Like the stuff at Walmart the same as Jewel but half the price?

Re: Two post lift opinions
 

I'm in the same boat. Looking at lifts in the 2200.00 range with free shipping.(To Orcas Island) Hard to believe this can be true. These are 9000 lb capacity range. I will be watching this thread. Thanks for posting.

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I've been very pleased with the one I purchased from Stratus. Model SAE-S66M. Currently ~$4500 + free shipping

https://stratusautoequip.com/

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I bought mine used. 9000Lb A-Symetric. $1500 was able to see it operate, paid the local dealer/installer $350 to disassemble/move it/re-assemble it in my shop!!

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After some research I think the point is moot. My floor would need to be 6” thick and it’s only 4”. I’m limited, in a townhouse/duplex unit.

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A 4-post is probably the best option. You could have your concrete cut, drill holes for re-bar into the existing and then pour new concrete being mindful of edge distance to walls. Bendpak had good recommendations on this link, https://www.bendpak.com/car-lifts/co...-requirements/

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...3&d=1697650846

Glenn

Re: Two post lift opinions
 

I had the same problem with the floor in my shop. An estimate on the concrete work needed will make you quickly re-consider your lift options. I settled in a 4 post and a combination of a jack pan and a bottle jack makes a good combination.

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Folks,
Our shop was designed around a large 2 post lift. I was able to snag a used rotary brand truck lift from local tire and car repair store. It's a 12,000 lb symmetrical arm style.
Today was the first actual project. Had the F250 diesel on it to repair a worn steering component.
We installed the lift. Shimming the low side of the floor 1.5 inches due to floor drain slope.
I did look at new ones and I think installed they were about $10k to $12k.
Sounds like a good price on the 9,000 lb lifts.
I am a little concerned that this tool in the shop makes me take on more projects????:)
Regards,
Chris and Cheryl

Re: Two post lift opinions
 

Chris- Yes, it will put more projects in the shop...and you'll have lots of new friends! But man, is it a good tool to have. :) I absolutely won't be without one now.



Mine is an import 9000# symmetrical unit with floor plate cable/hose runs due to my limited ceiling space and cost $2100 three years ago. It's well made and works great.






Terry

Re: Two post lift opinions
 

About 7-8 yrs ago I bought a two post low overhead, Atlas lift from Greg Smith Equipment. At the time they had a warehouse about 100 miles from me so I picked it up. I installed it and they recommended 4” of concrete under the posts. I had a beam over the posts so I made a brace up to each beam. I’ve had an extended cab long wheelbase p-u, a 2500 HD and a Suburban on it a bunch of times. I think the original price was $1495. It works great and I’m very happy with it........Mark

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Mark, they’re up to $5000 now, almost double last year’s price.

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There’s a website that carries different brands. If I find it I’ll leave a comment here.....Mark

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Here's mine with the raised ceiling I modified in my garage. Like Mark, I tied the tops of the columns to the garage structure for extra support in addition to the floor anchors.

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Here's one on Amazon. I too will have to do some cutting to raise my 10' ceiling. All framing is exposed, just some 5/8" plywood on the storage loft above. I like these ideas about top support. Would be easy for me to incorporate. Think the 4" slab with fiber reinforcement would be ok as is if I securely braced the top?

https://www.amazon.com/Xinkong-Truck...8-de351f41cffb

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https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...p;d=1697694515

Comparing the Two Post Hoists with a Four Poster, both have their advantages and disadvantages.
With a Four Post Hoist, the vehicular is more secure but the wheels need to be jacked individually for attention.
On the Two Post Hoist, the wheels are free, however, there is more strain on the actual car.
When we were doing the brakes on my Mercury, when the car was on the Hoist, I had difficulty opening the door to allow me to pump the brakes.
When I had finished pumping the brakes, I could not shut the door because of the location of the Arms under the chassis bent the chassis slightly.
Had the car been a Convertible, the added strain would have been much worse.
That is my 2 cents worth.

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I talked to a friend at my last high school reunion. He told me he has a two post lift lift that came with a couple of auxiliary aluminum ramps. He said that they are light enough to be handled by one guy but strong enough to support a vehicle. They are designed to mate securely with the arms on the two post lift. I would like to check it out but he lives 300 miles from me.

I have a proper sized bottle jack laying on it's side in the jack tray on my 4-post. Along with a couple of random length 2x6's, it's easy and convenient to raise one end or the other. That's OK woth me, since I can only work on one end at a time.

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I would consider adding 1/4 or 1/2 inch steel plate under the posts if I was concerned about the ability of the concrete to handle the load.

Re: Two post lift opinions
 

Well, here goes...gas now thrown on the fire


Dean333
I am an industrial fastener sales/VP, I started in the tool and fastener business in 1984 selling power tools, accessories and concrete anchors and cutting tools. I have been in this business for at least 35 years selling to every type of concrete, general, mechanical, HVAC, Marine contractor, ship fitter, fabricator, machinist, loggers/timber/land clearing and welding contractor imaginable. I have been to several concrete anchor seminars, classes and sales classes etc etc over the years for several manufacturer engineers of anchors, concrete screws, powder actuated pins, loads, clips, diamond blades, core bore bits, more than you can shake a stick at. I know the lift manufactures say 6" of concrete min required etc etc and many here have posted about making concrete foundations 12" deep etc, etc. My concrete floor is 5". My two post lift is a 9000lb lift anchored with no less than 6 (if not 8, I'd have to look again) wedge anchors per post and I am another 1-1/8 deeper than you will be SO I am a little bit higher in strength rating (i figured close to maybe 8000), which is what the majority of installers use. When properly installing a 3/4 wedge anchor, a minimum set depth is 3-3/8" MINIMUM (and in actuality, you're only as strong as your concrete) so, IF you used 3-3/4" embedment in 2000 psi concrete that anchor will have a tensile strength of 7120lbs and slightly more since you would be going another 3/8 of an inch deeper. NOW remember that is with ONE anchor, your lift will be anchored by at least 6 anchors so you can spread that load over 6 anchor points, THEN, keep in mind your spreading the load of your lift between TWO Post SO that load is being supported by a of 12 anchoring points of 7120lb.....The concrete at the maximum is only rated at 2000psi.....Maybe more, depending on your areas build requirements??? IF it's 4000lb concrete you can jump your tensile to 14,740Lbs of tensile strength. I used 4-1/2 embedment depth, plus the thickness of the base of my post, plus nut, washer AND the pull to tighten factor for my anchors. I know I will never have a vehicle close to 9000Lbs on my lift NOR would I put that much on it anyway. I am a firm believer OF 75% of whatever I am using is rated for....WHY push it? The most I figure I will ever have is 5000Lbs for what I do or for my needs. I have lifted my 39 Mercury 4 door (at the 4 "X" brace points of the frame), my wife's 2018 Lincoln MKX and parents 2011 Lincoln MKX, Jeeps, Honda's, my 2017 F-150 ALL with NO hesitation of my safety NOR any indication of any problems or safety concerns!!! I deal with this issue and an council/help contractors every single day solve anchoring issues for A/C units, safety lines for workers, light poles, guard rails, scaffolds, you name it where safety and lives depend on proper installation AND believe me, IF i didn't have confidence in what I posted MY keester would NOT be under that lift!! NOR would I be in this business for as long as I have been or have the trust and reputation of my customer most for the past 25 years, a few for my full 35+ years.



NOW, I wanted to use what is called a"Drop-In" anchor as opposed to a wedge anchor for my lift 1) because its a threaded wedge insert style anchor and you use a regular hex head cap screw to anchor down the lift and 2) because IF you moved or needed to move the lift you just unbolt it and move it and you don't have threaded studs sticking up out of the floor that you have to cut off if you move it. 3) With the right length bolt you have a constant force pushing the wedge of the insert down and putting moe anchoring force to the insert!!! Those are only 3-3/16" long thus 3-3/16 minimum embedment BUT they give you a 8280lb of tinsile strength, minimum in 2000lb concrete BUT the installer I used did not want to use them SO I went with the wedge anchors....which also tells you what faith I have in what I print!!!


Now IF you were pouring or starting from scratch, I would say pour 6" of concrete OR yea, bite the bullet and make your 12" foundation with rebar and anchor bolts and all that added "insurance" BUT the reality is....it is a safety factor X3 endevor, which I am not saying is wrong or bad.....but what I have printed here ALSO has a "safety" factor built in as well SO.....If it were me and I had the room at my duplex for a lift, I would not hesitate to put it in.


JMO and For the "What its worth" department.


Rockfla

Re: Two post lift opinions
 

JMO and For the "What its worth" department.


Rockfla


https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...7&d=1697721456

Re: Two post lift opinions
 

I thought about that as it would give a bigger footprint onto the concrete.

And rockfla, dangit you obviously know your stuff. With a piece of 1/2" plate under the hoist, perhaps 6" larger all around and steel braces up top, my 4" slab should be sufficient?

There IS an alternative... I was offered this 4 post lift for free here on the island. It has SUCH a great look, but dismantling, reassembly, (safety?) all come into play. Maybe if I was 10-20 years younger and broke....

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That thing looks "industrial". For the price, it deserves a close look. As to disassembly, etc. I picked up my lift when I was 79 and installed it in less than a week with the help of a 73 year old friend and my "Cherry Picker" (we took our time). Doing it ourselves means we are familiar with it and how it works, which can't be a bad thing.

Re: Two post lift opinions
 

I had 4” of good concrete that has rebar through out and this is how I anchored the top. That trolley beam is 11’-3” from the floor. I’m 5’-7” and have plenty of room under a full size truck. I plan to buy a four post to put in another building for storage and long term projects.......Mark

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I have a 9’ ceiling, live in a one story townhouse duplex, I’m not allowed any modifications beyond the drywall. I decided on a Quickjack 5000TL, it’ll work for me.

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My lift has a fairly good sized footprint that i guess is about 18" square with 6 if not 8 anchoring holes so it's quite substantial from the start. My lift also has a channel bar that runs between the post at the top with about an 1-1/2 bar/tube that runs on the underside of it (not sure what it is for). The wire for the lift locks and hose for the hydraulic cylinder all run inside the channel BUT it also supports the post from leaning inward. Think about it guys, the "majority" of the force on you lift is downward, the main function of the anchors is really lateral movement....now yes there is potentially "SOME" pull but my frame of reference is my lift and that support bar/channel on mine aids in any inward force on the tops of my posts SO its all "down force" once you get a load on it!!!! The anchors just keep it on one place "Basically"


I'll get better more detailed pictures tonight, these pictures where right after mine was installed


ALSO for you guys.... every so often I always check the tightness of the nuts on the anchors just make sure everything is snug and I haven't had ANY failure of any kind!!!! A good habit to get into AND can never be TO safe!!!



As an aside, my lift was adjustable up or down, 12' was the shortest and there were holes for mine to go up to 12'6". My joist are right at 12'6" and my installer wasn't keen on going 12'6" (NO room for error) so he suggested staying at 12', I wish I had that extra 6" as I am 6'1 and that extra 6" for me would be perfect as some vehicles height I have to hunch over slightly be cause of it!!!!!

Re: Two post lift opinions
 

Rockfla has done a great job talking about anchor bolts.

I want to add that if an interface plate is used between the lift post anchors and the concrete, to prevent pullout of these anchors you must add anchors around the perimeter of the added plate. If you don't, and there is tipping, the bolts are going to be levered (large moment arm) by contact of the plate edge back to the anchor bolts. Anchor bolt manufacturer's installation requirements regarding edge distance and depth must be followed. My experience is from equipment and pipe supports in power plants.

Glenn

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Or you could cheat, lay down some 3/4” plate steel to distribute the load, go for full penetration around each base plate and epoxy the exposed metal after treating with OSPHO

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Any excuse to fire up the metal glue gun !

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Glenn is correct that proper edge distance AND set depth is critical AS WELL AS the hole diameter. I always double check the drill bit "BEFORE" I drill the hole. The hole diameter "should" be the same as the diameter of the anchor being used for wedge anchors. The edge distance, for car lift purposes, GENERALLY is a none issue as most lifts are installed well away from the edge of a slab although a close inspection of your slab and installation spot is in order to make sure you have NO stress cracking OR mix issues from the pour. Good call Glenn!!!

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Rockfla: Your "What's It Worth" Dept. is priceless.
Your shop is really nice.

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https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...9&d=1697803282

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...0&d=1697803282

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Here are a few more pictures of my base and support at the top of my post!!

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https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...5&d=1697932825

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...6&d=1697932825

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...7&d=1697932825

Re: Two post lift opinions
 

One thing to note is the quality of the 2-post lift, the thickness of the steel used, etc.. For years companies like "Atlas" have copied BendPak. I have a BendPak - and the steel is considerably thicker than the "same colored" Atlas. BendPak used to paint all their lifts Blue and Yellow . . . and so did the various copies. I've noticed that BendPak has now changed their color scheme - to I believe "grey" . . . probably to set themselves apart from all the clones.

Inspect a few different lifts from different companies. You'll get an idea as to quality/price differences.

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Good discussion on lifts. Still learning about the used lift I installed in the shop. A tool that most of us needed years ago and are now getting these for our work. They are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. Like most things in mechanics, do some research, set some goals, Check the specs, and do some shopping. I am looking forward to using this tool to save some hours crawling around on the floor under vehicles. John Kelley would have appreciated having this lift when we were working on his 42 Ford in the shop last year too.

https://i.postimg.cc/T2Svs6q9/IMG-20...-165036585.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/WzRYhQ1S/IMG-20...65042795-2.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/W33cGDgz/IMG-20...-174306814.jpg

Figured I better get this picture in there since Robert posted his car and lift.
https://i.postimg.cc/cJWFyVJN/IMG-20...-160225560.jpg

FYI: This 12000 lb truck lift at full height extension fits nicely under the dropped ceiling fan in the 15 foot high bay of the shop. (with 2 inches to spare) . Setting on 1- 1/2 of steel shim plate on the drain side of the sloped floor. It has seven 3/4 diameter wedge anchor bolts in the base of each column. These bolts are 5-1/2 inch long on the high side and 7-1/2 long on the drain (shimmed) side. The floor is 8 inches thick under the lift area. Rest of floor is 5 inches thick.

Regards,
Chris and Cheryl

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Chris, Is that in your new building, or off to the side in the big shop. Dang, it sure looks nice in there. You run a first rate operation there at the sugar works.

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GB,
The lift is in the big shop in the high bay area. The new mini shop is already packed with tractors of various sizes. (8 in there, plus my lawn mower show equipment). It only has 10'-0" ceiling height in the new building. It definitely has freed up some space in the big shop too. (Humm maybe can think about another toy at some point!)
The 2 post lift made it a lot easier to work on a rolling stool, at just the right height, to complete the worn out tie-rod end on the F250 (FYI: weight on that truck is around 9000 lbs).

GB nice picture of a Jailbar on the back of the Early V8 times book last month!
Regards,
Chris and Cheryl

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Another note to "new" left owners.


You "HAVE" to use "BOTH" arms to lift "anything" you cannot just use one side to lift with. Ask me how I know. I tried lifting a Milling machine (before I got my gantry crane) with just one side, not a good. Hydraulic fluid started shooting out the other side ram!!! SO lift with BOTH sides only!!!!!