Car Lift Questions
- Thread starter KP
- Start date
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KJP, I think it's a personal thing myself.
BUT, IMO, I would like to have a 2 post since it has a pair of swing arms to go under the car and hold it steady. The 4 post units I normaly see use ramps and lift via the wheels. If I can't take the wheels off, then whats the use in having it?
BUT, IMO, I would like to have a 2 post since it has a pair of swing arms to go under the car and hold it steady. The 4 post units I normaly see use ramps and lift via the wheels. If I can't take the wheels off, then whats the use in having it?
MoparMuscleGuy
Still plays with cars.
Two post lifts offer you greater access to your vehicle and take up less room in your garage. Four post take up a little more room, impede access, but are great for storage of your classics. To remove your tires with a four post lift you would have to purchase a rolling bridge jack. They're pretty expensive. It's all in what your looking to do. MMG.
joesnow
Well-Known Member
2 post for work
4 post for storage
4 post for storage
b5demon
Well-Known Member
totally agree i try not to work on the 4 post at work if at all possible
MoparLvr
Well-Known Member
4 post is like having an extra parking spot in the garage.
My 4 post lifts came with a free jack tray with each one. I've
never had any problems taking off the wheels.
They both probably have their good and bad points.
One advantage with the 4 post is that you can move it
if you need to. Not sure how you would move a 2 post
without taking it apart. Some one with a 2 post might
chime in here.
Jack tray will slide the complete length of the runners.
never had any problems taking off the wheels.
They both probably have their good and bad points.
One advantage with the 4 post is that you can move it
if you need to. Not sure how you would move a 2 post
without taking it apart. Some one with a 2 post might
chime in here.
Jack tray will slide the complete length of the runners.
Oklacarcollecto
Life is an experiment
4 post has too many things the get in the way such as the long plates that the car drives on while a 2 post only has the 4 arms that go under the car.
Too many things to duck under and walk around for me on a 4 post.
Too many things to duck under and walk around for me on a 4 post.
Yep, banging your head on the runners is one of those bad points with
a 4 post....ask me how I know....In fact you could ask me several
times.
MoparMuscleGuy
Still plays with cars.
Tony brought up the fact that you can slide a 4 post out of the way if needed. A two post is permanently bolted down. I decided on a two post because I like the fact it takes up very little space and allows full access. Christopher
If I had to choose, I would pick a 2 post. It's probably a lot easier to drop a drive train out of one and be able to work on the under side with fewer obstructions.
Gnome
Well-Known Member
or you can get a portable single post like this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/6-000-LB-Portable-Single-Post-Car-Auto-Lift-Hoist-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem53e336e679QQitemZ360294311545QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools but i'd go with a two post....and you can duck under stuff all you want but any route you go you can still bang the noggin.... i do it at least once a week.... since 1992 lol
Burntorange70
Well-Known Member
I got a 2 post. It takes up less space and gives good access to what you are working on. The reson to get a lift is to work on your car. If you are looking for more storage space build a bigger building.
kzcountry
Well-Known Member
2 or 4 post question. I like both for different reasons. I have a 4 post xtra tall. I use it for just about anything I have the jack trays that run full length and drip pans that fit the full length for just in case. My 4 post has a set of wheels for I can roll it to a different locat for parking a car on it and another under. I see a lot of advantages for the 2 post lift also, I got such a good deal on mine , I just could not say no. Good Luck on YOUR choice since you will have to live with it.
I've been contemplating the same question. My neighbor has a 2 post and so does my buddy's body shop. However say you wanted to weld in frame connectors. Most of the time they need to welded in with the weight on the car. Plus the storage space would be a plus for me where I can keep both darts in basicly the same space.
MoparLvr
Well-Known Member
Easy to buy a lift. Not so easy to add onto shop. Seems no matter how big a garage/shop you build it's never big enough. Yes a 4 poster is inconvenient for working on some things. The plus side is they most often come with wheels and can be moved even with the car on (though not real easily). When the lift is up in the air it's pretty much out of the way especially if you have the extra tall one. Jmo.
Check out garagejournal.com for lots of lift threads. I've got a Bendpak 4 post and like it because it can be moved, came with a air/hydraulic sliding bridge jack (lets me get one end in the air), useful for storage and no arms in the way like a 2 post. The bridge jack makes a big difference for maintenance although you can slide an aluminum floor jack under the lifting points of newer cars if you need to. Its not cheap once you add the bridge jack.
A 2 poster is nice but is bolted to the floor. The posts are rather far apart which does cut into the usable width of the garage just the same. It also takes longer to get the car set up for a lift. The suspension will hang if you use it for storage and there are no drip trays.
Each has its pros/cons so you have to figure out what you will be using it for. Either way, you need 11 foot ceilings if you have a sports car and 12 foot for a Mopar and more if you want to put a truck or SUV under it. That is assuming you would like to be able to stand up under it.
A 2 poster is nice but is bolted to the floor. The posts are rather far apart which does cut into the usable width of the garage just the same. It also takes longer to get the car set up for a lift. The suspension will hang if you use it for storage and there are no drip trays.
Each has its pros/cons so you have to figure out what you will be using it for. Either way, you need 11 foot ceilings if you have a sports car and 12 foot for a Mopar and more if you want to put a truck or SUV under it. That is assuming you would like to be able to stand up under it.
DonnieLawson
68 Barracuda
I got mine from www.ASEdeals.com
WildCat
Well-Known Member
I like the 4 post. It does make lifting the wheels harder, but for most things it is easy to drive on, get out and raise the car (remove the ramps and install the safety blocks)
The 2 post you have to get under the car to set the arms and if it isn't just right might have the car come off the lift.
Yeah, to do brakes or install engine from underside a 2 post would be easier. I built my Dart on a 4 post lift including the engine from the bottom just like the factory. Also installed engine from the top on the lift, just raised the lift high enough to clear the legs on the cherry picker.
Ideal would be to have both, but for most of us that isn't an option, so the 4 post with a rolling jack bridge (about $500)
Check out Greg Smith Equipment for the different size lifts and accessories.
One thing should have done was more research on the lifts. Mine is a 13' long ramp, 7000 lbs lift and my 95 Dodge 2500 extended cab truck will not fit on it, too long and about to the weight limit.
I would get one with at least 14' long ramps (they are wider as well as longer) To get another I would get a 12,000 lbs lift that is wide enough for a ton dually. Not much more money but can lift whatever you want except large commercial vehicle.
The 2 post you have to get under the car to set the arms and if it isn't just right might have the car come off the lift.
Yeah, to do brakes or install engine from underside a 2 post would be easier. I built my Dart on a 4 post lift including the engine from the bottom just like the factory. Also installed engine from the top on the lift, just raised the lift high enough to clear the legs on the cherry picker.
Ideal would be to have both, but for most of us that isn't an option, so the 4 post with a rolling jack bridge (about $500)
Check out Greg Smith Equipment for the different size lifts and accessories.
One thing should have done was more research on the lifts. Mine is a 13' long ramp, 7000 lbs lift and my 95 Dodge 2500 extended cab truck will not fit on it, too long and about to the weight limit.
I would get one with at least 14' long ramps (they are wider as well as longer) To get another I would get a 12,000 lbs lift that is wide enough for a ton dually. Not much more money but can lift whatever you want except large commercial vehicle.
I bought mine up north so you would have to check out ASE as suggested or some of the other dealers. It looks like the HD9 is running $2825 plus $1195 for the RJ45 bridge jack and $262 for the castors. I used the castors once to position the lift after I assembled it. I bought the metal drip trays but haven't used them much. The JP3 sliding jacking tray gets used seldomly too but gives me extra lifting options like when I dropped the tranny out of my Porsche. Now the air station, which I didn't buy, would have been useful but I built my own. I also got a good deal on the tall oil drain unit which is great. As you can see, it adds up. You don't some of this stuff with the 2 post lift.
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