I'm starting my search for the best 2 post car lift to set up in my new shop. I want at least a 10000lb and if I can't find a good used one was looking at the Atlas and Bendpac brands so far. Any ideas on the best brands and best places are to buy? Thanks
Rotary is the top of the line. I'd be cautious of any used lift. Once thing to know about them is that the cables are recommended to be changed every 10 years, they may look good but can be dangerous.
For the capacity you want, you may want to consider a 4 post lift if you have the space for it. Or possibly a scissor type. Much more stable than a 2 poster, especially with that much weight on it.
I like the 4 post but like to be able to take the tires off. I don't think i would lift the heavier trucks much but it would be nice to do quick tire changes.
I have saw adaptors that work on a 4 post ramp type where the tire is raised off the ramp via the frame or axle. These might of been home made just can't remember. I guess a guy could use jack stands on the frame when working on tires or brake job. I think that I would prefer the chain type over cable type as I just think chani is much stronger. My.02 62Blue Don
Last edited by Don G.; 12/15/20099:26 AM.
62Blue 62Chevy in progress You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach3" Paul F Crichmore (Test Pilot)
I like the 4 post but like to be able to take the tires off. I don't think i would lift the heavier trucks much but it would be nice to do quick tire changes.
Most four post lifts have accessory trolly lifts (air operated) between the rails to raise the vehicle. I've looked at a lot of lifts dreaming and I think I would buy a four post.
Bruce
My Trucks Stuff I Collect If it doesn't matter if you win or loose.......why do they keep score?
All I see in automotive shops everywhere today whether they are replaceing mufflers, brakes, tires, transmission, Chevy, Ford or any other brand of dealership are two post lifts. They must be safe if everyone is using them. The only advantage I can see to the four post lift is if you want to store one car on top of another. That said, I've always wondered what happens when you drop an engine out from the bottom, does removing the weight upset the ballance of the lift. Also having only a few feet of footprint held down with anchors through four inches of concrete always bottered me. Seems like with all the leverage that you have at your advantage at the ends of the vehicle you would be able to pull the anchors right out of the concrete floor or pull the whole section of floor right up. But you never seem hear about that happening. I've got a friend who's son in law has bought several used two post lifts that he uses in his repair shop. I guess you just have to know what your looking for when you go looking for a used lift. Couldn't be all that expensive to replace the cables if you wanted to. Denny Graham Sanwich, IL
I did all this research about a year ago. Quickly decided on a Rotary brand after reading about all the others too. As far as what model, I first looked into a 15,000 lb lift, but it's a really big one and the salesman said if I didn't plan to regularly lift really heavy stuff I'd be a lot better off with the 12,000lb model, less bulky and significantly cheaper.
When we replaced the garage roof/ceiling/upper walls I made room for the bigger lift, but expect I'll get the 12,000 lb one.
I did find a lightly used 15,000 lb one for a fair almost cheap price a few hours away, but then consider removing it and then having it professionally installed and it ended up being more expensive than the new and professionally installed 12,000 lb one with a warranty.
I'm going with a BendPak 4 poster. I want to be able to move it to another spot when needed. I know you ae looking for a 2 poster, but I think I would still go to BendPak. The following links are a comparison to BackYard Buddy and Rotory, but it does give some insight to the Bendpak brand. It would be nice to find this type of comparison between other brands. Anyone see them?
The anchoring was one of the reasons I suggested a 4 post lift. it takes much more than 4" to safely anchor a 2 post, I beleive the floor in our shop is something like about 2' thick where the lifts are bolted down. Another thing you have to look out for is getting one that can be set to lift a truck, especially one with the rear kickup in the frame. If you have the right adapters, and know where and how to set it up, they are perfectly safe. With a 4 post, you don't have to worry so much about lift points, and they can be surface mounted with far less worry about anchoring. Some are even made to be mobile (Backyard Buddy). With a 4 post, you definetly would want to get the dual bridge jack option.
That makes more sense to me Bill, but I've talked to several street rodders that have installed them in their garages with only a four inch floor and it sounds like that was ok by the manufacturer. I'd feel a lot safer busting up the floor, digging down and repouring it with studs in the concrete.
What's all the hubbub about 12 and 15,000 pound lifts? Do you guys actually have vehicles that weigh 6 or 7 tons??? I could understand if you did service work on big trucks but most cars and trucks that the average guy or rodder would work on only weigh in at a couple of tons or less. Denny Graham Sandwich, IL
I'm set on a 2 post. I've worked around a lot of garages and they seem to be pretty safe. I have 6 inches of concrete floor to bolt into. I haven't shopped around but the Bendpacs on ebay are offering free shipping right now.
They are safe, if used properly. make sure you get any adapters needed for the lift arms so you can set them under the vehicle you're lifting, both to be able to set it to be able to lifted safely and also to clear the body so that there isn't any damage. I've seen many cars come in with the rockers cruhed due to imporper lift points being used.
The one my buddy has at the garage has a sawed out spot in the floor on each side. The cement goes down 4'X 3' with rebar every 1' sq down the 4' piece it has cables too. I have saw way to many cables break in food production for me to feel safe under one with cable even though they have locks. Man I have to agree with Denny what in the world you guys lifting up that weights 6 or 7 ton! 62Blue Don
62Blue 62Chevy in progress You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach3" Paul F Crichmore (Test Pilot)
What's all the hubbub about 12 and 15,000 pound lifts? Do you guys actually have vehicles that weigh 6 or 7 tons???
Last truck I had weighed 10,000 lb empty with half a tank of fuel, it was a 1 ton ford with a better drivetrain. I can see working on it again or something as big or a little bigger. Don't yet know the (finished) weight on my 2 ton, but guessing 7,000 lb possibly a little more. 12,000lb lift should be just perfect for me, the 15,000 was only wishful thinking till I compared prices and actual physical size/bulk.
As far as 2 post or 4 post, I've used both in an auto restoration shop, the 2 post is by far the better lift if you will be working under the vehicle, absolutely no comparison. Before buying a 4 post lift that you plan to do actual mechanic or restoration work under I strongly suggest helping a friend or someone with a similar project and similar lift, then try a 2 post for a similar job, take the lift design for a "test drive" before buying one or the other.
The 4 post is great for making room in a shop, and I like the details on the bendpack, and from experience don't care at all for the back yard buddy details/construction.
I was talking about this subject with a buddy this morning. Is there any reason you can't let the two poster down on a stop at the top and park another vehicle under it???? Why is it necessary to have a four-post lift to store them piggyback? Denny Graham Sandwich, IL
I was talking about this subject with a buddy this morning. Is there any reason you can't let the two poster down on a stop at the top and park another vehicle under it???? Why is it necessary to have a four-post lift to store them piggyback? Denny Graham Sandwich, IL
No reason at all, it's been done many times.
I think the reasons people prefer a 4 post for parking are: It's simpler to use, just drive on and lift, no arms to carefully and safely position. (The two post takes more time and skill to use safely) Appears more stable, and probably is, but the two post is fine too, mostly an appearance and piece of mind thing I think. If you just want to make parking room the 4 post is probably cheaper.
I would actually like to have a 2 post over a 4 post. I am getting a 4 post because of the way I see using my space. I like the ability to move the 4 poster to a different place in my shop. I just don't want mine to be secured in one spot. If you are going to do wrenching on an everyday basis, I think a 2 poster is more versatile. I just know that I want to be able to move mine at this point. I agree with Grigg's points and think stability on a two poster is fine too.
I do wrench everyday, and do use both style lifts. depends on what job I'm doing and what vehicle I'm working on as to which lift I use. Oil changes seem to end up on the 4 poster, just because it's a bit quicker not having to set the lift arms. Most tire work and brake work on passenger cars and compact trucks I'll do on the 2 post (ours are only rated for 6000 #), full size trucks and vans I use the 4 poster, which has a 12000# capacity. I also have a scissor type lift, also rated at 12000#, that one is set up for alignments. I also prefer the 4 post lift for doing front end work on vehicles with a loaded lower control arm. By lfting on the control arms with the bridge jack, I can keep the spring loaded and don't have to worry about it. Now, shocks and struts, the 2 poster is better there, more room to work. We don't do exhaust work, so that doesn't come up. Either lift is fine, as long as you use them properly.
Went to the horse to hear it from the horses mouth, here’s the question I sent and the answer from a BendPak Authorized Dealer.
Dear metro-lifts, Trying to decide between a 2 or 4 post lift. Is a 4" concrete floor adequate enough to mount a 2 post base plate too or would I need to pour a new footing? Denny Graham
4” will be fine. Feel free to call. We have been in the lift business for over 30 years. Thanks, Ken Lowe [email protected] Metro Lifts & Equipment 888-661-5454, Fax 251-661-5439 Phone hours: 7AM -10PM Central 7 Days www.metro-lifts.com www.toolweb.com
On a 2 post lift...we have a "BenPak" ..get the isometric where the posts set at an angle ...makes opening the doors an getting in an out ...SOOO MUCH EASIER! recommend 6" of concrete under the posts. Tim
Sounds like Metro Lift wants to sell a lift pretty bad, so he's saying that four inch concrete is OK for a 10,000 lb. lift. I heard from BendPak’s sales and their reply was this, "Garage Equipment Supply has been partnering with BendPak for more than 10 years and is an authorized Platinum Distributor offering the full-line of BendPak / Ranger products at the lowest prices available." They also said there are no stocking distributors; the equipment is all shipped directly from their factory. Apparently Garage Equipment Supply who is in CA sells the unit, it’s shipped from the factory to the installer, which in my area is in Elgin, IL, about an hour away, They phoned me this afternoon to follow up on the tip from Garage Equipment Supply and they say bust it up and re-pour it 6-7” four feet square. Man is there a lot of indecision and misinformation about these things. I really hate to cut up a 40’x 42’ floor that I poured 25years ago as one solid slab. It has no control joints or scores in it. I used a polyester fiber mixed in the concrete, which is used on airport runways and taxiways and after all these years it still doesn’t have a single crack in it anywhere. Now I’m being told that I have to hack two 4’x 4’ holes in the middle of it. Nope don’t like that at all! It’s my understanding that the major stress on the post anchors is in toward the vehicle when the weight is on the arms, not so much the forward and backward directions. I would think that could be minimized simply by putting a compression member across the top of the posts. Not sure what you mean by an "isometric" Tim, is that a special type of post? I'll have to look through the catalog again, I didn't notice that but I was just glancing through it earlier. Also the installer says they sell the Rotory and recomend them. But I read a compairison report between the BendPak and Rotory and the BP came out way ahead in all areas, way heavier in all areas, reinforced holes, tripple arms, bigger roller pullys, singe piece post as opposed to two piece. Besides that, Jay Leno and Cottington use the BendPak so they gotta be the best, right????? Denny Graham Sandwich, IL
I beleive what he means is what Rotary calls an Asymetrical lift, meaning that the lift arms are different lengths. They are designed to allow the vehicle being lifted to sit further back, with approximatly 1/3 of the vehicle forward of the lift posts, the rest aft. This allows for more cearance to get the doors open for entry/exit of the vehicle. This design works very well, and takes advantage of the fact that most of the average vehicles weight is concentrated at the front, rather than the rear.
I don't know cus it's been a hundred years since I've been lucky enough to work on a car up on a lift, but with the triple section telescoping arms on the BendPak couldn't you do the same thing? That is, move the pickup points forward or backward where ever it balanced the best? I was looking at the Mohawk two post lifts, and those are about the beefiest units I've ever seen. They are some super heavy-duty lifts, and they probably have a beefy price tag attached also. By the way, here is that product comparison of the BendPak and Rotary 10,000lb lifts. http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/yhst-81563436181518/liftcompare.pdf Denny Graham Sandwich, IL
What Bill said ....LOL I had a brain fart on the proper name ...also the posts insted of being squared up to the side of the vehicle they are turned at an angle and kinda match the angle of an open door on the vehicle allowing more room for entry and egress when ya pull it in the lift. Thanks Bill for the appropriate name. Tim
Yeah, been looking this morning at all three brands. Mohawk twice as mucn as Rotary, and Rotary a little more than BendPak and a lot lighter material thruought. Problem with all of them for me is I just flat don't want to tear up my floor for a 7-10,000 lb lift.
I see 1 major mistake in the comparison. Rotary lifts use Doerr/Fenner hydralic pumps, not chaepo imported pumps as stated. We've got 3 Rotary lifts in the shop, 2 of them are the style shown. All of them use Doerr/Fenner USA built pumps.
Was that statement in that .pdf comparison Bill? I read so dang much stuff everyday that I miss a lot. I’m sure Rotary has a lot of different models, some for commercial use and some for home. I really like the Mohawk lifts and if I could afford it that would be my first choice, I’m gonna have to settle for hamburger though. They have a much larger footprint than any of the others, distributing the weight out over a larger area. DG
It was toward the bottom. I suppose the model they used for comparison might have had a different pump, but ours do not have pumps like the one shown. The 4 post lift we have has a similar pump, but it isn't an import.
tri5, I installed a 2 post Atlas lift, 9000 pound just over a year ago. I don't use it professionally. The least of my worries is having the anchors bust out. I'm not happy with losing a bit of hydraulic fluid every time I lower the lift. It also lowers quite slowly for the last 2 feet, seems to take forever. I do feel quite safe under it, I always have the locking pins in position.
I have a used ROTARY 2 posted lift and used 10-5/8x51/2" dead head anchors in each post leg in appx. 5" of concrete. The Shop I took it out of had the same type of anchors and was only 4" of concrete. Think about it.... years ago when small shops were built they only had about 4" of concrete floor,(if that) and used floor jacks and stands with creepers until they could afford a 2 postered lift. When they did, the lift was mounted on the existing floor and no special buildup. The feet on the post system is like a waterbed frame. All that water in one spot would put a big hole in your floor but it is divided evenly just like the post system, so 4"or more of concrete will work fine. Thats my 2 cents for what it's worth. The only bad thing about my lift is the floormount hydrolic hoses under the threshold gets in the way sometimes, but you get use to it! Beats a creeper any day of the week. lol HAGD! [IMG]http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/9411/p3230215.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/p3230215.jpg/1/w2560.png[/IMG] This is my workvan loaded on my lift.
Agony oh agony, what to do!!!!! I really want a two poster and I'd like a 9 or 10,000 lb and I almost have my self cornvinced that I can anchor it in 4" of concrete and live with that.
Which means I might have to install it my self. How dificult is it to get the uprights, up right??? If I had it shipped to the house what would I need to unload it? The neighbor has a John Deer comercial tractor with a bucket on the front, think we could unload the uprights with that and stand them up???
Denny, if I remember correctly, mine weighed 1500 lbs. Two guys stood up each section, think they had just a small lift similar to an engine lift mounted on their flatbed. If your floor is only 4" thick, consider a toggle type anchor which you drive through the slab and then tighten up.
...How difficult is it to get the uprights, up right??? If I had it shipped to the house what would I need to unload it? The neighbor has a John Deer commercial tractor with a bucket on the front, think we could unload the uprights with that and stand them up???
Dennis Graham Sandwich, IL
When I talked to the Rotary installer/sales person he requested I have a forklift handy for unloading the truck and for setting up the lift. I expect you'll manage with a tractor and forks or even a bucket with some straps and chains.
Denny, I had myself and 2 other friends unload the post off of the longbed pickup, we set the post upright , me on the truck and the other guys on my garage floor pushing the base down and keeping the post from sliding across the floor with their boots as i shoved up from the backend, alot like a see-saw affect. Make sure you have your spot marked on the floor where you want it to be positioned. My lift needed 12'6" ceiling room from the closest wall, that put me about 2'6" away from the wall side and almost a perfect straight drive to the lift arms.The post will slide easly across the smooth concrete, just keep it upright and move a little at a time. Once you have your base/post in position, take a chalk pencle or sharpie and mark your hole positions. Measure again the distance across from each other (remember...measure twice,drill once) That is where my thrushold came in handy cause all i had to do was to place it on the floor and my distance was set. now you are ready to drill. blow the holes clean and slide the post/base back into position. Place the drive anchors (some call them wedge anchors also. I have 4 left if you need them say the word and there yours) into the holes , put the washers on then the nuts just to the top of the thread and drive the anchors into the concrete with about 3/4 of 1" left out to tighten the nut on and tight flush should be good to go.Just remember get good measurements from side to side and end to end. I measured mine from the garage door opening back and then from the closest wall over to my furthest post/base. I bought mine used so I took all the measurements i could while it was still in position, but still had to re-figure because of the different ceiling heights, which made the distance from the wall different. I don't know why i'm telling you all of this ..........i have read some of your articles and You won't need any help except to get it off of the truck and move into position. Good luck and watch your toes!
Thanks guys, I'm gonna put all this on hold for now. I can't do anything till I sell an airplane. I just about gave away the two place fuselage I I built 22 years ago, didn't have the money to finish it. Now I need to get rid of the first one I built 25 years ago. Been baby sitting them for all this time and will probably have to give the biplane away also since I don't know anyone in the flying business anymore. Anyway, I'm about done with this subject for now, thanks for all the suggestions, I did learn a lot about lifts over the last few days. Denny Graham Sandwich, IL
Sure Mike, I think we bout wrung about all we can out of this lift subject anyway. These were taken a few months ago, the Wagabond fuselage is now in Maine. http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/flying_machine As much as I hate to close the book on this part of my life it is time to get out of aviation and focus on the trucks, those I think I can afford. That Pitts and I were about even 20 years ago but I'm afraid she would be way ahead of me now at my age. I've lost way to many of my old aerobatic buddys because they didn't know when to quit and I need to stick around for another thirty years or so to finish the bucket list. Denny Graham Sandwich, IL
