11-24-2019, 05:30 PM | #1 |
Carmudgeon
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,701
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Garage lift
I know a lot of you have researched this and some have one so if you could guide me I would appreciate it.
I have a garage with a 8 1/2 foot ceiling, if I get a lift what is the minimum height I need, there is an attic above the garage I can break into it to make a higher ceiling ... I think I’ll have to get the side garage door opener like FC has, is there a certain brand I should look into to. Also any idea of what is a decent lift with a small foot print ... I only have a 2 1/4 car garage so I would like the least intrusive one. I should say the reason for the lift is for storage of another car, not a lift to do work on my car. |
11-25-2019, 12:53 AM | #2 |
The old cranky SOB....
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: several cars... way too many....
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You're talking about a 4 post lift, right?
The place I bought came with a 2 post Rotary model. Great to 'work on' cars. Not so great for storage. I have been looking at a 4 post lift for storage though. Bendpak makes good ones - that I have been told. I have a shop near me that I may use for when I get mine though - they run specials fairly often and are close - so delivery and set up / installation are easy.... See https://topsecretequipment.com/index...s/4-post-lifts Sounds like a standard 4 post lift would work for you.... YMMV of course - good luck and have fun...
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11-25-2019, 02:07 AM | #3 | |
There and back again
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11-25-2019, 08:42 AM | #4 |
Chief title editor
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 26,599
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A good friend has a 4 post Atlas from Greg Smith Equipment that he's been pretty happy with for a long time. 4 posts are great for fitting in an extra car. Even if you don't plan on doing work, they can simplify some tasks. At a minimum, it lets you see the underside of the car which lets you keep an eye on things much more easily.
They have a bit of a footprint, but not much. The Atlases are 115" wide (including 10" for the motor which is raised). I'd probably want a garage at least 22' wide to consider a 4 post. I could fit one in my 19' wide garage, but that's too narrow for me to be happy. What kind of ceiling height you need depends on a lot of things, but it's easy to figure out the bare minimum: Add the heights of the two cars together and add six more inches for the runways (the Atlas runways are 4.5", so 6" is a pretty realistic minimum clearance). If we think about stacking one 51" tall 718 Boxster above a second one, that's 116". So, 8' 6" is probably too short. You also didn't mention whether the garage door eats any of that space.
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11-25-2019, 09:08 AM | #5 |
Solving problems
Join Date: Oct 2003
Carmudgeonly Ride: M5 / 718 GTS / Cooper S / GTI / LR4
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FWIW, my lift is a Bendpak and it has been great - but it's a 2-post lift.
Sorry, too busy right now to look into it, But besides some minor anchoring (maybe) to prevent the lift from shifting, a 4-post lift is inherently stable. This is probably nothing that isn't obvious or hasn't been mentioned, but the maximum vertical travel ought to be configurable, so just make sure the posts fit and that your vehicles' vertical stack-up (along with clearances) fits under the ceiling. And yes, you will need a wall-mounted opener for sure. |
11-25-2019, 09:40 AM | #6 |
No more BMWs
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Alan, as others have noted the Greg Smith four-post would likely serve you very well.
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11-25-2019, 10:46 AM | #7 |
Relic
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Bethesda, MD
Posts: 12,490
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Absolute minimum is about 10 feet. You will be a lot happier if you can get 12.
Do you want to be able to walk comfortably under? Most storage lifts will NOT go high enough to walk under.
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11-26-2019, 09:23 AM | #8 |
Carmudgeon
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,701
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Thanks for the responses guys, I don’t need to walk under it. This weekend i’m going to have to take a look at the attic over the garage to see how much room I have to build up.
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11-26-2019, 10:34 AM | #9 |
Mugwump
Join Date: Oct 2003
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Man I wish I could install a lift in my garage. The ceilings are 10'3" tall but I could probably bust through the ceiling if I wanted to.
But if I put in a 4-post it'll be in the way and make being in the garage miserable. And if I put in a 2-post, then I'd be parking inside a 2-post lift every day when i get home from work. Fcuk me I need to figure out a way to build another garage somewhere. |
11-26-2019, 11:11 AM | #10 |
No more BMWs
Join Date: Apr 2005
Carmudgeonly Ride: Ram, MS3, CX-5, RX-8
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What do you want to do with the lift?
If simple stuff like brakes, wheel/tire swaps, suspension work, oil changes etc, just get a Quick-jack like product. For the vast majority of work in small garages those work perfectly fine and aren't in the way all the time like a two or four post. IMO four post lifts aren't very good for most typical work done on a car. Two posts are great but I agree I wouldn't want to park inside one every day. That would get annoying super fast. You could also get a Max Jax, which is intended for the lift posts to be unbolted and rolled away when not in use. But that seems really annoying. |
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