Two post lift for GM "X" body cars

oakland · May 12th, 2009

I have another question about a 2 post lift other than the one for my 29 Oakland. Will the standard 2 post lift arms be long enough to work on a GM "X" body car from the 60's? Thanks

West Peterson · May 12th, 2009

The Packard on the lift in my post is more than 19 feet long. I doubt that a GM X-body is that long.
The arms extend to whatever length you need.

special55 · May 12th, 2009

I doubt you will have a problem. I worked on extended cab trucks all the time on two post lifts.

As a matter of fact we have a long wheel base Sprinter on one here in our shop right now.

It all really depends on the lift you buy. What it is rated for, weather it is asymetrical, overall height and reach etc.

If you buy a good quality certified hoist rated for the heaviest thing you think you will ever need to lift you won't be dissapointed.

Rich

oakland · May 13th, 2009

It is not the length or weight that I am concerned about. It is the "X" frame on these cars. They do not have a box frame. The frame forms and X and is together in the mid section of the car. My concern was if the arms would be long enough to reach the frame.

Larry Schramm · May 13th, 2009

One other item that you need to be careful of is putting a front wheel drive vehicle on the lift. The reason is that if it is not positioned correctly and it has an empty fuel tank and you take the rear wheels off, it could take a nose dive to the floor. This is because it is front heavy. It would not be the first time this happened. I have seen this happen several times. One of the things that you might do if there is any thought it might take a dive is to strap the vehicle to the lift, maybe between the doors of some other point. Better to be safe than sorry. :-)

West Peterson · May 13th, 2009

Oakland
I don't think it would be a problem for those arms to reach where you need them, but with your situation you should call a lift company and start asking some questions.

OldsmoREO · May 13th, 2009

I have had my 2007 GMC 2500HD Crew Cab Diesel truck on a two post lift with no problems, you should be ok.

Be sure to do yout home work, buy one that is HEAVY DUTY, you do not want to out grow it in the future.

Rick Hoover · May 13th, 2009

oakland,

I have a Rotary 2 post 9000 lbs asymetrical that I've owned for 10 years now and I have not figured out a way of putting those cars up on the hoist. For me, I tried a '59 Caddy, 59 El Camino and a '60 Impala with no success. If I remember correctly, the rear arms won't reach to a good support on the car. Maybe you can use the pinch weld, but I won't do that. It's been awhile, so I just can't recall exactly what all the problems were for us. Maybe somebody has figured it out better than I have, but I haven't run into anyone yet.

As for the old cars that you mentioned in the other posts, I've had many different ones up on the two post. There have been some I couldn't, or I should say wouldn't, but most I've been able to. Rotary's truck frame extension pads work well for those cars.

D Yaros · July 29th, 2009

2 Points:

1) Place the lift pads where the scissors jack would go when changing a tire.

2) I forget the official name of the organization (something like the American Lift Manufacturers Socieity, or some such), but it publishes a lifting guide, setting out in word and pictures the exact lifting points for all vehicles. I purchased one on acquiring my 2-post lift.

D Yaros · July 29th, 2009

The organization is the American Lift Institite.
The web site is www.autolift.org