Car Lift experience and recommendations?

[padgett]

Yes but people have been fixing such since before the Best Friend of Charleston.

 

Mine has Up/Down buttons, a power switch with a green light, a red Emergency Stop[ button, and a number of limit and pressure switches. I could only raise the RV about 18 inches before interference with the garage door opener but cars can go higher. Boards were there because track was a bit more than the ramp width.

Have had cars on it from 93.4" (Fiero) to 148" (RV) wheelbases (ramp length is adjustable)

 

[chistech]

I finally put a lift in my garage. Getting too old to be jacking up cars, then putting in jack stands, and then not having it high enough to put in long things like exhaust. I've only got 10' 2" ceilings so a regular lift was not an option and I needed a "low ceiling" lift. A buddy of mine has worked most his life for a garage equipment supply company. His boss wanted to retire and sell the company and my buddy bought the company. He just took two Rotary low ceiling lifts in on trade for standard lifts because the company moved and the new garage had higher ceilings. The Rotary lift is asymmetric with angled uprights and has a total height of 9' 10" so it fit perfectly between my garage's roof trusses spaced at 10'. I got the Rotary lift, installation, and a 1yr warranty for $1,500!  I did like the fact that the Rotary lift has a metal EMT limit bar covered with foam pipe insulation compared to quite a few Chinese made lifts I've seen that use a cable for the upper limit. The cables all sag and I would be afraid that some damage could be done if the operator isn't paying attention. The Rotary lift does use a cable with a handle for the safeties and my buddy told me to always pay attention to the sound of the safeties making sure they click or bang together rather that separately as he said the lift should be adjusted if the don't. The lift I got is rated at 7000lbs but my buddy told me the components are exactly the same as the 9000lb Rotary lifts. I don't put that much weight on it usually anyway as mostly it has early chevys on it or my wife and I's Hondas.

[Spinneyhill]

What is the lateral stability like on a scissor lift when up with a 1600 kg (c. 3500 lb) vehicle on it?

[padgett]

Mine seemed very stable with a 6300 lb RV on it but depends on the lift. If you look at my picture back a few posts it has four struts on each ramp, two pivot and two sliding. Also the two ramps are coupled by a rotating bar locked to the pivots so ramps cannot get out of synch. Finally everything is inside a steel channel on each side that prevents any lateral misalignment. I do make sure the heavy end is at the pivot end.

[Paul Dobbin]

On 8/27/2017 at 10:51 PM, Mark Shaw said:

 

I am under 6' tall and still have to duck under all three of my 4 post lifts & cannot park my tall cars under them.

  To get the height I needed for my old cars, I bought the longer 4 post lift.  I think it was 2 feet longer, but that gave me an additional 8" height

  underneath, which I needed for my tall cars and my big head.  I don;t work with it at that height, but I do store a car on it AND under it.  

[poci1957]

I have a four post I have had for 8-9 years that I have liked very much, I think it is an Atlas 9000(?).  I use it for everything and have always felt safe underneath.  Some prefer the two post but for my use the four post has been much better for the following reasons:

 

No need to bolt it down, plus that gives you the flexibility to easily move it to another location.  I was able to also use it as my scaffold platform to hang ceiling and lights when I built a new garage.  For me the natural stability of the four post is better    

 

No need to get on the floor to adjust arms for lifting, just drive on and go. 

 

Consider the optional sliding jack.  I did not buy one originally and added it later and it solves most complaints about doing tire and brake work.   

 

Even though it is a cheaper Chinese model I have never had any problems with mine, even including one disassembly and reassembly myself after a move.  Mine is easily the best tool purchase I have ever made, good luck with yours, Todd C    

[D Yaros]

I have avoided adding my 2 cents, but shall now.  I have/use/love/recommend the Mohawk A-7.  It is a 2-post asymmetric.  For me, safety was a major factor.  I went with American made.  While they are expensive, I bought mine used.  It came from a closed auto mechanic training facility. 

 

 

Edited September 22, 2017 by D Yaros (see edit history)

[mcdarrunt]

I have a 9000# Rotary two post lift and a 12,000# Rotary four post with rolling jacks. I use the drive on lift ten times as often as the two post. One ramp is a sliding one so it can be adjusted to where the tires are on the inside edge and out of the way. Brakes, suspension, exhaust, and everything but raising a body can be done faster and safer than on the two post. There is a muffler shop in Bonham Texas that has a now illegal lift (to sell) that I am going to get measurements from and build. It has a trough the front wheels drop into that rolls all the way to the front of the lift frame at which point the rear wheels drop into a second stationary trough at the rear of the lift frame. This leaves the entire underside wide open with no arms or ramps in the way---ideal for exhaust work. At a chop and drop shop in Bailey Texas the low rider shop was built with a ledge in the floor the exact height of his drive on lift so cars with 1/2 inch of ground clearance can drive right on it. Another idea I want to copy. When I die they can sell the two post lift but I want the four post one buried with me.

[540K]

On 8/28/2017 at 12:31 PM, 540K said:

Thanks again to everyone. I've just about decided on the Direct Lift Pro-Park 9 Plus. I might have gone with the Pro-Park 8 Plus Long, but the 9 isn't that much more $ and I can probably put the pickup on it when I need to (would have been handy when I was putting those running boards on). Haven't found anything negative about it from actual users. $3500 including lift, casters, drip trays, jack tray, delivery and installed with oil. Dealer only 30 miles away. I can't see $1800 more value in the Rotary for my puny needs. 

 

To the extent anyone cares, I ruled out:

Bendpak - requires air compressor, a little more expensive, but the best warranty. 

Advantage - more expensive, less warranty, not certified.

Rotary - less clearance, lots more money, less warranty

Backyard Buddy - important specs not on their website, lots more expensive, not certified.

 

I did not look at Challenger, Revolution, etc., but would have if I had any qualms about Direct Lift. Could have researched more companies for weeks, but have found enough forums with comments on Bendpak, Direct Lift, Rotary, BYB to draw the line. For the most part, people like what they bought, whatever the brand, and if they have experience with more than one brand, both were okay. At some point it comes down to dimensions and cost rather than brand.

 

Just thought I would update now that I have the lift installed and have used it a few times. No big problems with the Direct Lift, but two things they should definitely change. First, the connecting rods used to release the locks are very easy to bend. One of them is 94" long, and if someone cranks the lever too hard or in the wrong direction, they will bend and stop working. I bought an extra set of rods just so I don't get caught with a car I can't get down. Second, they need to offer a 220v option for the motor. Overall, the 9-Plus works just fine and I would recommend it unless you need it to move faster. The caster set works easily. It would be easier to move with 2 people, but I've moved it around by myself without much trouble and in close quarters. 

[Roger Frazee]

My standard two-car garage has 9' ceilings, so my options are limited, height-wise and width-wise.  I purchased a BendPak MD-6XP 6,000 Lb lift several years ago and it is perfect for my needs.  I can sit comfortably beneath the car on a roll-around stool and reach everything I need to reach.  Access to the middle of the car is limited, but that is typically not a problem.

 

When the lift is not in use, I park a car over it.  

 

[MickyDC]

You probably got your lift by now.  I had a 4 post bend pak and for the most part I loved it.  My mistake was ordering mine set up for 115 wiring vs 240.  It was slow.  Also I had a hard time with the air lines which came disconnected a few times.