Guest Century55sedan Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 So I am going to go look at a prokar 9llbs car lift. I am excited to put it in my shop where Im restoring a 55 buick century.Anything I should be looking for while inspecting the lift? I was told its about a year old. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Yaros Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 As the owner of a 2-post asymmetric lift, used, I will chime in:- Make sure that the floor between the posts is unobstructed. Last thing you want is to be tripping over raised cover plates, etc.- Know what the lift costs new, and do not pay to much for it.- Factor in the cost of installing it. I paid to have my installed. Deemed it a good expense, since each of my posts weighs 1,000 lb.!- Make sure the concrete floor is thick enough to support the lift with a load on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Walling Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I would like to instal one in my shop but I don't want to dedicate the floor space to only one use. They can get in the way when doing body work and other types of jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Century55sedan Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I have a pretty big bay so I can dedicate space to the lift. I am leaving to go look at it now. I will post some pics soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Dobbin Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 When you purchase a used lift, you have to factor in the coat of a redo on the hydraulic system. It's like brakes and goes bad in time. A friend bought a used one form a bankrupt dealership, looked like new, worked for for a year then cost $700 to fix. He could have bought new and been ahead.Just my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 (edited) It is inadvisable to install a 2 post lift without knowing the nature of the slab you will be installing upon. To be safe the slab needs to be 6000 psi reinforced concrete six inches thick. 4" concrete with #10 6X6 mesh won't get it. You sure don't want to find out how good the concrete is the hard way with a car five feet up in the air for the two seconds it would take for the posts to pull towards each other. A car with a dent on both sides is not a pretty thing! Jim Edited June 16, 2011 by Jim_Edwards (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Century55sedan Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Thanks for all your suggestions. My concrete is a poured foundation, said to be 10 or more inches in depth. So far I have not had any problems lifting my IS300, or either of the two buick special/century I have. I tried to lift a duillie f250, and stopped about 2 inches off the ground. Never lifting that thing or anything similar on this lift. So far I am loving it. Other than the pressure fitting came loose during transport and I had some oil spill, tightened it up and have been good since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poci1957 Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I bought a 4 post a few years ago and it is the best investment in old car activity that I have ever made. It is great to be able to put a car up in the air for any little thing and not have to crawl underneath. I even use it for detailing and waxing! A 4 post worked for me for a number of reasons, a 2 post is of course better for much wheel, suspension and brake work. Enjoy, Todd C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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