4 post drive on lift questions and options

[CJD Automotive]

So the floor hasn't been poured yet? Just build some anchor plates with the bolts already in. Just align and stick in the slab before pouring.

[dhutton]

I have a similar 9000 pound tall wide four post lift. I also have a two post lift. I would take the two post lift over the four post by a wide margin. The ramps on the four post are quite wide and always seem to get in the way. It is also slower to raise. I use the four post to measure driveshaft lengths and driveline angles etc and also to do oil changes. Everything else is done on the two post lift.

Your builder should be able to share the slab drawings to locate the cables. If not they are easy to locate if you look for the grout plugs on the side of the slab.

Don

[DBasher]

I'm curious about the use of that style floor as well, not common in my part of the world....commercial hi rise yes, but not residential. Hmmm.

As far as the lift, I got nothing.

[clill]

I have had a 4 post lift for years and have that exact sliding jack platform. It is awsome. Bought a two post lift a year ago and hardly use it. I prefer the 4 post. Just drive on and lift. No crawling on the ground all around the car getting the 2 post arms in just the right spot. a 4 post can also be rolled outside if your door is high enough if you want to pressure wash under the car.

[SSLance]

Originally Posted by clill

I have had a 4 post lift for years and have that exact sliding jack platform. It is awsome. Bought a two post lift a year ago and hardly use it. I prefer the 4 post. Just drive on and lift. No crawling on the ground all around the car getting the 2 post arms in just the right spot. a 4 post can also be rolled outside if your door is high enough if you want to pressure wash under the car.

That's what I wanted to hear Charley, from someone with first hand experience. My only concern was the jack part being low enough to stay out of the way but it seems like it is and that won't be an issue on any of my street driven cars anyway.

How was the drive on lift to use the last time you pulled the suspension apart on something parked on it? Did the ramps get in the way at all?

[clill]

The ramps also serve as a place to put all the parts you are taking off.

[dhutton]

Glad you got the answer you wanted to hear. Since retiring (Thanks Greg!) I am out in my shop 6 or 7 days a week doing a couple of frame offs per year. I can tell you there is no way I would give up my two post for either of my four post lifts. Too slow and too awkward to work around in my experience. I guess it comes down to what you used first and how you developed your working techniques around the limitations of the lift.

And yes the four post makes an awesome wash rack. I set one up outside under a large 12' high cover for just that purpose.

Don

[SSLance]

We are having a production style builder build the new house and garage in a subdivision and there are NO exceptions to the way they build. Basically it's their way or the highway. Thing is, we like it because we found about 97% of everything we wanted with this builder and everything else is going very VERY smooth so far.

This is what they do, the post tension slab...and there is no way around it. I'm just trying to do the best with what I have available.

The Super did take me out on a job site Tuesday and showed me a similar garage that is formed and has the cables in place so I could look to see them before the pour and he did say I'll be able to see the one end where they grout over the cable hole...but not the other end. He just stressed that the cables might move while it is being poured and the ramifications of nicking a cable while drilling are massive... They won't even let anyone but myself onto the job site to look at the slab area the day before it's poured, only the homeowner is allowed onsite (for safety reasons).

I understand why they are like this and am okay with it...I just need to figure out if it's worth it to me to take the risk of locating the cables after it's finished and drill the floor (completely voiding the slab warranty) just to have a two post vs a 4 post lift.

This is a just about identical slab as I'll have, the side I'm looking at here is about 15' wide and 48' deep. The cables are on roughly 4' centers here. Each layout would be different though just based on how the guy that installs the cables that day does it.

[SSLance]

Originally Posted by CJD Automotive

So the floor hasn't been poured yet? Just build some anchor plates with the bolts already in. Just align and stick in the slab before pouring.

That all sounds fine and dandy Craig, and I agree... But the first problem is I'll most likely be 1200 miles away the day they get ready to pour. Second problem is...no way will they let me do that. This company is SO strict about following their procedures, they do not vary on ANYTHING. We get exactly 3 what they call ZQ orders with are special "off the books" requests and we've used all 3 up already.

Please understand, I'm getting my dream house and shop here...it's going to be cool. No way am I letting the little lift issue screw the rest of this up.