2-post lifts to stay away from?

[GregWeld]

I'd contact the local lift installer/sales places in your area.... and get on a list with them for when they have to take one out of someones place --- or they're swapping out etc.

A buddy of mine once bought ALL the equipment in 3 Ford dealerships -- and he ended up with 80 lifts! He sold them all in a month. This was top of the line stuff!!

I bought a Snap-on parts washer from him for $750 --- and while that seems "expensive" compared to the Harbor Freight versions --- this thing is commercial grade - filtered and could be used everyday all day for the rest of my life. Plus it says Snap-On on it and it's red! WTF is better than that!!


OH ---- And make certain you get an ASYMMETRIC lift!!! Do not settle for anything else. That way you can open your doors wide open while the car is on the lift.

The other thing you should consider is the lifting arms -- what their height is off the floor. You don't think it's important until you find out they won't go under what you're working on and then you have to jack the POS up every time you want to use the lift. What a PITA. So if your frame clearance is 4" and your lift arms need 4.5".... well -- that half an inch suddenly becomes real big.

My Rotary only needs 3 5/8".... and the only thing it won't pick up is my Lotus. That I have to drive up on ramps before the arms will swing under it. But it's only 95mm off the floor to the body pan. On my old Eagle lift -- all my hot rods and any of my buddies low cars had to go on ramps at least in the front -- what a PITA.

Also compare RISE --- because depending on how tall you are --- you might find yourself working hunched over. Again - doesn't seem like much but 3 or 4" of rise difference can make a big difference if you're tall.

[OBeer-WAN-Kenobi]

I respect the fact that some of us aren't made of money and you nearly have to be to buy a Mohawk lift. Those things are ridiculously expensive and part of the reason for that has more to do with Government contracts than anything else. Once you get on an "approved supplier list" where Government entities can just be lazy and buy your lift without going through certain quoting processes you can pretty much charge whatever you'd like. Mowhawk does have a unique feature with it's hydraulics but it isn't worth what they charge IMHO.

Certified is certified as long as it's the right agency doing the certs anyway. Yes, Chinese stuff usually is of a poorer overall quality, and I know how things are done in China; God knows I've been over there enough, but as long as it's certified, backed my an American manufacturer, and it's physically beefy enough I'm all for saving the money. I would NEVER get a Chinese; or American lift for that matter, if it isn't certified.

When you get to a certain point, it really has more to do with the foot pattern of your lift and the strength and quality of your concrete and anchors than the lift itself. Getting it installed properly and not being an idiot when you run the thing have at least as much to do with your overall safety. Most lift failures in the videos online that I've seen are anchor failures and improperly balanced or a load too heavy for the lift. Not even certification will save you if you pick up a crew cab diesel truck unbalanced with your 7,000lb lift on your 3" un-reinforced concrete.

[OBeer-WAN-Kenobi]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

I'd contact the local lift installer/sales places in your area.... and get on a list with them for when they have to take one out of someones place --- or they're swapping out etc.

A buddy of mine once bought ALL the equipment in 3 Ford dealerships -- and he ended up with 80 lifts! He sold them all in a month. This was top of the line stuff!!

+1
I tried to find a good used one first but I was unable to so I ended up buying what I have.

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Also compare RISE --- because depending on how tall you are --- you might find yourself working hunched over. Again - doesn't seem like much but 3 or 4" of rise difference can make a big difference if you're tall.

If he's got the lower ceiling height the rise probably isn't going to be as critical. I can get mine all the way up with my camaro but I still have to hunch a bit to get under certain portions as I'm 6'3" tall BUT.....I find myself only raising it 3/4 of the way and cruising around under the car with a rolling stool. I find that much more comfortable than standing all the time. So, a lower rise (in your low ceiling application) isn't all that bad and it's a hell of a lot better than no lift at all, you just have to improvise a bit.

[jlwdvm]

I am already going to have to remove some sheet rock and maybe a little wood from the bottom of the spanning beams in my garage, so that narrows down what lifts I can use. After I remove the sheet rock I will have around 112" of height. The beams hang down about a foot from the ceiling. I talked to my installer and he spoke highly of Dover, which is the parent company of Rotary and Direct Lifts. regardless of what lift I get, it will be installed correctly on an over-done foundation and will be used properly. I am vet and used to work with animals that out weighed me by about 1800# and usually wanted to kill me. One thing I learned pretty quick was to think 2-3 steps ahead, use your head and always have an escape route....I guess that applies to working on 3500# cars too. You have to be smart working under jack stands too...and I've been doing that for too long as far as I'm concerned!

[Sieg]

Originally Posted by 67ragtp

Greg and JP hit the nail on the head,not a place to cheap out. I would wait and save the money for a Mohawk or Rotary.

This is my choice, a bit spendy but Im filling the penny jar, check out the Mohawk tire engaging option, now you have a 2 post and 4 post combined,

Http://www.mohawklifts.com/wp/consum...ging-adaptors/

Rich

"Ideal for 13″ through 16″ tires"

Have you contacted them regarding tire diameter spec vs rim diameter?

[parsonsj]

Once you get on an "approved supplier list" where Government entities can just be lazy and buy your lift without going through certain quoting processes you can pretty much charge whatever you'd like.

A bit off-topic, but that's a myth. Mohawk is more expensive because it costs more to make.

[dhutton]

I have 3 lifts from Derek Weaver in my shop. No problems with the company nor the products. They have certified 2 post lifts.

It would be nice if I could afford better but all my money is invested in the stock market...

Don

[67ragtp]

Originally Posted by Sieg

"Ideal for 13″ through 16″ tires"

Have you contacted them regarding tire diameter spec vs rim diameter?

Sent them this email a while back:

The car is a 69 Camaro, I run a 275 30 18 on the front and a 335 30 18 rear tire. According to a pdf they sent me it says “ EACH WHEEL ADAPTER IS DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE STANDARD TIRE SIZES FROM 13” TO 16” TIRES”. But then it also says the maximum outside diameter is 32.5” , my tires are only 25 to 26 in diameter mounted on an 18 inch rim. It then says that it is recommended that the hub diameter of the tire is not less than the inside width of the forks(16.125”). Since my rim diameter is 18 if the tire went down on the lift it could not fall through the forks. The only other issue is the tire width, the rear tires are a 12 to 13 inch section width, I don’t know how long the forks are, I’m guessing near 10 inches, perhaps you could educate me on that one.

So my question is can I safely put the Camaro on the system1a lift with the wheel adapters? The car weighs 3470 lbs

response:
Here’s a quick layout of the customers tires.

Figuring a 108”wheel base and 74” outside width (need this to be verified, as I just looked it up on google), the physical reach of the adapters should accommodate this vehicle fine.

The adapters fit fine around the tires, as long as the height clearance is available (forks are no wider than the tires themselves, so height clearance may be irrelevant).

The length of the forks cover at least (if not more) 2/3 of the tire, so this is acceptable as well.

[jlwdvm]

If I figure in shipping costs to the HR8000 I could get this certified lift for less than $1000 more. Still seems like a reasonable price at $2875.

http://www.revolutionlift.com/RTP9-9...px#MoreDetails

[GregWeld]

Looks like a decent lift that would fit your heigh challenged garage.

Only issus I'd have with it -- the stuff that would normally go across the top is going along the floor. So when you're trying to work around where that is ---- or use a tranny jack etc -- that stuff is in the way. But EVERYTHING has a trade off...