4-Post Lifts

[BigEasy]

I have been researching the market for 4-post lifts--anyone out there that can give me any direction/recommendations? My garage ceiling height is approx. 10'--the garage door will need to be raised to hug the ceiling, but both cars only require about 4' of headroom room each. I'm leaning toward the Stinger model (by AXE), the Backyard Buddy, or the one by Superlifts? Any recommendations/first-hand experience?

[jeff neely]

You must bring you and your car to our next event. We have a bunch of local folks that could use another cobra in our rolling thunder.

Jeff Neely

[dexter]

I've been researching this same topic & am trying to decide what to get. This topic has been covered in a lot of detail in a number of threads on one of the Corvette forums (please, no jokes about sacrilege). Go here:Corvette Forum search page , type in 4 post lift or four post lift in the Search For box, click on Archived Topics in the Data Set box, click on Post Bodies in the Search In question, then click Next, to display a listing of the threads. One of them has pictures of a recent install of a Stinger lift and there's a very very long thread started by a guy who had one corner of his lift collapse (deferred routine maintenance apparently caused the collapse).

[ToyCollector]

Big Easy, I am writing a check tomorrow for a lift in the ATL area. I have not fully researched the 4 posters with your ceiling height, but I can give you a few name worth considering. Send me a private mail msg adn I will respond.

[Dave Crace]

Big Easy,
Chuck at Cobra Restorers has a 4 post lift you might want to see, not sure what brand. Also, was that your car at the Canton cruise Saturday night? Very nice car! I was there as was ToyCollector. Next time we need to all hit it together and rope off a snake pit filled with Cobras. There were some serious cars at that cruise.

DC

[weendoggy]

I have the Double Park by Cytech. I've had it for almost two years without incident. This is very easy to use and servicing the car is even easier! The only drawback is if you do any work near the side underneath, because the ramps can hinder the area. I have a jack-bridge which allows the car to be on stands while in the air. That's cool feature. I have aluminum ramps (a must) and a dolly wheel set to move it too. Moving is easier with a car on it as I've done this and it can be done with one person. I do recommend doing a check once in awhile just like you do your autos. I had a false panel put in the garage door and then made the door track go right up to the joists. If you need pictures let me know. Here's a picture of the rack in use.

[Bill Wells]

there have been several postings about lifts before. i have both a two post and a 4 post lift, the latter in a 9-1/2' ceiling ht section. the following is a cut/paste of a prior post i did on the same subject. pictures of each can be seen in my photo gallery.

prior post:

i have a two post ROTARY LIFT assymetrical column hoist
and a 4 post STINGER drive on hoist. some quick comparisions after about 8 yrs using each:

TWO POST: generally requires much more ceiling height, 6-8" of floor
thickness, is bolted to the floor, comes in symmetrical or assymetrical
column choices, to my knowledge requires 220v (30 amp for mine), is more
limiting generally in frame clearance for pick up points ( low slung cars,
side pipe cars, small framed cars etc might need to be driven onto pieces of
wood for the 'two swing arms' to fit under the pick up points) . a great
lift if you are going to constantly detail the underside of your car, r/r your wheels and tires or
do a significant amount of suspension work. columns generally require, on
most of the hoists, ceiling hts of 10-14 feet depending on lift capacity and
brand. you have much more freedom for access of all undersides of the car as
it is not blocked by rails that your car sits on with a 4 poster. symetrical
columns place the car door at about 50/5o front to rear so caution needs to
be used when opening the doors so they dont hit the columns. assymetrical
places the car at 1/3-2/3 prox so the doors will miss the columns if car is
placed properly and depending on the car.
if you are going to store a car
underneath it, the free hanging tires reduces the height of the car going
underneath as the top might hit the rear wheels driving on vs a 4 poster
where you have more clearance.

FOUR POST: much easier to use, just drive on. should require only standard
4" of concrete. can be bolted to the floor but does not need to be. wheels
can be ordered that attach on temp basis allowing hoist to be moved with or
without a car on it. can be powered with 110 or 220 power. column heights
are less than 7' , usually 6' . low slung cars can get on , if needed there
are longer drive on removable ramps available allowing cars of only 3"
clearance, or with pronounced front air dams to still clear. 'jacking trays'
can be ordered allowing you to jack up the car while on the hoist using a
bottle jack and then jack stands for brake/susp/tire change work etc. at
full lift ht you have more 'headroom' underneath for storing another car
there ,see reference above to wheels hanging down on a 2 post. this is my
hoist of choice .

CAUTIONS : remember to allow plenty of clearance overhead so car does not go
boom into obstructions : things generally over a car stall such as garage
door track (move it to the side), ceiling lights, low ceiling with door
lower when opened (get a 'high lift kit' and snug it up to the ceiling).
however, you can still fit many two cars in a lowered ceiling. my 2 poster
is under a 11-1/2' ht and my 4 poster under a 9-1/2' ht and i can still park
many combos of two cars over each other. in fact, i fit 5 cars into a 3 car
garage by stacking 2 over 2. remember when measuring for clearances to
measure the highest points, top bow or ht is higher than windhshield header.
a stock antennae adds a couple of more inches. i put power antennaes on 2
of my cars to get more clearance. sometimes a car can be backed onto the
ramp getting more garage door clearance, ie, longer hood fits better under
the door when opened than short front end and windshield. also, most mfrs
tell you to measure the ht of each vehicle and add 4" (normal 4 post cross
member dimension) to determine clearances. many of them forget to tell you
to add another 2" for clearance AND the ability to raise the car up off the
stop enough that the locking pins will clear the safety stops. I fit a new
Taurus and /or new model Mustang under either my 65 Stang or Cobra replica
under the 9-1/2' ceiling ht, while the lift can not go to full ht due to the
ceiling interference, i can still duck down enough to walk around under the
car, ala a little hunchbacked. 6 footers would have to hunch more, but you
do not need 10' or more ht to fit in a hoist. my guess is 10-1/2' ceiling ht
with no overhead obstructions is great for most car applications. 11' to
11-1/2' and you could probably lift a panel truck to full 6' lift capacity.

good luck with your choice. once you get one you will wish you had done it
sooner. no more aching backs working on tires or waxing, just raise/lower
the car to your preferred ht and work straight armed in front of
you....working /detailing underneath ? just get a stool or chair on wheels
and lower the car above you to an easy to reach ht while scooting around on
the chair underneath....Bill Wells

[Bill Wells]

RE PICS IN PHOTO GALLERY; it appears the photo gallery is messed up as the photos i just checked for my gallery at this moment are not my photos, so that nullifies my prior note about hoist pics. i just checked some other postings and the same photos appear, random shots as on my gallery. methinks the gallery is messed up for alot of folks. if there was a post on that before then i missed it. send me an offline note and i will send pics to anyone interested until brent gets the gallery pics straightened out. . bill wells.

[ToyCollector]

Bill, you are right about the Gallery, I got Jamo's sheepish date showing in mine!!

[Bill Wells]

yep, there is something amiss with the photo galleries and i missed that thread, but here it is :

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/show...threadid=18751

[dexter]

Bill - great information - thanks for the post.

[CobraDan]

http://www.directlift.com/
How about a 2 post lift.
http://www.maywoodgarageequipment.co.uk/4post_lift.htm
Or a 4 post.
http://www.asedeals.com/four_post_lifts.html
http://www.liftusa.com/
Dan

[BLACKJACK]

I HAVE BEEN USING AN AUTO-LIFTER 4 POST FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND I'M TOTALLY HAPPY WITH IT. I POSTED ABOUT TWO PAGES OF DATA, MEASUREMENTS AND ADVANTAGES ON THE A/L. ON AN EARLIER THREAD. AUTO LIFTER IS ONE OF THE VERY FEW THAT CANNOT FAIL IN THE MANNER DESCRIBED IN THE CORVETTE CLUB POST CITED ABOVE. PLEASE READ THAT POST BEFORE WRITING ANY CHECKS.

ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT ME, SEE THE EARLIER THREAD ON C/C, OR CALL ME.

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY,

BLACKJACK

[Frank Coppola]

Check out www.eagleequip.com and look at the FP-12. This is the lift I have. The people there are great and the lift is bullet proof. The lift will fit with your height requirment but they do reccommend a 13 ft ceiling.

Welcome to the no-more-cardboard club

[BigEasy]

Thanks to all with info on the lifts--much appreciated. It's difficult to see the small differences when researching via web pages--experience from users is invaluable.

[BigEasy]

Jeff Neely--I would happy to meet up wih the group--I'm always looking for an excuse to take a run.

Dave Crace--I was at the Canton (RiverStone) run Saturday night--I did see Alvin, and a few other Cobra's, but owners were not around. Let's get together on it next month and ride in together--I arrived very late, so was parked in the isle.

Toy Collector--I'm interested in your post--is there a local manufacturer? That would solve a major bill for shipping one of these 6-800lb beasts. Let's talk. You're in Roswell, I'm just up the road.

[ToyCollector]

Big Easy, sorry we missed you at the Cruise-in, Dave and I were both wandering around admiring everything else that was there. We hooked up ourselves rather late and then went looking for you but you had left by then. I also spent about 59 minutes of an hour longer than I wanted eating Mexican there (horrible service).

I will send you a message with my number and we can hook up about the lifts, I may have mine end of this week or beginning of next.

[BigEasy]

Toy Collector--I arrived late as well Sat. night, and I am painfully familiar with the wait in the Mexican restaurant.

Send me a personal message--I tried to reply to you, but said it was not accepting messages. I would interested in comparing notes on the lift.

Coincidentally, a friend of mine who just relocated to Portland, just finished bolting together a Stinger lift this past weekend--he did his research, and is happy with the decision. I'm sure it's like anything else, there is good and not so good about every choice.

BigEasy