car lift

[Ed P.]

I found a M6 car lift by autolifters for sale at a nearby trailer hitch shop.

Looks to be in good shape. He wants about half the price of a new one.
Any one had any experance with Autolifters car lifts. Thanks

[Craig S.]

Autolifters is an nice unit

Ed - I have an M6 that I have had for about 4 years, it is a great lift. Mine has the 220V 3HP pump, and it lifts the car in about 30-40 seconds. I would highly recommend. I actually purchased their newer M80 lift as a second but have not installed it yet, as I am waiting to expand my garage to 4 cars, 2 wide and 2 deep, so I have is stored at the moment. Any way, I think this is one of the better units out there....if it has been used outdoors, make sure the pulleys have been maintained, and are not rusty. It is important to keep the pulley shafts lubed. Autolifters now offers optional ball bearing pulleys, they are standard on the M80. See URL below....Craig.


AutoLifters

[Jim T.]

Re: car lift

Ed I have two of the Autolifter M6's I use in my two car garage. Have used them for just over 6 years. I went with the 110 units. Autolifter is a pretty big business, they sent me a video tape of the their operation and it looked impressive enough to me to select them to buy from. I think they might still be building them for other lift sellers. I recommended them to a Corvette friend in New York and he bought one. Autolifter sends touch-up paint to cover the scapes and scratches of shipment and assembly.

[Craig S.]

Re: car lift

Jim - thx for bringing up the points I forgot to mention. Actually, they are the original closed tube design with safety interlocks and totally bar vs cable actuated safety locks. I believe the backyard buddy product, which is very similar, was a direct copy of the M6, because Autolifters didn't patent the design. When I bought the latest M80 earlier this year to go along with my M6, they have made improvements as options in the M6 such as the optional ball bearings etc. I also liked the wider and longer and taller aspects, when using with my 3/4 ton pickup, which did fit the M6 and lift fine, but I had to bend in the mirrors and carefully line up when driving on. Their video tape has been updated slightly, I have both the new and old versions. And they also send out a more complete package of materials than they did in the past...Craig

[Geoff C.]

[Ed P.]

Re: Autolifters is an nice unit

THANKS FOR THE INPUT GUYS,I PURCHASED THE USED UNIT AND HAVE BEGUN THE TRANSPORT PROCESS. THANKS AGAIN

[Michael S.]

Re: car lift

Try what many New Car Dealers and the manufacturers use, ROTARY LIFTS. They have a bunch of them at Saturn. Generally the preference if you want a 2 post lift is the asymetrical configuration. Rotary also makes drive on 4 post lifts however they are commercial and far more expensive than the home market lifts discussed above.

I have 2 post asymetrical lifts at my home. Do not use for storage, just restoration and maintainence. Much more useful than 4 post for work and restoration. Ok for storage but I am not space limited and therefore do not need as such.

"Rotary" maintains a network of dealers who sell and most imporatantly service/install their product. The dealer in Middle Tennessee delivered/installed a 9,000 lb. lifts for $3,000 each in the fall of 2001. 5 year full warranty. Will last my liftime in hobby use.

Something else to consider.

[Craig S.]

Re: car lift

Doc - nice set of lifts!! On my original M6, I went a step further and ordered two Norco air/hydraulic rolling lift bridges....a scissor like affair so you can roll the units fore and aft and slide the supports in/out width wise. They truly work great, and allow you to lift the car off the ramps for wheel and suspension work. Almost as handy as a two post assymetrical lift. Here is the link.....look for rolling lift bridges. I bought two, one for the rear of the car, one for the front, they work superb, but cost as much as the lift or more. I installed two sections of 3/8" thick buy 1.5" wide steel on the inboard edges of the ramps, to allow the rollers to roll smoothly, verus on the diamond plate steel....very slick....Craig


Norco Industries

[Craig S.]

Re: car lift

By the way, the hydraulics are excellent Enerpac brand pumps..these are first rate US made units...Craig