4 post lifts

[Gary J.]

Re: 4 post lifts

Two post lift are better for doing mechanical work such as brake jobs, transmission work, rear end work, etc. A four post lift for me would be only for storage.

[James B.]

Re: 4 post lifts

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Rotary 4-Post Lifts. I believe they have a model that's designed for home use. Any feedback?

[David P.]

Re: 4 post lifts

I have a Direct Lift Pro Park 8S. I had it installed by a company that only installs Bend Pak commercial lifts. These guys just do commercial work and they were impressed with the Pro Park's quality. The lift cost around $2200 and had it installed for $400. I relly like the adjustable locks as I have a low ceiling.
They are also certified:
We are proud to announce that Direct-Lift's Pro Park series four-post lifts are now ALI Certified, and have received ALI/ETL approval. To achieve certification, each lift model must meet ANSI standards and be third party tested and validated by an accredited independent testing company - in this case, Intertek Testing Services (ETL).

[Mark T.]

Re: 4 post lifts

Direct lift is owned by rotary, they are made in the same plant in china that builds the rotary 4 post lift. It is my understanding that the direct lift prices just went up in addition to the freight.
Comparing the 2 post lift to a 4 post for mechanical repairs a 2 post is better however for a 2 post you need 4 inches of good concrete and a
220 volt power supply. Also with a 2 post lift there is no provision for drip trays which are always need when storing a car under a 2 post. You would have to cover the bottom car with plastic.
A 4 post lift is easier to get on and off and with a sliding jack tray you can remove the wheels etc. for repairs
MARK (LIFTMAN)

[Phil D.]

Re: 4 Post vs 2 Post??

As a tag to this post regarding which brands,,,,, from those who have used both and or have a preference..... for our type of use,, (home garage, often used, but not to make a living from) what are the pros & cons for 4 post lifts vs. 2 post lifts? thanks in advance for you input!!!

I just went through this whole 2post vs 4post decision process. On one hand, I could get a 2 post lift for well under $2,000 installed and be able to do a lot of work with it. On the other hand, I had only the 'minimum' concrete and I already have cracks from settling, I didn't have a lot of confidence in a few shallow anchors to hold. Those with the top plate seemed more stable than the floor plate, but were too tall for my shop. My little bit of internet browsing seemed also to reveal a greater propensity for accidents with a 2 post lift, but then I have no quantifiable data. Another factor was using it to lift the body off a corvette. Seemed to me I could much easier rig a body lift with a 4post so long as I got one with enough clear height underneath. I also bought a pair of sliding jacks to go with the 4post lift so I could do suspension and brake work. Ultimately, the 4post with the sliding jacks winds up costing 3 to 4 times as much as a 2post, but then you have basically the versatility to do anything with it. Also, I posted the same question on a few auto forums and seemed that 4 out of 5 people who had a lift at home had the 4 post. HTH.

[Roger E.]

Re: 4 post lifts

I have three lifts. Two are 7,000 LB Free Standing Four Post Storage/Service Lifts from Superlifts (SR 7H series, made in USA) and the other one is a 11,000 LB Two Post Asymmetric/Symmetric lift Lift from TEC Lifts (made in China and looks like the Bend Pac brand.) TEC is a local supporter of the NCRS chapter here in New England and the owner Gene is a very nice guy who offers competitive prices and very good service. Had I known of TEC before I bought my four post lists, I would have purchased them from TEC as well. http://www.teclifts.com/auto_truck_lifts.htm

I have seen one in a friend's garage and agree that the Backyard Buddy is a superior product. However, at more than $4.5K per, it is not cost justifiable IMHO. I have had my 4 post lifts for 3 years. They work fine and I do not hesitate to leave cars up on them for months at a time or work under them for hours at a time. They can even be moved on casters.

On the other hand, the two post is vastly superior for most repair work. Just remember that the two posts must be well anchored in a sufficiently thick concrete floor. (Check your local building code. ) This adds to installation time and also means that once it is installed, it stays there.

Whatever you choose, you may wish to opt for the 220V model as it lifts twice as fast as the 110V model. Funny how that works out

[Jim T.]

Re: 4 post lifts

Have two four post Autolift MS6's. Bought in 1995 and 1996. Use them mostly for being able to store two more Corvettes in a two car garage. Assembled them myself and so far no problems. Wish I had a dollar for everytime I have bumped my head on them.

[Gerry P.]

Re: 4 post lifts

Thanks everyone for your comments. It looks like the American made lifts seem to garner more votes however some of the better reputable manufacturers (Rotary for example) do sell Chinese made lifts. I'm still a little undecided but leaning towards the American made even though more $'s.
Thanks Again.
Gerry Phillips

[James B.]

Re: 4 post lifts

Direct lift is owned by rotary, they are made in the same plant in china that builds the rotary 4 post lift. It is my understanding that the direct lift prices just went up in addition to the freight.
Comparing the 2 post lift to a 4 post for mechanical repairs a 2 post is better however for a 2 post you need 4 inches of good concrete and a
220 volt power supply. Also with a 2 post lift there is no provision for drip trays which are always need when storing a car under a 2 post. You would have to cover the bottom car with plastic.
A 4 post lift is easier to get on and off and with a sliding jack tray you can remove the wheels etc. for repairs
MARK (LIFTMAN)

While I agree that Direct Lift is now owned by Rotary, I'm wondering (and I imagine Gerry Phillips is too) what the major differences are between Propark and Rotary 4-Post Lift models for a non-commercial installation (e.g. Propark 8S vs Rotary's Revolution XLT).

[Paul H.]

Re: 4 post lifts

I purchased a 7,000 lb. 4 post drive on lift from TEC LIFTS in Attleboro, Ma. last March and am very pleased with it. It is Chinese made but I have not had any problems with it. In my opinion, most of the problems with these lifts are operator error/ inattentiveness. The drive on lifts are alot easier to get the car on than the two posts. The lift comes with a jack tray for doing wheel work. It sure makes oil changes alot easier. After 38 years of lying on my back, I wish I did this years ago. The people at TEC were terrific to deal with. They installed it 3 days after I went up to look at it. Their lifts were set up outside the National in Marlborough last year.

[Michael S.]

Re: 4 post lifts

The ecomony is bad. Sell your Corvettes and you will not have to make the decision of which brand lift to purchase, you will save the cost of a lift and have cash in your pocket from the sale of your Corvette.

That's much easier than trying to decide which lift to purchase!!!!