Garage Lift

[Ernest C.]

I know this has been discussed in the past, but I am ready to purchase a lift, and would look for any advise. Some questions; two or four post capacity, manufacturer etc?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Ernie Cope

[Dennis C.]

Re: Garage Lift

Ernie,

I have a Back Yard Buddy lift and love it. I A little on the expensive side, but I think it is worth the money. It is very sturdy and secure.

Last year I added the hydraulic lift platform and that allows me to raise the front end or rear end for front end work or wheel work.

It's getting harder and harder to crawl around on the floor and I don't think I could do it that way any more.

They bring a new lift to the shows they attend and if you have the means to transport it, they will sell the demo at a discount. Why I didn't purchase my lift this way, I did purchase the hydraulic platform this way. Or at least I tried - I had pre-arranged the purchase with the sales manager two weeks in advance. When I got to the show, he told me one of the salesman had sold the platform right off his truck the day before to a walk in. Not only did they honor the agreed to price, they shipped the platform to me at no extra cost.

Whichever lift you choose, I think it will be a good investment. My only suggestion would be to look at the one you are thinking of buying and watch a car go up and down. You need to feel secure when you are under the lift.
Regards,

Dennis

[James J.]

Re: Garage Lift

I got the Tec700I four post lift a couple of years ago. Paid the extra money to have them set it up for me, well worth it.
My garage has a 9' ceiling height so I can't put it up all the way but with a rolling mechanics seat it works out well for me.
The only drawback is doing work on the wheels. I got the sliding jack tray with the lift but there is not much room for a jack. It's great for doing other maint. and repairs.

[Dick G.]

Re: Garage Lift/ Black means Made in China.

When looking at a car lift, usually if it's Black in color, it's made in China. Chinese made lifts sway when car is up in the air. Spooky. The vendors who sell the Chinese made lifts swear they will not tip over, don't assure me. My All-Amercian 4 post car lift is (solid as a rock) with my corvette up in the air. NO SWAY. Again, an instant giveaway, if Black is the only color available, it's made in China. I had to spend about $3800.00 for my lift. Worth every penny. DG 13180

[Dick G.]

Re: Garage Lift

http://www.allamericanlifts.com/ Give them a call. You will not be dissapointed. This lift is Highly Recommended. DG 13180

[Wayne W.]

Re: Garage Lift

Depends on whether you are looking for a lift or a storage rack. I don't need storage, so I don't use the four post design. It is not as useful for real work on suspensions etc. The two posts, leave everything on the underside unobstructed and hanging for ease of working on them.
Unless you are working on a big truck, most lifts are rated at least 7 thousand pounds, so that is not an issue with normal cars.

There are many auto dealerships and stores going out of business right now. Lifts are a dime a dozen. Check sale listings and craigslist etc. They are out there cheap.

[Henry S.]

Re: Garage Lift

http://www.allamericanlifts.com/ Give them a call. You will not be dissapointed. This lift is Highly Recommended. DG 13180

I'll second that!! When you call the business phone
316-283-2242 it actually rings into Earl's, one of the owner's, cell phone. Which he answers 24/7. Earl is one of the previous workers at Auto Lifters of America who bought the business from the previous owners. I've never met Earl, just talked to him on the phone but you can tell he's the kind of good ole boy who actually has dirt under his fingernails from working on and helping build the lifts. He can tell you the nuts and bolts about his lifts because he's actually been a part of every aspect of the business. He can answer ANY question you may have about the lift and you can just tell he's not trying to feed you a line of BS.

One safety note about ANY lift you are looking at be sure to check out the locking mechanism (safety stops)when using the lift. This is one item that helped sell me on the All American lift. They use 4" X 4" corner posts. Some of the competitors weld blocks on the side of the 4 posts as stops but those welds may become weaker over time and possibly break off. The system All American lifts use is to cut slots (10) in the side of each 4x4 post that allow the dead bolt on each corner to lock it in place. The only way to release that deadbolt is to raise the lift a few inches to pull the deadbolt back. Be sure whatever system you choose to go to their website and get as much info as you can about them. Good luck, Shooter

[James J.]

Re: Garage Lift

Pretty funny that two year ago at the Marlboro Ma. meet Tec had a lift set up and it was being used to lift cars and have a group of people stand under the car for traning purposes. I would hope that the NCRS would not put people in such danger as to have members under a wobbly lift that is suject to falling over or having the stop block welds break off.
I bought the Tec lift because it was being used at the meet and I figured good enough for NCRS good enough for a hobbiest. I enjoy the four post for a number of reasons one being if I am working on suspension, brakes, ect. I can lay the tools down on the rails since I don't have a roll around.
I inspect my lift each time before I use it as you should do with any lift to check for wear or fatigue.
If you are worried about welds breaking, watch out for that welded together corvette frame.

[Gerald C.]

Re: Garage Lift

Did any of you bolt the lift to the floor or did you leve it free standing?

[Harry S.]

Re: Garage Lift

I like James bought a lift at the Boston meet. I got the TEC7000 model. It does sway very little on one end but my floor is not completely level.

It is not bolted to the floor but after I U-Coat the floor this summer I will bolt it down due to the floor.

James, where are you in NH, I'm on the coast.

Good luck.

[James J.]

Re: Garage Lift

When Tec installed my lift they suggested that I not bolt it down, although I can't remeber what the reasoning was.
I did notice after a few times up and down with the weight of the car, one of the posts began to walk outwards. Very important to inspect any lift frequently. I simply pushed the post back into place when the car was off of the lift.
I have every intension of bolting the post down, though I have yet to get to it.

[Ernest C.]

Re: Garage Lift

Wow! Thanks to all the responses. I think I'm going to go the 4 post route, but I'll check all the web sites first.
Again, thanks

[Jordan S.]

Re: Garage Lift

I have the Directlift Propark 8+ from Greg Smith Equipment. I also purchased the hydraulic slidding jack. Very sturdy lift. No problems and great customer service. Although it is made in China, it is a high quality design and does not "Sway" with the car on it. All the lifts are somewhat similar in design. The Propark is less expensive but still incorporates alot of safety features.

Regardless of which you buy, always pay attention when lowering the lift. I learned this during my research before purchasing. The disaster pictures of a collapsed 4 post lift are due to one post not unlocking during lowering of the vehicle. One corner can stay up as the other 3 lower. That causes the lift to tilt and if not noticed, the weight of car shifts and the lift can collapse. This can happen on ANY 4 post lift. Always pay close attention when raising and lowering and make sure all 4 corners are securely locked before working under the car and unlocked as you begin to bring the car down. I've never had a problem with my lift but am always mindful during operation.

Best addition to "my tool box" ever!!!

[Harry S.]

Re: Garage Lift

Jordan, excellent advice. Also, lubricate the channels every few months with a spray lubricant. WD40 works. The cables will stretch over time, especially within the first 6 month. Understand how to adjust the cables so all corners hit the stops at the same time. Adjustment are made with NO car on or under the lift.

[Paul H.]

Re: Garage Lift

When Tec installed my lift they suggested that I not bolt it down, although I can't remeber what the reasoning was.
I did notice after a few times up and down with the weight of the car, one of the posts began to walk outwards. Very important to inspect any lift frequently. I simply pushed the post back into place when the car was off of the lift.
I have every intension of bolting the post down, though I have yet to get to it.

I also purchased the 4 post techlift and have been very pleased with it. I have not bolted it down and none of the posts have migrated. They are self leveling when not bolted down. There is a natural grade for water dispersal on most garage floors. I had them deliver and install it here on Cape Cod. No problems and good people to deal with. Great for day to day maintenance. More challenging for wheel work. Day to day the 4 post drive on lift is user friendly. I figured if I had to get down on my back to position the 2 post I might as well keep using a floor jack. The 4 post also allows additional storage/parking. Mine is black, Chinese made and reliable. Not sure I buy all the doom and gloom some of the manufacturers like BY Buddy preach. Most of the problems with lifts are user error.