May be buying a 4 post lift, any advice?

**Killercanary** · 10-19-2009, 10:47 AM

My wife and I are in the process of trying to purchase a new home and my one request is that we purchase a lift for it when and if we are lucky enough to get the house. The house has a 3 car garage with ample roof clearance. I want a drive-on 4 post lift so I can store one mustang on top of another. Does anyone have any recommendations on a manufacture or where to purchase one? Is there anything to watch out for?

Lastly, and I do plan to call a structural engineer about this... the garage has radiant heat in the floor. Will this cause an issue with putting a lift on it? The lifts I have looked at do not get bolted to the floor, rather they sit on 12x12" metal plates so I should be OK with that aspect, but the weight is what I am worried about. There isn't a basement under the garage, but there are radiant heat pipes running through the concrete.

**somethingclever** · 10-19-2009, 10:57 AM

I think that will be a problem Paul.

Also, I wouldn't want a lift that wasn't anchored to the floor.

You will need 12' clearance...atleast for two post lifts anyway. (could maybe get away with a little less with a 4-post)

**Killercanary** · 10-19-2009, 12:32 PM

John, the height isn't a problem in this new house except for possibly garage door clearance. I technically only need 110" according to the one manufacture I checked with. Also, a lot of 4 post lifts are not anchored as they have casters that can be lowered down so the lift is portable. Here's a youtube video for one of the lifts I am looking at that demonstrates what I am talking about. Thanks for the input though!

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkM0UGMEjgE&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube- Eagle Global storage / service lift[/ame]

**03 OW SVT** · 10-19-2009, 01:15 PM

Paul, pm cstunkard on here. He has a 4 post in his garage. I'm not sure what brand. I'm sure he'd be glad to answer any ??? you might have. He's an A1 stand-up guy.

**bgblockelcamino** · 10-19-2009, 01:29 PM

stallion equipment in connellsville that is where i got my two post but they carry 4 post too

**somethingclever** · 10-19-2009, 01:41 PM

I know some lifts aren't anchored....but I personally wouldn't risk it.

What's the tube spacing and depth of the radiant tubes?

**Viper_ed** · 10-19-2009, 06:02 PM

As long as you have a 12' ceiling height you'll be able to put any vehicle in the air on a 4 post without any height trouble. Have had large SUV's and full size trucks on my Dad's with no issues. 6" thick concrete should be considered for the areas where the posts will sit on the floor. I'm sure 4" thick would work, but I personally wouldn't chance it.

**Killercanary** · 10-19-2009, 07:41 PM

Paul, pm cstunkard on here. He has a 4 post in his garage. I'm not sure what brand. I'm sure he'd be glad to answer any ??? you might have. He's an A1 stand-up guy.

Will do! Thanks for the heads up.

stallion equipment in connellsville that is where i got my two post but they carry 4 post too

Troy told me about that place too and I have been on their website. I plan to call them as well. Thanks!

I know some lifts aren't anchored....but I personally wouldn't risk it.

What's the tube spacing and depth of the radiant tubes?

It seems almost all 4 post are not anchored that I have found, and honestly I'm happy about that. I assume once 3500lbs is sitting on it, it won't go anywhere. :) I hope...

I'm not sure about the tubes, I have asked my realtor to research the home and see who built it. I'm also going to see if I can locate the code inspection forms for the house since it was just built in 2005 and see if I can figure it out.

Ed, what kind does your dad have? Is there anything to watch for when buying one? I figured at most I'll have 8800lbs (3500lbx2 for the mustangs and 1300 for the lift itself) on that side of the garage which is basically an F350 truck, so I'm thinking I should be good.

**MustangMike** · 10-19-2009, 07:54 PM

Paul, we have a 2 post and a 4 post in my dad's garage. Both are made by Rotary - I HIGHLY recommend them. I think my dad worked thru a local rep to get both lifts - I can get his phone # for you if you want it. Beware of the less expensive brands (i.e. cheap parts/weak steel chinese made). They are not very high quality. Everyone told us to go american made, and we couldn't be happier with both lifts. The 2 post is a 10k and I think the 4post is an 8k. I put his 2500 duramax up on the 2 post with no problem at all....I haven't tried to put his dually up in the air yet, but I am sure the 2 post will take it ok. Not sure if I'd put either truck up on the 8k 4 post though.

FWIW, we left his 4 post lift un-anchored to start with, and unless you've got some serious wits about you, you won't park much more than a bicycle below the car that's up in the air. It wasn't wobbly, but it certainly wasn't a very secure feeling that you got once the car was up there. We thought the same as you - once there's weight up there, it will be good and stable....nope, not for us. The rotary rep assured us that it was ok, but we decided it wasn't worth the risk with the time and money invested in both cars. My dad had him come back and anchor it to the floor. You definitely need the 6+ inches of concrete too.

Congrats on the house purchase! Christine and I are in the process of doing the same - building a new one actually. The garage plans are the most exciting part, haha.

**Viper_ed** · 10-19-2009, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by Killercanary

Ed, what kind does your dad have? Is there anything to watch for when buying one? I figured at most I'll have 8800lbs (3500lbx2 for the mustangs and 1300 for the lift itself) on that side of the garage which is basically an F350 truck, so I'm thinking I should be good.

Paul, my Dad's was purchased from a auction of a Midas shop that closed. It is rated for 10k lbs. I would think a steel post will focus more weight per square inch that a car tire.

**somethingclever** · 10-19-2009, 11:17 PM

Yes, as Ed pointed out, you need to worry about the weight of the lift/4 + 1/4 vehicle under each baseplate in psi. Actually you want to go a little more than that to be conservative.

With a 4-post lift I think you may have a chance of being OK with the radiant floor...with a 2-post lift....I doubt it.

How high are the ceilings?

**badf250** · 10-19-2009, 11:52 PM

+2 on the rotary lifts. We just bought a rotary in ground 2 post lift and the thing is great.

**Killercanary** · 10-20-2009, 01:07 AM

Originally Posted by somethingclever

Yes, as Ed pointed out, you need to worry about the weight of the lift/4 + 1/4 vehicle under each baseplate in psi. Actually you want to go a little more than that to be conservative.

With a 4-post lift I think you may have a chance of being OK with the radiant floor...with a 2-post lift....I doubt it.

How high are the ceilings?

It appears that with the 12x12 pad there is only ~15psi of load on the floor with a car on the lift. The car on the ground will be exibiting roughly double that since it load is placed on a much smaller area.

I haven't measured the ceilings yet but I've been in the garage 2 times now and it appears to be plenty high enough. I will measure on my next walk through when we conduct the home inspection.

**9secmach1** · 10-20-2009, 11:47 PM

Terry at Street Lethal on here is selling a REALLY good 4 post lift, bend pack 12k pounder. check with him cause he got one with his dyno so this one can go.

**Viper_ed** · 10-21-2009, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by Killercanary

I haven't measured the ceilings yet but I've been in the garage 2 times now and it appears to be plenty high enough. I will measure on my next walk through when we conduct the home inspection.

Well, if they're less than 12' at least you're short so you may be able to still walk under the car.