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4 post lift

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spbvmb

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I am tinking of buying a 4 post lift for my LBC. Lots of them on the web. Any suggestions/recomendations?

Thanks
 
Check with Tony in the MGB forum... He has a couple of them.
 
Make sure the lift's track width can accomodate your LBC.
 
Go for a name brand. You don't want the company going out of business should you need service or parts. I highly recommend a US-made lift using US-made parts. Chinese lifts are popping up all over the place at reduced pricing, but they are NOT as good, nor will you be able to get small parts in a few years. The US-made lifts on the market currently are using higher quality steel, higher quality lifting mechanisms and standardized hydraulics. There are a couple Italian-made lifts that exceed even the nice US lifts, but they are very expensive even before shipping. I paid a little extra for two US lifts versus the Chinese version I could have got (around $400 extra per lift) but it was well worth it. I've seen the other version and it is not nearly as solid as what I got. And I can open any industrial catalog should I need to buy parts for them.
 
Here's mine - very happy with it..I climb up on top & walk around & its solid...only had to slide 1 track in a bit to fit both Midgets & B's....American made & good service...get 2 men & a boy to take it off your trailer though - or leave it on the trailer until you're ready to erect.

https://www.metro-lifts.com/four-post-garage-lift.html
 
Have to agree with John, make sure your lift will lift your LBC, my 34 Singer Le Mans track width was too narrow for many lifts and for my 34 1.5Litre its within 3 inches, a real careful fit when I push that car up on the lift(not running yet). Luckily my 53 has a decent track width.
 
True, 2 posts are adjustable but I wanted a 4-post and 4 only, I was quite surprised when the one I chose would not fit my car I had not thought of that until a friend mentioned it.
 
Some four post lifts have adjustable ramps. They can be made to fit most LBCs.

Another thing to consider is the possiblity of either getting or having the potential to get, axle jacks. Four posters are nice for oil changes, tranny work, exhaust, but are useless for brakes or wheel work unless you can lift the wheels off the ramp.
 
I bought jack trays for my lifts, but fof suspension work a 2-post lift is far more useful. But for storage they are useless. Here is a shot of using my front jack tray while I greased the front suspension on my GT. But this is before I mounted the proper bottle jack. I just shoved a small floor jack onto it! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

gt_lift.jpg
 
I have a Backyard Buddy that I bought ten years ago. I moved the ramp in on one side by drilling two new holes on each end. They built me a custom bridge that fits between the ramps when moved in. My narrowTR3 & wider TR8 both fit with the ramps moved in. If I want to put a full size car up, it takes me about ten minutes to move the ramp out to the original holes. I had no trouble putting up a 1977 full size Buick! I purchased wheels for the lift so I could easily change its location in my garage, but have only used them once. My only regret is that I didn't have them build me a second jack bridge so I could put both ends of the car up off the ramps at the same time. A 2X12 board usually works, though. I bought this brand because I like the locking system that actually locks into slots on the four posts instead of merely engaging plates welded to the posts. I use it regularly and have had no problems with it.
 
Bad photo but here's my 4-post with a Midget on top...MGB's also fit...all I did, as I said earlier, was drill 2 holes & slide 1 ramp over...the B would fit like it came, the Midget wouldn't...if I want to widen if, I just remove the 2 bolts & slide the ramp back to its original location.

tour04.JPG
 
I have a Backyard Buddy four poster proudly made in Ohio. It is about six years old and has worked great. I recently had a problem where the relief valve would go off sometimes when I brought it up to the maximum height. I called them, they diagnosed the problem, and mailed methe parts to repair it within a few days...despite being out of warranty.

It is not the cheapest, but it is high quality, and the people are great to work with.

I use jack trays to do brake work. I wanted a four post because it is movable. When I paint, I move the lift into the next bay (about 15 minutes) and put up a temporary wall.

Take care,

Bruce
 
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