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Garage lift, which direction??

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trrdster2000

trrdster2000

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Hello all. We are finally finishing up the last project in the new house, (at least to us), the kitchen counter tops and back splash. It has taken 5 months for us to get the 30' by 40' garage built and correct or change everything we wanted.
I have found my back and knees are not being cooperative at 72 as I think they should be. Long story short the wife wants to get me a lift for the new garage and we really are at a lost as want to get. I'm looking at a Derek Weaver 2 post 9000lbs and there are a lot of choices in this range. Some restriction on the height, 111 inches will be max, but I could place it between joist and get another 5 inches.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated and can you unload one of these things with a engine host??

And yes, she has always been my biggest supporter and helper, but has slacked off since turning 70, in fact I thinks she's just trying to get out of working the jack.

Thanks, Wayne
 
I have a two post and love it. Mine tops out at 142 inches. I really wish I had 2 more inches in head room. I wear a helmet under the car. I am 6'1''. I have worked on my friends 4 post and it is uncomfortable. Great for parking under but not for working on cars. Get the tallest you can. The installers for the two posts install by themselves from a rack on top of a truck. Installation is not that much, you should look into it. You can lift one leg with an engine hoist but it would be tough putting it upright. I installed mine with a tractor front bucket. I still had a scary moment when a chain slipped a little. These are great for saving backs. It was well worth the investment. My friends love to borrow it too!

Jerry
 
Is your concrete poured thick enough to have a two post lift?

Cheers
M. Pied Lourd
 
On the concrete, we talked about that before it was built back in October, so we are good to go on that. Wish we had put in the steel reinforcement, but would a should a has followed me for a long time.

Jerry, thanks, I'm getting the same from a friend who has one, a Park bend or something like that.

Wayne
 
trrdster2000 said:
Garage lift, which direction??
Click to expand...

Hopefully up? :smile:

Seriously, I'm interested in comments in this area as well since hopefully we'll be building a garage this year for the Triumphs.

Scott
 
Wayne,

I'm serouusly thinking about putting a lift in my garage and thought a four post would be best. I'm looking foward to reading the replys to your post. I would put my '32 Ford Roadster on top of the TR-3 since the Ford doesn't shed as much fluid as the Standard Triumph.

Paul
 
Wayne, I would have a professional do the installation. At some point it's kind of like climbing a ladder to go on a roof. When you get to our age, it's better to have a younger person do it.
 
I LOVE my 4-post BendPak lift. Very stable and comfortable underneath. Hit my head on it many times too OUCH!

And I had to unload it at the truck terminal. It was strapped in a bundle and each piece weighed a lot. I broke it down in the terminal and lifted each piece from a loading dock to my trailer. The ramps took two of us (had to call a friend for help during lunchtime) but the rest just took a little brain strategy to load. Also assembled it all by myself, except for the ramps which took Dave's help. This is something I wish I had purchased long ago.

My lift came with heavy pieces that slide along the ramps under the vehicle. These span the two ramps and are used for bottle jacks/jack stands and such to lift the corners for wheel work. Perfect IMO.
 
I wonder if Dannmar has done the engineering to se if at that size that is the highest they could do.
It would be great to be able to specify if you want an extra 12"
 
I, too, went with a 4-post -- for me it was the best solution for both working on the cars and for storage of 2 in one space.

It was delivered to my garage (quite reasonably) and I had a crew standing by for a quick unload and then assembly. We got the 8 big pieces put together in a few minutes, then pizza and Guinness all around. The rest of the assembly (cables, hydraulics, etc) were easily done solo the next day. That work is easier if you assemble the big pieces with the ramps raised up to the first notch (while you have all your help there).

Before assembly I had everyone sign the bottom of the ramp (including the FedEx driver):

Signing_zps2cf2c6b9.jpg
 
Thanks Basil, I see your point on the storage and that would leave me in a temping situation, (room for another one). Now the madam is looking for a MGB and I told her to get the best one she could find, no rust buckets. I'll of course be with her, but she has been known to fall in love with questionable cars before.

We are getting a few ideas from the forum and the more the merrier.

Wayne
 
My choice was the Direct Lift Pro Park 9S 4 post lift with two rolling jacks. Had not only the Triumphs in mind with the decision, but also the daily drivers and my other old car hobby addictions. One caveat: After seeing what others had to say (mostly on the garage journal.com), I wanted a lift that was ANSI/ALI certified. In hindsight, I have no regrets with my purchase other than...I should have done it years sooner. I had it shipped to where I work part-time, then trailered home by a friend for small dollars and beer, then assembled with the help of envious friends who are still taking advantage (not really) for the assistance provided. Here are some photos.

We used the engine lift to unload the heavy pieces from the trailer (the runway holding the lift cylinder weighed 800 lbs).
LiftonTrailer.jpg


Indeed, even grandchildren aided in the assembly.
LiftAssemblywithhelp.jpg


The rolling jacks - can't say enough about how these make every task so much easier.
IMAG0240.jpg


And, Some additional photos.
IMAG0246.jpg


WheelSpacerMudFlapInstall017.jpg


IMAG0256.jpg
 
Jerry said:
I have a two post and love it. Mine tops out at 142 inches. I really wish I had 2 more inches in head room. I wear a helmet under the car. I am 6'1''.
Click to expand...
I'm confused, Jerry. 142 inches is over 11 feet, taller than most rooms. How are you hitting your head?

Doesn't really matter, there is no room for a lift in my garage without some significant remodeling (joists are only about 7'10" from the concrete). But I'm curious anyway.
 
I was guessing that his ceiling was 142" -- FWIW I am 5' 9" and my ceiling is 117" where it matters (top of the windscreen) and that seems to me to be the ideal height for working under the car. This is one notch below 'full up' on my and many similar 4-post lifts.
 
George , post that pick of your garage again.
Now that I know it is 117"
 
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