I've priced lifts and made arrangements to have a used 2 post 9K# lift installed next week. Now I'm having second thoughts. The dealer also has a used 4 post. They're about the same price. I decided the 2 post would be much better for repair work. I'm concerned that the car that will be stored on the lift will have problems from the suspension hanging all the time. I don't want to have to hassle taking the wheels off of it each time I lift it, and don't know if that would alleviate the problem anyway. What would you guys do? Is there enough room between the ramps of a 4 post to do a engine drop?

Jim Chambers has a four post lift and he and I have installed a motor and R&R a trans. It is a bit skinny between the ramps so you have to adjust. Also the ramps limit some of the jacks and other devices that you are able to get under them.
I have used a two post lift and it has its good and bad points. But I think if you are going to be R&Ring running gear allot I would go with the two post lift.
The four post lift you have to jack the car up if you want to do brake or suspension related work. That means a small jack on the ramp, while the car is at the optimum height.
The four post jack you can move a car around while on it, the two post is staitionery.
Good luck.
CCLINYOUDONTKNOWJACK

I think if you are going to use it mainly for work on the car then stick with the two post. But if storage is your main thing then go with the 4post. I donno...personally the only reason I would want a 4 post is if it was an alignment rack...

Is the two post you are getting a symetrical or a-sym? open top or closed? I have a symetrical open top two post and I like it alot, but it is a little harder to get the bigger vehicals on it. My buddy has an a-symetrical closed top, which is actually easier than mine to use, but it is a closed top, so you have to have at least a 15ft celing to use it.

Either way, you are getting off the ground, which is what it is all about...

good luck,

Tony

They are supposed to install a symetrical open top 2 post. My only concern is what kind of wear will I get from the top cars suspension hanging. Parts for the upper car are not available at FLAPS. I want to keep the 914 on the ground since it will be used more.

GROUP BUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I want one too, as does my neighbor.....
brad@aclifts.com
I have been talking to this guy....email me at 356@cox.net and I will send brochures that were emailed to me......

I've been thinking of one of the smaller scissor type ones from Bendpak.

Model MD-6XP
Description
Model MD-6XP
Portable Mid-Rise Scissors Lift


Perfect For Servicing Light-Duty Trucks And Cars.
Portable Motor Cart Serves As Tow Handle
To Easily Move Lift From One Bay To Another
Adjustable Arm Assemblies
Safety Lock Bar With Multiple Lock Positions
Fast And Efficient Operation
Lifting Capacity: 6000 Lbs.
Overall Width: 40”
Overall Length: 81”
Lifting Height: 48”
Minimum Pad Height: 4-3/4”

P; the sizzor lift looks good for repair work, but I have one too many cars so my lift has to double as a repair lift and storage lift for the extra car. There was a pretty long thread on the sizzor lifts on the Pelican 911 board. Do a search and you'll get some good info.

Yeah I hear ya. If my garage was high enough I would go with a 2 post over a 4 post jsut because it is easier to work on the car, but I see your concern about the suspension. I'm sure you could rig something up to take the load off.

2 post lifts are as strong as a four. We used to always pack a car under a car on the lift at my mechanics shop, every night.
I like the convenience of the the two post lift. If I had enough height, I'd have one right now!

Can I ask how much this is going to cost you? I want one so I can have another car. Or at least be able to get one more in the garage and not have to fight with the evil neighbors accross the street that have like 4 Crown Victorias (WHY ON EARTH??)

l8r,

Fiid.

fiid; lifts from Eagle which is one of the main residential dealers cost about $2,700. Others with more bells and whistles are $3k to $4k. I'm getting a commercial, year old one that was repo'd for $1,600 plus $300 install.

How much height do you need for a lift??? You guys
got me thinking

Has he got anymore repos?????

depends on the lift.

Here's a couple of examples.

Ginter got me started when he got a 4-post. I got the same thing. It is great if it fits
what you want to do. I agree with the others that 2-post is better if your main goal
is working on the car, and on a 914 almost everything you work on is connected to the
wheels . For having an extra car and getting it up and down maybe a few times a
week, 4-post is better.

I can dig out some of the stats for mine if you want, but the 914 is short enough that you
can store a car under it with a 9.5' ceiling. Depending on your setup some maneuvering
can get you more. I can take the roof off, straddle a rafter, and get the 914 so I can walk
under the car without ducking (5'10" me, 9'5" ceiling).

For the 6-cyl engine, with a Gemini 7000lb standard model, the rails will allow the engine
to come out, but the tin must be removed first.

Great topic. I just picked up a lift that has the advantages of a 4 post, and the accessibility of a two post. It’s a design I’ve never seen before, and is basically a single post. It has a 7000lb capacity and has full ramps that can be removed to use standard swing out arms that pickup at chassis lift points. It’s hard to explain, but it seems to be great for the 914. Now if I can just get my freaking garage built. Oh, and it doesn’t need to be bolted down. Here’s a pic, maybe that will help clarify.

Discount Tire uses those. They don't go very high do they?

The unit itself is almost ten feet tall, and the ramps go up to around six feet, maybe a bit more, it was well over my head. The only down side I've seen is that it's a little tight to do transmission work on trucks, as there are two arms that are around 30" apart that go under the center of the vehicle. If you used the ramps as opposed to the arms, then there would probably be plenty of clearance for transmission work on trucks and typical rear wheel drive cars. Just about every lift I have seen was a compromise in one way or another.

The Hydrolic ones go high enough to stand under.

-Aaron G.

cool, are they safe?

It's rated for 7000lbs and meets all US specs, it's actually made in Canada. I probably won't put my diesel truck on it, but for anything short of that it should be fine. The safety tangs are really beefy, and show no signs of wear after considerable use. I haven't been able to find out much about the manufacturer though. It's called a GOLDEC Model 70. The construction is first rate, and it's extremely heavy, but able to be moved via a cantilever wheel system, without a car on it of course. The over all height is 9.5 feet, and it lifts just a hair over six feet.

I decided to stick with the 2 post that I ordered. I guess I'm going to pull the wheels off the upper car everytime I store it. Ugh. Now I will have another spare set of wheels to move around. I think I had a curse put on me recently and am just realizing it, spare wheels keep multiplying.
Someone asked about ceiling height. I have 9'4" to the bottom of my rafters. My lift is an open top so it will stick up past the rafters and I'm just limited on how high I can go by the rafters. A 2 post with the cables crossing over at the top would not fit in my garage.

Well sure.. are the elevators in three or four story buildings safe? pretty much the same thing.

Main downside is that you have to build them in into the floor.

-Aaron G>

I want a lift also. I realized it sucks getting under the car with the engine 8 inches away from my face everytime I need to do something. Oh well, I'll add it to the list

I bet you could rig up some suspension limiting straps that you could put on while the car was on the ground and lift the car...that way the strap would take the load and you wouldn't have to take the wheels off every time you put it up...

just a thought.

Tony C.