What type of car lift is best?

[Toadusmodus]

Moving out to a new house soon, which is lucky enough to have 2 large outbuildings (used to store apples years ago) one of which is going to be my car storage/work area. Trying to decide what type of car lift to install. Thinking either 2 post or scissor lift. What experience do people have of various types of car lifts? Height is not an issue, but thinking something that doesn't take up too much room, and that is suitable to be left with a car on for lengthy periods.

Here are 3 I have stumbled upon on Fleebay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

Any thoughts welcom!

[Mr2Mike]

There is a good reason that virtually any garage you care to walk into will use 2 post lifts for working on cars!

EDIT: They do require a fairly substantial floor to bolt into however!

Edited by Mr2Mike on Monday 25th October 18:18

[kambites]

If you have space, I would imagine that the two post lift would be best. It does, however, leave a bloody great pillar in the middle of your garage which will make opening doors, etc. harder if you actually park on top of the lift. They're wider in total too, so fitting two cars in a double garage with one in place might be tricky.

Edited by kambites on Monday 25th October 18:22

[thinfourth2]

Forget the scissor lift as they just look like an utter pain to work around

it is down to 2 post or 4 post

2 post i think is better for working on a car but 4 post is better for storing 2 cars on top of each other.

At the moment i have the same dilema and have no idea which to go for

[C2]

4 post for storage, I have one that's designed for 2 phase, probably worth considering too.

2 Post for working on cars seriously, I can do most things on the 4 post at a struggle, but as has been suggested, there is a reason most garages have 2 post lifts.

Edited by C2 on Monday 25th October 18:27

[Mr2Mike]

4 post lifts are a complete ball ache, the posts and ramps are continually in the way. They are simpler to drive on which would be a advantage if your primary use is to store one car above another, but if you want a lift for actually working on a car then you'd be barking mad to go for a scissor or 4 post over a 2 post.

[thinfourth2]

Another advantage to a 4 poster is you can torque up suspension bolts with a load on the wheels as you are meant to, which is hard with a 2 poster.

Also some cars don't like a 2 post lift such as elise which needs ballast to make it stable on a 2 post lift due to where the jacking points are

Also low cars can struggle wit a 2 post lift

[pist nbroke]

2 poster, all day long!

[danyeates]

thinfourth2 said:

Also some cars don't like a 2 post lift such as elise which needs ballast to make it stable on a 2 post lift due to where the jacking points are

Also low cars can struggle wit a 2 post lift

That's interesting. We're looking to get one for the VX220 and the workshop. Would a 2 post not be suitable at all then?

[kambites]

danyeates said:

That's interesting. We're looking to get one for the VX220 and the workshop. Would a 2 post not be suitable at all then?

You certainly need to be careful. The rear jacking points are only slightly behind the CoG so if you lift it by all four jacking points, it can fall off the back of the lift thus:

[andym1603]

Hi,
Idon't have one but if I was in the market I would be looking
for a four post with swivel plates and a good jacking beam.
Job done.
Andy..

[danyeates]

I've seen that photo before.

Also, we've stripped and rebuilt a few VX220's in the past so I do remember how they sit on 4 axle stands actually. I lent on the back and it tipped up!!! I thought it was just because there was no front clam, crash box, windscreen, front wheels or radiator so there wasn't much weight at the front.

Edited by danyeates on Monday 25th October 18:46

[kambites]

There are more jacking points further back, but they're hidden by the rear under-tray so if you want to use a lift with the Elise (or VX220, I assume), you need to take the under-tray off first.

[thinfourth2]

danyeates said:

thinfourth2 said:

Also some cars don't like a 2 post lift such as elise which needs ballast to make it stable on a 2 post lift due to where the jacking points are

Also low cars can struggle wit a 2 post lift

That's interesting. We're looking to get one for the VX220 and the workshop. Would a 2 post not be suitable at all then?

The solution i saw was big heavy weights in the passenger footwell.

And for god sake don't remove the front wheels without ballast up the front as you can see above

[Iwantoneofthose]

Not this one...

http://www.youtube.com/user/failblog#p/u/1/bLTEYRG...

[kambites]

thinfourth2 said:

And for god sake don't remove the front wheels without ballast up the front as you can see above

Draining the coolant can apparently be equally catastrophic. There's a fair weight of water in the radiator.

[Neil MG]

I have a two post and a four post and they both serve a purpose. For working on the car the two post is better in almost every case. For speed the drive on four post is really useful, but with the jacking beam and ramps access can be very difficult. Never considered a scissor lift, seems to block space and limit jacking points. You need to treat lifting with the respect it deserves and double check jacking point and locking mechanisms every time.

Looking at your (nice sized) building I would recommend a two post. I bought this one and collected and fitted myself, but it was a job!
http://is.gd/goouG
Excellent company to deal with and I would seriously consider their delivery and installation package!!!

That said the one you linked looks just as good. Any doubts about the floor quality, get an H frame.