Who has the best Garage on Pistonheads?
Discussion
eltax91 said:
I’m on the lookout for my lift now. Headroom not an issue. I’m very much torn between a 2 and 4 poster currently. I want to use it to work on my cars, although storing raised might be useful as it’ll give an extra space.
My understanding is for storage a 4 is best but for working a lot a 2 gives better access. I have seen people have fabricated steel pickups to swap in on a 2 poster to allow it to pick up the wheels to avoid chassis flex and suspension droop when raised for long periods.
Question is, on 2 posters can you even leave them with a car stored on them for long periods or is this going to kill the lift in short order?
Also in the ‘budget lifts’ category, there seems to be so much choice. How the fuzz does one work out how good/ reliable/ safe a lift is simply by looking at it??
No problem with using a 2 poster for storage, they have safety locks that you can drop the car onto so the weight it held mechanically rather than hydraulically. Most jobs are easier on 2 posters, it's a pretty easy choice unless you have specialist requirements or issues such as headroom. My understanding is for storage a 4 is best but for working a lot a 2 gives better access. I have seen people have fabricated steel pickups to swap in on a 2 poster to allow it to pick up the wheels to avoid chassis flex and suspension droop when raised for long periods.
Question is, on 2 posters can you even leave them with a car stored on them for long periods or is this going to kill the lift in short order?
Also in the ‘budget lifts’ category, there seems to be so much choice. How the fuzz does one work out how good/ reliable/ safe a lift is simply by looking at it??
For suppliers I can recommend https://www.automotechservices.co.uk/product-categ... . I've got the 4t clear floor version with the manual release (auto release wasn't available when I got mine) and it's excellent, also used by a lot of local trade.
Clear floor is also well worth having. Great for lower cars (my Westfield loads no problem or fuss) and also a lot easier to clean round. Upper height is surprisingly good as well, I can get my van to full height without triggering the stop sensor.
bungle said:
ds666 said:
Here's the starting point for my garage extension - should be finished in a few weeks 
Really interested in what you are doing. My garage is identical in structure to yours, and I was idly thinking about how I could extend it (I also have space to the left as you do, but where your (left hand) fence is is the front of my house). I'm looking for inspiration/ideas! More garage space = more excuses to buy cars (but less money, as I've spent it on the garage.... first world problems!).
@Redmax, fantastic garage (and contents!). Jealous.
Steve H said:
eltax91 said:
I’m on the lookout for my lift now. Headroom not an issue. I’m very much torn between a 2 and 4 poster currently. I want to use it to work on my cars, although storing raised might be useful as it’ll give an extra space.
My understanding is for storage a 4 is best but for working a lot a 2 gives better access. I have seen people have fabricated steel pickups to swap in on a 2 poster to allow it to pick up the wheels to avoid chassis flex and suspension droop when raised for long periods.
Question is, on 2 posters can you even leave them with a car stored on them for long periods or is this going to kill the lift in short order?
Also in the ‘budget lifts’ category, there seems to be so much choice. How the fuzz does one work out how good/ reliable/ safe a lift is simply by looking at it??
No problem with using a 2 poster for storage, they have safety locks that you can drop the car onto so the weight it held mechanically rather than hydraulically. Most jobs are easier on 2 posters, it's a pretty easy choice unless you have specialist requirements or issues such as headroom. My understanding is for storage a 4 is best but for working a lot a 2 gives better access. I have seen people have fabricated steel pickups to swap in on a 2 poster to allow it to pick up the wheels to avoid chassis flex and suspension droop when raised for long periods.
Question is, on 2 posters can you even leave them with a car stored on them for long periods or is this going to kill the lift in short order?
Also in the ‘budget lifts’ category, there seems to be so much choice. How the fuzz does one work out how good/ reliable/ safe a lift is simply by looking at it??
For suppliers I can recommend https://www.automotechservices.co.uk/product-categ... . I've got the 4t clear floor version with the manual release (auto release wasn't available when I got mine) and it's excellent, also used by a lot of local trade.
Clear floor is also well worth having. Great for lower cars (my Westfield loads no problem or fuss) and also a lot easier to clean round. Upper height is surprisingly good as well, I can get my van to full height without triggering the stop sensor.
This one, for example is 3420 wide (for a 2580 runway): https://www.automotechservices.co.uk/products/as-6...
Whereas this TwinBusch one is 3000 wide (2500 runway, 80mm penalty): https://twinbusch.co.uk/product_info.php?products_...
I guess TwinBusch makes their posts deeper and thinner to maintain the structure. The second option here, for me would be infinitely more "placeable" in my garage! Crazy i know that 400mm could make such a difference. Problem here is i've read no review about this manufacturer and i'm back to square 1, how do i know i can trust it?!
Edited by eltax91 on Thursday 24th January 19:31
eltax91 said:
How do i know i can trust it?
Now the link has been changed, having had a look at their site, the products look good, but you'll need to see them in the flesh to see the quality and make a decision. I see their GB address is Kettering that isn't that far from Leics ... could be worth a visit.As an alternative, they're at the London Classic Show in early Feb - could be worth a visit there instead.
Mac. said:
<sip> Swisstrax stuff </snip>
I've had them down 6 months now and they still look brand new. I've spilled oil, coolant, WD40, motorcycle chain oil, kerosene and brake and clutch cleaner on the tiles and it just wipes off with no staining. I've jacked up a 2 tonne SUV using a trolley jack, and had axle stands under a vehicle, not even a scratch on the tiles. My motorbike lives in the garage on a combination of either the side stand or paddock stand and not a mark on them. I've dropped sockets, screwdrivers, impact sockets and power tools onto the floor, no damage. They're brilliant. You can also unclip them and take them with you if you move house.
Happy to answer any more questions as I spent ages researching flooring!
Hi Mac,I've had them down 6 months now and they still look brand new. I've spilled oil, coolant, WD40, motorcycle chain oil, kerosene and brake and clutch cleaner on the tiles and it just wipes off with no staining. I've jacked up a 2 tonne SUV using a trolley jack, and had axle stands under a vehicle, not even a scratch on the tiles. My motorbike lives in the garage on a combination of either the side stand or paddock stand and not a mark on them. I've dropped sockets, screwdrivers, impact sockets and power tools onto the floor, no damage. They're brilliant. You can also unclip them and take them with you if you move house.
Happy to answer any more questions as I spent ages researching flooring!
Thankyou very much for sharing this info. I’ve not got a proper garage yet, but hopefully will have in 6 months time (house move paperwork currently all being sorted and waiting on a chain). From your post and some of my own research, I quite like the look of the swisstrax stuff. My main queries, which you’ve partly covered but was hoping you could share a bit more detail.
1. What’s it like for wheeling stuff like a trolley jack around? And in turn, a garage creeper (I’m quite excited about having somewhere flat and smooth enough to be able to use one, currently I work on a sloped driveway!) Whilst Jacks are fairly easy to move when unloaded, it’s more the when they’re loaded with a diff or a gearbox or something else heavy that I want to wheel out of the way.
2. Cleaning – I know I’ve read and hear mentioned you can jet wash, and use a vaccum etc. What’s the reality of this? I often have cars up and when you undo semi-seized bolts and the amount of underbody crap that comes off is quite significant.
Do they do tile samples?
Cheers.
Storer said:
Do you ever see a racing team use plastic, rubber, ceramic floor tiles? No
They use an epoxy resin coated floor.
No other information required.
I’m not sure that’s true, I’m sure I’ve seen pit garages with interlocking plastic tiles, and I’m pretty certain when I went around Mclaren F1 at Woking it was tiled They use an epoxy resin coated floor.
No other information required.
MDMA . said:
Those are exactly what I will be trying to use when I (some day) build my dream garage. Even down to the Ron-level of obsessiveness of building it just the right size so not one of the tiles need cutting.
daveeatonr4 said:
It may only be an extended double and crammed full of tools, Go Karts, moulds for the project but........But I may have the coolest project in my garage.... my Icon 917K, last seen flying at 100 feet up on the Festival of Speed Porsche 70th Anniversary Central Feature. ![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/vG6HtXj9.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/a2FqhD3v" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/a2FqhD3v.jpg)
more info needed!Schmeeky said:
Looking good..
Is the side wall coming down to make one large volume?
Side and back walls coming down soon . Original garage was 6m by 6m . I'm adding about 7m to the side and 2 m along the whole back length ) roughly 13m by 8m ) . The new bit is " vaulted " hence the steel ridge beam to allow a couple of lifts at some stage , maybe . Is the side wall coming down to make one large volume?
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