Single Post Lift - Any Experience?
Discussion
Anyone got experience of this:
https://www.automotechservices.co.uk/products/7521...
Going for a fit in a 6x4m workshop for domestic use and playing about. Anything else to consider?
Thanks.
https://www.automotechservices.co.uk/products/7521...
Going for a fit in a 6x4m workshop for domestic use and playing about. Anything else to consider?
Thanks.
IMHO
Bearing in mind you will never beat a 4 poster I will compare it with the scissor lift also in the link and £800 cheaper. ( I have a similar scissor lift)
The main criticism of a scissor is that the cross members get in the way of certain jobs, for example removing an exhaust system. The single post
has an even bigger cross member/fork so no better.
A scissor is no wider than the car so if garage width is at a premium this scores highest of all types of lift, but from the pictures the single post takes
up another half a cars width, plus you always need room to walk round the car while your working on it.
Whereas a scissor can be positioned and then the car driven over it, assuming its not sunk into the floor, the single poster looks either hard to drive
over, or needs to be wheeled under once the car is in place. Again, in a narrow garage this may be difficult.
Where both score highly over 2's or 4's is that they are both portable. Nice sunny day, changing all the pads and flexies, roll it out and do it on the drive.
With a small footprint, and the car up high, I'm not sure I'd want to hang on a breaker bar to remove wishbones or upset the balance by removing an
engine. One of those things that you need to do a couple of times to give you confidence.
Just my thoughts.
Paul G
Bearing in mind you will never beat a 4 poster I will compare it with the scissor lift also in the link and £800 cheaper. ( I have a similar scissor lift)
The main criticism of a scissor is that the cross members get in the way of certain jobs, for example removing an exhaust system. The single post
has an even bigger cross member/fork so no better.
A scissor is no wider than the car so if garage width is at a premium this scores highest of all types of lift, but from the pictures the single post takes
up another half a cars width, plus you always need room to walk round the car while your working on it.
Whereas a scissor can be positioned and then the car driven over it, assuming its not sunk into the floor, the single poster looks either hard to drive
over, or needs to be wheeled under once the car is in place. Again, in a narrow garage this may be difficult.
Where both score highly over 2's or 4's is that they are both portable. Nice sunny day, changing all the pads and flexies, roll it out and do it on the drive.
With a small footprint, and the car up high, I'm not sure I'd want to hang on a breaker bar to remove wishbones or upset the balance by removing an
engine. One of those things that you need to do a couple of times to give you confidence.
Just my thoughts.
Paul G
That looks a great bit of kit (single post) but I imagine it needs a very level surface to operate which therefore probably precludes a driveway.
I bought an Automech two posts 3 years ago and it's the best thing I ever did. ISTR there are single and 3 phase options - I went for single phase and put in a 16A supply to a commando plug with a 'slow blow' breaker it works a treat - also doubles up for the MIG which is handy.
I've had no issues at all and am very happy with the product and price from Authomech - I even know a few professional garages who use them.
I bought an Automech two posts 3 years ago and it's the best thing I ever did. ISTR there are single and 3 phase options - I went for single phase and put in a 16A supply to a commando plug with a 'slow blow' breaker it works a treat - also doubles up for the MIG which is handy.
I've had no issues at all and am very happy with the product and price from Authomech - I even know a few professional garages who use them.
GreenV8S said:
Is scissor lift plus tall axle stands a viable option for people without much 'walking around' space but who also need to work on the driveline and exhaust occasionally? Do these scissor lifts leave enough space to get a stand in there too?
Mine came with 4 swivelling bars (in yellow) and various hight posts with non slip rubber tops. (sets of 4)Pick up under suspension and weld up sills, or pick up on the sill jacking points and work on suspension. I've done both.
Also removed a gearbox, an engine, and the exhaust on a couple of MX5's.
I've made manifolds and exhausts for a couple of 70's single seaters and the next job will be turbo system on a Volvo Varriomatic.
Its saved years of wear & tear on my back.
Paul G
I've got that exact one for the same reason, very small working area. Runs on a 13a plug with no issues.
My advice would be if there's any way at all you can squeeze a 2 poster in then go for one of them, this single poster while it gets the job done is much more of a faff to use, whilst being considerably more expensive than a heavier 2 or 4 poster. It's also only 2.5 ton so a Range Rover with a bit of weight in is getting close to it's limit. We have a P38 Rangie in the family which obviously spends a lot of time on the lift, I've taken to propping a transmission jack under it while I'm working on it as the whole lot can move alarmingly when rocked or shaken
The central lifting bar is quite chunky and 100mm tall so even modestly low cars can't quite clear it, I keep a selection of planks to make a raised drive over. This also makes the odd gearbox, prop or exhaust change a bit more challenging over a 2/4 poster.
If you've a small space like me it's very tricky to get different cars balanced properly and in a position to be lifted while clearing all the obstructions in and around the roof area. It's a pain to set up but it would be nigh on impossible if it didn't have the pump truck handle to move it around, so I'm glad I got that one and not the fixed one.
The arcs of the lifting pads are relatively limited, it's a struggle to get the two pairs of pads close enough together to lift a 4x4 with a ladder chassis on the chassis rails for example, I quite often have to put one leg under a suspension arm or outrigger somewhere. Again not impossible but I've taken 20 minutes to get a 4x4 ready to lift before now, granted this is partly the fault of my constricted space requiring the lift and vehicle to be almost inch perfect, means lots of shuffling to get it in the right spot and nicely balanced!
The outermost arms need to be fully retracted while you drive the car over, then you need to Scrabble about on the floor between the car and the wall with both arms under the car to simultaneously release the locking mechanism and swing the arm out. I fitted lighter springs to the anti swing locks as I found I could barely manage this single handedly on lower cars especially.
Probably quite a negative picture overall, I was a bit disappointed with how tricky it was to use but I spent two years working in garages with 2 and 4 posters so I've perhaps been spoilt somewhat. It was still the only real option for our limited space, I think in hindsight I might have been tempted to try a full height scissor lift instead but I'm sure that would have come with it's own pitfalls and might have been even worse to live with!
My advice would be if there's any way at all you can squeeze a 2 poster in then go for one of them, this single poster while it gets the job done is much more of a faff to use, whilst being considerably more expensive than a heavier 2 or 4 poster. It's also only 2.5 ton so a Range Rover with a bit of weight in is getting close to it's limit. We have a P38 Rangie in the family which obviously spends a lot of time on the lift, I've taken to propping a transmission jack under it while I'm working on it as the whole lot can move alarmingly when rocked or shaken
The central lifting bar is quite chunky and 100mm tall so even modestly low cars can't quite clear it, I keep a selection of planks to make a raised drive over. This also makes the odd gearbox, prop or exhaust change a bit more challenging over a 2/4 poster.
If you've a small space like me it's very tricky to get different cars balanced properly and in a position to be lifted while clearing all the obstructions in and around the roof area. It's a pain to set up but it would be nigh on impossible if it didn't have the pump truck handle to move it around, so I'm glad I got that one and not the fixed one.
The arcs of the lifting pads are relatively limited, it's a struggle to get the two pairs of pads close enough together to lift a 4x4 with a ladder chassis on the chassis rails for example, I quite often have to put one leg under a suspension arm or outrigger somewhere. Again not impossible but I've taken 20 minutes to get a 4x4 ready to lift before now, granted this is partly the fault of my constricted space requiring the lift and vehicle to be almost inch perfect, means lots of shuffling to get it in the right spot and nicely balanced!
The outermost arms need to be fully retracted while you drive the car over, then you need to Scrabble about on the floor between the car and the wall with both arms under the car to simultaneously release the locking mechanism and swing the arm out. I fitted lighter springs to the anti swing locks as I found I could barely manage this single handedly on lower cars especially.
Probably quite a negative picture overall, I was a bit disappointed with how tricky it was to use but I spent two years working in garages with 2 and 4 posters so I've perhaps been spoilt somewhat. It was still the only real option for our limited space, I think in hindsight I might have been tempted to try a full height scissor lift instead but I'm sure that would have come with it's own pitfalls and might have been even worse to live with!
GreenV8S said:
Is scissor lift plus tall axle stands a viable option for people without much 'walking around' space but who also need to work on the driveline and exhaust occasionally? Do these scissor lifts leave enough space to get a stand in there too?
I have a similar scissor lift to the one pictured above. Access for stand would depend on car/area required. Most times it would be difficult to position them due to lifting rams and cross beams on lift. I have seen some people place stands under wheels and lower lift leaving vehicle in the air.Think there is always some sort of compromise regardless which way you go depending on room, access, price, etc but anything remotely suitable is a lot better than not having one.
The sill lift type might be more suitable if you require more access underneath.
https://www.automotechservices.co.uk/products/as-7...
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