Car Lift recommendations for new workshop

[A993LAD]

I'm just in the process of converting one of my barns into a decent garage and workshop.

One of the top things on my wishlist is a car lift.

Fed up with crawling under cars on a filthy barn floor.

So

2 post or 4 post?

Also any recommendations on type/suppliers gratefully received.

Self install or get it professionally done?

Cheers

[Pete54]

For actually working on vehicles - 2 post.

Mine is Spanish (made in China obviously) and installed in my French shed,

You do need fairly substantial foundations for the 2 poster. Easy enough to do, just a bit of labour (well quite a bit, my foundations were 1m square and 300mm deep.

Actually installing it - pretty easy and useful in understanding how it all works and is synchronised. Mine has a manual release to lower - pull the bit of string. Saves some money at the cost of convenience. Got mine bought and installed for around €1700.

[Skyedriver]

4 post for storage and working on the car isn't that much more difficult than a two post and a four post requires less thick floor slab. $ post feels more secure.

Got mine last year from http://www.sjrgarageequipment.co.uk/
At 69 I'm too old to go crawling around and squirming under a car.

[itcaptainslow]

You can get a scissor type that won’t need pro installation, and is a little more portable, too. From memory I paid around £1,500 for mine from Strongman tools.

Downside is it’s a bit of a pain (but not impossible) changing the mid section of an exhaust on it.

[A993LAD]

Skyedriver said:

Got mine last year from http://www.sjrgarageequipment.co.uk/
At 69 I'm too old to go crawling around and squirming under a car.

Cheers but looks like they are Liverpool area.

Should have mentioned I'm in Sussex.

[Skyedriver]

A993LAD said:

Skyedriver said:

Got mine last year from http://www.sjrgarageequipment.co.uk/
At 69 I'm too old to go crawling around and squirming under a car.

Cheers but looks like they are Liverpool area.

Should have mentioned I'm in Sussex.

You're near by to them then, I'm in Oban, West coast Scotland.

[Lotobear]

I bought an Automech 2 post around 5 years ago and could not be happier with it - makes working on and restoring vehicles a joy.

I self installed in around 1 day with my son - the posts are sodding heavy and a 3-4 man lift each but once in place the rest was straight forward. Luckily a builder was working in our village at the time so I gave him £20 and he unloaded it with his telehandler

Edited by Lotobear on Tuesday 17th May 12:30

[Jaz2000]

I have both a 2 and 4 post and use them everyday and if I had to get rid of one it would be the 2 post.

If getting a 4 post lift for working on your car its a must to buy a jacking beam.

[A993LAD]

Jaz2000 said:

I have both a 2 and 4 post and use them everyday and if I had to get rid of one it would be the 2 post.

If getting a 4 post lift for working on your car its a must to buy a jacking beam.

Thanks, that's a really useful insight. Some have said 2 post better for working on the car, but I'm keen to select the best option for me as I doing this once and (hopefully) using it for years.

Converting this barn is giving me the biggest space, with better insulation than I've ever had for working on my cars and bikes.

Mains power will only be single phase but presumably that's ok even for a 4 post?

[ninjag]

I use a 2 post and it does allow for good access, but some cars can be tricky to line up for the jacking points. It's also not so good for pre-loading the suspension when doing arms etc.

A 4 post would be my choice, especially with a jacking beam. The ramps are handy for placing your tools, nuts, bolts, torch etc on whilst working away.

[eltax91]

TwinBusch

So very impressed with mine. 2 poster if you’re working on the car, 4 if you’re storing it

[A993LAD]

eltax91 said:

TwinBusch

So very impressed with mine. 2 poster if you’re working on the car, 4 if you’re storing it

Just checked their uk website. Looks good but no mention of recommended installers.

Did you install yourself or get contractors to do it?

[eltax91]

A993LAD said:

eltax91 said:

TwinBusch

So very impressed with mine. 2 poster if you’re working on the car, 4 if you’re storing it

Just checked their uk website. Looks good but no mention of recommended installers.

Did you install yourself or get contractors to do it?

They have a sub contracting engineer who does installs. I’m lucky in that I have a time served machine tool engineer of 50+ years man and boy, whose daughter I married and so installation was a cinch.

I’ll be honest, it was very DIY for the 2 of us. Instructions very clear. As long as you can handle an SDS drill then you can do it

[Rich_AR]

2-post lift for me. Great for pretty much all DIY work. I also use mine as storage over winter as well. For the work i did on my 911, a 4-post would have made it tricky. I think removing 911 engine on a 4-post would be difficult.

I am however considering adding a 4-post lift as well, for extra storage.

If you intend to do lots of DIY, then 2-post. If you're just doing odd bits here and there plus storage, then 4-post would probably make more sense.

[Dave.]

A two poster and a set of alignment tables for when you need the suspension/wheels loaded?

[A993LAD]

Rich_AR said:

2-post lift for me. Great for pretty much all DIY work. I also use mine as storage over winter as well. For the work i did on my 911, a 4-post would have made it tricky. I think removing 911 engine on a 4-post would be difficult.

I am however considering adding a 4-post lift as well, for extra storage.

If you intend to do lots of DIY, then 2-post. If you're just doing odd bits here and there plus storage, then 4-post would probably make more sense.

Thanks that's really useful. I will be mainly using it for DIY mechanics on classic cars I expect. I also have a 911 which will no doubt need the engine out at some stage. Storage obviously handy but not the main requirement.

Oh dear, decisions decisions! I definitely won't be buying both so it has to be one or the other.

Edited by A993LAD on Thursday 19th May 11:42

[kestral]

eltax91 said:

TwinBusch

So very impressed with mine. 2 poster if you’re working on the car, 4 if you’re storing it

What has storing got to do with ramps?

[rigga]

kestral said:

eltax91 said:

TwinBusch

So very impressed with mine. 2 poster if you’re working on the car, 4 if you’re storing it

What has storing got to do with ramps?

For two cars, one on the ramp, and one underneath.

[Rich_AR]

A993LAD said:

Thanks that's really useful. I will be mainly using it for DIY mechanics on classic cars I expect. I also have a 911 which will no doubt need the engine out at some stage. Storage obviously handy but not the main requirement.

Oh dear, decisions decisions! I definitely won't be buying both so it has to be one or the other.

Then I'd personally swing towards a decent 2-post lift. Especially if you have a 911 as well!

Have a look here at what some guys do with 4-posts and 911's.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technic...

Edited by Rich_AR on Thursday 19th May 15:22

[buchanan84]

If you go 2 post, try to stretch to a baseless one. Jacking beam/ gearbox jack always ends up getting in the way of the base. Also makes it easier to push a car in place