4 Post lift, height adjustment
Discussion
I use a 4 post lift, mainly for storage.
The car currently on top is about 6 inches from the roof timbers and the space underneath about 3 inches too low to get a particular car under.
Thinking of raising the whole thing by 3 inches by placing something under the foot pads.
Any ideas? Existing pads are 250mm x 250mm.
The car currently on top is about 6 inches from the roof timbers and the space underneath about 3 inches too low to get a particular car under.
Thinking of raising the whole thing by 3 inches by placing something under the foot pads.
Any ideas? Existing pads are 250mm x 250mm.
No, not maxed out but it goes up in 6" stages actually goes up 7" then you bring it down an inch to lock it. Another 7" would see the car.roof / garage roof timbers interface down to minus 2" (or crash).
I used to put a TVR 350i up there, with the roof down I'd get the windscreen between two roof timbers and the rear roof between two others giving me an extra 6". (Ooh-er Missus)
I used to put a TVR 350i up there, with the roof down I'd get the windscreen between two roof timbers and the rear roof between two others giving me an extra 6". (Ooh-er Missus)
Well, I suppose it would be a perfect fit second time around.
Picking the whole lift up seems like a very crude solution but relatively simple to do if you want. Presumably you'd need an extra three inches worth of ramps to get the car onto the lift. The forces aren't especially high and a 3" chunk of wood under each foot would be amply strong, also not high enough to have any concerns about toppling off. Is the ramp bolted down currently? Typically manufacturors specify that they must be bolted down and the ones in that picture look designed to be bolted down. In that case you'd need longer bolts and some care to align everything with the original holes.
Picking the whole lift up seems like a very crude solution but relatively simple to do if you want. Presumably you'd need an extra three inches worth of ramps to get the car onto the lift. The forces aren't especially high and a 3" chunk of wood under each foot would be amply strong, also not high enough to have any concerns about toppling off. Is the ramp bolted down currently? Typically manufacturors specify that they must be bolted down and the ones in that picture look designed to be bolted down. In that case you'd need longer bolts and some care to align everything with the original holes.
Have thought about that but I've never actually taken the caster stuff out of the box! Not sure how stable it would be on casters though, they're only meant for moving an empty lift around I think.
Thinking of abandoning the idea or trying the top car on the bottom and bottom car on top, might make a difference.
Thinking of abandoning the idea or trying the top car on the bottom and bottom car on top, might make a difference.
On my Automotech 4 post lift the bars or rails that the platform locks into are attached to the plates on top of the lift via threaded rods that are double nutted. The bar/rail height can be adjusted at each corner so that the platform is level when raised.
If yours is similar is there enough thread left so that you can you raise each bar/rail the required 3 inches?
I can post a photo if helps - just let me know.
If yours is similar is there enough thread left so that you can you raise each bar/rail the required 3 inches?
I can post a photo if helps - just let me know.
AW10 said:
On my Automotech 4 post lift the bars or rails that the platform locks into are attached to the plates on top of the lift via threaded rods that are double nutted. The bar/rail height can be adjusted at each corner so that the platform is level when raised.
If yours is similar is there enough thread left so that you can you raise each bar/rail the required 3 inches?
I can post a photo if helps - just let me know.
You know I never thought of this, I'll investigate, Thanks.If yours is similar is there enough thread left so that you can you raise each bar/rail the required 3 inches?
I can post a photo if helps - just let me know.
Skyedriver said:
?
Shortening the length of cable should increase the height?
I'll investigate further. The "notches" that the locking device clicks into are cut direct into the 4 pillars, That's not adjustable.
Changing the cable lengths will just add/remove slack. They’re typically adjusted so that the platform is level when being raised/lowered.Shortening the length of cable should increase the height?
I'll investigate further. The "notches" that the locking device clicks into are cut direct into the 4 pillars, That's not adjustable.
On my lift the notches you speak of are on a long and narrow steel plate that is welded to a threaded rod at the upper end and the rod goes through the plate at the top of the post. Each of the 4 plates can be adjusted individually; this allow the locked platform height to be adjusted within a small range. I used these adjustments to get the platform level when raised.
Will post a photo later.
AW10, got it thanks, thought the "notches" were fixed to the pillars but they are only held by a single threaded length of studding at the top. There's a good 3" of movement up over which should give me enough clearance underneath without the car on top hitting the roof, even allowing for the 1" you need to release the lock before lowering.
Thank you ever so much for spotting this.
Thank you ever so much for spotting this.
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