2 post lifts--advice

[GTdrummer]

I have a Rotary 4 post lift and I have another Viper inbound. I was thinking of getting another 4 post but it would dwarf my garage (as well as possiby crater my marriage).

I am looking at 2 posts but they worry me a bit particularly for long term storage. I just have this vision of a GT or other car hanging off the lift.

For those with 2 posts have you had any issues? Are they a good alternative? Thanks

 

[Empty Pockets]

I personally don't trust 2 posters as far as I could throw one. ESPECIALLY for storage. And evidently you feel the same way! So, go with your gut. It's talking to you for a reason...

 

[robt777]

Two post lifts are ok if you want to stand on your head to position the lift pads.

 

[GTdrummer]

I personally don't trust 2 posters as far as I could throw one. ESPECIALLY for storage. And evidently you feel the same way! So, go with your gut. It's talking to you for a reason...

Yeah you are right. And, I just talked to my installer who said the 2 posts are safe enough but he would not store a car on one for any length of time, as much as he would like to sell it to me. May be time to knock out a wall.

 

[gtinmyblood]

I have a rotary 2 post asymetric and five rotary revolution four post lifts. There is a car on each all of the time. With over seven years of storing a car (usually a Maserati QP III at 4200lbs) on the two post I have no worries about using it for storage. I had not intended to use the two post for storage but thats how it ended up.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Yeah you are right. And, I just talked to my installer who said the 2 posts are safe enough but he would not store a car on one for any length of time, as much as he would like to sell it to me. May be time to knock out a wall.

That's especially true if you live in a quake zone, I would think. I mean, how does one really 'secure' a car to a 2 poster? A car CAN be safely tied down to a 4 poster's ramps...but, what can you really secure a car TO on a 2 poster? And, I darn sure wouldn't want to have a car parked UNDER one stored on a 2 poster during a quake! 'Just MHO.

Paranoid Pockets

 

[BlackICE]

+1!

 

[Sinovac]

GTDrummer,

I personally would never use a 2 post lift for storage, but I have my children in and out of the garage all the time. A four post lift with 2 rolling jacks to lift the car off the runners is ideal. Rotary makes lifts in many different sizes. If you have the room for a 2 post, you can probably make a narrow bay 4 post work. I have the narrow bay 4 post from Rotary and it works great.

[/IMG]

 

[Outkastscc]

I have a Mohawk 2 post and have stored a car on it for over a year with no worries.

Here is an alternative to the typical 2 or 4 post lift.

http://hardingsteel.com/

 

[gtinmyblood]

That's especially true if you live in a quake zone, I would think. I mean, how does one really 'secure' a car to a 2 poster? A car CAN be safely tied down to a 4 poster's ramps...but, what can you really secure a car TO on a 2 poster? And, I darn sure wouldn't want to have a car parked UNDER one stored on a 2 poster during a quake! 'Just MHO.

Paranoid Pockets

I would agree with your earthquake assessment but would submit that even a four poster is risky under that scenario unless substantial physical stops are added above the manufacturers spec.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I would agree with your earthquake assessment but would submit that even a four poster is risky under that scenario unless substantial physical stops are added above the manufacturers spec.

Oh, absolutely. The 4 foot plates should be bolted to the floor and a 4x4 (at least a 2x4) should be tie wrapped (vertically) right UNDER each post's locking mechanism so that, if one or more the 4 post's locking mechanisms fail, there's no way the ramp/ramps can drop toward the floor - the vertical 4x4 s will prevent it. In my own case, I also secure each of the 2 posts that are located next to the garage wall to the 6x6 wall posts that stand beside each of them. Those 6x6's are buried 3' deep into concrete. They ain't goin' NOWHERE...and if they DO, damage to the cars will be the least of my worries...

(And, of course, it goes w/o saying that the CAR is tied down to the ramps!)

 

[Submoose]

Old thread, new Post. I have an asymmetric Rotory 2 post and it doesn’t have a spread long enough to reach the jack points on the GT. So…for those of you who do your own brakes, what do you do?

 

[saleenrose]

I have my car on 2 post lift right now, it is a Rotary std 12000 lb lift, I made 2 bolts go thru frame mounts as studs to secure rear of car, the fronts are on 2x2 boards as pads. With the rear studs it is very secure.

 

[fjpikul]

Sounds like it is time for a new lift.

 

[Submoose]

Lift is 6 months old…boo. It’s the exact lift in the pics above Saleenrose posted. My assumption that I am trying to use the inboard lifting points in the front and he is not or maybe I need to back in but that makes no sense. (Asymmetric only works going in forward) I’m stumped. The front arms are not within 6 inches of the lifting spots. I’m looking in my phone so I’ll pull up pics on computer later.

 

[saleenrose]

Mine is symmetric lift, the asymmetrical lift is designed to have engine or heavy parts closest to the lift. I have those at work and I would back a GT in if I was using one of those. The doors on the GT make putting on a 2 post hard, I use race ramps front and rear to drive car up to gain clearance for arms. Then crawl out of car so as door doesn't hit post. It can be done.

 

[Submoose]

Thanks Saleen, I misread your response. Symmetric would get it done. I ordered a set of race ramps but was able to use 2x14’s to get the car up enough to swing the arms under. I think I am going to just sit on the brake job for a couple months and do it after I put in a 4 post Benpak with rolling bridge jacks integrated.

 

[fjpikul]

Ha, I was just giving you an excuse, but I guess it worked out.

 

[mmlcobra]

4Post for me.
Have 3.
Mark

 

[2112]

Saw this amazing lift on BaT;