Vehicle Lifts: 2-post, 4-post, etc

[WarDamnEagle]

If you're looking to save money buy a used lift. I recommend Mohawk or Rotary. Mohawk is hands down the best there is.

The biggest differentiator from hobby 2 post to pro grade is how the guides work.

Cheap lifts have plastic carriage guides. Pro grade use roller bearings like a Forklift mast.

My first thought on lifts, which I didn't mention in my post above, was a used Mohawk. There was no availability that I could find at the time. I also couldn't justify the price difference between Rotary and Mohawk for new lifts and the Rotary guy is fairly local. Again, no disappointment whatsoever with Rotary, especially with the Trio arms.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

As far as life safety is concerned, I'd be surprised (although I admit I haven't looked) if any lift of any value has a very different lockout mechanism design. Maybe one is made of heavier material than another, but I'd think that lifts failing under load would be a "stop the presses" event. I can't remember ever hearing of one. I have heard, and seen, morons who had their loads fall of of a lift, but that wasn't the lift's fault.

Just doing a 2 minute google search brings up concerns with some lift designs. Here's an example from the UK HSE website:

"Problems with the design, installation, use and maintenance of arm locking mechanisms continue to cause concern in newer machinery. Some new Chinese-manufactured 2-post lifts have been found where the locking mechanism has been poorly manufactured and failed to work from installation or within a short period of use."

Safety in the use of two-post vehicle lifts - HSE

Issues advice to the Enforcing Authorities (HSE and LAs) about the risks of vehicles falling from two-post lifts where arm locking systems are either missing or have ceased to work.

www.hse.gov.uk

 

[Malleus]

If you're looking to save money buy a used lift. I recommend Mohawk or Rotary. Mohawk is hands down the best there is.

The biggest differentiator from hobby 2 post to pro grade is how the guides work.

Cheap lifts have plastic carriage guides. Pro grade use roller bearings like a Forklift mast.

I figured the differences in price came down to design element choices. Buying a used lift here is easier said than done.

 

[Waorani]

I know BendPak doesn't get much love here but a friend has an older 12k that is really nice and I'd buy if it ever came up for sale. Not sure if the newer ones are less well made.

 

[Skreddy]

I bought a certified lift. I talked to my homeowners insurance and they said they’ve seen claims denied or very difficult with non-certified versions. Just food for thought.
Mine is 10k, over width, overheight. I have a crew cab ram 3500 I wanted to be able to lift and I wanted it wide enough I could get my flatbed trailer in there to lift stuff off of it. I also have 13’ ceilings.

 

[Malleus]

I bought a certified lift. I talked to my homeowners insurance and they said they’ve seen claims denied or very difficult with non-certified versions. Just food for thought.
Mine is 10k, over width, overheight. I have a crew cab ram 3500 I wanted to be able to lift and I wanted it wide enough I could get my flatbed trailer in there to lift stuff off of it. I also have 13’ ceilings.

Who certified it and what exactly does that mean?

 

[Skreddy]

Company’s will have an option of either ALI certified or non-certified. Certified seems to be $1000-1500 more money and the lift doesn’t really look any different, but has a plaque stating it’s certified.

Btw, mine is an Ideal brand, model TP10KAC-DX. You can get some lifts through Lowe’s/Home Depot. I ordered mine through Lowe’s, used my pro account for a discount, then they also ship it to the store free; I just had to pick it up at the store with my flatbed. Saved like $1200 in freight.

 

[Malleus]

Interesting

 

[Waorani]

You can buy lifts from HD, Lowes, Amazon, and probably others. Don't know anything about them but assume all imports. Seems like my 20+ yr old import Atlas 10k was in the $2K+ range back then which would probably put it in the range of the some those today. It's adequate and works fine for my needs but finances now are such that I'd want to go higher quality. Doubt it would actually do 10k.

Sunday funday!

 

[fantic]

When I was looking it was for a Mohawk or Rotary. Couldn't find a good used Mohawk. Ended up buying a new Rotary SPO 10 with the frame pads. I really wanted that ALI certification knowing I would be having two different dually over my head.

 

[PIP]

I'm not sure the certification means anything for the build quality.

2 post lifts are engineered based on duty cycle. An entry level lift is built with significantly more allowance for deflection. An entry level 2 post might use 3/16" or 5mm thick steel for the columns and plastic guides.

A heavy service lift will use 3/8" or 1/2" material and roller guides.

They both do the same job, but the heavy service lift will do it 50 times a day for a couple decades. Not so much for the lighter duty version.

Any 2 post lift sold should be more than safe to work under in a home shop.

A bigger problem with 2 posts is how they're installed. The concrete and connection to the concrete.

You should never, ever, ever use wedge anchors to install a 2 post. Even if the manufacturer says they're fine. Wedge anchors can work fine, but they can also put huge point loads in the concrete that lead to failure. Can you tell when a wedge anchor is going to fail? Especially with a cyclic type of load. 2 posts should be installed with proper rated studs and epoxy.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Adjusted my cables for the first time since the lift was installed yesterday. Pretty easy to do. This video is Rotary specific but I'm guessing it would apply to many of the two post lifts in this thread.

90 Second Know How: Two-Post Cable Adjustment | Rotary Solutions

If you own, work in, or have ever set foot inside an auto repair shop, you undoubtedly have seen a two-post lift. Two-posters are the workhorse of many shops and are an iconic image when you think of auto repair. Their versatility, efficiency and small foot prints make them ideal for most...

rotarysolutions.com

 

[fantic]

Thanks for posting this. Mine goes "clunk...clunk" instead of one solid clunk.

 

[Ol Yeller]

Thanks for posting this. Mine goes "clunk...clunk" instead of one solid clunk.

Yeah mine is not perfect either, add to the list…

 

[Waorani]

Mine's out of sync for the first couple of safeties then in sync for the rest. Probably a quality issue but I'll play with it once I get what's on it now off.

 

[knuckle47]

My 4 post is solid and I no longer fear those images and videos of disasters. I don’t carry the presence of mind making sure things are balanced and run a checklist in my head. I love the fact it occupies less space. I did park two cars with it ..one on top one below…Additionally , never planned for a lift for the 8” thick floor and would have no options beyond wedge bolts and I hear there are better ways. Sometimes ignorance is bliss

 

[ace10]

My 4 post is solid and I no longer fear those images and videos of disasters. I don’t carry the presence of mind making sure things are balanced and run a checklist in my head. I love the fact it occupies less space. I did park two cars with it ..one on top one below…Additionally , never planned for a lift for the 8” thick floor and would have no options beyond wedge bolts and I hear there are better ways. Sometimes ignorance is bliss

You have a 4 post lift. Do any of them require bolting to the floor? Mine don't. Not even my double wide.

 

[Waorani]

4-post is on my want list (along with a bunch of other stuff!). Friend has one that hasn't had anything on it in years I'm trying to buy but "he's going to need it soon."

And epoxy set anchors are pretty easy to do.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

My 4 post is solid and I no longer fear those images and videos of disasters. I don’t carry the presence of mind making sure things are balanced and run a checklist in my head. I love the fact it occupies less space. I did park two cars with it ..one on top one below…Additionally , never planned for a lift for the 8” thick floor and would have no options beyond wedge bolts and I hear there are better ways. Sometimes ignorance is bliss

Pretty sure a four post takes up umpteen times more space than a two post. …and that suspension you just installed would have been so much easier with a two post. Lastly, you only need a bit over 4” for a 10k two post lift. Just saying.

They are great for storage though.

 

[knuckle47]

Yes the 4 post does eat real estate in the pole barn…this one accommodates our Suburban so it’s wide and long and extra tall. 9000lb capacity, rolling jack stand, and 5 sliding drip plates full length underneath for parking vehicles above one another without worrying if anything is leaking or spillage while working. Use 1 or all 5

These do not get floor mounted. They can be if you wish. Each 4 post leg has a weight driven, Cantilevered lever arm that when installed, the weight of the runways at the last 6-8 inches to the ground, will raise the posts so you can roll the entire lift left/right/forward or backward on the solid nylon wheels. You can also use their 12x12x1/2” thick rubber pads under each post to eliminate any abrasion to floor surfaces.