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This is a topic that has been on my mind for a few weeks. After using a friends 4 post lift to torque the fasteners on my Tbird rear installed in my 53 I have decided to do my best to have one. I used a two post lift at another friends shop a couple of years ago and not only was I squeamish under it [he uses it daily without fear] but getting the legs positioned was as much trouble as jack stands I use now. The four post seems best for me. My friend has one of the movable lift trays for jacking up the vehicle. I am sold on the four post, just need to figure out how to make it happen.
Buy the best one you can afford........you really do get what you pay for.
I bought A 9k Bendpak 4 post (extra long and tall) about a 1 1/2 years ago. Love it. Should of had one long ago....
I didn't find any reference to ALI certification anywhere on their website. I strongly suggest you go to the ALI website to see what they offer and what they say about non certified lifts.
I did a lot of reading before buying my lift. Both to find the best lifts and also how to install it. You really want to make sure you know as much as you can before lifting up a 2+ ton vehicle and start wrenching under it.
I have a friend that bought a brand new lift, I think I know who he bought it from but am not sure so I'm not going to say, but it was one that is advertised in some national magazine. He got a "great" deal on it. He put it up in his shop and a short time later he had a car on it and the collar on one of the cylinder popped off. The car came down on one side. He was lucky he didn't get hurt. He also has a fleet of forklifts and was able to lift the side of the car up. The manufacturer did send him a new collar to repair the cylinder but I still wouldn't trust it. It is not a ALI certified lift.
If you can afford it, buy two rolling jacks that fit the hoist. Makes it much easier to work on all four wheels at the same tire and tire rotations a breeze.
Also be sure to have something capable of unloading the lift off the truck. When new hoists were installed at work, we payed a tow truck to unload it off the flat deck.
I was ready to purchase one, a 4 post. Then I discovered that even in the tallest area of my shop the roof is 2 inches too low for the top of my cab. The way it is built, with the roof being a single pitch connected to the side of the house, there is no way to raise it without major structural changes. Ouch! Now I just have to sell and move but haven't been able to convince my wife yet. The housing market in Houston is great, but that also means that when you buy another it will also be highly priced. And so far I haven't been able to convince her to move to far outskirts of the city. Traffic is REALLY bad here now with about 160 people moving here every day (according to the city). The traffic tells the truth about that, there is no rush hour anymore - it is at least 3 hours each morning and more at the end of the day. And it goes both directions on all the freeways. Crazy!
I have a 2-post asymmetric lift that I'm very happy to have. It's great for all kinds of procedures that you'd normally hate to be on your back under the vehicle to accomplish. That said, ironically, there are still a lot of jobs that I'd just as soon do out on the driveway in front of the shop. Many of my vehicles sit too low and need to be jacked to get the lift's arms under them (maybe the 4 post would have been better?). Positioning the arms is also a bit of a hassle on all vehicles. So, oil changes and some brake jobs have been done in the driveway where I have better light. Personally, I don't like the scissor lift due to all items to trip over.
I didn't find any reference to ALI certification anywhere on their website. I strongly suggest you go to the ALI website to see what they offer and what they say about non certified lifts.
Thank you very much for the link and additional comments.
Eagle lists two '2 post CERTIFIED lifts' on their site as recent additions, proper ALI compliance. Back tracking to find the true source of the items reveals 'Launch Tech USA' as the exclusive North American Distributor for Launch Technology Ltd. located in Shenzhen and Shanghai China.
The ALI website further indicates the various 2 Post CERTIFIED lifts 'Launch Tech USA' supplies to other manufacturers/re-marketers, Atlas Automotive Equipment, Eagle, Launch Tech USA, Technolift, Weaver, Western Hoist.
I find it very intriguing that a predominately MADE IN THE USA company either can't or will not get certification for their products, hmm.
Think I'll call Eagle and make further inquiries, they are so close to me that the items would be here two days after the order and under 200 usd shipping, ridiculous.
Again, THANK YOU for the very interesting research quest you awoke in me and hopefully others.
Whichever type you buy, I saw this comment on another forum and believe it to be great advice:
"I sell, service, and install lifts as part of my living. I always get asked can you get me such and such a part for my Never-Heard-of-Em lift...Moral of the story is buy what you've heard of. I sell Challenger and Rotary, and my customers know 50 years from now I can easily get them parts. Seriously, every swinging d sells a lift and quickly goes out of business...Moral of this story, you get what you pay for."
Can you buy replacement parts for anything made in China? I've never had any luck.
Good point Ross. I think I saw that post on the Garage Journal when I was looking at buying a lift. Manitowoc lifts were considered a very good lift but the company went out of business a few years back but I found out that a company in Illinois bought their design and still services and supplies parts. The Manitowoc, like any good lift, is built to last and should be here after I am gone.
I was ready to purchase one, a 4 post. Then I discovered that even in the tallest area of my shop the roof is 2 inches too low for the top of my cab.
May not be just your house, these trucks are tall in stock configuration. I have a stock 1951 F1 here that will not fit under my 4 post lifts and cannot go on the lift at full height. I have 12 foot ceilings which has worked fine for everything else, would need 14 foot for enough height for one of these trucks. They sell high lift 4 post lifts but the car up top would have to be super low to make them both fit.
Even if you can't get a truck all the way up , you can do anything that you would use jack stands for , and a lot more . One more thought for a 4 post , this is something I am going to try on mine . Build a tower,[ that can be bolted on ] for each end of the lift . instant rotisseriey .
May not be just your house, these trucks are tall in stock configuration. I have a stock 1951 F1 here that will not fit under my 4 post lifts and cannot go on the lift at full height. I have 12 foot ceilings which has worked fine for everything else, would need 14 foot for enough height for one of these trucks. They sell high lift 4 post lifts but the car up top would have to be super low to make them both fit.
It all depends upon whether it is a drive-on lift or a frame support lift. IMHO 12 foot should be enough for a frame support.
I went with a 9000 pound 2 post unit. I don't recall the brand name. I bought it on Ebay. I called the seller to discuss. He indicated that he has sold over 50k of these units and can supply any part necessary.
That being said, it is Chinese steel. I don't ever plan on putting anywhere close to 9k on the lift. The seller did indicate that occasionally, a mechanic needs to work on some guy's loaded service truck, so overkill is a good idea. Mine is open at the top with the crossover cables in a channel on the floor. I have a 12' ceiling which means that I can get the F1 up to around 6 feet off the ground. That is usually too high.
It arrived like this:
It looks like this installed:
You'll have to excuse the messy workshop....it is much cleaner now!!
I don't have any input on 2post, vs. 4 post, vs. scissor lifts. But Ill tell you that video that "petemcl" posted not only made my heart drop, but it made my wife gasp, and then let in to me, for the close calls I've had doing things alone. Good luck on your decision, be safe.
05-27-2014, 03:22 PM
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