Hi,

Looking to spoil myself and thinking about getting a 4 post lift to go in my (single) garage. Primarily so I can get the Fury off the ground and let the kids still store their bikes under it.

Any recommendations? I can see (new) 2 post lifts for c. £1200 but would like the option of throwing other stuff (the kids' bikes, for example) on the lift should I get the Fury back to a stage where I can use it in the near future...hence the desire for a 4 post...

[Edited on 8/6/13 by stevebubs]

[Edited on 8/6/13 by stevebubs]

A 4 post lift will take up a lot of room, when raised I would be surprised if you could work from the sides in a single garage.

My little car and trailer sit on a two post lift, the tin top goes below, previously they both parked alongside each other, it does however give me good working space, 1 post is tight against the wall.

It was a 4 phase, cost around £400 second hand, heavy duty German zippo lift with long feet to spread the load, not a cheap Chinese + £200 for a single phase motor.

It would be easy to make a platform to sit on the fingers if you wanted to use it for other purposes.

As you only live up the road if you wanted to pop over and have a look at my lift let me know, I had to raise the ceiling to get a decent working height, start current is around 30 amps, 4hp motor.

Regards Mark

[Edited on 8/6/13 by mark chandler]

quote:

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Originally posted by mark chandler
A 4 post lift will take up a lot of room, when raised I would be surprised if you could work from the sides in a single garage.

My little car and trailer sit on a two post lift, the tin top goes below, previously they both parked alongside each other, it does however give me good working space, 1 post is tight against the wall.

It was a 4 phase, cost around £400 second hand, heavy duty German zippo lift with long feet to spread the load, not a cheap Chinese + £200 for a single phase motor.

It would be easy to make a platform to sit on the fingers if you wanted to use it for other purposes.

As you only live up the road if you wanted to pop over and have a look at my lift let me know, I had to raise the ceiling to get a decent working height, start current is around 30 amps, 4hp motor.

Regards Mark

[Edited on 8/6/13 by mark chandler]

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I purchased a two post screw lift, not a hydraulic one so unless it actually falls over the load is not going anywhere, even if the load nuts fail it has very large safety nuts.

Personally I have no qualms about walking under my lift, or to that end climbing on it and the car + trailer to access my loft storage, its well bolted down and unlike the more modern lifts has long feet spreading the load on the floor.

It's rated at 2500kg, I have seen cheap ones where the arms appear to droop under load.... Mine is made of hardened steel, HSS drill bits struggled when I wanted to bolt a light switch to it, manufactured in 1983.

My friend who runs a landrover repair garage purchased a new snapon lift, one of the arms snapped off dropping a car off after 6 months use

Garage is 4m x 6m, small double.

quote:

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Originally posted by mark chandler
I purchased a two post screw lift, not a hydraulic one so unless it actually falls over the load is not going anywhere, even if the load nuts fail it has very large safety nuts.

Personally I have no qualms about walking under my lift, or to that end climbing on it and the car + trailer to access my loft storage, its well bolted down and unlike the more modern lifts has long feet spreading the load on the floor.

It's rated at 2500kg, I have seen cheap ones where the arms appear to droop under load.... Mine is made of hardened steel, HSS drill bits struggled when I wanted to bolt a light switch to it, manufactured in 1983.

My friend who runs a landrover repair garage purchased a new snapon lift, one of the arms snapped off dropping a car off after 6 months use

Garage is 4m x 6m, small double.

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Fully extended the arms protrude no more than 24" beyond the feet, turned in under the cars chassis rail this reduces to 12", the centre of balance stays inside the feet.

No wobbles to worry about, it does move a little at the top nothing disconcerting.

You could always set a couple of RSJ's into the floor and bolt to these, as a single garage you could also make a couple of brackets up so you could secure to the walls either side at the top, incorporate a couple of landrover engine mounts to allow a little float maybe ?

Two poster will also give you more height as the lowest point is the dangling wheels.

Looking in eBay you see some good commercial lifts with feet, motor height may however be an issue for you.

Here's some pictures

Pics

[Edited on 9/6/13 by mark chandler]

You are much better off looking for an older zippo or Bradbury than a newer lift. Just make sure you know what your looking at when buying a screw lift, as a pair of new load nuts are not cheap if required. The great thing about the old stuff is parts are still readily available.

99.9% of new 4 posters and two posters, whether hydraulic or screw lifts are manufactured in far east and rebadged.

I have lifts in clients premises from the late 70's, (including big companies like ATS), which are great workhorses, I have lifts that are 3 years old and knackered beyond repair. The majority of modern stuff is absolute junk.