4 Post Lift Recommendation

4 Post Lift Recommendation

Author
Discussion

Mr Nordic

Original Poster:

346 posts

222 months

Friday 11th March 2016
quotequote all
Hi all,

I am interested in buying a 4 post lift for a home garage, does anyone have any recommendations please.

I have looked at lifts from the following companies but the cost difference is vast and I am trying to understand why thee is such a vast range in cost, are the more expensive versions worth the difference?

Bendpak
SJR
Strongman Tools
Automotech Services

Any advice would be great thanks.

Mr Nordic

Steve_D

13,699 posts

245 months

Saturday 12th March 2016
quotequote all
I've not looked at any of those suppliers but in general there will be a wide gap in prices between a ramp intended for an MOT station or service garage and that designed for 'Storage' or 'Parking' use.
In your case, change your search to include those two words because that is all you will need. A parking ramp will always be strong enough but is not designed to be going up and down all day long and will likely not be fast enough for daily use.

Steve

Andrew Gray

4,955 posts

136 months

Saturday 12th March 2016
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Hi Yan
I understand your confusion I am looking at the moment as well there are a number of questions you need to address.
Space how wide is your garage and height
what are you going to use it for storage servicing?
If space is tight what width are the platforms as if to wide and lift is against the wall reduces access space to work on that side
Also Check cost lift jacks ideally you need 2 and this will allow you to lift the car from the main Chassis rails rather than the outriggers which I hate doing.
Check the cost of these between suppliers as I have found £350 each and £750 each so a big gap there as well

Check out Richardsons Garage Equipment and Equipment4garages in St Albans Richard is very helpful there

Andrew

phazed

21,522 posts

191 months

Saturday 12th March 2016
quotequote all
I have a 2 post from these guys.

www.automotechservices.co.uk

Fitted 18 months ago and gets used many times a week, (No 3 son is a mechanic)

Perfect for TVR eork.


Mr Nordic

Original Poster:

346 posts

222 months

Saturday 12th March 2016
quotequote all
Thanks guys much appreciated, I will have a look at the 2 places mentioned in St Albans, the first one sells the SJR and the second sell the Peak brand.

My requirement is to occasional stack 2 TVR's and to work on them on the ramp including the capacity to safely allow me to work on my daily cars up to a Range Rover, I have the space and height for a full size as I have vaulted the ceiling like Phazed has.
I have an engineered raft foundation with so much steel in that drilling and bolting is not an option of a 2 post which is why I want a free standing 4 post with the flexibility to move on a roller kit which most come with.

Phazed - I really was keen on the Automotech services 4 post but they don't have one I can look at but these along with the SJR are fantastic value less than half of the bendpak & Strongman.
Your feedback is very positive and encourages me to pursue these along with the others further.

If anyone has experience of any of the 4 post lifts listed or the Peak lift I would really like to hear your feedback.

Thanks again, Mr N

Sagi Badger

554 posts

180 months

Saturday 12th March 2016
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Yan, if you need your raft drilling let me know. Not a problem, not that I recommend drilling out bars but I can if you need it. Anyway if you get a lifter you may need help testing it wink

J

phazed

21,522 posts

191 months

Saturday 12th March 2016
quotequote all
It is only a few bolts to bolt down a post lift down.

You can easily drill through reinforced concrete.

sheel

696 posts

210 months

Sunday 13th March 2016
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You may want to think about some other considerations ref your lift
There is a lot of Chinese kit about and whilst its generally safety marked, some of the quality is debateable, give consideration to spares availability and reliability, obviously all dependant on the amount of use
I have a 2 post lift which does give free access to the sill sections of the car, a 4 post may be a little more restrictive
A 2 post will give you more free floor space but dependant of construction may have interconnections across the floor
You will require jacking beams for the 4 post....increasing your costs
4 post generally lower in height on its posts but interconnections of lifting wires cables much more involved than 2 posts
You mention lifting a Range Rover, once again check carefully,some of the cheaper imported lifts whilst rated at the loads required are somewhat marginal in the build quality until you get to the semi pro makes with costs to go with them
Depending on your floor slab thickness, it would be no problem to diamond core drill it including any steel rebar, then resin bolt a lift down, however when we have fitted lifts in the past the general rule of thumb was a pad 1000mmx1000mmx1000mm on each foot, bearing in mind this was in a commercial environment
I was unable to achieve this with my home installation on a 2 post lift and fitted T slot rails across the floor, this spread the load, enables the posts to be slid in and out to accept different widths of car and allows the hydraulic linking pipes to be enclosed in the floor giving a no step drive in
Hope this information is of use
Rich

Andrew Gray

4,955 posts

136 months

Sunday 13th March 2016
quotequote all
phazed said:
I have a 2 post from these guys.

www.automotechservices.co.uk

Fitted 18 months ago and gets used many times a week, (No 3 son is a mechanic)

Perfect for TVR eork.

Hi Peter
With the two post when lifting the car what point under the car are you putting the weight of the car on with a TVR
Andrew

phazed

21,522 posts

191 months

Sunday 13th March 2016
quotequote all
The four outrigger corner plates.

Andrew Gray

4,955 posts

136 months

Sunday 13th March 2016
quotequote all
phazed said:
The four outrigger corner plates.
Thanks I am a little concerned about using the out riggers to take the weight of the car for long periods of time the reason why I am trying to find the right 4 poster with beam jacks so I would lift the car on the main chassis tubes.
I was hoping that there would be a way to use two poster to lift from the main Chassis tubes
Just a thought
Andrew

Mr Nordic

Original Poster:

346 posts

222 months

Sunday 13th March 2016
quotequote all
Thanks for the feedback guys.
It's defo a 4 post that I want for stacking as well as working on the car and plus need a jacking beam. Like you mention some of the cheap ones need to be viewed before I commit, it needs to be robust and well made.

I have seen a Backstreet Buddy 4 post in the US which looks good quality and a decent locking ladder, but I can't see a uk distributor so I have written to them. This lift looks well made.

J - Thanks for the drilling offer, I will keep you updated, your always welcome if you need to test.

Cheers


chimyellow

363 posts

246 months

Tuesday 15th March 2016
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I have the Strongman Glenflidic four post lift.
I went for this because of its compact size and that it comes with the drip trays to go down the middle when being used for parking. It is also 240v which is good as I only have a normal electricity supply (as opposed to 3 phase) and did not want to mess about with a converter.

Being compact it does mean that it is tight (wheel to wheel/ side to side) with only about an inch to spare, however this is really only a pain when reversing a car on. Length wise there is no issue.
Due to the angle of out drive I do have to use a couple of planks to get the TVRs on without them bottoming out.

I have had may Chimaera, Tuscan and a friends Cerbera on it (along with Triumph Spitfire and a Citroen C4 but quiet on the last one!).
Work done on the lift has included general work/servicing and clutch servicing on the Tuscan (the star washers were missing from the clutch pack). The difference in ease of working on the cars is emmence even if I cannot go up to full height because of the garage roof beams at the moment.

Normally it is used for storage with the Spitfire over the Chimaera.
It comes flat packed (you can do a collection yourself if you want) and is straightforward to put together and the only tools that you will need you will already have if you do even basic maintenance on the cars yourself.
Dawn (my wife) put mine together for me, as I broke several ribs the week before it was delivered and it took a evening from about 5pm to about 9:30. The only thing that was done the following day was bolting it down to the garage floor as it was a bit late to be using a hammer drill in a resedential street.
I don't know where you a based but I am in Milton Keynes and you are welcome to come and have a look if it helps your decision.

chimyellow

363 posts

246 months

Tuesday 15th March 2016
quotequote all
Sorry, should really get the name of the lift correct!
It is the Strongman Glenfinnan (as per this picture).

Also the Chimarea goes underneath because the Tuscan is slightly longer and the garage door will not close due to keeping the trailer at the back of the garage.

chimyellow

363 posts

246 months

Friday 18th March 2016
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Very pleased with the ramp.
Just slowly saving up for a jacking beam to go with it.

Mr Nordic

Original Poster:

346 posts

222 months

Saturday 19th March 2016
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Chi yellow - thanks for sharing your experience.

Smt - many thanks

Discopotatoes

4,094 posts

208 months

Sunday 20th March 2016
quotequote all
Give been seriously looking at the automotech 4 poster with a jacking beam It's got all the safety features and is probably the same lift as the sjr lift
Group buy?

Nick Brough

380 posts

208 months

Sunday 20th March 2016
quotequote all
Hi,

Ideally I would have bought a Strongman but room is really really tight, (single integral garage) and they have to tilt the posts outwards during the set up. So I got mine from the garage man on ebay, http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/the-garage-equipment-man... Used primary for increasing storage, Chinese built but appears OK.

His after service left something to be desired as I bought 2 jacking beams and one has never worked, not been able to get it changed after 2 years of asking, although I am not very assertive.



Edited by Nick Brough on Sunday 20th March 14:06

RFC1

1,096 posts

184 months

Sunday 20th March 2016
quotequote all
Discopotatoes said:
Give been seriously looking at the automotech 4 poster with a jacking beam It's got all the safety features and is probably the same lift as the sjr lift
Group buy?
Me too.......what one were you looking at?

Sandy

Discopotatoes

4,094 posts

208 months

Sunday 20th March 2016
quotequote all
RFC1 said:
Discopotatoes said:
Give been seriously looking at the automotech 4 poster with a jacking beam It's got all the safety features and is probably the same lift as the sjr lift
Group buy?
Me too.......what one were you looking at?

Sandy
this one.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321817246497?_trksid=p20...