Personal auto/truck lift at home?
09-20-2012, 10:27 AM
#11
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Most of the 2 post lifts call for 6" thickness. My building is at least 5", and my concrete guy is a good friend who said we can cut out a spot and pour in 6" or thicker blocks if needed. The 4 post lifts do not need as much thickness.
09-20-2012, 10:33 AM
#12
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I have been highly considering a four post portable lift. Don't really need it but man it would be handy at times! My stepdad has always had two post lifts in his shop, just bought a new one two years ago for roughly $2500. Very handy
09-20-2012, 10:42 AM
#13
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Be careful... I highly recommend the 4 post lifts... While the 2 post lifts may save space, too much risk IMO. I have been eyeballing several brands and came across this YouTube link....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLUjq6ijvVc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLUjq6ijvVc
09-20-2012, 03:08 PM
#14
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I've got two in a 105' X 30' building behind my house. A single post inground and an above ground two post asymmetrical. Both are older Rotaries. The inground lift I use for aircooled 911 Porsches. For that application it is perfect, but the cradle is in the way to work on stuff in the middle of conventional cars. I only mention it because when you spend time on the single post, then move to the above ground, the posts being in the way of the car's doors and having to drag air hose, electrical cords, etc around the posts is an annoyance. But anything is better than working on the floor.
That being said... a two post above ground is easy to buy, easy to install, easy to sell or move to another location, lifts most anything you will ever need to lift, and you can park two cars in the same spot on the floor. My Rotary clears a 14' foot ceiling by several inches.
As far as boat engine removal... The beam that spans the posts on mine I don't think I would trust with much weight. It is there to set the distance of the posts, provide a place for hydraulic lines to run, and hold the height safety switch. A small outboard, maybe, but not a BBC. Width will also be a problem. My 10K lb lift is too narrow to accomodate my Ski Nautique trailer, let alone something bigger/wider. Height will also be a problem. My 271 Formula's stern deck is 7' high on the trailer, the motor is 3' top to bottom, my chain fall is 3' hooked to an I-beam clamp fully retracted. There would need to be an eyebolt on the flame arrestor for 14' to work with my combination.
In summary, if you have the room and do enough car work to justify a lift, you won't ever regret it.
That being said... a two post above ground is easy to buy, easy to install, easy to sell or move to another location, lifts most anything you will ever need to lift, and you can park two cars in the same spot on the floor. My Rotary clears a 14' foot ceiling by several inches.
As far as boat engine removal... The beam that spans the posts on mine I don't think I would trust with much weight. It is there to set the distance of the posts, provide a place for hydraulic lines to run, and hold the height safety switch. A small outboard, maybe, but not a BBC. Width will also be a problem. My 10K lb lift is too narrow to accomodate my Ski Nautique trailer, let alone something bigger/wider. Height will also be a problem. My 271 Formula's stern deck is 7' high on the trailer, the motor is 3' top to bottom, my chain fall is 3' hooked to an I-beam clamp fully retracted. There would need to be an eyebolt on the flame arrestor for 14' to work with my combination.
In summary, if you have the room and do enough car work to justify a lift, you won't ever regret it.
A lift is a must have for me. I also work on air cooled Porsches and other mid engine stuff. I had a 2 post for a while, but ended up trading it for a forklift (long story
) and switching to a snap on Mid rise scissor lift. My building was not huge, and the dedicated space the 2 post took up was frustrating. For the cars I work on, the scissor lift is great! I can get a lowered 914 or F car to roll over the profile without issue, even the lowest of cars will go over it with a 1x8 or 2x8 under the tires; and I can move the lift around easily if I have to.For boats, the arms on my rotary 2 post would no go high enough to pull a motor from a boat.
My snap-on lifts a 7.3 F350 DRW and my '63 Caddilac with no trouble. I don't know how I ever survived without a rack of some kind.
Last edited by RT930turbo; 09-20-2012 at 03:12 PM.
09-20-2012, 05:17 PM
#15
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To clarify my post... I assumed the OP was strategizing to use the two post frame as a gantry. All of the lifts I've ever worked around had a lift arm height range from floor level to late 5 to 6ish feet high. Barely enough to get a BBC plus straps/chains off of the floor.
09-20-2012, 06:07 PM
#16
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Brian,
I have a 2-post Rotary lift in my garage. The Rotarys are good quality and reasonably priced. Don't go cheap on a 2-post.
When I built my garage I put an exposed I-beam and used it to pull the engines out of the Cig. I have 12' ceilings and had to remove the blowers to get enough clearance. No way I can pull the MTI motors. When I did the engines in the MTI I brought a forklift home from work and did it in the driveway.
I have used the 2-post to lift small boats off of trailers and swap outboards but it wouldn't work on an inboard like your AT. Also have a gantry lift on wheels now that can be moved on a car trailer if you need to borrow one.
Let me know if you want to check out the lift or gantry.
I have a 2-post Rotary lift in my garage. The Rotarys are good quality and reasonably priced. Don't go cheap on a 2-post.
When I built my garage I put an exposed I-beam and used it to pull the engines out of the Cig. I have 12' ceilings and had to remove the blowers to get enough clearance. No way I can pull the MTI motors. When I did the engines in the MTI I brought a forklift home from work and did it in the driveway.
I have used the 2-post to lift small boats off of trailers and swap outboards but it wouldn't work on an inboard like your AT. Also have a gantry lift on wheels now that can be moved on a car trailer if you need to borrow one.
Let me know if you want to check out the lift or gantry.
09-20-2012, 06:24 PM
#17
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fixx
as for a price for a inground ,,they are 12k at a minimum..have to have a special tub to contain the oil if theit were ever a leak..
09-20-2012, 08:41 PM
#18
21 and 42 footers
Platinum Member
Brian,
I have a 2-post Rotary lift in my garage. The Rotarys are good quality and reasonably priced. Don't go cheap on a 2-post.
When I built my garage I put an exposed I-beam and used it to pull the engines out of the Cig. I have 12' ceilings and had to remove the blowers to get enough clearance. No way I can pull the MTI motors. When I did the engines in the MTI I brought a forklift home from work and did it in the driveway.
I have used the 2-post to lift small boats off of trailers and swap outboards but it wouldn't work on an inboard like your AT. Also have a gantry lift on wheels now that can be moved on a car trailer if you need to borrow one.
Let me know if you want to check out the lift or gantry.
I have a 2-post Rotary lift in my garage. The Rotarys are good quality and reasonably priced. Don't go cheap on a 2-post.
When I built my garage I put an exposed I-beam and used it to pull the engines out of the Cig. I have 12' ceilings and had to remove the blowers to get enough clearance. No way I can pull the MTI motors. When I did the engines in the MTI I brought a forklift home from work and did it in the driveway.
I have used the 2-post to lift small boats off of trailers and swap outboards but it wouldn't work on an inboard like your AT. Also have a gantry lift on wheels now that can be moved on a car trailer if you need to borrow one.
Let me know if you want to check out the lift or gantry.
09-21-2012, 12:08 AM
#20
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I have a 2 post Atlas 10,000 lb from Greg smith equip, we have used it every day for our business for past 5 years and it has held up very well, I am very impressed with the brawn and build quality for how little I paid. They only sell for about 2200 new so be careful buying a used one. As far as working on your boat or pulling engines with it, aint going to happen. I cannot get my eagle 27 foot trailer between my uprights. The 12,000 lb versions usually have the uprights further apart which would allow you to park a boat trailer between the post but when they get that big it becomes a PIA to get passenger cars on it and to get the arms where you want them. As far as pulling a boat motor out, just not enough height, Smitty
