Shop lift?

[James Morse]

I'd like to hear from people who have or have used [home] shop lifts. I don't immediately need one (though it'd sure be nice) but later I might do a car build and while it's not totally necessary I've been told it makes life a lot easier when you can raise things to a working height. Getting under it, it's not necessary that I be able to stand up under it, the stuff you do under (car) isn't all that much compared to above, plus, you can get angled seats to put you at a good working (and sitting) height. Obviously if I can raise it enough to stand under it, that's nice, but if my ceiling (joists, actually) height doesn't allow it that's ok.
Joists are at 9'10", I can put posts between them if I had to (and if I never put a ceiling) but not sure that's a great idea. Might want to put a ceiling sometime.
There is Bend-Pak probably a bunch of others. I'm pretty sure I want 2-post. Don't know if I want it removable (some you can un-bolt and out of the way) but it would be a really good feature if the performance is the same, because of the large area commited to it, it would be nice to be able to move it for other projects. Obviously cost is always an issue but I want something safe and say, capacity to lift a F150 etc as some time I might want more towing capacity than the Ranger. The other thing is boring for the hold-down bolts, that seems like I might need pro help on that.
Shop is 24' wide 32' long so I have plenty of space for it but if the removable ones are ok that seems good because then I'm not permanently committing the space.
I'm not posting ones I looked at so far so as to not prejudice anything. And it's not totally dependent on the project car, it'd be awfully nice to be able to lift the trucks for things like brake work, oil change, etc.

 

[Roert42]

I've done a lot of research on this, and I know there are a few guys with lifts in their home shops. I'm looking to put one in my garage sooner then later, and it would look similar to yours. The vertical posts would go up between the rafters, 10' ceiling height.

BendPak, Rortary, and Titan seem to be some of the most common lifts, mid price range.

For a 9k lb lift, it looks like you typically need 4.5" of concrete to anchor. This is a two post lift. Could be done easily by any individual with a hammer drill.

I think I would probably go with the cross bar overhead, since the rafters will limit the height anyway. Plus, this should make it easier to work under the car and roll the car in and out.


It seems you can get a no name lift for around $3k delivered. More like $5k for a name brand.


I would eventually like to build a larger shop with a two post in ground rotary lift. So I may cheap out on this lift since I do not plan on using it forever. I also will be keeping an eye out for a used unit.



I am not really considering a portable one, it seems like they take up more floor space then one mounted to the floor. If I had a large pole barn or something I was using for a shop it may be good because I could move them where I was working on something, and would have plenty of space for storing them, but with a two car garage they would just be in the way.

 

[Shran]

I've put a couple of them in for friends, I don't recall what brand though. Easy enough to install, just square it up and bolt it down (assuming you have sufficient concrete.) IIRC they needed 220v power to run the hydraulic pump.

Personally I think it would be cool to have one but I've gone so long without that it's not a big deal. I only have 10' ceilings so it's usefulness would be limited. I'm also a little nervous about 2 post ones after seeing a truck fall forward off one in a shop. They are dangerous, you really need to pay attention to what you're doing and have some support stands in place.

 

[Blmpkn]

My uncle has a 2 post and 14' ceilings, and its a dreamy setup. I don't think I'd personally spend the money on a lift unless it was going somewhere with enough ceiling so I could stand full height under a pickup. Having to crouch sucks as bad as having to do it on the ground

 

[James Morse]

I'd assume I have 4.5" concrete - not sure there is any way to tell without drilling a hole?
It was put up, probably, in the 90's. Has its own electric feed/meter which is a big plus.
Cinder block / wood joists/rafters. I don't know what the spec was for floors but I'm going to make a wild guess it was 6".... I just kind of don't think in a "newer" garage (house was built 1920) they would have gone less, but I don't know.
Joists are horizontal, rafters are the angled pieces at the top.
9k seems plenty safe for anything I would be at all likely to do.
For me I think smartest thing would be one that fits entirely below the joists, just makes more sense unless there's a pressing need to do otherwise.
Sounds like it would be very hard to do the in ground thing. Nice, but probably overkill for me but, very cool.
Well, true, you are still going to have to store portable ones on the side so there's that - they don't disappear. And I suppose, technically, let's say it (non-portable) was up, and several years later you decide you have a big non-car project that wants all the floor space, you could un-bolt it... still have to store it though, I imagine the weight is such you couldn't, like, get it to your basement or something.
I have a 3' wide bench along the back so actually I have more like 28-29' length. You have to have adequate working space on all sides so call that 3', and 4' is better. Anyway, and I'm sure you know this, when you sketch it out, it's hogging quite a footprint.
Concern about opening the doors when it's up, are posts in the way.... maybe not that big a deal because normally if you're working there, it's not on the lift. I guess.
Want low profile because car is only like 4.5" clearance, I think even with low profile lift you still have to drive it on boards to gain a little height or you can't get the pads under it. So I have been told.
Yeah it's a chunk of change. And rent hammer drill, but that's insignificant.
Here's an example of one I'm not sure the height it looks more than what I have but they make ones that fit. This guy built one car without a lift, said it can be done, but having done it both ways he says, get the lift if you can.

Below is one of his finished. He's very experienced. It's running the Coyote engine, car weighs 2400 lbs. 6 sp manual trans, 3.73 rear end. Tires 275/35ZR18 and rears 315/30ZR18.

 

[James Morse]

I have distr box right there and a couple 220 circuits so easy to wire it.
what I heard is you don't crouch under it you use this
Whiteside Creeper, Adjustable, 44 in., Padded 2UP | Zoro

 

[James Morse]

When you talk about cross bar overhead are you talking about this kind?

 

[Roert42]

Yeah, There is going to be a bar on the top, or on the bottom. to get the hydraulics from the side with the levers to the other side.

For me it would be simply the convenience of not having to drag a jack around and put the thing up on stands for every little thing.

Seems like half the job it just getting the sucker off the ground so I can take the wheel off or whatever.

I would still be able to get it much higher then without a lift, even if I couldn't stand under it.


Plus, I could easily get it up to height or change the height.

 

[2011Supercab]

Standard concrete floors are usually 3" to 3 1/2" thick.

From most installation instructions

Concrete Specifications
All models MUST be installed on 3,000 PSI reinforced concrete only. Additional concrete requirements will vary by lift.

8,500 lbs – 10,000 lbs lifts: 4" Minimum Thickness
11,000 lbs – 15,000 lbs lifts: 6" Minimum Thickness

 

[James Morse]

what causes stuff to fall off that sounds disastrous -pads weren't positioned correctly or -what? that's messed can't have that going on not by choice that's for sure

I have 116" to joists so --maybe-- the BendPak 7LC is 118.5" but if you put the top beam between the joists I think vehicle would still hit the safety-off before the joists.
There is one shorter also.
How much they raise isn't necessarily limited by the lift itself like you say it's the joist/ceiling height. You're not going to be able to raise up a Ranger more than whatever is the difference its roof as it sets on the ground to the joists and that's not all that much. Even for a 46" high car, if the rise is 64", its roof is basically at the joists, and that's a very low car, trucks are way higher. The point of all that is that I have to deal with what I have, and that limits how much a vehicle of any kind can be raised and just accept it. In that shop there is no way a lift can put the bottom of a Ranger, or probably anything else, at 6-1/2' which is what you really need if you're 6' tall.
Back to the original need, though, my guy says while it's true that full-height is nice, in fact he spends only 10-15% of his time under the car (in the builds) and having it at least so you can sit under it is worlds better than trying to work on it on jackstands with a creeper.
So most of the time it is not needing to be high. The main need is, the car is very low so you want the lift to raise it up to a comfortable working height so you're not always kneeling or crouching down and that's really my initial need/want for a lift.
But obviously if I have one, yeah, it would be real nice for Ranger brake work, change oil, swap out hubs to manuals, etc. but that's kind of a side benefit I don't think I could justify it on that alone.

 

[James Morse]

yikes 3-1/2" is too shallow 4-1/4" is min spec for the BendPaks above

how could I tell besides drilling a hole??

this would derail my plans wouldn't it.

 

[2011Supercab]

Most residential sidewalks, driveways and garage floors are 3 1/2", the thickness of the 2x4 that what used for the forms.

 

[Shran]

what causes stuff to fall off that sounds disastrous -pads weren't positioned correctly or -what? that's messed can't have that going on not by choice that's for sure

Yeah, pads not positioned correctly, usually, or weight shifting... think like you have a truck in the air and remove the rear axle from it. Huge amount of weight removed from one end.

If your shop was built recently maybe you can get a hold of the builder. Otherwise you could drill a hole and test it. I think mine is somewhere around that 4-5" thick area but the footers around the perimeter vary, it's like 18" thick on one side so it's hard to tell just by looking at it.

 

[gw33gp]

I had a third car garage added to my existing garage about 5 years ago. My intention was to install a lift. I had the roof built to allow a full lift if I decided to go that way. I had the concrete poured thicker in the center for a two-post lift. After much research I decided on a lift that is portable and is mounted to the floor. It is not a full lift that I can stand under but comes with a rolling seat. It has worked out very well for me.

The posts are mounted to the floor with bolts that screw into metal inserts installed in the concrete. One thing I didn't think about when having the concrete poured was the location of the rebar. Fortunately, I only hit one when drilling the holes for the threaded metal inserts, but that one took a long time to get right.

I wanted a portable lift because I had the garage built with two full doors so I could drive though into my back yard. The trailer that I wanted to park there was too wide the get past the two-post lift, so I needed to move one post periodically. Just five big bolts and it can be tilted back on two wheels and moved beside the other post.

I think the lift is only rated at 6,000 lbs. but that is plenty capacity for my vehicles. It is a M6 Dannmar lift. I think Dannmar was bought out sometime in 2020. It looks like MaxJax took over the M6 portable unit and it is now their M6K model.

Overall, I have been very happy with it. The only problem I have encountered is the hydraulic quick disconnects leak a little and I have to disconnect them when not in use. I plan to get them rebuilt or replaced someday to resolve that issue.

 

[Roert42]

Could also consider a scissor type lift. They don't provide as much access undeath. However, you don't have any pillars to worry about, and most don't need to be anchored into the ground/ can be moved around.