Shop lift?

[alwaysFlOoReD]

As far as concrete thickness, it would be fairly simple to cut out a 2 foot square, dig it down, add rebar if needed, and fill it back up with new concrete.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

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

From most installation instructions

Basements we always did 3”, garages and driveways usually got graded around a 4”. Sidewalks and patios were 3-1/2”. That was usually the best bang for the buck except the one homeowner had a half track so we poured his 6” to handle it. Most other guys around here weren’t so particular and their stuff could run anywhere from 3” to 6” with the “rough it with a skid steer and just fill it with concrete“ mentality.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

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.

Basically drill a hole is about your best option.

But… if it is too thin, if you know where it’s going to sit, you can mark it out, go at least a foot past it on all sides, if not a little bigger, cut and break the concrete inside that, dig it down (I’d probably go 6” at least), and pour new concrete. Finish it off and once it’s hard, you’re good to go. If it’s an offset lift, maybe make the pads a bit longer. That’s all they did when they replaced the lifts in a local Monroe Muffler (I almost ended up with the job).

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

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.

View attachment 87652

I got to work on my first Ranger on one of those. Shop I was going to was run out of a two car garage. Failed inspection for a balljoint. I didn’t have enough money to pay the mechanic for the inspection and the fix, so we compromised and I paid him what I could, he got the part and put it on his lift and said go at it. His ceiling was so low it could barely get my Ranger off the ground, for awhile he didn’t want me bringing my F-150 there years later because it is so high, but that’s another story. Anyway, he helped me learn how to change a ball joint. It was a pretty cramped garage and the lift couldn’t help a ton, but it was a help.

I’ve had the privilege of being able to use two post lifts in a junkyard at college where I made friends with the owner and his buddies. I also was allowed to use lifts (both 2 post and 4 post) at the local Monroe Muffler for several years. Makes life waaaay easier. I want. Now. Lol.

 

[franklin2]

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.

View attachment 87646View attachment 87647

No hydraulic lines going across. Those are cables with pulleys going across. There is only 1 cylinder on the lift, the rest is done with cables. Even the 4 post lifts only have one cylinder, and then a maze of cables going around to the other 3 corners to lift them.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I'd be content with a four post.

Not as severe cement thickness issues, some models are mobile and you can double stack park.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I'd be content with a four post.

View attachment 87670

Not as severe cement thickness issues, some models are mobile and you can double stack park.

Personally, I’d rather have both. If I could only take one it would probably come to price at the time I was getting it. But some jobs are just easier with a 2 post. It was really nice having that option when I was able to use the one local shop. I even thought about when I can get my shop built, get a couple 4 post storage lifts, pretty sure some of those will let you park a SUV under them

 

[JoshT]

NO!!! Don't shop lift! Trust me it'll be cheaper to just pay for it in the the long run.

Oh, you mean a car lift in a shop. Why didn't ya say so?

This is somethink on my bucket list too. I'll be building a shop for mine (have nothing now) so I'll have the luxury of deciding on wall/ceiling height rather than working with whats available. I'm torn between a 2 and 4 post, decent chance I'd end up with both eventually. Just looked at the first couple of posts, I'm going to read the thread properly later so I can see whats really being discussed.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

To add to what some of you have already said about concrete thickness, keep this rule in mind: on newer houses and garages the contractor and builder are likely to use the bare minimum that meets code and local rules. So expect a floor thickness more like 3" instead of the proper one you need for a lift. Expect to dig and pour more concrete for your lift.

Why do you think newer houses are called McMansions? Big bucks for crap.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

To add to what some of you have already said about concrete thickness, keep this rule in mind: on newer houses and garages the contractor and builder are likely to use the bare minimum that meets code and local rules. So expect a floor thickness more like 3" instead of the proper one you need for a lift. Expect to dig and pour more concrete for your lift.

Why do you think newer houses are called McMansions? Big bucks for crap.

Actually, most McMansions originally were where handy McHomeowner decided to build his own mansion instead of hiring a contractor because doing it himself would be soo much cheaper and it’s not all that hard, right? Yeah, most of them are still half-finished and abandoned…

 

[Roert42]

I wouldn't necessarily agree with that. I see plenty of McMansions around here. Giant ugly houses with with 47 ridges on the roof and 85 dormers of all different shapes and sizes. No rhyme or reason to their layout, just make it big and obnoxious.

Yo, dog, I heard you like dormers. So I put a dormer on your dormer on your dormer.

 

[Roert42]

You could also consider something like this.

https://smile.amazon.com/QuickJack-5000TL-Bundle-000lb-Portable/dp/B09YWLN489/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=quick+jack+5000&qid=1674058267&sprefix=Quick+jack+%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-1&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.17f26c18-b61b-4ce9-8a28-de351f41cffb

Fairly inexpensive, good reviews, and can be hung up on the wall for storage.

Doesn't give you much height, but seems like it would be a lot quicker then jack and jack stands.

 

[superj]

you have to specifically ask for thicker concrete other wise its 3". my brother-in-law owns a concrete company and we just talked about pad thickness at christmas for a new barndominium on my lot.

having a lift would be a dream come true but my garage only has short ceilings, not even 8 foot. same height as in the house because it was built back in the 50s. and either side is wide enough i can maybe get the ranger in and open the driver's door to get out. mine is more to for horse carriages, ha ha ha

 

[James Morse]

Off topic, but this 1920 house, would cost a fortune to rebuild the same. First of all they use oak full size framing for most of it. Then you have brick over wood sheathing, and you have lath for walls and ceilings, and the plaster was put in all that, and all wood floors, you'd never be able to find guys who could plaster like they did then, they must have been fast on it for sure. Lath walls cut noise a lot more than sheetrock.
If you hire somebody to do plaster work and ask them "where's your hawk?" and they say "what's a hawk?" get somebody else.
You can do an awfully lot of fixing without sanding and making a huge mess, what they used to do was sponge the finish cost while damp.... there's a whole craft that except for a few experts seems to be lost.

About the floor, I suppose I can drill and test.... not eager to dig out and pour more concrete. Couple thoughts, one, let's say it's 80% of the thickness, aint that good enough? They must be allowing a safety margin.
Seriously... I dunno... scissors jack has some appeal, for a car build, it does get it up higher to work on, that's the main need for that. No real install and you can move it out of the way. Have to check them out more.

Seems like for a test hole it might make sense to do it as-if it were a hole for the lift mounts, then if it's good (thick), go for it, otherwise, re-evaluate what to do at that point.

Thanks for info on the disasters, I'll keep that in mind, any gross re-balancing due to taking stuff off, that's dangerous.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Worst case your truck and lift fall over...