IROC-Turbo

Debating on a lift for my thirdgens and s-10's.Maybe even a tire machine set,as no matter matter where I have any put on on at,3 outa 4 lose 10-15 pounds a week.Budget is a major concern,to be honest.

Trying to find a used lift and tire machines in this area is like trying to pull hen's teeth.And when you do find one,they want what a new one delivered and installed costs + 25% on average.And these are generally fully worn out and beat to death.And even a few mounted outside with so much crap piled in,on,between,and around that it would take 2-4 hours just to get it cleaned up enough to pull a car between the posts,so not used in a long time.1 in particular I drive by often and for 5 years it has sat in this condition.

I've read some nasty horror stories about the customer service,but wondering if its the standard fluke most companies have.And as usual,no real world reviews on the equipment itself.

I know some of you have to have some experience here.

And saving up for better is not really an option for me.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I have one of their 2 post lifts in my garage. Ive had it for 8 yrs or so. No issues so far.

Harvey Mushman

I'm really glad this topic has come up. I really want a 4 post life. I see the Gregsmith equipment ad all the time. How do rate their quality? Do they offer installation and how much is the freight cost?

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

We bought about 5 of them at once and just picked them up in our semi on our way home from a race in New Jersey.

They are decent, not commercial like quality of the more pricey stuff buuut it works very well for what I'm doing. (not 100% perfect)
I put my lift up myself. I poured my garage floor just for the lifts. Moved the floor heat tubing and the floors are overkill at 8" thick with fiber/ rebar.

IROC-Turbo

Are yours symetric or asymetric or super symetric?

My shop is single bay and I want to be able to put the vehicles on forward or backward depending on what I'm working on.

kymmee

Do lots of research and if you are using a lift for mostly work, a 2 post is probably a better option; for storage-a 4 post lift. Also there are 110v or 220v ones, certified, non certified, etc.

When we built our garage, we originally planned for a one 2 post and one 4 post. Ended up getting two 4 posts, mainly because they would be used mostly for storage and they are moveable.

Purchased the "Power-Ex" brand, 8000 lb limit, came with jack tray, casters for moving and drip pans. I was fortunate to find someone local that was a distributor and installer, he delivered them and put them up for only about 200 dollars more.

In my research I found that most of the brands that were foreign made were basically the same but painted different colors. The only "true" USA made is Backyard Buddy and they are about 7k starting for a 4 post with about a 2 month lag time till you can get it after ordered.

Good luck!

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

http://www.autolift.org/

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

What Kim said. The foreign ones all look the same. There are variations in the locking mechanisms though.

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

I bought an Atlas Garage Pro 8000 form Greg Smith in Indy 2 years ago. Here it is:

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/At...rage-Pro-8-000

No complaints, super fast shipping, solid piece. Pics:









I have a LOT more pictures so let me know if you need anything. I also have pics of how I modified my 2 car garage to allow me to lift vehicles higher.

maroon88iroc

iTrader: (7)

I bought the Atlas 9OHSC from Greg Smith in Atlanta about a year ago. I originally went to purchase the 9KOH but they were out of stock so I bought the 9OHSC.. I am glad I did after looking at the two in person. The 9OHSC has 1 piece columns & single point lock release, which in my opinion is worth the extra cost alone (only $200 difference). Single point lock release means you do NOT have to go to both posts to release the lock to lower the car, the handle on the side with the power power will release the lock on both columns.



I also have Superlifts (USA made - right at $4K per lift) brand 4 post lifts & LOVE my 2-post lift compared to the 4-posts. The 4-post lift is really only good for storage purposes & changing oil, I even have a jack bridge on the 4-post lift but rarely use the lift to work on any vehicles. I have used the 2-post lift to stack cars as well though. Its the best tool I have ever bought for my garage.

Install was straight forward & the fit and finish was really nice, I really did not have any issues with the install except for attaching the hoses/fittings i the bottom of the columns but that still was not too bad b/c there is a cutout to access it. I thought standing up the legs would be the mot difficult part but that was easy I just hooked up my engine hoist with a strap around the leg and had my wife jack up the hoist while I balanced the post untill it was in an upright position. Drilling the holes for the floor was easy with a rented hammer drill & the supplied anchor bolts went in no problem, the lift is also supplied with shims so you can make sure the post is completely level then tighten down all anchors. I did have to purchase some extra shims though. Also you must have I think 4" of concrete to anchor the lift.

IROC-Turbo

Maroon,thats the lift I'm looking at.My only hangup is the lift height of it without adapters.It lists as 5' 10".Is that correct?I dont want to bow over or bang my head.Will probably be holding a chair down most of the time though.

Your arms switchable so It can be used forward or reverse?How hard to get in and out of the car?

maroon88iroc

iTrader: (7)

as far as the lift height the lift comes with the adapters.. those are just the spacers in between the arm & the pad that contacts the frame.. I cannot use them when working on my corvette or camaro but I still get plenty of height out of the lift to be able to work on it comfortably without bending over. I'm 5' 9" tall if that gives you an idea. You have to think the max lift height at 5' 10" is where the lock is so that will be the bottom of the arm, then the arm is 4.5" tall and most things you will be working on will be above the frame rail that you are lifting at. Its never been an issue for me.

Here is an easy comparison chart:

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/At...mparison-Guide

Here is definition of the super symmetric arms like the 9OHSC has:

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/As...supersymmetric

I set my lift up sort of in the middle of my 30' deep bay and most of the times I center the vehicle on the posts, however if I am going to pull an engine or something like that I can set the arms up to position the vehicle more towards the rear of the lift so I have more room for engine hoist and other space in front of the car in the bay. Getting in and out of the car is sometimes a challenge, but you only have to get in and out once. The asymmetric arms will help this but the best alternative would be to get a lift that has the posts in an offset mounting orientation & greg smith had one there but it was considerably more expensive so I didnt buy that one.

Overall Im happy with what I bought, would I do it again? Yes, all day everyday.

IROC-Turbo

Those are some sweet and clean looking garages.

I've written GSE and am awaiting response.

As far as tire machine sets,I am looking at:

http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/COMBO-TC229-WB11

And

http://www.eagleequip.com/product/EB1040-ETC550.html

I like the GSE changer for the ATV/MC kit is available for it.BUT I like the Eagle balancer for ts more powerful motor and vastly cheaper MC balancing kit available(700 vs 300) for it.And faster spin speed if that matters.

I don't own a MC and never will I don't think.But I do not know of a shop in this county that can even do it.And there are quite a few MC's around.So it may a route to go if I decide to do anything other than my own to recoup the cost of the equipment.

IROC-Turbo

They never responded.

Still going with that lift unless the local rotary deal falls through.

But I did find some tire machines local.Corghi balancer and my choice of a John Bean system 4 or a corghi a9824.

Which would you choose?

IROC-Turbo

Finally got my lift and tire machines.Lift has been out of stock for a long while.But it's here now and I have the posts free standing right now.And the tire machines have done about 10 sets so far.Neighbors are really happy.They had thiers balanced at 6 diff shops and it always shook at speed,but not with mine so far.First time my vehicles rode so smooth as well.And so far no more leaky tires.

Having second thoughts on my concrete atm.Afraid the same thing that happened to Keoman will happen to me.

I know I'm thicker than 4 inch and it has had a JD 350 and 450 driven and serviced on it quite a few times as well as a CASE uniloader.But this garage was built to pull an RV in and store/service it.I yet to have any cracking after 20 years.But it is the same type concrete Keoman had a failure with,just graveled concrete.But mine is 6 or 8 inches thick.Not sure whether to cut out and pour some pads for it or try it and see.

Alanweis

Here also you can get industry certified automotive lifts
http://www.autoequipmentdepot.com/lifts.html

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

You can have concrete tested, you would have to cut a core sample and refill it tho.

LiquidBlue

Wow, some great garages in this thread! Cars too! Question for lift owners: Is a 4 post lift too hard to do wheel work? I see it mentioned above. Seems like using the sliding jack would make it cake, but maybe the ramps are in the way or something?



Some interesting links:
http://www.autolift.org/
http://www.autoequipmentdepot.com/lifts.html
http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/
http://www.derekweaver.com/
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=99116

-=Z28=-

iTrader: (3)

A guy just came by my shop and asked if I wanted a Back Yard buddy for free!! So this weekend I'm going to go get it. I guess the guys son passed away and everything must go. Hope there are more goodies!

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

Wow, that's very generous of him. BYB are nice lifts. Enjoy!

F-body-fan

I have a 4 post bend pack, no big advantage doing wheel/brake work other than having it up in the air. Still have to jack the car up off the lift & that can be a pain. I plan to buy a sliding lift for it at some point but they are not cheap, so I haven't justified it just yet

LiquidBlue

Do the tire rails get in the way on a 4 post if you were to work on wheels/brakes? Is that why kymmee said "Do lots of research and if you are using a lift for mostly work, a 2 post is probably a better option"

F-body-fan

They don't get in the way anymore than working on a concrete floor. The problem is, to remove a wheel, you still need a floor jack to get the car up of the ramp. Its a bit a of a pain, but not terrible. I went with a 4-post because I wanted to be able to move it around between my shop & garage. Pretty easy to do the the castor kit. If your going to do mostly wheel removal type service, then a 2-post might be better. I do use mine for service work, but it doubles as car storage when I am not using it. I'll see if I have a few pictures I can post, or I'll take some new ones.

86iroct5

i got a used mohawk 10k for $2700 delivered and installed. Shop was going out of business. havent found something that it couldnt lift yet. obviously made in the USA. it was used but i would rather have a unit that was built to last generations in a full service shop than something only built to last a handful of years

LiquidBlue

Leaning towards Atlas lifts, 408-SL is looking good. 4 post lift. Any of you guys using the sliding jacks they offer? Are they any good? What about other brands, any of you guys using sliding jacks? Are they worth the extra cost, they are expensive!

Bob88GTA

iTrader: (2)

I checked these out. Talk to Dave Shedlock there.

http://www.bendpak.com/a-study-in-lift-design
http://www.bendpak.com/BendPak_HD-9_...ifts_REV_M.pdf

Here are the specs for 2 7k models with smallest footprints - tall 82” rise heights and short 164” runways http://www.bendpak.com/HD-7W.pdf
HD-7P tall and Narrow at $2990 /$2915 w/check
HD-7W tall and wide at $3080 / $2980 w/check

Here are Specs on 9k Single Car: http://www.bendpak.com/BendPak_HD-9_...ifts_REV_M.pdf
Key differences to consider: 164” runway vs 188” and 70” rise vs 82” rise
HD-9 at $2945 / $2870 - 70” & 164” runways
HD-9ST at $2855 / $ 2790 – 70”
HD-9XL at $3035 / $2940 – 70”
HD-9XW at $3060/ $2970 - 82” & 188” runways - Wide
HD-9STX at $2970 / $2890 – 82” & 188” runways - Narrow

The Double car lifts are available in 2 sizes. Here is spec sheet for both. http://www.bendpak.com/HD-9SW-SWX%20...D%209-2011.pdf

HD-9SW with standard 70” rise and 164” runways at $5985 / $5795 w/check

HD-9SWX with taller 82” rise and longer 188” runways at $6395 / $6100

dave@workshopdepot.com

LiquidBlue

Are you considering sliding jacks or rolling jacks?

Bob88GTA

iTrader: (2)

When I get these in the spring, it will be the rolling type. I want a 2 Post and a 4 Post.

LiquidBlue

I drove over to GregSmith and looked at both hobby lifts. The 408-SL is definitely more stout, better looking than its lower cost counterpart. It also seems to have its safety locks positioned closer together, which is important to me because I have limited overhead space and don't want to get into a situation where I can't use every available inch because the next position is 1" too high. The sliding jacks are super heavy, harder to move than I expected but if you put your body weight into it they go - just don't expect to pull them with one hand while holding a tool in the other, unless you are Arnold Schwarzenegger. The entire lift can be moved by dropping the ramps down to low position, which levers the casters up - then push all body weight into the lift and it will move. This would definitely be handy to position the lift a few feet over from time to time to gain additional garage space when working on different areas of car. Salesman said some even do it with car on lift, I'm skeptical though. The 408-SL has a slightly wider open area, which would make it easier to drop engines, although the other one seems plenty big for our cars. The motor can be placed in a couple of different positions, which is good, for tight garage spaces. Over all, very nice unit and I am one step closer to pulling the trigger.

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

There's a twist! I sold the Greg Smith 4-post (I posted pics earlier in this thread) and bought a BP8000 Greg Smith 2-post!

Why? Space. The 4-post took up too much space and was difficult to load my project car onto. Otherwise it was great. The 2-post isn't mobile of course but it's perfect. My garage is small but I can still fit 2 cars next to each other. Third gens can be stacked but only because they're so low.

I spent quite a bit of time researching lifts before buying another Greg Smith. The BP8000 is by far the best value and is even allows the lowest overhead clearance (108"). Only complaint is the baseplate. It's the metal cover that protects the hydraulic hoses and steel cables. It's designed to just sit on the ground which means it just bounces around when you drive over it. That wasn't gonna fly because it could cut a hose if it landed on it. I mounted it to the ground as seen in the pics. Painted it after too.

Price shipped is $1660. The manual sucks ***** but if you're working on cars you should be able to figure it out. Pics:

Alex Perrone

I'm thinking about buying the bp8000 from Greg smith but I have to be sure of the column height. Is it truly 108" from the floor to the top of the post? I'm working with 109 1/2 under this main beam right where I need to put the post. Can anyone who's in stalled this lift help me out and measure theirs?

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

I just measured mine and got 108" (9') exactly.

If you buy one I recommend buying this too. You need some extra shims and these are the ones I bought.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leveling-Shi...MAAOSwRJ9XhQ3E

Alex Perrone

Awesome man I really appreciate the response. I just had to go through the hassle of returning a lift that was advertised as 109 but once on my trailer measured 111 1/2. I don't want to repeat that mistake. Thanks for the tip on the shims definitely going to buy those also.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Wish I knew you were selling the 4 post, I'm in the market and that would have fit the bill.

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

It sold fast, like 10 hours.

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

Don't go ordering it yet. If I remember the cables protrude through the top of the columns, which I did not measure. Let me measure when I get home and I'll let you know.

robguitargod1

iTrader: (4)

108 5/8"

There's 2 bolt heads on top of the columns but they're not very big.

daferris

iTrader: (8)

I have been really happy with my lift I got in 2015 for $2300 delivered. I have 16' tall roof so height not an issue
http://www.asedeals.com/store/dannmar-two-post-car-lift-asymmetrical-brigadier-10acx/