Lift question?
02-28-2010, 07:03 PM
#1
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Lift question?
Looking to buy a lift for the garage. What have you guys used? Likes dislikes? Drive on vs. post? What brands to avoid what do you like? I will also need to get a full size 1/2 ton p/u on it too. Are the lifts in the $1600-1800 dollar range really all that bad for home use? Thanks Scott.
03-01-2010, 11:34 AM
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Lifts
Scott,
There are alot of different lifts out there and the right one for you depends on how you are going to use it. Are you going to strictly use it to work or your cars? Are you going to use it as a storage unit as well?
There are alot of manufactures out there with very questionable lifts. One word of advice is to make sure it is ALI/ETL certified. The certification process is extensive and most of those "cheap" lifts do not have the certification because the can not pass.
Just so there is no confusion, I am a Regional Sales Manager for a lift manufacture and my distributors attend alot of Corvette functions including Corvetts at Carlisle located in PA.
If you have any questions, you are more then welcome to email me at saml@challengerlifts.com
There are alot of different lifts out there and the right one for you depends on how you are going to use it. Are you going to strictly use it to work or your cars? Are you going to use it as a storage unit as well?
There are alot of manufactures out there with very questionable lifts. One word of advice is to make sure it is ALI/ETL certified. The certification process is extensive and most of those "cheap" lifts do not have the certification because the can not pass.
Just so there is no confusion, I am a Regional Sales Manager for a lift manufacture and my distributors attend alot of Corvette functions including Corvetts at Carlisle located in PA.
If you have any questions, you are more then welcome to email me at saml@challengerlifts.com
03-01-2010, 10:38 PM
#4
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try gregsmithequipment.com I have a 2 post lift .. general rule of thumb if you wanna work on it 2 post , storage 4 post. If you go 2 post consider a clear floor . the hump on mine is right under the transmission on my vette. best investment I ever made
03-12-2010, 08:54 PM
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I hope you don't mind me jumping in the discussion. 
Before selling my company, I'd been in the parking lift / lift business for over 20 years. Not being affiliated with anyone now allows me a little more crediability with most. lol
For home use which usually requires storage/hobby use I would only look at a 4 post. This allows long term parking/storage without worrying where the center of gravity is.
As for the "testing" part of it. I've seen many lifts with the ALI certs that I would consider questionable. Unless it's changed, ALI didn't require us to send them a lift for testing, it was more of "joining the club" which anyone could do that wanted to pay. (kind of like the Better Business Burea).
In my younger days, I started out with a company called AutoLifters. They were the first ones to market a "free standing" 4 post lift (they actually designed it off a 3 post fold up lift they sold to the military for jeeps). This design was quickly making the cantalever lift obsolete (Park Plus, Parking Solutions) due to their affordability (the catanlever lifts were selling for $7000.00 and more). However this "first generation" was a "outside slider" design which had it's share of problems (from our stand point). It wasn't uncommon to get a call complaining about the "pinch points" (normally this was a customer that got their power cord up against the column and the exposed slider would literally tear it in two). Our concern was safety from the user having a child (son or grandson) in the opposite corner out of view while he was operating it, had this ever happen it would easily have taken a finger off!
The first "enclosed column" was then offered (Stinger did this, he was one of our engineers from Auto Lifters). This new or "second generation" eliminated the "pinch points" and also allowed the UHMW (slider material) to be lubricated without fear of the grease getting onto the consumer (the manufacture's test results for UHMW showed the wear 3x greater without lubrication).
Since the "second generation" many newer designs have made the lifts even more desirable (I won't bore you with that now) lol.
One thing near and dear to my heart is that anything built in the states is much better than what I've seen imported. (my opinion) These imports are coming in from China and use "bastard" seals and cylinders which make a real challenge to repair. The one item that has me more concerned with these imports than any other is watching those business's who in the past built a great lift now go out of business. I've watched Auto Lifters close their doors, Eagle close (ok, their creditor took them over), Cytech close, and Stinger all but close (they've been bought out). Word of advise..... if the lift sells for less than $2400 or $2500 then it's an import!
Sorry it was so long (this was actually the short version)
Mitch Chance
Former Lifts Unlimited owner
Before selling my company, I'd been in the parking lift / lift business for over 20 years. Not being affiliated with anyone now allows me a little more crediability with most. lol
For home use which usually requires storage/hobby use I would only look at a 4 post. This allows long term parking/storage without worrying where the center of gravity is.
As for the "testing" part of it. I've seen many lifts with the ALI certs that I would consider questionable. Unless it's changed, ALI didn't require us to send them a lift for testing, it was more of "joining the club" which anyone could do that wanted to pay. (kind of like the Better Business Burea).
In my younger days, I started out with a company called AutoLifters. They were the first ones to market a "free standing" 4 post lift (they actually designed it off a 3 post fold up lift they sold to the military for jeeps). This design was quickly making the cantalever lift obsolete (Park Plus, Parking Solutions) due to their affordability (the catanlever lifts were selling for $7000.00 and more). However this "first generation" was a "outside slider" design which had it's share of problems (from our stand point). It wasn't uncommon to get a call complaining about the "pinch points" (normally this was a customer that got their power cord up against the column and the exposed slider would literally tear it in two). Our concern was safety from the user having a child (son or grandson) in the opposite corner out of view while he was operating it, had this ever happen it would easily have taken a finger off!
The first "enclosed column" was then offered (Stinger did this, he was one of our engineers from Auto Lifters). This new or "second generation" eliminated the "pinch points" and also allowed the UHMW (slider material) to be lubricated without fear of the grease getting onto the consumer (the manufacture's test results for UHMW showed the wear 3x greater without lubrication).
Since the "second generation" many newer designs have made the lifts even more desirable (I won't bore you with that now) lol.
One thing near and dear to my heart is that anything built in the states is much better than what I've seen imported. (my opinion) These imports are coming in from China and use "bastard" seals and cylinders which make a real challenge to repair. The one item that has me more concerned with these imports than any other is watching those business's who in the past built a great lift now go out of business. I've watched Auto Lifters close their doors, Eagle close (ok, their creditor took them over), Cytech close, and Stinger all but close (they've been bought out). Word of advise..... if the lift sells for less than $2400 or $2500 then it's an import!
Sorry it was so long (this was actually the short version)
Mitch Chance
Former Lifts Unlimited owner