When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
C6 Corvette ZR1 & Z06General info about GM’s Corvette Supercar, LS9 Corvette Technical Info, Performance Upgrades, Suspension Setup for Street or Track
Finishing the garage and last piece to the puzzle is a lift. The lift will mainly serve to get cars off the ground and remove wheels, change brakes, but then also storage in the winter having the car up in the air. My ZR1 is lowered with about 4" from ground to CF.
It almost seems as if I'm asking for both types of lifts, one you drive up on where the wheels are on the lift (no access to remove wheels) and the other I'm not sure if its meant for long term storage..
completed
high lift / jack shaft conversion
lighting upgrade
to do
drywall prep, prime, paint
dealership quality epoxy job
lift
My car is extremely low, lower than the 4" that you say your's has. I think I measured 3-3/4" at the chin on mine. Additionally, my garage has a 1" lip that is a step up, to keep water out during hard rains. I use a short set of Race Ramps under the ramps that came with my lift to get up on it without dragging the chin. I have to back my car in if I want to raise the lift high enough to get the wife's car under it. I have been very pleased with the lift. If my wife would let me take the water softener out of the garage, it would be even better because then I could access the driver side front wheel while on the lift.....
I use the lift mainly for storage as I own a townhouse in Houston and don't have a private driveway.
And my garage is not usually a disaster as it was in these photos. I was moving in, had just finished modifying the garage door and just installed the lift so I had stuff stacked everywhere.
I have a jack inside the rails of my lift, that allows me to raise the car on the lift to access pretty much anything I want. I think it is the best of both worlds. I'll be changing a leaf spring on the front of my car next weekend and will have no trouble doing that on this lift, with my jack and a couple of tall auxiliary jack stands. This is a Greg Smith Equipment lift and sliding jack.
so with that type of lift, if you need to remove the wheels your not doing it on the lift correct? For some reason I thought someone told me there is some other component you can get to get the tires off the lift with your type of model?
My car is extremely low, lower than the 4" that you say your's has. I think I measured 3-3/4" at the chin on mine. Additionally, my garage has a 1" lip that is a step up, to keep water out during hard rains. I use a short set of Race Ramps under the ramps that came with my lift to get up on it without dragging the chin. I have to back my car in if I want to raise the lift high enough to get the wife's car under it. I have been very pleased with the lift. If my wife would let me take the water softener out of the garage, it would be even better because then I could access the driver side front wheel while on the lift.....
I use the lift mainly for storage as I own a townhouse in Houston and don't have a private driveway.
And my garage is not usually a disaster as it was in these photos. I was moving in, had just finished modifying the garage door and just installed the lift so I had stuff stacked everywhere.
I have a jack inside the rails of my lift, that allows me to raise the car on the lift to access pretty much anything I want. I think it is the best of both worlds. I'll be changing a leaf spring on the front of my car next weekend and will have no trouble doing that on this lift, with my jack and a couple of tall auxiliary jack stands. This is a Greg Smith Equipment lift and sliding jack.
so with that type of lift, if you need to remove the wheels your not doing it on the lift correct? For some reason I thought someone told me there is some other component you can get to get the tires off the lift with your type of model?
Look up Greg Smith Equipment and once you are on the stardard 4-post lift page, you will see the addition items you can purchase. The slide jack is what I have, that spans the rails and is a scissor jack, under the car. It is extremely useful and allows me to lift the car on the lift, from a multitude of lifting points. I raise the lift up, position the jack in the lifting position I want and then raise the car off the lift. I can lift via the engine cradle, the rear subframe, any of the body lifting points, or any other point I see fit to be able to raise the car to remove the tires. It is limited to lifting the front end or the rear end, not one side at a time.
In the photo that is a side shot of my car up on the lift, you can see the jack at full compression right behind the front tire.
My ceiling is 9'-6". I looked at a lot of homes before we bought this one and I was in every garage with a tape measure, much to the dismay of the listing agents when I would tell them what I was doing. Most times it was met with, "Oh, I don't think you could do that in here...."
Garage height is 18' and 16', those standard door openers had to go!
I modified my door and opener just like you did. My Dad and I did it in a day so it wasn't all that bad, but we didn't have to get up as high as you did. I'll have those openers installed on any future house I own.
My ceiling is 9'-6". I looked at a lot of homes before we bought this one and I was in every garage with a tape measure, much to the dismay of the listing agents when I would tell them what I was doing. Most times it was met with, "Oh, I don't think you could do that in here...."
Yeah, I was doing the same thing house shopping last year, but ended up compromising on a house where everything else was perfect besides that. My garage ceiling is 8' 9", so it would be SUPER close for me, maaaybe 2 slammed Vettes would fit, lol.
When I was house shopping the realtor took me in the shop first (he knew what he was doing). 12 foot ceilings, a couple of 10 foot high doors, plus a big office area. I said "Sold....., by the way, what's the inside of the house look like?"
Well, I did some measuring again of my garage height, I am at 8' 11". It is actually 8' 11.5", but will be 1/2" shorter after I add my RaceDeck flooring in a couple of weeks. My lowered Vette is about 46" high, so as long as the other car (right now just my BRZ daily) is 50" or shorter, that will leave me an 11" buffer. I've read the ramp thickness is about 5", so that gives me a 3" buffer for each car. For those with 4 post lifts, do you think that'll be sufficient?
Also, how does the locking system work? I've never personally used one of these lifts before. Do I need to physically mark the max height before my Vette needs a new roof? LOL... or is there a stop I can put in place to make the lifting process extra safe? Being that it's going to be super tight clearance for me, I don't want any risk of damage if I do this half-awake coming come from work.
I think you'd be fine. As far as a stop, I just marked mine to know where to stop during the lifting operation. You can adjust the safety catches up and down using the nut and threads sticking out of the top of the legs. The catches allow you to relieve the hydraulics and prevent leak down.
I own a company that sells garage flooring/cabinets/lifts and just had a couple of these installed in a customer's garage in Cypress, TX: http://www.qualitylifts.com/Q4P07.shtml
They're ALI (American Lift Institute) certified, very reasonably priced, and are made by Challenger lifts, a well known brand in the industry.
I have the Pro Park 9 unit and love it. Bridge jack is great to raise front or rear of car at factory jacking points. Nice luxury to have enough height to raise the lift all the way. When we built our garage we put in a loft but left an opening where the lift would be placed. Also, a side mount motor for the automatic door opener allows extra overhead clearance. The photos show my home made wooden ramps but I have since gone to the race ramps that are specifically made for lifts. They are feather light and certainly worth the price.
Here are a few tips: 1.) Dump the openers for Shaft Drives Nevermind I see it now, good choice taking the doors up higher.
2.) If you get a (2) post look for Asymetrical
3.) Make sure You have enough concrete for the lift before ordering!
4.) Check your electrical to ensure you can support the rated current
5.) Try mounting lights on the walls for greater lighting when the car was lifted
6.) Upgrade to the adjustable lift pads if you buy a (2) post
7.) If the floor is not level grind down the area under the legs so they sit even and level.
8.) Buy foam stick on weather stripping for the posts and arms so that you don't accidently open the car door into them
If you are looking for manufactures a Rotary has to be my favorite then Bendpack and Challenger.
It looks like you have a sled parked between your 2 cars in the first picture. Where do you live by chance? As for the high-lift conversion on your garage doors, did you do that yourself or have someone do it for you? About how much per door? Also, what kind of garage door opener did you convert too?
I'm looking to do the exact same thing. Taking delivery of my '16 Z06 in October and I'm in Wisconsin.
03-24-2015, 08:21 AM
Garage Build - Show me your lifts
