What brand of car lifts do you guys use?
11-25-2007, 07:29 PM
#41
Melting Slicks
I have 12 ft ceilings and leaning twds a 2 post lift with asymmetric arms. I have a 5” concrete floor, what’s the best anchor system and I would like to use it for the Suburban and truck as well so 9k or 10k. Thoughts?
11-25-2007, 07:52 PM
#42
Melting Slicks
Feel free to PM with any questions.
11-25-2007, 09:25 PM
#43
Le Mans Master
Floor may not be adequate. My AutoLifter installation instructions specified at MINIMUM a 6", 3,000 PSI, wire reinforced pour for the floor.
11-27-2007, 10:52 AM
#45
Burning Brakes
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My All American Lift
Here's some pictures of the lift. In the first picture if the lift was lowered a few more inches the lock would be engaged and at a 90% angle to the post. You have this on all 4 posts. The 4 locks are controlled by a lever next to the control box. To dissengage the lock you would raise the lift about 4-6 inches, hold the control lever down and then lower the lift. My garage has a 10 foot ceiling. I'm about 5'8". If I raise the 67 to the ceiling I can walk around under it without ducking or banging my head. Hope this helps.
Shooter
Shooter
Last edited by shooter1951; 11-27-2007 at 03:01 PM. Reason: Rotate picture
11-27-2007, 12:00 PM
#46
Team Owner
Here's some pictures of the lift. In the first picture if the lift was lowered a few more inches the lock would be engaged and at a 90% angle to the post. You have this on all 4 posts. The 4 locks are controlled by a lever next to the control box. To dissengage the lock you would raise the lift about 4-6 inches, hold the control lever down and then lower the lift. My garage has a 10 foot ceiling. I'm about 5'8". If I raise the 67 to the ceiling I can walk around under it without ducking or banging my head. Hope this helps.
Shooter
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...1/PICT0142.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...1/PICT0146.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...1/PICT0145.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...1/PICT0144.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...1/PICT0143.jpg
Shooter
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...1/PICT0142.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...1/PICT0146.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...1/PICT0145.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...1/PICT0144.jpg
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...1/PICT0143.jpg
The top photo (0142) is upside down. The amount of travel required to disengage the locks is ~2", not 4-6" as stated.
11-27-2007, 03:16 PM
#47
Burning Brakes
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Thanks Joe, I was still half asleep 
when I posted these. I didn't check it after I rotated it. You're right on the travel also, if you have all 4 locks (and cables) adjusted exactly the same you would only have to raise it 2". I ussually raise it about 4" then look underneath to be sure I can see all 4 locks in the down position. If the lift isn't adjusted right or if one of the locks don't disengage you'll know it pretty quick when that corner hangs up. Thanks again for the corrections. Shooter
11-28-2007, 05:05 PM
#48
Racer
Member Since: Mar 2007
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I have had a DirectLift 7000 lb 4 poster for about 5 years, and it has performed flawlessly. I have heard some of this same B.S. at shows, and it is usually coming from the Backyard Buddy guys. I guess that they can't even come close to competing on price, so they spread fear and false rumors. I am only aware of one lift failure, and it was caused by failure of the operator to pay attention. He was bringing down the car, and did not have the lock release fully depressed. It hung a lock on the way down on this one corner which allowed this cable to go slack. He realized what he had done after about a foot when the lift started twisting, and started back up with the lift. The cable had come off the pulley due to it going slack,and went along side the pulley bolt instead of the pulley groove. As he went back up, the tension of the cable snapped the bolt off which made that corner of the lift drop.
The manufacturer of this lift has since installed guard bolts on all their lifts to prevent the cables from coming out of the pulley. Lifts can be extremely dangerous if you do not pay attention to what you are doing, but operated properly, any of them will give you years of safe, trouble-free service. They do need service and adjustment on a regular basis. I have never seen a lift design that I would classify as unsafe, and I do not believe that Backyard Buddy is any safer than any other lift. They make a big deal about the lock blocks being welded on the majority of other lifts, but that is total B.S.! If welds are so unsafe, why do they weld so much of their lift together? Almost every lift on the market uses welded-on lock blocks except for them, and these lifts have a proven history of safe operation.
If you look at most lifts, you will see very little difference in most of them. They look like that all came off the same assembly line, and a lot of them did! The same exact design is used on at least 10 different name-brand lifts. The DirectLift 4 poster can be bought for less than $2000, and will include the casters, drip trays and jack bridge. I move mine from one shop to the other at my house on a regular basis, and the portablitiy is a great feature. Spen the extra money for aluminum ramps, as you will get tired of dragging the steel ones around pretty quick, if you use it a lot.
Regards, John McGraw
The manufacturer of this lift has since installed guard bolts on all their lifts to prevent the cables from coming out of the pulley. Lifts can be extremely dangerous if you do not pay attention to what you are doing, but operated properly, any of them will give you years of safe, trouble-free service. They do need service and adjustment on a regular basis. I have never seen a lift design that I would classify as unsafe, and I do not believe that Backyard Buddy is any safer than any other lift. They make a big deal about the lock blocks being welded on the majority of other lifts, but that is total B.S.! If welds are so unsafe, why do they weld so much of their lift together? Almost every lift on the market uses welded-on lock blocks except for them, and these lifts have a proven history of safe operation.
If you look at most lifts, you will see very little difference in most of them. They look like that all came off the same assembly line, and a lot of them did! The same exact design is used on at least 10 different name-brand lifts. The DirectLift 4 poster can be bought for less than $2000, and will include the casters, drip trays and jack bridge. I move mine from one shop to the other at my house on a regular basis, and the portablitiy is a great feature. Spen the extra money for aluminum ramps, as you will get tired of dragging the steel ones around pretty quick, if you use it a lot.
Regards, John McGraw
11-29-2007, 04:26 PM
#49
Safety Car
Thanks
11-29-2007, 04:26 PM
#50
Instructor
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11-29-2007, 07:27 PM
#52
Le Mans Master
If you'll note their web site notes that the 10,000# clear floor does not come with Asymetric arms.
Actually, they gave me two sets of long and two sets of short arms so I can run it any which way and accomodate about any frame.
(Or maybe they were just more cautious when they were AutoLifters.)
Last edited by toddalin; 11-29-2007 at 07:29 PM.
11-30-2007, 01:24 PM
#54
Instructor
Car lift / hoist decision
2 post or 4 post:
- Decision is easy; if all you need is car storage space, buy the 4 post lift
- If you turn any of your own wrenches, 2 post is the only choice
- purchase an asyemtic lift which gives you more freedom on the placement of the car
- 9000 lb lift min capability
I have had a 2 post lift by Giro, made in Canada, for years - absolutely the best investment I ever made. I had a hard time deciding on a company lift until I found out that Giro offered an engine hoist I beam for the lift, this sold me. You would not believe how often I use the i beam to unload or lift items off the ground, capable of lifting 1000 lbs.
Sorry for the BIG picture, forgot how to adjust when inserting
- Decision is easy; if all you need is car storage space, buy the 4 post lift
- If you turn any of your own wrenches, 2 post is the only choice
- purchase an asyemtic lift which gives you more freedom on the placement of the car
- 9000 lb lift min capability
I have had a 2 post lift by Giro, made in Canada, for years - absolutely the best investment I ever made. I had a hard time deciding on a company lift until I found out that Giro offered an engine hoist I beam for the lift, this sold me. You would not believe how often I use the i beam to unload or lift items off the ground, capable of lifting 1000 lbs.
Sorry for the BIG picture, forgot how to adjust when inserting
11-30-2007, 03:08 PM
#55
Team Owner
2 post or 4 post:
- Decision is easy; if all you need is car storage space, buy the 4 post lift
- If you turn any of your own wrenches, 2 post is the only choice
- purchase an asyemtic lift which gives you more freedom on the placement of the car
- 9000 lb lift min capability
I have had a 2 post lift by Giro, made in Canada, for years - absolutely the best investment I ever made. I had a hard time deciding on a company lift until I found out that Giro offered an engine hoist I beam for the lift, this sold me. You would not believe how often I use the i beam to unload or lift items off the ground, capable of lifting 1000 lbs.
Sorry for the BIG picture, forgot how to adjust when inserting
- Decision is easy; if all you need is car storage space, buy the 4 post lift
- If you turn any of your own wrenches, 2 post is the only choice
- purchase an asyemtic lift which gives you more freedom on the placement of the car
- 9000 lb lift min capability
I have had a 2 post lift by Giro, made in Canada, for years - absolutely the best investment I ever made. I had a hard time deciding on a company lift until I found out that Giro offered an engine hoist I beam for the lift, this sold me. You would not believe how often I use the i beam to unload or lift items off the ground, capable of lifting 1000 lbs.
Sorry for the BIG picture, forgot how to adjust when inserting
I disagree with your statement about only the two post will do if you turn your own wrenches. I have two of the 4-post lifts and I turn all my own wrenches. I have a couple of sliding plates that span the runners that I use when I want to have all four wheels in the air. I restored my 56 using a 4-post. there is plenty of open space between the runners to drop the transmission, replace the exhaust, completely remove the rear axle and springs, etc. In my case, I also use the both lifts to store my 56 and my 64. I've found that they spend a much greater time in the storage mode then in the wrenching mode. When I want to change the oil in my C5 or my Mercedes, it only takes a few minutes to drive one the the old vettes off and drive one of the newer cars on for the oil change.
The two post is easier to access the underside of the cars vs. the 4-post but really not that much. The four post lifts are narrower then the two post so they take up less room in your typical garage, don't require special concrete specs, don't have to be anchored to the floor, and you can store a car on the 4-post for long periods of time without stressing the suspension rubber, and, if the ceiling height is restricted, there is more room under the lift to place another vehicle as the wheels/tires aren't hanging down.
11-30-2007, 07:04 PM
#57
Melting Slicks
12-01-2007, 04:21 PM
#58
Burning Brakes
I now own a Backyard Buddy (now close to 15 years old )and a Gemini 4 Post lift now about 6 years old...PLUS an low level lift I use to do brake work with...
Never a bid of trouble with any of them...BUT the BYB I trust a lot more...
Sorry BUT I do wrench my cars and sold a 2 post lift to buy the BYB
I will admit its slightly harder to reach a shock mount with a 4 post lift but
that is a very small price to pay for the added practicality offered by the 4 poster.... ONLY thing I ever had trouble doing with the 4 poster was brake work...so I purchased a low level lift for doing that ..only thing I know is I hate to have to get down on my hands and knees to set the swing arms on the low level lift... LOL I'm getting old
Bob G.
Never a bid of trouble with any of them...BUT the BYB I trust a lot more...
Sorry BUT I do wrench my cars and sold a 2 post lift to buy the BYB
I will admit its slightly harder to reach a shock mount with a 4 post lift but
that is a very small price to pay for the added practicality offered by the 4 poster.... ONLY thing I ever had trouble doing with the 4 poster was brake work...so I purchased a low level lift for doing that ..only thing I know is I hate to have to get down on my hands and knees to set the swing arms on the low level lift... LOL I'm getting old
Bob G.
09-30-2016, 01:44 PM
#59
Safety Car
Member Since: Dec 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, South Hills
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2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C1 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Works very well! C6 and C1 Corvettes
