car lift
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette Louisiana
car lift
I not sure if this is the right place to post this. Have any of you installed one of those lifts you can stack cars with. How much garage height do you need? Just looking for more car storage but know nothing about installation or price of these things.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by jude
I not sure if this is the right place to post this. Have any of you installed one of those lifts you can stack cars with. How much garage height do you need? Just looking for more car storage but know nothing about installation or price of these things.
Here's a good place to start looking for answers...
http://www.americasprideonline.com/a...eries.shtml#9A
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 342
Likes: 2
From: Naperville, IL
you can try here also:
http://www.rhilifts.com/
I have 2 in my 2 car garage. (well, one now, one more next week). Typically you need twice the height of the cars, plus 8 inches. But that is a minimum, and will make for some nailbiting when you use them. One mistake.........well, you get the point.
You also need to consider the height of you garage door opener, tracks, and door height when open. Many can still fit the car if they back on the car. The door can sometime clear over the hood, as long as the roof line of the car is behind the door. You can se photos of this at the website I have here.
I had to raise my rafters, garage door and tracks........wasnt cheap, but less than a new garage, and less overtime than offsite storage, not to mention a lot more convenient.
http://www.rhilifts.com/
I have 2 in my 2 car garage. (well, one now, one more next week). Typically you need twice the height of the cars, plus 8 inches. But that is a minimum, and will make for some nailbiting when you use them. One mistake.........well, you get the point.
You also need to consider the height of you garage door opener, tracks, and door height when open. Many can still fit the car if they back on the car. The door can sometime clear over the hood, as long as the roof line of the car is behind the door. You can se photos of this at the website I have here.
I had to raise my rafters, garage door and tracks........wasnt cheap, but less than a new garage, and less overtime than offsite storage, not to mention a lot more convenient.
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 687
Likes: 0
I just put in a Revolution 4-post. My ceiling is 109". I stack mine with the C2 coupe on bottom and the C3 vert on top. I had to modify my garage door to hug the ceiling to make this work. I think this is probable the minimum ceiling height you could possible go; I have 1.5" clearance on the bottom car and approx. 4" for the top car.
I absolutely love this lift, highly recommended. Revolution has a slick leveling device on the posts which came in handy as I have a 1.5" differential in my floor. Also, the locking postions are somewhat adjustable, they are always at 6" intervals but have +/- 1.5" adjustment.
I absolutely love this lift, highly recommended. Revolution has a slick leveling device on the posts which came in handy as I have a 1.5" differential in my floor. Also, the locking postions are somewhat adjustable, they are always at 6" intervals but have +/- 1.5" adjustment.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 884
Likes: 45
From: Hardeeville, South Carolina
Here's mine....check the archives for lift types, costs, etc....allot of discussion/preferences on file.
My ceiling height is 9' 4" and I had to raise/lengthen the door tracks (8") to get over the hood of the top car when I have them up for storage or wrenching, but my limiting factor was how far I could get the lift into the garage opening.
Each garage is different, start with measuring the height of your 2 cars, plus the thickness of the track of the lift your deciding on (if its a 4-post)...also get the technical literature on whatever lift your looking at and "mask out" the foot print of the unit on the floor. The two biggest things to consider from my experience is, ceiling height, and as I said, how far you can actually get the lift inside the garage, you can see that mine "just fit". Hope this helps...
My ceiling height is 9' 4" and I had to raise/lengthen the door tracks (8") to get over the hood of the top car when I have them up for storage or wrenching, but my limiting factor was how far I could get the lift into the garage opening.
Each garage is different, start with measuring the height of your 2 cars, plus the thickness of the track of the lift your deciding on (if its a 4-post)...also get the technical literature on whatever lift your looking at and "mask out" the foot print of the unit on the floor. The two biggest things to consider from my experience is, ceiling height, and as I said, how far you can actually get the lift inside the garage, you can see that mine "just fit". Hope this helps...
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,876
Likes: 1
From: Jersey Shore Exit 98
[QUOTE=ccryder]Here's mine....check the archives for lift types, costs, etc....allot of discussion/preferences on file.
CC who makes this lift & what did it cost? Also I have kids is there a safety switch or cut-off on the lift? Lastly did you install it yourself?
Thanks
Jim
CC who makes this lift & what did it cost? Also I have kids is there a safety switch or cut-off on the lift? Lastly did you install it yourself?
Thanks
Jim
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 884
Likes: 45
From: Hardeeville, South Carolina
[QUOTE=Jims79]
Jim, Mfg is Gemini (out of Texas), bought the lift from one of their Chicago Distributors, about 2K delivered to my home in Milwaukee. Yes, the lift has a key lock/switch option for safety (had the same concerns as you, this cost extra). Lift was installed in one Sat afternoon, me and one other guy (you need a rolling/hydraulic engine lift, extended arm, to make it possible, or more manpower). There are better lifts/designs available out there, just depnds on what you need and want to spend. Its a piece of machinery like anything else, has to be put together right, operated right, and maintained right.
Originally Posted by ccryder
Here's mine....check the archives for lift types, costs, etc....allot of discussion/preferences on file.
CC who makes this lift & what did it cost? Also I have kids is there a safety switch or cut-off on the lift? Lastly did you install it yourself?
Thanks
Jim
CC who makes this lift & what did it cost? Also I have kids is there a safety switch or cut-off on the lift? Lastly did you install it yourself?
Thanks
Jim
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Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,424
Likes: 0
From: Lakeland FL
Originally Posted by ccryder
Here's mine....check the archives for lift types, costs, etc....allot of discussion/preferences on file.
My ceiling height is 9' 4" and I had to raise/lengthen the door tracks (8") to get over the hood of the top car when I have them up for storage or wrenching, but my limiting factor was how far I could get the lift into the garage opening.
Each garage is different, start with measuring the height of your 2 cars, plus the thickness of the track of the lift your deciding on (if its a 4-post)...also get the technical literature on whatever lift your looking at and "mask out" the foot print of the unit on the floor. The two biggest things to consider from my experience is, ceiling height, and as I said, how far you can actually get the lift inside the garage, you can see that mine "just fit". Hope this helps...
My ceiling height is 9' 4" and I had to raise/lengthen the door tracks (8") to get over the hood of the top car when I have them up for storage or wrenching, but my limiting factor was how far I could get the lift into the garage opening.
Each garage is different, start with measuring the height of your 2 cars, plus the thickness of the track of the lift your deciding on (if its a 4-post)...also get the technical literature on whatever lift your looking at and "mask out" the foot print of the unit on the floor. The two biggest things to consider from my experience is, ceiling height, and as I said, how far you can actually get the lift inside the garage, you can see that mine "just fit". Hope this helps...
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,986
Likes: 21
From: Columbus MN
Backyard Buddy
I have a 7 ft. Backyard Buddy lift in my garage. ( http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p.../Lift-day1.jpg Check them out at http://www.backyardbuddy.com/.
If you just want a lift to stack cars, then I am sure you could get by with a cheaper lift. I drive a 4x4 pickup too, so I needed a lift that isn't going to bow in the middle over time.
If you're going to lift cars only and not trucks like I do, then you have more options. I even found some affordable ones on eBay.
If you just want a lift to stack cars, then I am sure you could get by with a cheaper lift. I drive a 4x4 pickup too, so I needed a lift that isn't going to bow in the middle over time.
If you're going to lift cars only and not trucks like I do, then you have more options. I even found some affordable ones on eBay.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,876
Likes: 1
From: Jersey Shore Exit 98
[QUOTE=ccryder]
Jim, Mfg is Gemini (out of Texas), bought the lift from one of their Chicago Distributors, about 2K delivered to my home in Milwaukee. Yes, the lift has a key lock/switch option for safety (had the same concerns as you, this cost extra). Lift was installed in one Sat afternoon, me and one other guy (you need a rolling/hydraulic engine lift, extended arm, to make it possible, or more manpower). There are better lifts/designs available out there, just depnds on what you need and want to spend. Its a piece of machinery like anything else, has to be put together right, operated right, and maintained right.
Thanks for the info. I'll let you know what I get. I'm looking at the Mohawk two post & the Rotary 4 post. Same price and features.
Originally Posted by Jims79
Jim, Mfg is Gemini (out of Texas), bought the lift from one of their Chicago Distributors, about 2K delivered to my home in Milwaukee. Yes, the lift has a key lock/switch option for safety (had the same concerns as you, this cost extra). Lift was installed in one Sat afternoon, me and one other guy (you need a rolling/hydraulic engine lift, extended arm, to make it possible, or more manpower). There are better lifts/designs available out there, just depnds on what you need and want to spend. Its a piece of machinery like anything else, has to be put together right, operated right, and maintained right.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 7,072
Likes: 4
From: Maryland
Our tiny garage is both height and width challenged. 
So we ended up getting a bend-pac scissors lift for working on the cars.
http://corvetteforum.net/classics/gregp/lift/lift.htm
So we ended up getting a bend-pac scissors lift for working on the cars.http://corvetteforum.net/classics/gregp/lift/lift.htm
Pro
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 683
Likes: 4
Originally Posted by MN80Vette
I have a 7 ft. Backyard Buddy lift in my garage. ( http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p.../Lift-day1.jpg Check them out at http://www.backyardbuddy.com/.
If you just want a lift to stack cars, then I am sure you could get by with a cheaper lift. I drive a 4x4 pickup too, so I needed a lift that isn't going to bow in the middle over time.
If you're going to lift cars only and not trucks like I do, then you have more options. I even found some affordable ones on eBay.
If you just want a lift to stack cars, then I am sure you could get by with a cheaper lift. I drive a 4x4 pickup too, so I needed a lift that isn't going to bow in the middle over time.
If you're going to lift cars only and not trucks like I do, then you have more options. I even found some affordable ones on eBay.
Steve
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
From: Arizona
Whatever one you decide on, make sure it's built here in the USA. I try and find some pics. I had of some of the Chinese imports... (junk)
Here's a one-off, that I did last year for one of my really good buddies...
Mitchell...
Here's a one-off, that I did last year for one of my really good buddies...
Mitchell...
