I know we've been there, but I'm looking for very specific advice from those who have 4-posters. My biggest interest is convenience and ease of use, plus, of course, cost; but I want to get a 4-post Danmar, Bend Pak, etc.
Can I simply drive up on any of them, without extended ramps, etc., and not drag anchor? (My C5 is stock height.)
Also, I think I know the answer to this, but can any of the 4-post lifts be driven "through"?

Thanks in advance....

 

yes; you should be able to drive right up.
LR

 

At stock height, you should have no issues with frame scraping on to a BEND PAK HD9 version or a SUPERLIFT SR-7H. Your front air damns may scrape momentarily going up the ramps, but it's nothing to be concerned about. I've had both (and a two post FORWARD MANUFACTURING) so it's not speculation.

When choosing your lift, keep in mind other vehicles that you might decide to use on the lift. It will happen, guaranteed. So select your four post lift with sufficient maximum lifting capacity, runway length and width, and width between the columns to accommodate the widest/heaviest/longest vehicle.

The width between the runways and the width between the columns is another consideration. Some of the BEND PAK HD9 series have a fixed width between the runways of only 37". Other HD9 lifts have the ability for adjustable width between the runways of 37 1/4" to 44". The narrower width will just barely allow for a C5/Z06 Corvette. Research the specifications of your lift carefully.

As far as "drive through" ability. At the front of either of the above are thick plate stops for the tires. The BEND PAK stops are mounted on hinges, while the SUPERLIFT stops are mounted rigidly. Either are easily removed. If you want to be able to "drive through", you only need to order a second set of ramps.

http://www.bendpak.com/car-lifts/fou...ifts/HD-9.aspx

http://www.superlifts.com/fourpostlifts/sr7h.html

 

Thanks for the reply, Hot. I'm buying the lift 'cause I'm up to 4 vehicles now (including my ol' standby, Y2K F150); so I definitely want it for all the vehicles. I want to be sure that when I go up in capacity I don't also go up in ground clearance required.

 

I park on mine every day...make sure you get 36 inch long approach ramps, so if you lower your car or any other reason you will be ok. parking on the runways makes it easier to get in and out of the car, and when I need to raise it I just push a button....great time saver.

 

The other guys have answered your questions, I just thought I'd chime in to agree with them. mine is not one that you are considering, Direct lift from Greg Smith equipment, but it has an 8000# capacity and lifts up to 72" to the top of the runways. Mine has 1/4" plates that lift out to allow the car to pass through, if desired. Again another pair of ramps would be required.

I have not had any issue with driving up with either my 94 (now sold) or my 2001 coupe. The ramps extend far enough out that it just doesn't happen.

My Direct Lift looks just like the lift pictured above, except that I purchased the aluminum ramps.

 

How do you guys do brake work or work with the tires off?

 

I am assuming there is some kind of Centerlift bridge + bottle jack configuration... just like with my Kwiklift. Is this true?

 

that's what I'm wondering...?

We had those in the shop that I worked at on a couple of the 4 post lifts but it was a pretty expensive "attachment" I believe..

 

4 posts are generally intended for storage or driveline work (engine servicing, transmission work maybe).

If you want to do wheel work, get a 2 post. I recommend getting a Rotary (brand):


Keep in mind, though, that even with a stock ride height, I have to jack up the rear end to get the arms to fit under the body.

When we extend the garage to enclose this sucker, we'll be adding another single car garage beyond that to include a 4 post setup for our project / spare vehicle storage.

 

When I bought my superior lift, I got the optional air over hydraulic scissors jack. I also have 2 jack trays. You can use them for jack stands or another type of jack. That way you can get all 4 wheels up. The jack is a tight fit under the vette, but it does work.

 

It's easy. I have 2 hydraulic scissor jacks....see one here when I was doing my coilover job recently...get them at autobarn.com...note the comfortable height the lift gives you for working...beats the heck out of kneeling on the ground

 

If I installed that in my driveway/backyard, my HOA would slap a fine on me so fast my head would be spinning!

Nice lift though!

 

Could always just tell them it's a height-adjustable pair of basketball hoop supports for the neighborhood kids to practice with. Extra durable, too.

 

I'm with Flaagan. For the type of work I do, I wouldn't even consider a 4 post lift. There are too many limitations. You also don't need anything fancy to "drive through" them.

 

i have a double park 4 post lift. my c5 has been lowered on its stock bolts. i can drive up its ramps with no rub. i have 2 bridges with bottle jacks to lift for wheel removal. thay work great.....10' 3" ceiling

 

what scared me away from a 2 post is the unknown concrete strength and the huge risk of it busting out with a load on it. I know there are ways around this, but I prefer the obvious security of 4 posts holding things that can kill me....plus I can roll the lift out of the garage anytime I need to....plus the ramps are great for setting your can of beer while you are working on the car!LOL

 

All you guys with 4 post lifts, whats your ceiling height?

 

I'm at 10' 2". Consider the C5 as 4' tall and do your calculations then add a few inches clearance for lowering the lift from your maximum raised vehicle height....requires that you raise it about an inch and a half to allow clearance of the supporting spring loaded teeth prior to dropping.

 

Our current shop is attached and we had to comply with maximum roof height requirements within the development. We didn't want to excavate more soil or lower the slab resulting in more steps into the house.

The walls are 12 ft 4 in. which allows my BEND PAK HD9 to lift our Z16 to full lifting height. That's way to high to comfortably work under. It allows our current crew cab truck and full sized SUV be lifted high enough to work under if slightly crouched, but I use an old office chair to sit on. This is our third home shop.

The shop walls in our previous homes were 16 ft for my previous two post FORWARD MANUFACTURING lift and 16 ft for my previous four post SUPERLIFT SR-7H lift. Both were detached shops with cathedral ceilings.